Russia: Novgorod the Great

Novgorod is one of the most ancient cities of Russia located in its North-West, near the site where the Volkhov river takes its waters fromLake Ilmen.

The history of Novgorod is closely linked with all major stages in the life of Russian state. At the times, when the statehood of Rus was just in its making, the Novgorodians invited a Scandinavian prince Rurik to keep law and order, thus giving birth to the prince Rurik dynasty that ruled over all Russian lands throughout more than 750 years.

In the early 10th century, war campaigns of the Novgorodians against Constantinopol to secure equal trade with Bizantine resulted in the integration of East Slavic tribes into the ancient Kievan Russian state.

The adoption of Christianity at the close of the tenth century turned Novgorod into a powerful ecclesiastical center. The efforts of Novgorod Bishops in spreading and promoting the Orthodoxy were given high credit in the mid-12th century when they were elevated to the ranks of Archbishops which made the Bishops Chair of Novgorod most powerful in the Russian Orthodoxy.

Novgorod is the cradle of Russian republican and democratic traditions. In the course of over 600 years, up till 1478, all vital decisions on its life and foreign policy were taken by the "veche" — ancient parliament comprising the representatives of the town aristocratic. families. At crucial times of Novgorod history, all people took part in the veche.

Novgorod was one of Russia's major centers of literacy and book production. As far back as in the 30-s of the 11th century, by the will of the great Prince Yaroslav The Wise, Novgorod saw the first school to train three hundred children at a time.

Medieval Novgorod was one of the greatest art centers of Europe. Its architectural traditions, school of icon—painting, jeweler's and decorative applied art became famous all over the world.

The town's military power, its remoteness from dangerous southern borders, successful campaigns against clergical reforms and heresies enabled to preserve a unique complex of architectural monuments with frescoes of the 11th — 17th centuries, the oldest Russian manuscripts, chronicles, acts, icons. The only time in its history when Novgorod suffered military damages was in the course of the World War II: for over two years the city, being at the front line, was bombed and shelled by both combating armies. Turned into ruins, this city on the Volkhov River was brought to life again by the restorers who managed to revive old architecture.

Architectural sights of Novgorod. Many experts of Russian art justly believe Novgorod to be Russian Florence; no other old Russian cities have managed to preserve so many ancient architectural monuments adorned with wall murals.

The cathedral of St. Sophia, the Holy Wisdom of God — the oldest survived Russian stone monument. It was built in 1045. Powerful monolithic massive structure of the monument still dominates not only the Kremlin, but the whole historic downtown of Novgorod. In the interior of this palladium your attention will be drawn by the unique historically formed iconostases, ancient mural paintings, icons — national relics of Russia (including the famous icon of the 12th century — Virgin of the Sign, that was returned back to the cathedral in 1991, when divine services were resumed here), and other relics of Bizantine, Western Europe and Russian art.

The monuments of the twelfth century Novgorod architecture — the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Yaroslav's Court and the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady in St. Anthony's Monastery, that have brought to us old fresco painting, carved iconostases, the necropolis of the 17th — 18th centuries. In the old cloister — the St. George (Yuriev) Monastery, that was founded as early as in the 12th century by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, as a legend reads, one cannot help being amazed by the striking beauty of another masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture — the Cathedral of St. George, built by a certain master mason Peter in 1119.

The Kremlin of Novgorod — the oldest in Russia, this fortress was mentioned in chronicles as early as in 1044, while its today's walls and towers were constructed at the close of 15th century. In addition to the above—mentioned St. Sophia's Cathedral, the Kremlin also features such other striking monuments as the Faceted (Archbishopґs) Palace — a rare specimen of Gothic architecture, built in 1433 in team with German masters, as well as the impressive and beautiful St. Sophiaґs Bellfry of 1439 with a set of bells dating back to the 16th — 18th cc.

In the central square of the Kremlin you will find the monument «The Millenium of Russia», designed by Mikhail Mikeshin and erected in 1862. It is a unique document in bronze immortalizing alongside with outstanding politicians of Russia all those who greatly contributed to the development of the country: its culture, science, art, literacy, literature. Leaving the Kremlin and St. Sophia Quarter of the city, you can get to the opposite bank of the Volkhov by a footbridge, and then to the territory of another architectural open-air museum the Yaroslavґs Court and ancient Trade-yard displaying many survived monuments of the 12th — 16th centuries: churches of St. John-The Baptist, Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa, Murrh-Bearing Women and others — all reminding of busy trade life of Novgorod in old bygone days, as Yaroslav Court with its former wooden palace of Great Prince Yaroslav The Wise was widely known since the middle of the 8th century as a site of the international Trade-yard, oldest in northern Europe.

//vistirussia