Absolutely every city has its own history, some of them are quite young, others have a history of several centuries, but there are also very ancient ones among them. Settlements that still exist today sometimes turn out to be terribly old. The age of the oldest cities is helped to clarify historical research and archaeological excavations, on the basis of which the estimated dates of their formation are set. Perhaps the ranking presented contains the oldest city in the world, or maybe we don’t know anything about it yet.
1. Jericho, Palestine (ca. 10,000-9,000 BC)
The ancient city of Jericho is mentioned many times in biblical texts, however, there it is called the “city of palm trees”, although its name is translated from Hebrew differently - “moon city”. Historians believe that it arose as a settlement around 7,000 BC, but there are finds that indicate an older age - 9,000 BC. e. To put it another way, people settled here before the Ceramic Neolithic, during the Chalcolithic period.
Since ancient times, the city was at the intersection of military paths, which is why the Bible contains a description of its siege and miraculous capture. Jericho has changed hands many times, with its most recent transfer to modern-day Palestine occurring in 1993. Over the course of thousands of years, residents left the city more than once, however, then they certainly returned and reanimated its life. This “eternal city” is located 10 kilometers from the Dead Sea, and tourists constantly flock to its attractions. Here, for example, was the courtyard of King Herod the Great.
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2. Damascus, Syria (10,000-8,000 BC)
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Not far from Jericho there is another patriarch among the cities, not much, if not not, inferior to him in age - Damascus. The Arab medieval historian Ibn Asakir wrote that after the Flood, the Damascus wall was the first to appear. He believed that this city arose 4,000 BC. The first real historical data about Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC. e., at that time Egyptian pharaohs ruled here. From the 10th to the 8th centuries BC. e. it was the capital of the Damascus kingdom, after which it passed from one kingdom to another until in 395 it became part of the Byzantine Empire. After the Apostle Paul visited Damascus in the first century, the first followers of Christ appeared here. Damascus is now the capital of Syria and the second largest city in the country after Aleppo.
3. Byblos, Lebanon (7,000-5,000 BC)
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The ancient city of the Phoenicians, Byblos (Gebal, Gubl) is located 32 km from Beirut on the Mediterranean coast. There is still a city in this place, but it is called Jabel. In ancient times, Byblos was a major seaport, through which, in particular, papyrus was transported to Greece from Egypt, which the Hellenes called “byblos” because of this, which is why they called Gebal that way. It is reliably known that Gebal existed already 4,000 BC. e. It stood near the sea on a well-protected hill, and below there were two bays with harbors for ships. A fertile valley stretched around the city, and a little further from the sea, mountains covered with dense forest began.
People noticed such an attractive place a long time ago and settled here during the early Neolithic. But when the Phoenicians arrived, the locals for some reason abandoned their inhabited places, so the newcomers did not even have to fight for them. As soon as they settled in a new place, the Phoenicians immediately surrounded the settlement with a wall. Later, in its center, near the source, they built two temples to the main deities: one to the mistress Baalat-Gebal, and the second to the god Reshef. Since then, the story of Gebal has become completely reliable.
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4. Susa, Iran (6,000-4,200 BC)
In modern Iran, in the province of Khuzestan, there is one of the oldest cities on the planet - Susa. There is a version that its name comes from the Elamite word “susan” (or “shushun”), meaning “lily”, since these places abounded in these flowers. The first signs of habitation here date back to the seventh millennium BC. e., and during excavations ceramics from the fifth millennium BC were discovered. e. A well-established settlement was formed here around the same time.
Susa is spoken of in ancient Sumerian cuneiform writings, as well as in later texts of the Old Testament and other sacred books. Susa was the capital of the Elamite kingdom until its capture by the Assyrians. In 668, after a fierce battle, the city was plundered and burned, and 10 years later the Elamite state disappeared. Ancient Susa had to endure destruction and bloody massacres many times, but it was certainly later restored. Now the city is called Shush, it is inhabited by about 65 thousand Jews and Muslims.
5. Sidon, Lebanon (5500 BC)
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Now this city on the Mediterranean coast is called Saida and is the third largest in Lebanon. The Phoenicians founded it and made it their capital. Sidon was a significant Mediterranean trading port, which partially survives to this day, being perhaps the oldest such structure. During its history, Sidon was part of different states many times, but was always considered an impregnable city. Nowadays it is inhabited by 200 thousand inhabitants.
