Novgorod Detinets (Veliky Novgorod): history, description, address, opening hours

One of the oldest monuments of military-defensive Russian architecture is the Novgorod Kremlin, or, as it is also called, a detaine. The object includes the construction of various time periods and epochs, but all of them as a whole constitute a unique and unique complex, characterizing in the greater degree the Novgorod Republic even before the centralization of power in Moscow.

The Novgorod Kremlin

The ancient complex of buildings is a fortress of Veliky Novgorod. There is a majestic building on the left bank of the Volkhov River. However, if you decide to visit the Novgorod detinets, the best way to know the official address is: Veliky Novgorod, ter. The Kremlin, 11. The building is an important architectural monument and is protected by the state at the federal level, in addition, the museum-reserve is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an integral part of the historical part of the city. The first written references to the Kremlin date back to 1044. Of course, he, like everything else, is subject to aging, time does not pass for him without a trace, and some parts are irretrievably lost.

Detinets, Veliky Novgorod: why is it so called?

Surely everyone who first hears such a name is in some bewilderment, because the word "kremlin" is more familiar, common among the people. And meanwhile, a child in Russia was called nothing but the inner part of the fortress of the city, which were widespread in the era of fragmentation. In ancient chronicles, the word first begins to occur in 1097, and only in the 14th century it was replaced by the term "kremlin". In the future, it continues to exist only in written sources that are of Novgorod-Pskov origin, so it can in part be treated as dialectic.

Word version of origin

Most of the linguistic scientists the origin of the word "detinets" (Veliky Novgorod, Kiev and other large cities had similar structures) are associated with the single-root "children." Thus, the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Eugene in 1808, expressed the opinion that all children were harbored during the enemy raids in the fortress, which subsequently gave rise to the name. A Soviet historian and archaeologist who excavated in the Novgorod Kremlin believed that he received his name because of the prince's warriors who lived there. They were called children's or adolescents. However, in reality there were no princes in the detinets - they settled nearby in the ancient settlement.

According to the opinion of Academician Yanin VL, Novgorod Detinets, like everyone else, got their name because it was probably that the elders' councils passed in it.

Another common version was expressed by a Russian military engineer. It is quite simple and logical. The word "detinets" comes from the verb "to put it". This is explained by the fact that during the danger in the fortress, women and children were sheltered, church shrines, property. This version to some extent echoes the first.

Novgorod detinets: briefly about the history

It is known that the northern part of the territory on which the Kremlin is now located was previously a delta of the Volkhov River and was divided into two regions. Presumably, the very first detinets occupied the middle position and was on the northern islet. It was built of wood, and was laid by his son Yaroslav the Wise - Prince Vladimir Yaroslavovich. He also in 1045 initiated the construction of the main temple of the city - St. Sophia Cathedral, which lasted seven years. The consecration took place in 1052, and a month later Vladimir died and was buried in a new church.

The Novgorod Kremlin-detinets (Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod region) burned repeatedly. Thus, in 1097, little was left of it, and a new one was built only in 1116 and by that time it had reached modern dimensions. During this period, an impressive part of the territory fell on the Lord's Court - the residence of the bishop. It was he who in 1333 began the construction of a stone fortress, fearing the attack not only of Swedes and Horde, but of Prince Ivan Kalita. A complete replacement of the tree with a stone took place only in the 30s of the 15th century. More reliable construction, however, also gradually deteriorated over time and was restored again. During the Second World War, when the Germans occupied Novgorod, the Detinec (Kremlin) was used for barracks for soldiers.

The following large-scale destruction occurred in the 90s of the last century, when a wall near the Spasskaya Tower partially collapsed (a 20 meter gap). A few years later the fence was restored. Now the Kremlin has the status of the Novgorod State United Museum-Reserve.

Main architectural features

From time immemorial, fortresses and fortifications were built on a hill, mainly for better visibility and inaccessibility to the enemy, as well as near rivers. Detinets (Veliky Novgorod) answers all these rules. It rises on a small hill - 10 meters above the level of Volkhov. On the perimeter of the outer walls, its length is 1487 m, and the inner area of the territory is 12.1 hectares.

