April 08, 2020

Exploring Medieval Russia in Veliky Novgorod


Exploring Medieval Russia in Veliky Novgorod
A great place to play "Alexander Nevsky". Griffin Edwards

Far from the metropolitan centers of St. Petersburg and Moscow is the small city of Veliky Novgorod, in western Russia. It’s hard to imagine today, but at one time, Novgorod was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in eastern Europe. And by “one time,” I mean from about 1100-1450.

Novgorod is often considered the “Birthplace of Russia,” and for good reason. The story goes that the Viking adventurer Rurik arrived in the area in the 860s, and vowed to protect the city as its prince. His relatives spread through the rest of what is now western Russia and Ukraine, founding the first Russian dynasty, the Rurikids, who would last until 1612.

Novgorod became a wealthy trade hub on the Volkhov River, passing the goods of Northern Russia (honey, lumber, amber, slaves, furs) down into the Mediterranean through the labyrinth of waterways in the area. Medieval Novgorod was quite cosmopolitan, welcoming merchants from throughout northern Europe and the Hanseatic League. The policies of its lands were decided in a quasi-democratic city council (veche), making the city the capital of the Novgorod Republic. It was one of the only parts of Russia left relatively untouched by the Mongol invasion, and it was here that Novgorod’s Prince Alexander Nevsky rallied his troops to famously beat back the Teutonic Knights.
 

The walls of Novgorod
The walls of the Novgorod Kremlin | Griffin Edwards

Novgorod was finally brought to its knees in the fifteeenth century when the Muscovite Tsar Ivan III annexed it into his territory. A rebellion in 1570 led to Ivan IV's destruction of much of the city. Novgorod never returned to prominence. Ironically, Ivan IV “the Terrible” was the penultimate Rurikid tsar.

In the Soviet period, Novgorod became a major manufacturing center for TVs and radios. But, since the fall of the USSR, it’s largely become a tourist city.

St. Sophia's Cathedral, Novgorod
St. Sophia’s Cathedral, the oldest church in Russia, built in 1050. In the foreground is the 1862 Millenium of Russia monument, inside Novgorod’s kremlin. | Griffin Edwards

Visitors to Novgorod today can still get a glimpse of Novgorod’s former splendor. St. Sophia Cathedral’s golden dome dominates the historic core of the city, clustered around the Novgorod Kremlin and preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with dozens of other sites.

Perhaps most fascinating are the birchbark letters uncovered in archaeological excavations in the twentieth century. The swampy soil around the city has preserved dozens of personal writings of medieval citizens; the proliferation of personal notes, like premodern text messages, has led researchers to think that literacy in the city might have been quite high by medieval standards.

A birchbark manuscript from Novgorod
A Novgorodian boy's homework, preserved for the world to see. | Public domain

Novgorod can be accessed today by a three-hour ride by bus or train from St. Petersburg. It’s a town of about 200,000, a little like a Russian Cleveland: an overlooked, formerly industrial center. Ironically, its homonym city, Nizhny Novgorod (“Lower” or “Lesser Novgorod”) is one of the largest cities in Russia, with more than a million residents.

However, there remain many treasures in Novgorod. From ancient trade quarters to one of the largest collections of icons, it’s well worth a visit for the historically-inclined Russophile.

The ancient market of Novgorod
The site of Novgorod's ancient market. | Griffin Edwards


 

You Might Also Like

Dawn of the Russian Navy
  • October 01, 1996

Dawn of the Russian Navy

On October 20, 1696, a now legendary resolution, "Let there be sea ships," was passed by the Boyar Duma, heralding the beginning of the Russian navy. Lev Pushkaryov examines how this event came to change the Russian mentality.
The Father of Tsarism
  • January 01, 1997

The Father of Tsarism

Four hundred and fifty years ago this month, Ivan the Terrible became the first Russian ruler to hold the title Tsar. Yurganov examines the life of this talented and cruel leader and discovers that his legacy goes well beyond the founding of a 450-year institution.
Lord Novgorod the Great
  • October 01, 1998

Lord Novgorod the Great

Over 1000 years old, Novgorod was the birthplace of a strain of Russian democracy that was not destined to survive. But its architectural heritage has survived, at least in part.
Know Your Country!
  • July 14, 2017

Know Your Country!

The Children of 1917 expedition is far from over, yet we have uncovered the secret to long life and pinpointed the source of the Volga River.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955