6. Faiyum, Egypt (4000 BC)
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In the El Fayoum oasis in Middle Egypt, surrounded by the sands of the Libyan Desert, lies the ancient city of El Fayoum. The Yusuf Canal was dug from the Nile to it. In the entire Egyptian kingdom it was the most ancient city. This area became known mainly for the reason that the so-called “Fayum portraits” were once discovered here. The Fayum, then called Shedet, which means “sea,” was a frequent site for the pharaohs of the 12th Dynasty, as evidenced by the remains of temples and artifacts discovered here by Flinders Petrie.
Shedet was later called Crocodilopolis, “City of Reptiles,” because its inhabitants worshiped the crocodile-headed god Sebek. Modern Fayoum has several mosques, baths, large bazaars and a lively daily market. Residential buildings here line the Yusuf Canal.
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7. Plovdiv, Bulgaria (4000 BC)
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Within the boundaries of modern Plovdiv, the first settlements appeared in the Neolithic era, approximately 6000 BC. e. it turns out that Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. 1200 BC e. there was a Phoenician settlement here - Eumolpia. In the 4th century BC. e. the city was called Odrys, as confirmed by bronze coins of that period. From the 6th century, Slavic tribes began to control it; later it entered the Bulgarian kingdom and changed its name to Pyldin. Over the following centuries, the city passed from the Bulgarians to the Byzantines and back more than once, until it was captured by the Ottomans in 1364. Now the city has many historical and architectural monuments and other cultural sites that attract many tourists to Plovdiv.
8. Antep, Turkey (3650 BC)
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Gaziantep is the oldest Turkish city, and there are not many peers in the world. It is located near the Syrian border. Until 1921, the city bore the more ancient name Antep, and the Turks decided to add the prefix “gazi” to it, meaning “brave”. In the early Middle Ages, participants of the Crusades passed through Antep. When the Ottomans took possession of the city, they began to build inns and mosques here, turning it into a shopping center. Now, in addition to Turks, Arabs and Kurds live in the city, and the total population is 850 thousand people. Many foreign tourists come to Gaziantep every year to see the ruins of the ancient city, bridges, museums and numerous attractions.
9. Beirut, Lebanon (3000 BC)
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According to some sources, Beirut appeared 5,000 years ago, according to others - all 7,000. Over its centuries-old history, it could not avoid numerous destructions, but each time it found the strength to rise from the ashes. In the capital of modern Lebanon, archaeological excavations are constantly underway, thanks to which many artifacts of the Phoenicians, Hellenes, Romans, Ottomans and other temporary owners of the city were discovered. The first mention of Beirut dates back to the 15th century BC. e. in Phoenician records where it is called Barut. But this settlement existed one and a half thousand years before that.
It appeared on a large rocky cape, approximately in the middle of the coastal strip belonging to modern Lebanon. Perhaps the name of the city comes from the ancient word “birot”, which means “well”. For many centuries it was inferior in importance to its more powerful neighbors - Sidon and Tire, but in the ancient period its influence increased. There was a famous school of law here, which even developed the main tenets of the Justinian Code, that is, Roman law, which became the basis of the European legal system. Now the Lebanese capital is a famous tourist destination.
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10. Jerusalem, Israel (2800 BC)
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This city is perhaps the most famous in the world, since there are holy places of monotheism - Jews, Christians and Muslims. Therefore, it is called the “city of three religions” and the “city of peace” (less successfully). The very first settlement arose here in the period 4500-3500 BC. e. The earliest known written mention of him (ca. 2000 BC) is contained in the Egyptian “curse texts”. Canaanites 1,700 BC e. They built the first walls of the city on the eastern side. The role of Jerusalem in human history cannot be overestimated. It is literally overloaded with historical and religious buildings; the Holy Sepulcher and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are located here. Jerusalem was besieged 23 times, and attacked another 52 times, twice it was destroyed and rebuilt, but life in it is still in full swing.
Located on the territory of modern Dagestan, archaeologists date its foundation to the 6th century BC. The first mentions of the city in the manuscripts of ancient Greek historians and geographers also survive from the same time.
