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One of the oldest Russian cities, Velikiy Novgorod (Novgorod the Great) was first mentioned in chronicles in 859. Some historians call it the cradle of Russian democracy
for the way it was ruled. the city has grown upon the famous trading route "from the Varangians to the Greeks", and quickly became centre of trades and crafts. to protect themselves from the invaders Novgorodians built in 1044 a stone Kremlin, a castle on a bank of Volkhov River. Later in 1052 was built the imposing St. Sofia's Cathedral, the heart of Kremlin and of all the town. Modern Novgorod is still filled with the ancient spirit of the Glory days. You can have a sensation of thу power of medievaI novgorodians looking on the Kremlin's walls, feel the their spirit wastchung their Churchs and sense their nature
just wolking through the city.
Facated Chamber (Granovitaya Palata)
In the 15th c. the Chamber served as an audience-hall and Archbishop's court-room. As a result, the frescos on the main hall's walls and in the niches consist of both religious compositions («Christ Almighty») and decorative flowers and plaited ornaments. From the 16th to the 19th c. the Faceted Chamber was used as a church. Today it hosts permanent exposition of ancient Russian decorative, applied and jewelry arts, and the nearby Ioann's corpus is occupied by an exposition of ancient Russian embroidery of the 11th—17th cc.
The Kremlin
A Kremlin is an essential part of any ancient Russian city. Originally it was the heart of the settlement, which defined the silhouette and layout of the city.
Through the Kremlin goes a road leading to the pedestrian bridge which connects the Sophiyskaya and Torgovaya sides of the city, just like in the medieval times. From the eastern arch you can see Yaroslav Courtyard and St. Anthony monastery, and if the weather is sunny — Rurik's Gorodische and the golden spark of the bell-tower of the St. George monastery as well.
Today the Kremlin is the cultural and tourist centre of the city. Inside its walls there are main expositions of the museum, restoration workshops, public library, and philharmonic concert hall, college of music and arts, art school, restaurant and souvenir shops.
St. Sophia Cathedral
The cathedral of St. Sophia The Wisdom of God (1045-1050) is one of the most ancient stone buildings in Russia and the first such building in Veliky Novgorod. It was founded by the Prince Yaroslav the Wise, his son Vladimir and the Archbishop Luka as the major city cathedral.
It explains the grand size of the temple, its dedication to St. Sophia and the use of the southern gallery as a place of entombment of the prominent Novgorodians, such as princes, bishops, and governors.
As an architectural construction, the St. Sophia of Novgorod is quite perfect. Byzantine and Kievan architects built it while keeping in mind the essence of the Novgorodian character - reserve bordering on severity, large-scale ambitions, and might. The St. Sophia cathedral of Novgorod differs from its predecessor in Kiev by its compact and strict forms and clear lines.
Only small portions of the primary interior decorations have survived. By the entrance, one can still see the images of Sts. Konstantine and Elena, dating back to the 11th century and quite at variance with the Byzantine painting tradition. In the 12th century the cathedral was painted completely. Today all that is left from the former grandeur is the expressive Deesis in the southern gallery, a few figures of the Prophets in the central drum and saints and ornamental mosaics in the altar part.
In the ancient times there was here an altar screen, which included such monumental 11th-12th cc. icons as «Almighty Enthroned» (today in the Moscow Kremlin Museum) and «Apostles Peter and Paul» (today in Novgorod Museum). Later, in the 14th-16th cc., the screen was replaced with a tall iconostasis. The shimmering of the silver icon-covers and clear, festive colours of the Nativity and Assumption iconostasis attract the eye and lead it upwards, to the height of the ceiling and the dome.
Yaroslav's Courtyard
The division of the city into the Sophia and Trade sides remained from the ancient times until today. The Kremlin was the center of the Sophia side, and the Trade side was concentrated around the Marketplace and the prince's courtyard, which Prince Yaroslav the Wise had moved here from Rurik's Gorodische in the early 11th c.
In either case, the Courtyard and the Marketplace played such an important role in the city's social life that citizens decorated them continuously. As the old saying goes, «churches here grow like trees».
Today it is one of the prettiest sites in Novgorod. Lilac bushes cast shadows on the alleys, unexpected flowerbeds delight one with the variety and fine arrangement of flowers, and the gorgeous panoramic view over the Volkhov river and the Kremlin attracts tourists.
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Facated Chamber (Granovitaya Palata)
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