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Lake Peipsi Travel Guide
Straddling at the border between Estonia and Russia is the immense Lake Pheipsi-Pihkva, the largest trans-boundary freshwater lake in the entire European mainland. Spanning with an area of roughly 3,500 square kilometers, with an average depth of seven meters, the lake has spawned more than 30 rivers and streams that snake their way across Estonia.
Called "Peipus" during the ancient times, the lake figured prominently in world history by serving as the venue of the so-called "Battle of the Ice," which pitted the crusading Teutonic Knights against the Novgorodians under Alexander Nevski. On April 5, 1242, the German Roman Catholic crusaders set out to conquer the land of the pagans and the Eastern Orthodox Christians as part of the Northern Crusades. The crusaders initially had the upper hand, with their forces successfully driving the opposing force into retreat. However, the Novgorodians tricked the overconfident enemy by driving them into the thin ice at the far side of the lake. Because of the weight of their armors, many of the crusaders sank and drowned, while the survivors escaped. This lost halted the Northern Crusades for nearly a century.
This history might seem interesting, but nowadays, the lake is better known as one of the best places to do ice-fishing. Since the lake is home to bountiful schools of sparlings, pikes, breams, bass, perches, whitefishes, and many others, locals can be seen making holes into the thick ice and sitting with their fishing lines dipped into the water, hoping to catch some fish for dinner. One might be enticed to do the same, although it might be best to tag along with the locals or fish in areas where people are clustered together in order to find the best fishing spots.
Nearby Lake Peipsi is Tartu, considered as the spiritual capital of Estonia. The town is an example of the old meeting the new. Here, visitors can see old wooden houses and 19th-century cobblestone streets mingling with modern high-rise buildings and universities. It also served as the cradle for the 19th century revival of the country, as proven by its museums.
Another attraction worth seeing is the impressive Alatskivi Castle, believed to date back to the late 15th century. Built by Baron Arved von Nolcken, the castle embellishes a distinctive Scottish Baronial style of architecture.
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