The name of the city has Persian roots, the word “darbant” means “narrow gate”. This city was called the Caspian Gate. The name was formed due to the fact that the city is located in a narrow passage between the mountains and the Caspian Sea. In ancient times, the Silk Road ran through Derbent, and the city was an important trading point. Therefore, many peoples wanted to own the city - many battles were fought here. Derbent was often destroyed and burned during strife, after which the city was restored again.
Some researchers question whether Derbent can be considered the oldest city in Russia, since it was founded and flourished at a time when there were neither people nor Kievan Rus. And the fact that the city is now located on the territory of the modern Russian Federation does not give reason to consider it truly Russian.
Despite this, the city is very popular among tourists, because there are many ancient attractions, for example, stone buildings in the Museum-Reserve dating back to the 6th century BC, as well as ancient mosques.
Velikiy Novgorod
The second contender for the title of the oldest city in Russia is Veliky Novgorod. This is the place where Christianity was born in Ancient Rus'. Every native resident of Novgorod believes that this is the city of the country.
The founding of Veliky Novgorod occurred in 859. After the pagan city turned into a Christian one, a lot began to be built here. Novgorod became the spiritual center of Kievan Rus.
Currently, there are many ancient cultural monuments in Novgorod; the very spirit of the city is imbued with antiquity and grandeur. This is a truly Russian city.
Staraya Ladoga
Most researchers are inclined to believe that Staraya Ladoga is the oldest city. The foundation of the city dates back to the 8th century. It was a port city on the Varangian trade route to Volkhov, located at the confluence of lakes Ilmen and Ladoga.
Currently, it has not been fully studied, but archaeological research is being carried out in the vicinity of the city. Staraya Ladoga preserves many ancient cultural monuments and attractions.
Over the course of human civilization, many settlements arose that became cities. But time, wars, and natural disasters have turned many of them into ruins. Some of them have survived to this day. What are the oldest cities in Russia still standing today? This question interests many.
Some problems
It can be very difficult to identify countries: the date of foundation of the settlement is not always known. Based on the data of chroniclers or historians, the date can only be determined approximately. When reading chronicles, historians pay attention to where this or that city is mentioned and what historical events its mention is associated with. The ancient cities of Russia could have had different names in those ancient times. Therefore, the exact date when they were erected is sometimes impossible to find out. But this applies to ancient cities. There are also official statements about the day of foundation, then there is no problem of determining the age of a historical place.
To study the issue, historians turn to the Nikon Chronicle, which was compiled back in the 16th century. Information from Arabic sources dating back to the 10th century is being studied. The famous historical work “The Tale of Bygone Years” also helps in this. The work of archaeologists who conduct excavations and help identify the most ancient cities of Russia does not stop. The list of them changes, there are objects, masonry walls, pavements that provide more and more information to historians. Today these are Velikiy Ladoga, Smolensk, Murom, Pskov, Derbent, Kerch.
Velikiy Novgorod
The history of its occurrence is still unknown. Nobody knows the exact date of its foundation yet. Everything is approximate. But the fact that it is one of the oldest cities in Russia is a fact. The date of the establishment of Novgorod is recorded as 859. The age of the great city is calculated from it. Today he is 1155 years old. But this is not certain either. After all, the year of its foundation was considered to be the date mentioned at that time when the Novgorod elder Gostomysl died. This means that the city was founded much earlier.
The chronicler Nestor in The Tale of Bygone Years wrote about the most ancient cities of Russia. The list, which was called Laurentian, indicated that before the arrival of Rurik (in 862), Novgorod had already existed for a long time. It was founded by the Ilmen Slovenes, who settled near the lake. They named it by its own name - Ilmer. They founded a city and named it Novgorod.
During its history, Veliky Novgorod experienced many events: it was both the capital of a free state, and was captured by Moscow, Swedish and Levon rulers. Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod, repelled the Swedes in 1240 and the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1242 on Lake Peipsi.
The most ancient cities of Russia
Among the listed places that are considered the most ancient, Staraya Ladoga stands on par with all of them. Historians date this settlement to the 8th century. It is believed that this city was founded in 753. Historians suggest that it was from Ladoga that Rurik was called to rule and became the first prince in Rus'. Neighbors attacked the city from the north, and the fortress suffered destruction and fires. But in the ninth century it was surrounded not by wooden walls, but by stone ones made of limestone, and Ladoga became a reliable northern fortress - the first in Rus'.
