Museums

Welcome to Novgorod! You will be able to visit an unique complex of ancient Russian architectural monuments of the 11th-17th centuries.

First of all, of course, you will be fascinated by the cathedral of St.Sofia, the Holy Wisdom of God - the oldest survived Russian stone monument (11th century).

St Sophia's Cathedral

The Kremlin of Novgorod - the oldest in Russia, this fortress was mentioned in chronicles as early as in 1044, while its today's walls and towers were constructed at the close of the 15th century. The Detinets (that was the original name of the citadel) was closely related to all most important events in the life of ancient Novgorod: embassies, seeing-off warriors to fight the enemy, convening people Veche meetings. In addition to the above-mentioned St. Sofia's Cathedral, the Kremlin also features such other striking monuments as the Faceted (Archbishop's) Palace -- a rare specimen of Gothic architecture, built in 1433 in team with German masters, as well as the impressive and beautiful St.Sophia's Bellfry of 1439 with a set of bells dating back to the 16th-18th centuries.

In the central square of the Kremlin you will find the monument"The Millennium of Russia", designed by Michael Osipovitch Mikeshin and erected in 1862. It is an unique document in bronze immortalising alongside with outstanding politicians of Russia all those who greatly contributed to the development of the country: its culture, science art, literacy, literature. You are welcome to admire the monuments of the twelfth century Novgorod architecture -- The Cathedral of St Nicholas in Yaroslav's Court and The Church of the Nativity of Our Lady in St. Anthony's Monastery, that have brought to us old fresco painting, carved iconostases, the necropolis of the 17th-18th centuries. In the old cloister - the St.George (Yuriev) Monastery, that was founded as early as in the 12th century by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, as a legend reads, one cannot help being amazed by the striking beauty of another masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture - The St George Cathedral , built by a certain master mason Peter in 1119. Many experts of Russian art justly believe Novgorod to be Russian Florence: no other old Russian cities have managed to preserve so many ancient architectural monuments adorned with wall murals. You will see that with your own eyes visiting the churches of Our Saviour or Nereditsa Hill and Annunciation of Our Lady on Miachino Lake (12th century), appreciating at its true worth the 14th century frescoes of world-famous Theophanes the Greek in the church of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour on Iliah Street, singularly graceful murals in the churches of the Nativity of Our Lady on Krasnoye Field, St.Theodore Stratilates on the Brook, admiring the beautiful clerical wall calendar of the 15th-17th centuries in the Church of St.Simeon The Godreceiver, studying wonderful mural compositions of the late 17th- early 18th centuries in the Virgin of The Sign Cathedral.

You are always welcome to the expositions and exhibitions of one of the most ancient and richest museums of Russia - Novgorod State United Museum, that offers to visitors an unique collection of historic, cultural and art relics.

Of a special interest is the Museum's archaeological collection, comprising all relics, excavated from the soil of Novgorod in the archaeological research that has been carried out for more than 60 years. The archaeological finds include such world famous items as a great number of birch-bark scrolls and lead seals dating back to the 12th-15th centuries, indicative of an unique and striking for medieval times level of literacy among ancient Russians and highly organised system of the state control. The unprecedentally rich collection of archaeological relics provides a basis for one of the best Russian historic expositions - the one called "Great Novgorod. Policy. Economy. Culture. 10th-15th centuries". It is displayed in the Kremlin's former Administrative Chambers.

World famous Novgorod Museum collection of Novgorod school of icon painting covering the 12th-15th centuries can be thoroughly studied not in Moscow or St.Petersburg, but only in Novgorod - in the suite of rooms on the second floor of the above-mentioned building in the Kremlin.

It is also only in Novgorod that visitors can admire an unique collection of facial and ornamental embroidery of the 16th-17th centuries. Exhibited in the Kremlin's St.Ioann building, it features such wonderful works of ancient Russian embroideries as maniples of St.Varlaam of Khutyn (12th c.), phelon (vestment) of St.Anthony The Roman (12th century), shroud, commissioned by Dmitry Bhemyaka (15th c.), omophorion of Nikon (17th c.), etc.

Of no less interest is the exhibition of ancient jewellery and decorative-applied art of the 10th - early 20th centuries, which is on display in the main hall of the Faceted (Archibishop's) Palace of the Kremlin. Many of them are indeed unique: Zions from St.Sophia vestry (12th century), Craters of the 12th century, cloisonne enamels (10th- 12th centuries), panagiarion from the vestvy of St.Saphia Cathedral (15th c.), panagia of Archbishop Pimen (16th century).

The open-air architectural-ethnographic museum "Vitoslavlitsy" provides a whole complex of genuine folk wooden architecture, including ancient churches of the 16th-18th centuries and peasants houses of the 19th-early 20th centuries, exhibitions of folk art and everyday life items of Novgorod peasants of the same period. To make tours of Novgorod you will be provided with highly qualified guides of Novgorod Museum.

expositions and exhibitions, architectural monuments of the Kremlin, Yaroslav's Court, open-air museum of wooden architecture "Vitoslavlitsi", St.George (Yuriev's), Khutyn and Vyazhish monasteries, meetings with Novgorod persons of renown, concerts of folk theatre "Kudessy", folk games, concerts of bells in "Vitoslavlitsi".

Address: 2 Volosova Str., Novgorod, Russia

Phone: 7-36-08, 7-71-87

Fax: 7-36-08

Business hours : 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., day off - Thursday.

The Art-Sloboda arts gallery opened on May 23, 1992. It was the first commercial gallery in Novgorod and at the stage of its shaping there was no need in a search for its own style or "its own" artists.

At first, taking into consideration the cultural situation in the preceding decades, it was necessary to give all those wishing a change to exhibit their works, and to enable the purchasers to make their choice among the artists. It is our firm conviction that the arts market - a market of independent buyers will be grindstone of new Russia art.

The Art-Sloboda arts gallery open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (except Saturdays and Sundays)

Address : TOO Art-Sloboda, 6 the Kremlin, 173007 Novgorod

Tel : (7 816 22) 7-33-86

Fax : (7 816 22) 7-27-63

International fax : (7 812) 275-35-31