City

Lubytino is one of the oldest townships of Novgorod region as it has already reached its 1000th year. There are an unusually great number of archeological monuments at the area of 3x10 km. that make Lubytino so unique. Right in the central part of the town at the very bridge over the Msta river there are enormous tumuli up to 10 meters high that used to be worshipped and adored at the Pagan times. Over 200 tumuli of various high can be found all around the township.

The group of tumuli, incl. 47 ones up to 9 meters high, and the well-known tumulus 156 meters long are the ones of the most unique archeological objects. The same groups of monuments can be found in neither other parts of Novgorod region, nor in the whole North-West of Russia. Over there - at the territory of present-day Lubytino - in 9th - 10th cc. the Slavs used to settle up and down along the Msta river and center the life of the land.

Local Slavic rulers and their armed forces lived in Lubytino as the tributes were brought here, intertribal meetings were held here. Actually, one thousand years ago Lubytino was rapidly turning into a city able to compete with Novgorod to rule the eastern parts of Novgorod land. Though is has never happened. There are hardly any chronicles observing the ancient history of the territories to the east of the Ilmen lake except the one of 947 on the martial trip of Olga, the Kiev princess, to Msta and Luga. Pomestie, the district of present-day Lubytino, was primarily attacked then and the princess's courtyard was founded. Later there were two independent settlements along mouth of the Belaya river.

In 1986 there was an archeological museum founded near Lubytino as the first one of that type in Novgorod region. It aimed preserving unique antiquity monuments and promoting the history.

The over 1000-year history of quite the small district accumulates all the history of Russia.

The St. Amphilochius, Bp. of Iconium, lived and preached over here and reconstructed the Rekonsky monastery, founded in 16th c. by St. Nikandr Gorodnoezersky. St. Nikandr educated all the coming people with his life and working spirit to bring them to the life of high moral standards. Later he was famed by miracles happened at his burial.

The history of the district of 18th c. is also about the military leader of Russia A. Suvorov. There are records - presented by a grandson of the generalissimo - that mention the village of Kamenka as the patrimony birthplace of the great military leader. It is known that Suvorov visited his estate in 1784, 1786, 1797 - 1799. The manor house and the church of the most Orthodox Prince St. Alexander Nevsky have been preserved till these days.

During the Patriotic War of 1812 the people of Lubytino together with all the Russians fought Napoleonic Grande Arm?e. In the memory of those events a local landowner Alexander V. Khanykov the colonel has erected a temple of the Assumption of Our Lady on the left bank of the Msta river. On the right bank of the river opposite the church there is a patrimony of I. Goremykin, the minister and a loyal supporter of Nicholas II.

A great chance to get inspired with unique nature beauty and participate in rafting down the Msta river - whitewater Msta, still Msta - keep bringing travelers to this very magnificent place with over 1000-year history.