What ancient cities of Russia can be put on a par with Ladoga and Novgorod? This is what Smolensk is like. He is also mentioned in the chronicles in 862. The well-known route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed through it, as through Ladoga. Smolensk became the defense of Moscow and withstood many wars and battles. Fragments of the walls of the fortress, which was built in the 16th century and was considered a miracle of fortification technology of those times, are still preserved.
Murom is an equally ancient city that arose almost simultaneously with Smolensk. This city got its name from the Muroma tribe, of Finno-Ugric origin. His gaze is directed to the east: from there there was a constant threat of attack. Either the Volga-Kama Bulgars, or the Tatar-Mongols. Such ancient cities of Russia as Murom suffered terrible devastation, and no one took care of them for decades. Only in the fourteenth century was it restored, and at the very beginning of the 15th century, Murom was already subordinate to Moscow.
Ancient cities can be listed endlessly, how deep is the history of the country, so many historical places are there: Rostov the Great, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Vladimir. But there is one city that is more than 5,000 years old, and it still exists today.
"Darband" - narrow gate
No matter how much people argue about which city in Russia is the most ancient, it is Derbent. This is the territory of the Dagestan Republic, but it is part of Russia. This means that Derbent is the most ancient city in Russia. It was located right next to the Caspian Sea: this is a narrow place that remained between the coast and the Caucasus mountains. It is worth noting that when the settlement of Derbend appeared, neither Kievan Rus nor the Russian Empire existed. Derbent was mentioned in chronicles back in the 6th century BC. e., but settlements arose even earlier.
Today, the Naryn-Kala fortress, which is more than 2,500 years old, and the ancient Juma Mosque, built in the eighth century, have been preserved. Derbent controlled the Dagestan corridor through which the Great Silk Road passed. Many peoples tried to take possession of the city, stormed it, and destroyed it. Over its long history, Derbent has experienced both prosperity and decline many times. The protective wall - a fortification structure 40 km long - has survived to this day. The UNESCO organization considers Derbent the most ancient Russian city.
Until recently, Derbent was considered the most ancient city in Russia. However, after the aggravation of relations between Ukraine and Russia in 2014, Derbent lost its status, since Kerch became the oldest city in Russia after the annexation of Crimea.
Stepping away from foreign policy, we will talk about both localities, as well as how old the oldest cities in Russia are. You may also be interested in the article about the most ancient cities in the world.
The oldest city in Russia
Derbent
Dagestan's Derbent is recognized as the oldest city in Russia (the name is translated into Russian as “closed gates”). The question of Derbent's age remains open. Historians believe that the first settlements on this site appeared at the end of the fourth millennium BC. The first mentions of Derbent are found in ancient Greek chronicles: already in the 6th century. BC. the ancient Greek geographer Hecataeus of Miletus wrote about the “Caspian Gates” located here. But the stone walls that laid the foundation for modern Derbent went up in 438 AD. - the Persians erected them. Therefore, this year is considered the official founding date of the city, although in 2012, by order of Vladimir Putin, local residents celebrated the 2000th anniversary of Derbent. 
Ancient Derbent is located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, not far from the place where the Samur River ends. The city was surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus on one side and the waters of the Caspian Sea on the other, and therefore had the strategic importance of a link between Eastern Europe and “Anterior Asia”, protection from numerous raids of the Scythians, Huns and Khazars. Derbent was rightly called the “crossroads of civilizations”: at this point East and West, North and South converged.
Even today, after many centuries, the defensive complex of Derbent inspires awe. Derbent fortress - two grandiose stone walls (height - from 12 to 20 meters, thickness - 3), separated from each other by 400 meters, a sea wall extending into the water for half a kilometer, and the monumental citadel of Naryn-Kala, rising on top of 300- meter steep hill.
Now in the oldest city of Russia there are many extremely interesting museum exhibitions. By and large, more than half of the city is an open-air museum-reserve. The Juma Mosque located on the territory of the fortress (translated from Arabic as “Friday mosque”, that is, the largest mosque in the city) deserves special attention. It is recognized as the oldest mosque and one of the most ancient buildings in Russia that have survived to this day - the date of construction of the Derbent Juma Mosque is 733 AD.
