7 places to visit in Veliky Novgorod (PHOTOS)

1. Rurik's settlement (Rurikovo Gorodishche)

According to chronicles, this is where Rurik, a Varangian and the first Prince of Novgorod, lived. He was the founder of the Rurik dynasty that ruled Old Russia until 1598. In 862, Rurik and his brothers were called upon to rule by the Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes, in order to end civil strife, marking the beginning of Russian statehood. In terms of the number of archaeological finds of Scandinavian origin, the settlement is considered one of the richest in Eastern Europe.

However, of all the structures, only the ruins of the Church of the Annunciation, built in the 14th century, have survived to this day. By the 11th century, the settlement itself had become the outskirts of Novgorod (literally ‘new city’).

2. Novgorod Kremlin

The heart of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The kremlin is called ‘Detinets’: according to one version, the junior ‘druzhina’ (prince's retinue) — ‘deti’ (‘children’) – lived there; according to another, it was the children of the boyars. 

The fortress was originally wooden; the current stone walls were built in the 15th century by order of Prince Ivan III, after the Novgorod Republic was annexed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. 

The kremlin was built by the best Italian architects, almost simultaneously with the Moscow Kremlin. Along with historical buildings and museums, it’s part of the Novgorod State Museum-Preserve and is protected by the state.

3. St. Sophia Cathedral

This is the oldest stone Orthodox cathedral in the country: it has stood there since 1045. Inside, you’ll find the 12th-century icon ‘Our Lady of the Sign’, fragments of frescoes from the same period, as well as an ancient iconostasis.

Don’t forget to take a closer look at the cross on the central dome: it features a lead dove. Legend has it that a bird turned to stone in horror when it saw Ivan the Terrible's massacre of Novgorodians in 1570. The lead dove was installed in memory of those events.

4. Millennium of Russia Monument

A unique monument dedicated to the idea of Russian statehood was erected in 1862 by order of Alexander II. It depicts history in faces: 129 figures, from Rurik to Pushkin. Interestingly, Ivan the Terrible is not there – out of respect for the memory of the Novgorodians. The monument, St. Sophia Cathedral and the Novgorod Kremlin are all depicted on the Russian five-ruble banknote.

5. Yaroslav's Court (Dvorishche) and the Market (Torg)

On the opposite bank of the Volkhov River lies the city’s second historical center. It was where Yaroslav the Wise's palace was located and, later, a bustling market (torg), where trade with Europe flourished thanks to the Hanseatic League.

The arcade of the Gostiny Dvor (Merchant Court) and ancient churches have been preserved, including the St. Nicholas Cathedral (year 1113).

On Ilyina Street, you can’t miss the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior with frescoes by 14th-century genius Theophanes the Greek.

The master painted about 40 churches, from Constantinople (now Istanbul) to Moscow, but, remarkably, his interior frescoes have only been preserved in Veliky Novgorod.

6. ‘Vitoslavlitsy’

This is an open-air museum of wooden architecture near Veliky Novgorod. It was created in the mid-1960s: ancient churches, huts and farm buildings from the 16th to 20th centuries were brought from remote villages, literally saving them from destruction. ‘Vitoslavlitsy’ is like stepping into an old Russian village: you can peek into merchants' and peasants' houses, see how "black" and "white" stoves and bathhouses were heated and where people ate, slept and managed their households. There are even ancient birch bark children's toys. And, if you're lucky, the tour might be led personally by a cat named Ksenia, a local celebrity!

7. Museum of writing

Over 1,200 birch bark manuscripts from the 11th to 15th centuries have been preserved in Novgorod: ordinary people wrote love letters to each other, made deals and conducted legal disputes. There are even notes with swear words! You can see these birch bark messages in several museums in Veliky Novgorod: in the main building of the Novgorod Museum-Preserve, the Museum of Writing, and also in the exhibition halls at Yaroslav's Court.