Veliky Novgorod is one of my favourite cities in Russia. I have not been here for almost five years, but I still remember its unique atmosphere which resonates with my heart beat. So, I could not wait any longer to see this marvelous place, and I set off for a short trip from the cramped city of Moscow.
By the way, recently I have found out that the word "Veliky" was added to the city's name only in 1999 to differentiate it from another Russian city with a similar name, Nizhny Novgorod.
The journey starts from Leningradsky station on Komsomolskaya square. As it turned out, the fastest way to get to Veliky Novgorod is with stopover at Chudovo town. The first part of the trip is with Sapsan, and the second one with another electrical train Lastochka.
So, I have stopped at Chudovo town to wait for my next train. I have had almost two hours to inspect this place. Honestly, there is nothing special, it is a typical Russian town without remarkable spots, if not to mention the pond and the park in the city centre.
Of course there is the main square with Lenin statue and big flowerbed in front of the administrative building.
My train from Chudovo was a little bit delayed, so I occupied the place at the railway station awaiting for the special announcement. When I heard the name of my train I rushed to the platform, but I saw only the back of the train. As it happened, the train has stopped only for one minute. Just my luck! The next train is only in four hours. So, I would need to find some entertainment at this dull town. The only good thing I found for myself is coffee. Luckily, I found a bus station and took the ticket on minibus to get to Veliky Novgorod without waiting extra hours.
Finally, I am in Veliky Novgorod. It is almost 7 PM. The weather is great for walking, but first of all I need to get to my hotel. For staying I have chosen the hotel Rachmaninov on the opposite site from the Kremlin, just across the pedestrian bridge. It is a kind of boutique hotel, where not many rooms are available. However, I liked it primarily because of its perfect location.
The room is small, but cozy. It occupies the attic floor. It is enough for me to have a night sleep.
At the reception I have asked the recommendations about the restaurants nearby to have a dinner. Surprisingly, on my street there are several such places with good cuisine. And the first one was Dom Berga, the restaurant with typical Russian food. Surely, I would recommend this place if you find yourself on Bolshaya Moskovskaya street.
After having the meal I headed for walking around the Kremlin, which has the special name of Detinets and dates back to 1044. The walls of Detinets has the length of 1487 metres (for example, the Kremlin in Moscow has the walls of 2235 metres length).
Speaking about Novgorod itself, it was first mentioned in the 9th century. The city is located in the north-west near the Volkhov River and Lake Ilmen. And due to its geographical location, Novgorod was operating as an international trade centre on the Baltic-Volga commercial route that tied northern Europe with Asia.
The history of Novgorod is closely linked with all major stages in the life of the Russian state. It is believed that the Novgorodians invited 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. At its peak during the 14th century, the city was the capital of the Novgorod Republic, and it was one of Europe's largest cities. It is also believed, that Veliky Novgorod is the birthplace of Russian democratic and republican traditions. For example, until 1478 in Novgorod was presented Veche, the assembly, which generally could accept or reject the prince who inherited the city, so it was kind of a contract with the prince that specifically defined and limited his powers.
Inside the Kremlin, there is St. Sophia Cathedral located, and it is the most ancient religious building in Russia. The construction of the first Christian cathedral began at 1045. Actually, the design of the cathedral was meant to resemble the main Orthodox Church in Constantinople. The cathedral was named St Sophia from the ancient Greek for 'wisdom'. For many centuries the people of Novgorod have considered St. Sophia to be the symbol of their city remembering the words by Mstislav "Where St. Sophia is, there is Novgorod".
One of the distinctive features of the Cathedral is its western gates, which originally were made in Germany between 1152-1154, in Magdeburg. The bronze gates are decorated with Biblical and Evangelical scenes (48 scenes). According to one of the versions, they got into Novgorod as a war trophy from Sweden in the 12th century, but were installed in the cathedral at around 1450.
Near the wall of the Kremlin on the side of the Volkhov river the bell tower of the cathedral is located. It was erected much later than the Cathedral of St. Sophia, and according to some chronicles it dates back to 1437. The most massive bell exhibited weighs about 320 kg, and the smallest one is over about 24 kg.
Another significant monument inside the walls of the Kremlin is the Millennium of Russia, built in 1862 in honour of the millennium since the proclamation of Rurik as Prince of Russia. The height of the monument is about 15 metres and the weight is more than 65 tons.
The monument is separated into three levels, which symbolizes the foundation of the Russian state of those times: "Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationality". In the upper part the Angel, symbolizing Orthodoxy, is blessing a kneeling woman Russia. The second level consists of six groups, each of them represents one of the stages of the Russian state development: from Rurik to Peter I. The round high relief at the bottom contains the whole Russian history. All 109 figures of the frieze were approved by the Emperor Alexander II. These figures are grouped by: statesmen, military men and heroes, artists and enlighteners. Interestingly, the figure of the tsar Ivan IV The Terrible is not presented on the monument, but there are three close to him people displayed here, including his first wife.
In short, I could stroll around the walls of the Kremlin for ages, realizing and imagining how the Russian history was made here, but it was almost the night, so I got tired and needed some rest to be in good state to continue my exploration tomorrow.
Still, the first impression after a long time apart with Novgorod is very positive. Eventually, I am feeling that I would like to stay at this ancient city full of Russian traditions and historical events any longer. I can see that the city is developing, and at the same time it tries to keep the best from the old times. I am fully satisfied.
