Place and year of foundation of Yaroslavl: versions and legends

Each city has its own history, which is full of events and interesting facts, like a person's biography. The older the settlement, the more interesting it is, the more legends, legends and myths surround those times that are unknown to the modern man. One of the most ancient cities of Russia is the pearl of the Golden Ring - Yaroslavl.

Basic information

Modern Yaroslavl is, first of all, a center of tourism, an ancient Russian city, whose history is estimated by the millennium. Until now, the year of the founding of Yaroslavl is the subject of discussions between historians and archaeologists. Excavations on the banks of the Volga are carried out constantly, which gives new information for reflection. Officially, the year of the founding of the city of Yaroslavl - 1010. It is on the basis of this information that in 2010 the 1000th anniversary of the city was celebrated. Today it is a large trade and transport hub, which is connected with its geographical location. The most developed industries are the oil refining industry, mechanical engineering, and the chemical industry.

Geographical position

The place of the foundation of Yaroslavl is the Volga bank, more precisely the "arrow", the coastal high cape. The Kotorosl River, formed by the connection of the river. Vex and r. The mouth, flows into the Volga on the East European Plain, in its central part. The Volga region in the Yaroslavl region is rich in water resources, 240 rivers and small streams, merging with each other, form a ramified network that was used to deliver various kinds of cargo. The Veksa and Kotorosl rivers formed part of the great Volga route and connected the Rostov Lake, Klyazma, Oka with the Volga. This water system was called the way from "the Varangians to the Arabs", it allowed to maintain trade relations with the Arab East, Scandinavia, Khazaria. The development and settling of the Volga began to play a big role in the development of relations with neighboring states, thanks to these prerequisites, it became possible and necessary to establish the city of Yaroslavl. This was the first settlement of the Slavs on the Volga. The Kotorosl River was the only waterway connecting the western part of Russia with Rostov. Between Yaroslavl and Rostov, the waterway for many centuries, before the construction of the railway, was the main one.

The place of the founding of Yaroslavl was chosen not casually: if you study the topography of the district, you can see that it is difficult to find a more convenient location of the fortifications. The settlement was reliably closed from three sides by natural barriers. The Volga and Kotoroslel cut off the city from the main plain territory, the Bear Gully (formerly along it one of the Kotorosl river channels) was impregnable for attack from a third party. The defenders of the fortress had to fortify the only accessible way to the city. In fact, the "arrow" was an island among the water space.

Background

The year of the foundation of Yaroslavl is still a matter of controversy. Settlements on this site existed before. But the prerequisite for the emergence of a strengthened point was the ever-expanding trade ties. The use of the Volga as the main waterway of the region led to the fact that a large number of merchants equipped their ships with a rich product and started up the river. At the most convenient points of the river banks there were small settlements of robbers who robbed merchant ships. On the arrow, located between the Volga and Kotoroslya, there was just such a fort. From the point of view of military strategy, the place was ideally suited both for the bandits and for the squadron guarding the borders of the principality. When settling and strengthening the given territory, the settlement was given the name of Yaroslavl. The history of the foundation of the ancient city is connected with the prince of Kiev Yaroslav. In the first centuries of its development, the city was originally a fortified area, which made the road to Rostov great. Therefore, the year of the founding of Yaroslavl as a "fortification" is still a mystery.

Prehistory

Based on the archaeological excavations conducted, it can be argued that in the territory of modern Yaroslavl there was an ancient settlement dating back to the 1st millennium BC - the era of the beginning of the Iron Age. But on this site there were also earlier settlements, which belong to the III-V centuries. The foundation of the city of Yaroslavl - X-XI century, until this moment the Volga region inhabited the Finno-Ugric peoples. Gradual migration of Slavs to this territory begins with the VIII-IX centuries. At the same time, many archaeologists emphasize that colonization was without violence. The Slavs peacefully coexisted with the people, and for some time the tribes practically united. In the year of the founding of Yaroslavl, the banks of the Volga were fairly densely populated, there are reports of several settlements, whose inhabitants were engaged in fishing and crafts.

History of occurrence

There are many stories around each ancient settlement. This is due to the lack of specific information, it is necessary to draw information from legends and chronicles, which are more like fairy tales and contain a lot of fiction. Yaroslavl in this sense is not an exception, the ancient history of its origin leaves considerable scope for imagination. With certainty, many archaeologists and historians can only say that the foundation of Yaroslavl was Yaroslav the Wise. This is indirectly confirmed by the name of the city. Many archaeological finds dating back to that time do not deny this version, but the main source of this statement is the monastery archives. The date of the founding of Yaroslavl, the place and its founder are described in the manuscript of the archbishop of Yaroslavl Samuel Mislavsky, which survived to us. The manuscript was published by the priest Lebedev in 1877 and was repeatedly analyzed by historians. It was published under the title "Legend of the construction of the city of Yaroslavl." The text does contain an ancient tradition and was written in the XII-XI centuries. According to the researcher Voronin NN, the content of the "Legend" was updated several times, but the facts reached the contemporaries in an undistorted form. There are also a number of other documents, the study of which continues to this day, for modern scientists this is a very interesting issue - the foundation of Yaroslavl. Versions and legends are not very diverse, they all directly or indirectly point to Yaroslav the Wise as the founder of the city. Therefore, its historical image should be studied in more detail.

