Top sights in Velikiy Novgorod

Vitoslavlitsy is an open-air Novgorod museum of folk wooden architecture, located near St. George monastery a few miles from Veliky Novgorod. The name comes from the village Vitoslavlitsy, which existed here in the XII-XVIII centuries. In the museum area of 33 hectares are situated 22 monuments: churches, chapels, houses, a mill, a smithy, barns. The exhibits are restored buildings of the XVI-XX centuries. Different types of preserved wooden churches are located on the territory of the reserve, among them are the tent-roofed church of the Assumption of 1595, a groin vault Nativity church of 1531 and a longline church of St. Nicholas of 1767
Vitoslavlitsy

Vitoslavlitsy is an open-air Novgorod museum of folk wooden architecture, located near St. George monastery a few miles from Veliky Novgorod. The name comes from the village Vitoslavlitsy, which…

The Cathedral of St. Sophia, a main Orthodox Church in Veliky Novgorod, is one of the most outstanding monuments of ancient Russian architecture. It was built by Novgorod Prince Vladimir in 1045-1050. The Cathedral is five-naval cross-domed.. This type of temples was built in Russia only in the eleventh century. In ancient times the temple was covered with lead sheets. It has three apses, the central apse is pentagonal, the lateral are rounded. The central building is surrounded on three sides by wide two-story galleries. The Cathedral was built instead of a burnt 13-domed wooden Church of 989 year. It has five domes, the sixth dome crowns a staircase tower, located in the western gallery to the south from entrance. The domes are shaped in the form of ancient Russian helmets. There are three iconostases in the Cathedral, the most famous among them are the Main and Christmas. The Main iconostasis has the icons of XV-XVI centuries, the celebration row of icons of XIV century is kept in the museum. The Christmas iconostasis consists of icons of XVI century while some of them are of the nineteenth century, the icon of Christ on the throne is of the XIV century. The temple keeps relics of six saints: Princess Irene, her son Vladimir, princes Mstislav and Theodore, Archbishop Nikita and John. There is a lead figure of a dove on the cross of the central dome which is a symbol of the Holy spirit. According to legend, when in 1570 the inhabitants of Novgorod were dealt ruthlessly by Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible, a dove sat down to rest on the cross of the Cathedral of St. Sophia. Having seen the terrible massacre, the dove became petrified by horror. Since that a revelation of the Virgin came to one of the monks, that a dove was sent to give solace to the city and while it is sitting on the cross, the city is protected.
Cathedral of St. Sophia

The Cathedral of St. Sophia, a main Orthodox Church in Veliky Novgorod, is one of the most outstanding monuments of ancient Russian architecture. It was built by Novgorod Prince Vladimir in…

The Monument
The Monument "Millennium Of Russia"

The Monument "Millennium Of Russia" is dedicated to the Millennium anniversary of the Russian statehood when warring Slavic and Finnish tribes (Novgorod Slavs, Krivichs, Ves (proto-Vepsians) and…