Veliky Novgorod - the city of Hansa

Over centuries, Veliky Novgorod was a link between medieval Europe and Rus (Old Russia).  Long before Tsar Peter the Great set about ‘opening the window to Europe’, Russia had already had its door to European countries and European markets wide open. It was Veliky Novgorod that became a centre of international integration and trade. Among Novgorod imports were non-ferrous metals, rare wines, amber, Baltic herring, salt, and luxury fabrics, with uncut cloth being in particular high demand. Novgorod exports, in turn, were highly sought after in the whole of Europe. Many West European monarchs and nobles wore exquisite fur coats and hats made of Novgorod rare furs like ermine, sable, and marten, and strutted around in their leather boots tanned by Novgorod masters of the trade. Russian wax candles flickered on giant altars of major European Gothic cathedrals.   

Hanseatic cities carried their trade with Old Russian only through Novgorod. Hanseatic merchants did not advance further into Rus. They sold their entire stock in Novgorod, which then was taken by Novgorod merchants to points of sale. Take a short walk from the Kremlin across the foot bridge over the Volkhov River, and you will find yourself at the Yaroslav’s Courtyard, a medieval marketplace, or Torg where one of the largest in Europe Hanseatic office used to be. Take time to look at the beautifully decorated Church of Paraskeva the Friday that was built by the ‘merchants from faraway lands’. They say that if you walk around the church and feel 148 corners with your palm, luck will come to your business. Young Novgorod women would run around it three times to get happily married; and even now, there are always footprints around it... 

Traditions of medieval Hansa, which is considered to be an original model for the modern single European market, became the foundation for the Hanseatic League of the New Age, which was created in 1980 and now includes over 160 cities from 15 European states.