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Novgorod the Great
The
five hundred kilometers between Moscow and Novgorod can be easily
covered by
either car or train. However, six or seven centuries ago this distance
required
a week-long journey on river boats. Perhaps greater than the physical
distance
was the ideological gap between the two towns. As time passed, Moscow
conquered
Novgorod. Yet a special aura still exists in Russia's former capital.
Some call
this the air of democracy and liberty, but in any case Novgorod is
beautiful,
and surely worth a contemplative visit.
Though
the name of the town means "New Town," Novgorod is the oldest major
Russian city: people have been living here since the 6th century AD and
it had
become a major trade settlement by the 9th century. The place where
Novgorod
stands is strategic: the Volhov River was a key part of the busy trade
route
from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Novgorod was just the place to control
this
route and to develop trade with foreign merchants. This specialized role
of the
town determined its type of rule: Novgorod became a merchant republic.
(“Novgorod: Democracy's Native Son”, Moscow News № 47 2007 http://www.mnweekly.ru/travel/20071129/55293071.html )
To find more information about history of Novgorod, go to http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Novgorod_Republic (in English) or http://www.novgorod1150.com/history/spravka/ (in English)
To read more about the Oldest Russian Center of Christianity and what to see and to do there, go to http://eng.novgorodmuseum.ru/main.shtml (in English)
If you want to keep track of what culture events are happening in Novgorod, go to http://visitnovgorod.ru/index.php?mmm=calendar (in Russian)
To read about city life, go to http://www.velikiynovgorod.ru/ (in Russian) or http://novgorod.rfn.ru/ (in Russian)
There are a lot of Russian fairytales. But also Novgorod Fairytales exist. If you want to read some, go to http://www.novgorod.ru/read/information/cultutre/tales/ (in Russian)
To read more about Novgorod Icon Painting and Novgorod Architecture, go to http://www.novgorod.ru/english/ (in English)