Impressive walls are made of bricks made of limestone mortar and stone (cobblestone and limestone). The thickness and height of the walls of the fortress vary between 3.6-6.5 m and 8-15 m, respectively. A distinctive feature of the fortress is the construction of the gate towers, that is, the churches located above the gates of the fortress. This is a characteristic sign of the church and in particular the monastery architecture in Russia. The ideological significance was that with the help of such a construction the celestial defense of the city was carried out. The fact that Novgorod Detinets has several of them is due to the leading role of bishops in the construction. Almost all the walls were restored in the 50-60s of the last century and correspond to the external appearance of the fortress of the 15th century.

Towers of the Novgorod Kremlin

It is known about the existence of twelve towers on the territory of the detinets. So far only nine have survived:

• Spasskaya (pictured above) - looks like an elongated rectangle, divided into six tiers, the height and thickness of the walls - 19 and 2 m respectively. A 15-meter tent with a sentinel tower was built on the top, which was restored according to descriptions of the 17th century. Arched passage is blocked by a lattice, from the north to the facade of the tower there is a ruined church of the Savior of Transfiguration. It was she who gave her the name. Novgorod Detinets (Veliky Novgorod) learn exactly by the Spassky Tower, which also was once depicted on a denomination worth 5 rubles.
• The dvortsovaya is a blank tower without a passage, a quadrangular shape, which in essence is a square of 11.2x10.2 m, the height of the walls is 20 m, and the thickness to the level of the second tier is 2 m, at the top there is a tent. From the other towers it is distinguished by a slender silhouette.
• Princely - looks like the previous one, also a dead tower 18.5 m high.
• Kokuy (Kalancha) - a blank quadrangular tower without a passage, the height of which, together with the dome is 38.5 m, the thickness of the walls is similar to the previous one. Now it has an observation deck with a panoramic view of the Kremlin.
• Pokrovskaya is a massive structure 18 m high and 3 m thick in the south-western part of the fortress. It protrudes beyond its limits by 9 m, and the walls are permeated with 55 loopholes.
• Zlatoustovskaya - a blank quadrangular tower of four tiers, whose name was given by a nearby temple of the 14th century.
• Vladimirskaya - through it fell into the Novgorod detynets (Veliky Novgorod), is a travel, quadrangular, height - 17.8 m. There is a ten-meter tent on top. A distinctive feature is loopholes with an arched top resembling windows.
• Fedorovskaya - a tower of cylindrical form with arched loopholes
• Metropolitan - is a monument of military-defensive architecture, like the two previous towers. The construction is cylindrical, dull, the thickness of the walls is just over 3 m, the height is 16.3 m.

It is known about the destruction and reconstruction of three towers: Borisoglebskaya, Voskresenskaya, Prechistenskaya.

Sophia Cathedral

The white stone church is the oldest in the territory of modern Russia from those built by the Slavic people. Erected in 1045-1050, for several centuries it was the spiritual center of the entire Novgorod Republic.

This cross-domed five-nave cathedral. Such structures are typical for the architecture of the 11th century. However, not only Novgorod Detinets (Veliky Novgorod) are famous for them - there are cathedrals with the same name in Polotsk and Kiev. The building has three apses (rounded lateral and pentahedral central), on all sides it is surrounded by three-story galleries. The cathedral has five chapters, and the sixth crowns the staircase tower in the western part. They are characterized by a special form of makovits - in the form of helmets of ancient Russian soldiers. The maximum height of the St. Sophia Cathedral is 38 m, the thickness of the walls is 1.2 m, limestone was used for their construction. The temple was built in the traditional Byzantine style.

Holy places are always covered with legends. So, on the central dome, on the cross, is a figure of a dove, personifying the Holy Spirit. Ivan the Terrible in 1570 brutally dealt with the Novgorodians. According to legend, the dove, who sat down on the cross to rest, saw a bloody battle and from a tested sense of horror fossilized. Later, one of the monks told the Virgin that the bird was sent to the city as a consolation and a talisman. Novgorod will be kept until the dove falls from the cross.

Belfry of St. Sophia Cathedral

It should be considered separately from the main structure. Belfry is an architectural monument of the 15-18 centuries, which is included in the Novgorod detinets. Veliky Novgorod (photo of the panoramic view above) is a beautiful ancient city with a lot of cultural and historical sights. Quite a few are sacred. To such, as it is already clear, is the St. Sophia Cathedral, and with it the belfry. Written sources first mention it in 1437, when it is told about the flood. In particular, it is said that it was collapsed along with the adjacent fortress wall. At the moment the belfry is located from the inner eastern wall of the Kremlin, its length is 22.5 m, and the width is 3.4 m.

