The Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings is a group of old buildings and structures from the medieval time period located in and around Veliky Novgorod, Russia. This site was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 1992.

History

Novgorod was an important city in medieval Russia from the 9th to the 15th centuries. It was located on a major trade route connecting the Varangians (Norse traders) to the Greeks. Novgorod was the center of the Novgorod Republic, which included much of what is now northwestern Russia. Starting in the 12th century, Novgorod was a rare example of a medieval republic, where decisions were made by a group called the veche—a meeting of the city's people—and the prince was chosen by them. Pskov was the only other Russian city with a similar system.

Novgorod was one of the few areas in Russia not harmed by the Mongol invasions. Because of this, church construction continued in Novgorod during the 14th century, while it slowed in other parts of Russia. Novgorod was also the home of an archbishop and an important cultural center. The earliest known Russian manuscripts were created in Novgorod in the 11th century. Styles of Russian whitestone architecture and painting began in Novgorod and Pskov. One of the most important painters of medieval Russia, Theophanes the Greek, worked in Novgorod.

Composition

The following monuments have been added to the site and are part of the World Heritage. Many of these items are managed by the Novgorod Museum Reserve.

• Soil layers from the 9th to the 17th centuries;
• Chamber of Facets, officially listed as the ensemble of Novgorod Kremlin, 1433;
• The ensemble of the Yaroslav's Court;
• Ramparts and moat of the Okolny Gorod, 14th–16th centuries;
• The Alexios Tower of the Okolny Gorod, 16th century;
• The Saint Nicholas Church on Lipno Island, 1292;
• The Nereditsa Church, 1198;
• Ruins of the Annunciation Church in Gorodishche, 12th century;
• The ensemble of the Peryn Skete;
• The ensemble of the Antoniev Monastery;
• The Saints Peter and Paul Church in Kozhevniki, 1406;
• The Saints Peter and Paul Church at Slavna, 1367;
• The Church of Theodore Stratelates on Shirkova Street, 13th century;
• The Yuriev Monastery;
• The Zverin Monastery;
• The Trinity Church in Yamskaya Sloboda (14th century);
• The Saint Blasius Church, 1407;
• The Church of Saint Nicholas the White of the Saint Nicholas White Monastery, 1312–1313;
• The Church of Twelve Apostles, 1454–1455;
• The Annunciation Church at Lake Myachino, 1179;
• The Saint John Church at Lake Myachino, 1422;
• The Saint Thomas Church at Lake Myachino, 1463–1464;
• The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Sinichya Gora, 1185–1192;
• The Annunciation Church, 1553;
• The Church of Saint Philip the Apostle and Saint Nicholas, 1526;
• The Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyina Street, 1374;
• The Saint Clement Church, 1520;
• The Church of Demetrius of Thessaloniki with the bell-tower, 1462;
• The Church of Theodore Stratelates, 1360–1361;
• The Nativity Church on Krasnoye Pole, 1380;
• The Znamensky Monastery;
• The Trinity Church of Saint Spirit Monastery, 1557;
• The Church of Saint Boris and Saint Gleb in Plotniki, 1536;
• The Church of Saint John the Evangelist on Vitka, 1383–1384;
• The Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos of Mikhaylitsky Monastery, 1379;
• The Saint Michael Church, 1557;
• The Saint Michail Church on Torg, 1300.

• A 12th-century fresco from the Antoniev Monastery.