When a Russian whom I met during a trip around China asked me why he wanted to visit Pskov, I replied that if the Polish king Stefan Batory was there, I would like to. The morning walk along the banks of the Velikaja River was an amazing experience. The silence around and the domes of the orthodox church reflecting in the water made an amazing impression. The walls of Pskov even today look impressive and it is no wonder that the Poles did not manage to capture the city.