Kerch
Kerch, Cherzeti, Cherchio, Korchev, Charsha, Bosporus, Panticapaeum (and even this is not a complete list of names that the Crimean city with a multi-thousand-year history can boast of) celebrated its 2600th anniversary in September 2000. Its territory contains monuments worthy of being among the most famous sights of Russia. 
Archaeologists have discovered evidence that people settled on the territory of Kerch long before the official date of the founding of the city - approximately eight thousand years BC. But there were also finds that confirmed a completely shocking figure: it turns out that this piece of the Kerch Peninsula was inhabited during the time of the Neanderthals!
Kerch experienced its first heyday during the era of the Bosporan Kingdom. The city of Panticapaeum, the oldest “ancestor” of Kerch, grew up on the shore of the strait at the end of the 7th century BC. It was he who became the starting point for the expansion of the Hellenes into the peninsula. Until the 3rd century BC. Patnikapaean culture was at its peak: gold and silver coins were minted here, local residents were familiar with the works of Hesiod and Herodotus, the city was famous for its winemakers, masters of foundry and pottery, and traded with Europe, China and the countries of Central Asia. The Yeni-Kale fortress is one of the most famous attractions of Kerch
Four hundred years later, the Slavs became the masters of Charshi, who renamed the city Korchev. The settlement that protected the strait served as the most important trade and military point of the Kyiv state. However, in the 12th century, after repeated raids by the Cumans, he returned under the wing of Byzantium. Kerch returned to Russia only at the end of the 18th century, after the sixth Russian-Turkish War.
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Before naming the most ancient cities of Russia, it is necessary to clarify what is meant, an original Russian city that originally arose on the lands of Rus', or a settlement located on the territory of modern Russia. In the second case, the answer will be clear - this is Derbent. It has been known about since the 6th century BC, when there was no Rus' at all.
Territory inhabited since time immemorial
Of course, as excavations show, there were ancient settlements everywhere, including on the territory of Moscow. And in Crimea, on the White Rock, a skeleton of a mother and child was found, which is 150,000 years old.
Later, during the Copper Age (Chalcolithic), settlements were already protected in every possible way, a prototype of fortresses appeared - a fortified settlement was erected on a high place, a fence was built near the river. Archaeologists still have a lot of work to do - there are already hundreds of excavated settlements on the territory of our country belonging to various temporary cultures. Herodotus mentions the wooden city of Gelon, which, according to some scientists, could be located on the territory of present-day Saratov. Much is known about the existence, especially in the Crimea, of ancient cities such as Tiras and Olbia, Tanais and Phanagoria. These cities and many others shaped medieval Rus'. Based on the above, we can conclude that Rurik did not come out of nowhere.
One of many
There are many lists of ancient Russian cities and they all differ. In some, some settlements are indicated, in some others, the dates of formation do not always coincide. Scientists argue, and new data appear. Below is one of the lists.
Dates of foundation |
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Velikiy Novgorod | ||
Rostov Veliky |
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Belozersk |
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Veliky Izborsk |
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Smolensk | ||
Vladimir | ||
Yaroslavl |
Several Yet
Novgorod is the oldest
Most often, the list is headed by Veliky Novgorod, first mentioned in the Novgorod Chronicle of 859. The mention is associated with Rurik, who came to Rus' from Ladoga (based on this information, in some lists this settlement is indicated under the first number). The advantageous location made Novgorod already by the middle of the 9th century the center of the northwestern lands and the first capital of Ancient Rus'. The city is a major cultural, political and commercial center, exchanging goods with many foreign countries.
But in 882, Prince Oleg conquers Kyiv and makes it his capital and leaves Novgorod. The city continued to develop quite successfully, becoming the first “window to Europe” for Rus'. It may be noted that the first bishop arrived in Veliky Novgorod in 989.
Year of the construction boom
The second number in some list of “The Most Ancient Cities of Russia” is Belozersk, founded in 862. I wonder whose efforts laid the foundation for so many cities this year? Beloozero (the second name of the city) was moved several times - either it would flood it, or a pestilence would destroy half the population. Trade routes passed through it along the Sheksna and Mologa rivers to the Volga and beyond. Both Novgorod and Belozersk are cities with a rich history, they still exist, but in this article they are interesting precisely as ancient cities of Russia.
