Museums, sightseeing

The heart of Veliky Novgorod has always been the Kremlin, or Detinets, as they called it in old times.

The heart of Veliky Novgorod has always been the Kremlin, or Detinets, as they called it in old times. The Novgorod fortress is first mentioned in chronicles around 1044. For centuries the Kremlin functioned as an administrative, civic and religious center of Novgorod land. The stone fortress was rebuilt under Ivan the Third in the late 15th century according to the fortification demands of that time. These days the Kremlin still astonishes its visitors with its thoroughly planned strength and defensibility. Nine out of twelve original towers have been preserved till these days. Kokuy tower is the tallest one, standing at 41 m high. The viewing point provides a bird’s-eye view of the Kremlin, Yaroslav’s Courtyard, the Volkhov River, and St. George Monastery at the source of Volkhov.

The two-tier miniature Church of St. Simeon the God-Receiver (1467) is located on the territory of the former 12th century Zverin cloister.

The St. Sophia is one of Russia's oldest stone buildings. It was erected by Prince Vladimir, the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise, and his mother Anna in 1045 – 1050.

The museum includes expositions, exhibition halls, and museum monuments of Veliky Novgorod and towns of Novgorod region.
Tel.: +7 (816 2) 77 37 38, 77 37 70
museum@kremlin.natm.ru , www.novgorodmuseum.ru

A monument dedicated to Russia’s 1000 year anniversary was commissioned to be built in Novgorod, thus returning focus to the city’s key role in the foundation of the Russian State.

This five-tier construction towers of the Kremlin walls like a white monolith.

Built in the south-eastern part of the Kremlin in the late 15th century, the church was erected replacing the stair tower of former gigantic Sts. Boris and Gleb Church.

The exposition helps to follow the history of Russian Arts of 18th - 20th cc.

The Christian cult of St. Blaise ("Vlasiy" in Russian), the patron of cattle, is the evolution of the ancient pagan cult of god Volos or Veles. It is likely that in pre-Christian times the place where the church is today was the site of an idol of Volos.

This is an ensemble of really valuable 12th – 17th century architectural monuments located on the right bank of the Volkhov River, right opposite the Kremlin.

St Nicholas’ Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Russia among those devoted to St. Nicholas.

St. Parasceva was born in the 3rd century A.D. in a rich Roman family.

This church was built in 1356 replacing a wooden church with the same name. The lower walls date back to the 14th century.

The Marketplace and the Gate Tower for it were designed and built in the late 17th century by a stone mason Gury Vakhromeev.

In June 2009 the International Convention on Culture and Economy “The 29th Hanseatic Days of the New Time” was held in Veliky Novgorod.

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This church was built on the site of the old Church of the Holy Sign, which was erected for keeping the icon “Our Lady of the Sign” that protected Novgorod from an attack by a host from city of Suzdal in 1170.

This remarkable monument of Novgorod architecture was built by a nobleman Simeon Andreevich. The building served as a model and inspiration for the next generations of architects.

This marvellous church has a distinctive mature architectural design. It is a fine example of the architecture of the early 15th century.

According to a legend, the monastery was founded by St. Anthony from Rome who made a miraculous journey around Europe in three days and finally arrived to Novgorod on a floating stone.

S. Rachmaninoff was one of the greatest musicians of the 19th – 20th cc., whose life was closely connected with the land of Novgorod.

The monastic church of the construction typical in the 14th c. The original look of the church and unique frescos of the 14th c. have been preserved till these days.

The church got world-wide renown not only for its architectural merits, but also for the unique frescos of 1363.

Hours: 11am – 4pm daily except Thursday and Friday (April 1 – September 30). Location: village of Kovalyovo. To get here catch a bus 186 from the Central Bus Station.

Located at the source of the Volkhov River and Lake Ilmen, this functioning 12th century monastery is a part of a magnificent natural panorama.

In a picturesque place washed by the waters of Lake Myachino and the Volkhov River, at St. George Monastery, replacing the former village of Vitoslavlitsy, there is the open-air museum of wooden architecture “Vitoslavlitsy”.

This convent was founded in the 12th century by St. Varlaam, one of the most hallowed saints in the North of Russia.

Being one of the world’s largest expositions of Russian icon painting, it displays about 260 marvellous works, including the two metres (six feet) high icon of Sts. Peter and Paul (11th c.).

This exposition of decorative and applied arts and of jeweller’s arts displays about 200 exhibits, made of precious metals, tin, porcelain, glass, wood and other materials by Russian, Byzantine and European craftsmen.

Woodcarving was one of the most popular artistic handicrafts in ancient Novgorod. Wooden items are both handy, and beautiful.

Located in the halls of the three tiers Gate Tower, the unique exhibition displays over 300 masterpieces of “artistic metal”.

According to the chronicles, the convent was established by the bishop Ioakim the Korsunianin in 998.

The museum exhibits works by Novgorod artists of the late 20th - early 21st cc.

The marvellous architectural ensemble of the cloister is situated 12 kilometres (7 miles) north-west of Veliky Novgorod. Service hours: 7am and 5pm. Hours: at any time daily. Located in the village of Vyazhishchi. To get here from the Central Bus Station catch a bus 123.

Not far from St. George Cathedral, right next to the source of the Volkhov River, is the place of an ancient settlement of Peryn.

Nowadays, the refectory church of the Holy Trinity (1557) and the church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (1892) are the only buildings that have survived in the cloister.

Located 25 km away to the south-west from Veliky Novgorod, at the Veryazha River. Its history starts from the name of Michael Klopsky.

The one of the most interesting exhibition of tiles is located in the annex to the old St. Nicholas Cathedral in Yaroslav’s Courtyard. Hours: 10am – 12am, 1pm – 6pm daily, except Mondays, Tuesdays and the last Friday of every month

This world famous church is the only extant building of the former small Nereditsky cloister, where there is the village of Nereditsa today.

As a fortified settlement of the Viking Age it has been located at the source of the Volkhov River right on the trade route “From the Varangians to the Greeks”. There was a residence of Rurik the Prince who started the first Russian ruling dynasty.

According to the legend, in the 12th c. the icon healed Mstislav the Prince who later on ordered St. Nicholas Cathedral – the prince’s cathedral in Yaroslav’s Courtyard - to be built. The church sacred image is the first signed icon of St. Nicholas of Lipno by Aleksa Petrov (1294).

The church was erected on a hill at the Volkhov River, close to the Middle-age rampart. Sunset’s dying glow reflects in the water and flames the church walls thus reviving the past time when the church was erected.

Implements, home utensils, handicraft items, military equipment, and birch-bark letters introduce ancient Russia. Hours: 10am - 6pm daily, except Tuesdays and the last Thursday of every month. Location: 4, Kremlin, Veliky Novgorod.

Today, the Children's Museum Center hosts three types of exhibitions: works by the greatest Novgorod artists, themed collections (maybe put an example), and works by local children.

Theatrical displays of history run through the seven meter deep cultural archeological excavations. It was there that unique items of high archaeological value were found perfectly preserved.