Yaroslav the Wise

The Grand Duke of Kiev was born in 978. Father immediately after the birth of Yaroslav gave him the Rostov lands in reign. The date of the founding of the city of Yaroslavl - 1010, it was during this period that the prince ruled the Rostov lands. About this time of his life is difficult to say something specific: the data is not preserved. A significant chronicle mention of Prince Yaroslav began in 1010, and it is associated with the creation of a fortress city on the Volga bank. The further fate of the prince is connected with Novgorod, where he was from 1011. After the death of his brother Vysheslav, Vladimir (the father of the brothers), bypassing the eldest of his sons, places Yaropolk in Novgorod, which at that time was a serious military and commercial center. Novgorod squad was inferior only to Kiev, and the status of Novgorod, as a city, was much higher than Rostov. Yaroslav will pass a difficult path to the title of the Great Prince of Kiev, who will unite the Russian lands and will win the recognition of his people by a wise and enlightened government. The nickname "Wise" Yaroslav Vladimirovich will receive only in the XIX century, the descendants will appreciate his role in the formation of a single and powerful Russia. His role in the formation of the city of Yaroslavl is almost undeniable, but also permeated with legends and stories. Up to now, there have been two main versions, which should be discussed in more detail.

Legend of the foundation of Yaroslavl

Twelve years have passed since the baptism of Rus, but many settlements remained pagan. On the bank of the Volga, at the point where the Kotorosl River flows into it, the Medvezhye corner was built. According to the annals, people there lived wicked, "filthy faiths", that is, pagans. They worshiped the idol of the god Veles (Volos). Near the settlement there was a sanctuary, in which sacrificial fire was burning and there were wooden figures of idols. Admirers of the Medvezhye corner worshiped animals, among which the key place was occupied by a bear. In some Volosovoy lair, sacrifices were made to pagan gods, it is possible that human, that's why the inhabitants of the settlement are described as an evil people. The main occupations of the inhabitants of the Medvezhye corner were cattle breeding, hunting and fishing, and the main income they received from the robbery of merchant ships sailing across the Volga. According to legend, the prince, at that time Rostov, Yaroslav sailed across the Volga with his retinue. He saw how the inhabitants of a local settlement robbed merchant ships and came to the merchants to help. They thanked the prince, and local residents, seeing the might of the Rostov squad, agreed to recognize him. At the same time Bear's corner did not completely submit to Yaroslav, there they continued to perform pagan rituals. Yaroslav appreciated the convenient location of the settlement, from the point of view of the strategy of protecting Rostov and the lands around him, so he decided to baptize the inhabitants and build an outpost on the place of the Medvezhyi corner. He returned with a retinue and numerous church ministers, but the settlers did not intend to abandon their gods, whom they had prayed for so many centuries, so easily. As soon as the prince entered the settlement, a "fierce beast" and a pack of dogs were lowered onto him and his retinue. As the beast was a huge bear - the supreme deity of the villagers. Yaroslav hacked the bear with an ax, and the dogs did not attack any of his entourage. From this moment the prince ordered to cut down trees and build fortifications on the "arrow". In the future Yaroslavl, named after its founder, grew out of this outpost.

Second version

Dyakovo fortified site Bear's corner obeyed Yaroslav the prince of the Rostov lands, accepted baptism, but the sacred pagan beast (bear) began to take revenge on its inhabitants. He wandered around the neighborhood of the settlement and killed people who turned away from idolatry. Prince Yaroslav hunted near Rostov. Having heard about the misfortunes of the inhabitants of the Medvezhye corner, he hurried to the rescue. Yaroslav himself fought the beast and conquered it. The settlement was fortified by its ramparts and moats. And in the city itself was built the first Orthodox church - the church of Elijah - named after St. Elijah on the date of the beginning of the erection (August 2). On the site of the alleged foundation of Yaroslavl to this day lies a stone, which, according to historians, once served as part of the foundation of the church.

Yaroslavl, foundation stone

On the Volga embankment is one of the most visited sights of the city, which attracts not only a lot of tourists, local people believe in the magical powers with which this historical rarity is endowed. The foundation stone of Yaroslavl is covered with ancient legends and legends, it is believed that it was from this place that the history of the city began. After him the first fortifications arose, new churches and houses were built. Guides say that if you look closely at the stone for a long time, then the imagination itself will draw pictures of antiquity: Prince Yaroslav with his retinue, masters of builders, artisans and hunters, people who built this city. The inhabitants of Yaroslavl attribute to the stone miraculous properties. According to them, it has a special magnetism and can heal illnesses. Numerous tourists throw coins, believing that the enigmatic desire will come true. And this is not surprising: the stone lay on this place even before the foundation of the city, from it bows in antiquity and a fairy tale.

Monuments

The year of the founding of the city of Yaroslavl - 1010, respectively, all the stages of the history of the development of the Russian state left their mark in it. The architecture of the city occupies a special place among the monuments of antiquity. It is appreciated by lovers of antiquity and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. If you study the historical center of Yaroslavl, you can conclude that it is an integral architectural monument, which has been preserved due to competent adaptation to the modern life of the city. The total number of monuments of history, architecture, art, archeology, existing in the city - more than 700 units. Among them are temples and churches, ancient buildings, museums, monasteries, parks and sculptures. Of course, a special place among them is the monument to the founder of the city Yaroslav the Wise. The city also immortalized all the great people who contributed to its formation and development. There is a monument to Fyodor Volkov, Nikolai Nekrasov, Demidov Pillar.

Modern city

At present Yaroslavl is considered the third largest city in the central part of Russia. According to the latest data, its population exceeds 600,000 people. In parallel with the most profitable activities (tourism and trade), the city has a developed industry, transport network and housing and communal services. With the wide possibilities of modern logistics (developed railway network, air routes), the Volga remains a demanded transport artery, cargo and passenger transportation is carried out on the basis of the river port of the city of Yaroslavl. At the proper level is the science, the results of research of several design institutes are being introduced into industrial production. Due to the developed industrial sector, new enterprises are being established with the involvement of foreign investments. Yaroslavl continues to grow and improve, not forgetting about its great past and keeping it carefully.