It is believed that Veliky Novgorod was founded in 859. For a long time, Novgorod was one of the most influential and wealthy cities in Russia. Today, the city serves as the administrative center of the Novgorod region, with a population of approximately 225,000 residents.
From ancient times, Novgorod, located just two kilometers from where the Volkhov River flows from Lake Ilmen, has been divided into two parts: Sofyisky (named after the Cathedral of St. Sophia) on the left bank, and Torgovaya (Trade) on the right bank of the Volkhov River. The city center was the Kremlin, or “Detinets,” situated on the Sofyisky side.
Sights to See in Veliky Novgorod
Let’s take a closer look at some of the historic landmarks of Veliky Novgorod.
Veliky Novgorod Kremlin
According to Novgorod chronicles, the construction of the first stone fortress dates back to 1044. The Kremlin is located on the bank of the Volkhov River, with walls measuring 1,487 meters in length, 6.5 meters in width, and 15 meters in height. Nine towers of the Kremlin have survived to this day.
One version suggests that the fortress was called “Detinets” (meaning “Kids’ Place”) because children (deti in Russian) would hide behind its walls during enemy attacks.The Cathedral of St. Sophia, located within the Kremlin, was built in the 11th century and is the oldest church in Russia. Some fragments of interior paintings from the 12th century, late 19th-century paintings, and an ancient iconostasis have been preserved.
On the central square of the Kremlin, in front of the Public Offices Chambers, there is a monument called “The Millennium of Russia”. Erected on September 8, 1862, to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of Russian statehood, this monument depicts prominent figures from Russian history of that time. The cost of construction was about half a million silver rubles.
The main exhibits of the Novgorod Museum are housed in a two-story building within the Kremlin, featuring collections of Russian icons from the 11th to 19th centuries, birch bark manuscripts, handicrafts, military equipment, and other artifacts from ancient times up to the late 17th century.
Trade Side and Yaroslav’s Courtyard
The Trade Side is located opposite the Kremlin, across the Volkhov River. The southern part of this area is called Yaroslav’s Courtyard, which once housed the palace of Prince Yaroslav the Wise—former Prince of Novgorod and later Grand Prince of Kiev. Today, this area contains the ancient St. Nicholas Cathedral (built in 1136) and several other churches.
Trade was conducted along the riverbank, where markets and shops operated. Novgorod was an important trading hub with connections to Europe via the Volkhov River, Lake Ladoga, the Neva River, and the Baltic Sea. It hosted a Hanseatic League trading yard for foreign merchants. Main exports included fur, wax, and leather, while imports included silver, gold, cloth, salt, wine, and other goods.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, a Gostiny Dvor (shopping arcade) was built on the site of the old market. Today, only its arcade remains, which is one of the main sights of Veliky Novgorod. The original Gostiny Dvor was dismantled in the late 1940s–1950s.
North of Yaroslav’s Courtyard, wealthy citizens settled. Legend has it that at the corner of Moskovskaya and RogaTitsa streets there was the house of Martha Posadnitsa (Martha Boretskaya), one of the leaders of resistance to Moscow’s dominance in the late 15th century. It is also said that a secret passage ran from her house under the Volkhov River to the Sofyisky side.
Near Yaroslav’s Courtyard is Ilyina Street, home to the ancient Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior (built in 1374). It is famous for its frescoes by Byzantine and Russian master Theophanes the Greek. The church is open to visitors in summer during dry weather; in winter and during rain, it is closed to protect the frescoes from humidity.
Close to this church is the Znamensky Cathedral (built in 1688).
St. George’s Monastery
South of the Kremlin, on the left bank of the Volkhov River, is the St. George’s Monastery. According to legend, it was founded in 1030 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise after his victory over the Chud people. For many years, it was one of the wealthiest monasteries in Russia and served as the burial place for Russian princes and princesses. After the secularization reforms of Catherine the Great in 1764, the monastery declined.
Between 1825 and 1827, thanks to Countess Anna Orlova-Chesmenskaya—spiritual daughter of the monastery’s Father Superior—significant reconstruction was carried out. Churches and other buildings were renovated, and a hospital for monks and a hotel for pilgrims were established.
The main church of the monastery is the Cathedral of St. George, built between 1119 and 1130.
Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture
Located not far from St. George’s Monastery on the outskirts of Novgorod, the Vitoslavlitsy Museum was established in 1964. It features traditional wooden structures from northern Russia, including churches, chapels, houses, and windmills. As of 2020, some objects are under reconstruction.
