←Lord Novgorod the Great

Lord Novgorod the Great

Photo of route “Lord Novgorod the Great”
12 points26 km4 hours

One of the oldest cities of Rus. The cradle of Russian democracy, a medieval center of trade and crafts, and a major partner of the Hanseatic League in the 12th–17th centuries. Veliky Novgorod was the link between medieval Europe and Rus. Today Veliky Novgorod is an open-air museum. This route was designed specially for the BelkaCar car-sharing service.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

  • 📜 Learn the city's history
  • 🏛️🕰️ Compare the eras

Route points (12)

  1. Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture, Yuryevskoye Highway — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture, Yuryevskoye Highway

    🏛️ Museum

  2. St. George's Cathedral, Yuriev Monastery — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    St. George's Cathedral, Yuriev Monastery

    🕍 Place of worship

  3. Sofia Embankment — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Sofia Embankment

    🚶‍♂️ Waterfront

  4. Kremlin Park — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Kremlin Park

    🌿 Public garden or park

  5. Detinets (Novgorod Kremlin) — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Detinets (Novgorod Kremlin)

    📜 Historic site · 🏯 Fortress remains

  6. Millennium of Russia Monument — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Millennium of Russia Monument

    🗿 Monument

  7. St. Sophia Cathedral — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    St. Sophia Cathedral

    🕍 Place of worship

  8. Archbishop's Chamber (Chamber of Facets) — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Archbishop's Chamber (Chamber of Facets)

    🏛️ Museum

  9. Yaroslav's Court — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Yaroslav's Court

    📜 Historic site

  10. St. Anthony's Monastery — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    St. Anthony's Monastery

    🕍 Place of worship

  11. Cathedral of the Sign — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Cathedral of the Sign

    🕍 Place of worship

  12. Church of the Savior on Nereditsa — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

    Church of the Savior on Nereditsa

    🕍 Place of worship

St. George's Cathedral, Yuriev Monastery in Veliky Novgorod

Point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

St. George's Cathedral, Yuriev Monastery — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”
St. George's Cathedral, Yuriev Monastery — point on route “Lord Novgorod the Great”

Point 2

St. George's Cathedral, Yuriev Monastery

🕍 Place of worship

Historical Background

St. George's Cathedral was built in 1119 on the orders of Prince Mstislav the Great. It is the most important church of the Yuriev Monastery and a major monument of the architecture and art of Ancient Rus. The cathedral follows the traditions of early medieval architecture, with features typical of the time such as spacious galleries for the prince's family and a soaring composition. The interior was painted in the 1130s, but most of the frescoes have been lost. Some fragments survive, however, such as images of saints, a few ornaments and icons painted on the walls.

Today

Today the cathedral is an active church, despite losses such as the 2008 fire that damaged parts of the murals. Restoration work in the 20th century brought back many architectural and painted elements, returning the cathedral to its original majestic appearance.

Myths and Legends

St. George's Cathedral, where many Russian princes are buried — among them Alexander Nevsky's elder brother, Prince Fyodor Yaroslavich — is linked to several legends. One of them says that a hidden treasure lies beneath the cathedral, guarded by the spirits of holy bishops.