Veliky Novgorod facts for kids

"Novgorod" redirects here. For other uses, see Novgorod (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Veliky Novgorod (English) Великий Новгород (Russian)
- City -
Counter-clockwise from top right: the Millennium of Russia, cathedral of Saint Sophia, the fine arts museum, St. George's Monastery, the Kremlin, Yaroslav's Court

Coat of arms	Flag
Administrative status
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Novgorod Oblast
Administratively subordinated to	city of oblast significance of Veliky Novgorod
Municipal status
Urban okrug	Veliky Novgorod Urban Okrug
Mayor (Head)	Aleksandr Rozbaum
Representative body	Duma
Statistics
Area	90 km² (35 sq mi)
Population (2010 Census, preliminary)	218,717 inhabitants
- Rank in 2010	85th
Population (January 2011 est.)	218,681 inhabitants
Density	2,430/km² (6,294/sq mi)
Time zone	MSK (UTC+04:00)
First mentioned	859
Previous names	Novgorod
Postal code(s)	173000–173005, 173007–173009, 173011–173016, 173018, 173020–173025, 173700, 173899, 173920, 173955, 173990, 173999
Dialing code(s)	+7 8162
Official website: http://www.adm.nov.ru

Veliky Novgorod is a historic city in Russia. Its name means "Great Newtown". It is one of Russia's oldest cities, first mentioned in the 9th century. The city sits on the Volkhov River, near Lake Ilmen. It is also on the main highway between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

In 1992, UNESCO named Novgorod a World Heritage Site. This means its historic buildings are very important globally. The city was once the capital of the Novgorod Republic. At its peak in the 14th century, it was one of Europe's largest cities. The word "Veliky" was added to its name in 1999. Today, about 224,286 people live there.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1897	25,736	—
1926	32,764	+27.3%
1939	39,758	+21.3%
1959	60,669	+52.6%
1970	127,944	+110.9%
1979	186,003	+45.4%
1989	229,126	+23.2%
2002	223,263	−2.6%
2010	218,717	−2.0%
2021	224,286	+2.5%
Source: Census data

Climate in Veliky Novgorod
History of Veliky Novgorod
Sights to See in Veliky Novgorod
Transportation in Veliky Novgorod
- Traveling To and From the City
- Getting Around the City
Honors for Veliky Novgorod
Sister Cities of Veliky Novgorod
See also

Climate in Veliky Novgorod

Veliky Novgorod has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. Summers can reach over 30°C (86°F). Winters often have snow. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -45°C (-49°F).

July is the warmest month, with an average temperature of 18.7°C (65°F). February is the coldest, averaging -6°C (21°F). June usually gets the most rain, about 73 mm (2.9 inches). March is the driest, with 30 mm (1.2 inches) of rain. The city gets about 603 mm (23.7 inches) of rain or snow each year.

History of Veliky Novgorod

How Veliky Novgorod Began

Novgorod Kremlin

The city was first mentioned in historical records around 859 or 862 AD. It was an important stop on a trade route. This route connected the Baltic Sea to the Byzantine Empire. Many people believe Novgorod is where the Russian state first started.

Archaeologists have found older layers of the city. These layers date back to the late 900s. This was about a century after the city was supposedly founded. Streets and houses were made of wood. This allowed scientists to use tree rings to find their exact age.

The Varangians (Norse people) called the city Holmgård. This name is found in old Norse stories. Holmgård might have been a fort called Rurikovo Gorodische. This fort is about 2 km south of the city center today. It was named after a Varangian leader, Rurik. He supposedly made it his capital around 860 AD. The name Novgorod means "new city" in Old East Slavic.

A Princely City in Kievan Rus'

Cathedral of Saint Sophia, a symbol of the city and the main cathedral of the Novgorod Republic

In 882, Oleg of Novgorod took over Kiev. He then founded the state of Kievan Rus'. Novgorod became the second most important city in this new state. It was important for its size, politics, and economy.

It was a tradition for the oldest son of the Kiev ruler to govern Novgorod. If there was no son, local leaders called posadniks ruled. Yaroslav the Wise was a prince of Novgorod from 1010 to 1019. He created the first written laws for the Eastern Slavs. His son, Vladimir, helped build the famous Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. This cathedral is still standing today.