During the Second World War, it was severely damaged. After receiving information that the German troops are already approaching the city, it was decided to evacuate the bells. However, during the bombing, a direct hit occurred directly on the barge with the three largest specimens, and they drowned in the Volkhov River. The structure itself was partially destroyed by the artillery.

The reconstructed belfry of the St. Sophia Cathedral Novgorod Detinets (Veliky Novgorod) found in 1948. Now it is used for direct purposes, there is an observation deck in its upper part and an exhibition devoted to the ancient bells of the city is constantly operating.

Church of Sergius of Radonezh

The supernumerary structure is perhaps the only one of its kind preserved in the north-west of the country to the present day. It was built under the auspices of Archbishop Ion on the territory of the Vladychny Dvor in the Kremlin in 1463. This time is characterized by a premonition of the fall of the Novgorod Republic under the pressure of Moscow and its annexation. However, the passions gradually subsided, and the people accepted the idea of centralizing the state. The church is a sign of peace, spiritual rapprochement and unification with Moscow, as it was built in honor of the saint, then almost unknown in Russia and revered mostly in Moscow, - Sergei Radonezhsky.

Church of Andrew Stratelate

The Novgorod detinets (the scheme in the photo) in the south-eastern part of the territory has a small, but notable church. It was built in the 15th and 17th centuries. It has a rectangular flat shape in plan, a one-span belfry and a small glazku that crowns the temple. Initially, this place was located Borisoglebsky Cathedral, which in 1682 collapsed and was subsequently dismantled to the very bottom. Only the side-chapel of the holy Russian warrior-martyr Andrei Stratilat remained untouched. It was expanded and turned into an independent small church.

The Lord's Court

It would have been worthwhile starting a story about the Novgorod detinets, since this is the oldest part of the Kremlin, which, according to Gordienko, EA and Yanina VL, it originates. The Lord's Court is located in the north-western part of the fortress. If you believe the story, then Bishop I. Korsunyan, whose name is largely associated with the establishment of Christianity in Novgorod, took a small island under his yard. Its boundaries were determined by the two arms of the Volkhov. This natural protection met all the requirements, in addition, from the population (not always positively minded) it was walled. After the death of the bishop, the old church of Joachim and Anna was dismantled and in the immediate vicinity they began to build the St. Sophia Cathedral.

Over the centuries, the Lord's Court was a fortress in the fortress and with all its might opposed itself to princely power - secretly or directly. At the same time, each new ruler considered it his duty to build something of his own. Thus, for many years some buildings were demolished, and others were erected, built on, restored, surrounded by additional structures.

The most ambitious changes were during the reign of Evfimii II (1429-1458). The ardent opponent of Novgorod 's accession to Moscow created in Russia a unique structure, and now an architectural monument, the only building in the Gothic style - the Faceted Chamber. And if the appearance is rather modest (in the photo above), then the internal architecture is simply magnificent and absolutely unique.

Information for visitors

It will be useful to learn all those who are planning a trip to one of the most beautiful and ancient cities of Russia and wishes to visit the Novgorod Detinets (Veliky Novgorod), the hours of work of the cultural object and the cost of entrance tickets. Firstly, it should be remembered that the administration of the reserve has foreseen the days when you can visit it absolutely free of charge:

• To everyone who has not yet reached the age of 18 - every first Wednesday of the month, September 1, June 1,
• For large families, the first Wednesday of the month.
• Students of the Nakhimov and Suvorov Military Schools - weekly on Mondays.
• To pensioners - on October, 1st.
• Absolutely all citizens of the country - May 18, the International Museum Day, as well as from July to August every Friday.

As for the price of the ticket, it is best to specify the information in the ticket offices of the museum-reserve. On its territory is the division of objects. You can choose what you are interested in, and do not pay for the rest. For example, visiting Sofia's belfry, the Faceted (Vladychnoy) Chamber will cost 150 rubles. Students, pensioners are given discounts, children under 16 years old can go to some objects for free.

Are you planning to visit Detinets (Veliky Novgorod)? The opening hours of the complex should be specified in advance. Many expositions are seasonal or have a division into winter and summer time, somewhere restoration work can be carried out, and the entrance in connection with this will be closed. For example, the Sofia bell tower is available for visits on weekdays from ten in the morning to six in the evening, and on Friday and the weekend stay is extended until 20:00. It is possible to book tickets in advance, on-line. All of these organizational questions will be answered by the information service of the museum-reserve.