The list continues with the well-known Murom, thanks to the great prisoner Ilya. The history of this outpost dates back to the settlement of Oka by the Finnish Muroma tribe. The city was the capital of the Murom-Ryazan principality. Due to the fact that it was in the border zone, the city was constantly subject to raids. In 862, Polotsk (Polotesk) was founded at the mouth of the Polota River at its confluence with the Western Dvina. Polotsk became part of the Old Russian state in 907, there is documentary evidence of this. At the same time, the city of Rostov was built on the shores of Lake Nero, which later became part of the Rostov-Suzdal Principality.
Next on the list
Smolensk was founded a year later in 863. It is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. The advantageous position on the Dnieper contributed to the rapid establishment of the capital of the Krivichi people. Smolensk is part of Kievan Rus as a strong principality. Pskov and Uglich, Bryansk and Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Kursk and Ryazan, Vladimir, Kostroma and Tver are also ancient cities of Russia. Moscow also completes the list. But these are younger entities. Thus, Tver was founded in 1208. Initially, the city was part of the Novgorod principality, and then was annexed to the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. All these cities are the historical heritage of our country.
The history of the famous route
About 40 years ago, the newspaper “Soviet Russia” published a number of articles about ancient Russian cities concentrated on the territory of several nearby regions. The golden-domed churches of these cities, located in a closed ring, gave their name to the new tourist route. “The Golden Ring of Russia” was born from newspaper essays; the term was coined by the writer Yuri Bychkov. Initially, this route included only eight of the most ancient Russian cities - Moscow and Sergiev Posad, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky and Rostov the Great, Uglich and Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Ples, Suzdal and Vladimir, with one more point between them - Bogolyubovo. These cities were selected according to a certain principle. For example, they present all types of ancient Russian architecture, the development of which can be traced in stages.
Unofficial center
The route was gaining popularity, it became a cult, but many ancient settlements were not covered. And now, the “Golden Ring of Russia” already includes 20 cities, special routes are being created to visit other famous points.
There are cruises on the Volga under this name. The unofficial but generally recognized capital of the entire Golden Ring is Vladimir, a city located 193 km from Moscow, where the route begins and ends. The Pearl of the Ring was founded in 1108. Vladimir Monomakh, who was actively involved in urban planning, founded a wooden fortress and surrounded it with an earthen rampart. The city owes its prosperity to his grandson Andrei Bogolyubsky. The famous Vladimir Icon was brought to the city by him, and he also built the amazing Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God for it. In 1157, Vladimir became the capital of the Old Russian state. The city continues to actively develop. Since that time, many monuments have been preserved, and this center of ancient architecture amazes with its beauty preserved in its original form. The main attractions of the city are the Golden Gate, built in 1164, the Assumption Cathedral, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 12th century, and Demetrius Cathedral, famous for its white stone carvings. These are not all the historical and architectural monuments that Vladimir is rich in.
Famed for warriors
All the cities of the Golden Ring amaze and fascinate with their original Russian beauty. Some occupy special niches. Thus, the city of Murom, instead of which Ivanovo sometimes appears in the list of 8 cities, is the oldest city in Russia. He, mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, remained pagan for a very long time. After the murder of Yaroslav the Wise's great-grandson Mikhail in Murom, his father, his grandfather's namesake, Prince Yaroslav besieged the city, and, taking it, forcibly baptized the inhabitants in 1097. Murom was destroyed by Batu, later it was ruined three times by the Tatars, it was plundered during the Time of Troubles, but its warriors were always in the forefront of the defenders of the Motherland. Murom city
gave Rus' the most famous hero Ilya Muromets.
Handsome Suzdal
Just to list the monasteries, churches and bell towers of Suzdal, the open-air museum, not even a page is enough. Ancient monastery walls, bell towers and gate churches - dozens of beautiful objects represent Russian architecture from the 12th to the 19th centuries. The city of Suzdal has a special attraction. White stone churches and ancient monuments, of which there are up to 200 in the city-museum, are under the protection of UNESCO. This beautiful city was first mentioned in chronicles from 1024. Now everything is being done to attract more tourists. Street vendors selling souvenirs and mead, buffoons and horse-drawn carriages have created an atmosphere of endless celebration in the city.
Veliky Novgorod, due to its remoteness, is not included in the Golden Ring of Russia.