Early Connections with Other Countries

In Norse stories, Novgorod was the capital of Gardariki. Many Viking kings and leaders came to Novgorod. They sought safety or work there. These included Olaf I and Olaf II of Norway. A church dedicated to Saint Olaf was built in Novgorod.

The town of Visby in Gotland was a major trading center. In 1080, Visby merchants set up a trading post in Novgorod. German merchants also built their own trading station there. This was known as the Peterhof. In 1229, German merchants received special rights. This made their trade in Novgorod more secure.

The Novgorod Republic

Monastery of the Tithes is one of eight ancient monasteries of the old Russian state Novgorodian Rus'

12th-century Novgorod icon called The Angel with Golden Hair

In 1136, the people of Novgorod removed their prince. This event is seen as the start of the Novgorod Republic. The city could invite new princes or dismiss them. But the role of prince never fully disappeared. Powerful princes, like Alexander Nevsky, still had influence.

The Novgorod Republic controlled a huge area. It stretched from east of Estonia to the Ural Mountains. This made it one of the largest states in medieval Europe. However, much of this land was not heavily populated.

One key leader was the posadnik, or mayor. The public assembly, called the Veche, elected him. The tysyatsky, or "thousandman," was also elected. He was originally a military leader. The Archbishop of Novgorod also shared power with the noble families, called boyars. The Veche elected the archbishops too.

The exact way the Novgorod Republic was governed is still debated. The boyars and the archbishop ruled together. The prince still had important roles. He was a military commander and a judge. The Veche was a public meeting. Some historians think it was democratic. Others believe it was controlled by the powerful elite.

In the 1200s, Novgorod was a major trading hub. It was the easternmost trading post of the Hanseatic League. This was a powerful group of merchant cities. Novgorod traded huge amounts of furs, both luxury and common.

The city was also a center for culture. Many birch bark letters have been found. These show that many people could read and write. The Novgorod Codex was found here. It is the oldest Slavic book found north of Bulgaria. The oldest writing in a Finnic language was also found. Old Russian chronicles were written in Novgorod. The archbishops supported art and church building.

Novgorod was never conquered by the Mongols. The Mongol army turned back about 200 km from the city. This was likely because of the marshy lands around Novgorod. However, the princes of Moscow collected taxes for the Mongols from Novgorod.

The 16th century Vision of Tarasius icon depicts Novgorod with the Sofia side to the left and the Commercial side to the right. The inhabitants of the city are shown doing their day-to-day work while being guarded by the angels

In the 1300s, Novgorod pirates, called ushkuiniki, caused fear far away. They even helped Novgorod in wars against Moscow. Novgorod was a major trade center. It was at the northern end of important trade routes. Many goods were traded here.

From the 1200s, Novgorod fought against Swedish, Danish, and German crusaders. The Swedes invaded lands that had paid tribute to Novgorod. German knights tried to conquer the Baltic region. Novgorod fought 26 wars with Sweden and 11 with the Livonian Brothers of the Sword.

Novgorod defeated a Swedish army in the Battle of the Neva in 1240. The German campaigns ended after the Battle on Lake Peipus in 1242. In 1323, Sweden and Novgorod signed the Treaty of Nöteborg. This treaty set their border for the first time.

In the 1400s, Novgorod faced serious food shortages. This lasted for ten years. It greatly affected the city's people and stability. Novgorod relied on other regions for grain. Moscow and Tver used this to gain control. In 1478, Ivan III of Moscow took over the city. The Veche was ended. Many noble and merchant families were moved to central Russia.

Veliky Novgorod in the Tsardom of Russia

City plan of Novgorod in 1862

Kremlin square on postcard of the early XX century

After Moscow took over, Novgorod was the third-largest city in Russia. It had about 25,000 to 30,000 people in the 1550s. But then came a famine and the Massacre of Novgorod in 1570. During the massacre, Ivan the Terrible attacked the city. Thousands of people were killed. Many merchants and nobles were moved away.

The late 1500s were better for the city. Boris Godunov brought back trade rights. The German trading post reopened in 1603. Novgorod kept some of its unique ways. Some elected positions were even restored.

During the Time of Troubles, Swedish troops took Novgorod in 1611. The city was returned to Russia six years later. This conflict caused the population to drop even more. Novgorod slowly recovered by the end of the century. New buildings like the Cathedral of the Sign were built. Patriarch Nikon, a famous church leader, was active in Novgorod.

Novgorod remained an important trade center. Its merchants traded in Baltic cities and Stockholm. Swedish merchants also came to Novgorod. The city was a major center for crafts. More than 200 different jobs existed in the 1500s. Bells, cannons, and weapons were made here. Silversmiths were known for their special techniques.

Veliky Novgorod in the Russian Empire and Modern Times

In 1727, Novgorod became the main city of the Novgorod Governorate. This was a new administrative region. This division lasted until 1927.

On August 15, 1941, during World War II, German forces occupied the city. Many historic buildings were destroyed. The Red Army freed the city on January 19, 1944. Out of 2,536 stone buildings, fewer than forty were left. After the war, the city center was rebuilt.

In 1992, the city's main monuments were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. This means they are protected. Archeological work continues today. In 1999, the city was officially renamed Veliky Novgorod. This helped avoid confusion with Nizhny Novgorod, another city.

Sights to See in Veliky Novgorod

The Millennium of Russia monument (1862), with Saint Sophia Cathedral in the background.

Veliky Novgorod is famous for its many old buildings. The most important is the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. It was built between 1045 and 1050. It is one of the best-preserved churches from the 11th century. It is also likely the oldest building still in use in Russia. Its design shows early Russian architecture. The cathedral has famous bronze gates. They were likely bought in the 1400s by Archbishop Euthymius II.

The Novgorod Kremlin is also called the Detinets. It has Russia's oldest palace, the Chamber of the Facets (1433). This was the main meeting hall for archbishops. It also has the oldest Russian bell tower (mid-1400s) and clock tower (1673). The clock tower had to be rebuilt after it collapsed. A royal palace (1771) and a bronze monument to the Millennium of Russia (1862) are also there. The monument shows important figures from Russian history.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, built by Mstislav I near his palace at Yaroslav's Court, Novgorod, contains 12th-century frescoes depicting his illustrious family

Outside the Kremlin, there are three large churches. They were built during the rule of Mstislav the Great. St. Nicholas Cathedral (1113–1123) has old paintings of Mstislav's family. It is located at Yaroslav's Court. The Yuriev Monastery (1030) has a tall, three-domed cathedral from 1119. A similar cathedral (1117) is in the Antoniev Monastery.

There are about fifty medieval and early modern churches in and around the city. Some were destroyed in the war and later rebuilt. The Savior church at Nereditsa (1198) is a masterpiece of early Novgorod architecture.

In the 1200s, small churches with three domes were popular. Examples include a chapel at the Peryn Monastery (1230s). The 1300s saw new church designs. These include St Theodor's church (1360–1361) and the Savior church on Ilyina street (1374). The Savior' church in Kovalevo (1345) was destroyed in the war. It has been rebuilt, but its original paintings are gone.

In the last century of the republic, new churches were built. These include churches dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. Many old shrines were rebuilt exactly as they were. This happened in the mid-1400s under Archbishop Yevfimy II.

When Ivan III conquered Novgorod in 1478, local architecture changed. New large buildings were made by Moscow builders. They looked like cathedrals in the Moscow Kremlin. However, some local churches still kept the old Novgorod style.

In Vitoslavlitsy, near the Yuriev Monastery, there is a museum of wooden architecture. It opened in 1964. Over twenty wooden buildings were moved there. These include churches, houses, and mills from the 14th to 19th centuries.

There are also war cemeteries in Novgorod. They hold graves of German and Spanish soldiers from World War II.

Transportation in Veliky Novgorod

Traveling To and From the City

Novgorod main railway station, built in 1953

Veliky Novgorod is connected to Moscow (531 km away) and St. Petersburg (189 km away). It is on the M10 federal highway. You can take public buses to St. Petersburg and other places.

The city has direct train connections. You can travel to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk in Belarus, and Murmansk.

The city's old airport, Yurievo, closed in 2006. It is now a neighborhood. The Krechevitsy Airport does not have regular flights. There are plans to make it a working airport by 2025. The closest international airport is Pulkovo in St. Petersburg. It is about 180 km north of the city.

Getting Around the City

Veliky Novgorod trolleybus map (2021)

Local transportation includes buses and trolleybuses. The trolleybus system started in 1995. It was the first new trolley system in Russia after the end of the Soviet Union. It currently has five routes.