The message about the old Russian city. What was the ancient Russian city like? The church is a functioning Catholic church of the late 19th century

The question about "The most ancient city in Russia" has long been debatable for scientists and historians. The fact is that they single out several settlements at once, as the most ancient city in Russia.

Among them is Old Novgorod

Derbent

.

Derbent is located in Dagestan and it was built many years before our era, and, accordingly, long before the foundation of Kievan Rus itself and the Russian Empire in general.

Now Derbent is part of the Russian Federation, and on this basis, a colossal number of scientists attribute it to the status of "The most ancient city in Russia." Critics of this theory, no less prominent scientists and historians, point out that this city cannot be considered the most ancient city in Russia, even because it was when there was no memorial about Russia or Russia. In addition, this region differs significantly from ancient Russia and in general from the culture of the Russian people, therefore it is difficult to attribute it to a Russian city. Whether it is so or not, it is up to everyone to decide. It remains only to say that a true patriot of his country should know at least a little the history of his homeland.

Adding fuel to the fire, I would like to note that the dispute about the status of the most ancient city in Russia also enters

If Ancient Novgorod was founded in 859, then Murom celebrated its formation in 862,

but this date cannot be considered 100% true, since the only source of its mention is the Tale of Bygone Years.

In this city, research is being carried out, according to the results of which, it is already becoming known that even before 862 there were settlements of the Finno-Ugric peoples, who called this city its current name (Murom). The Finno-Ugric people themselves appeared in these parts as early as the 5th century AD, respectively, the city may well claim the title of the oldest in Russia, since at the moment it may already be about 1500 years old

It is also worth mentioning one of the oldest cities in Russia, which bears the name

Bryansk .

It is officially believed to have been founded in 985. Over the years of its formation, the city has undergone minor changes in its name, since it was originally called Debryansk. The first mention of the city is in the Ipatiev Chronicle, which dates back to 1146.

As we can see, the question of the most ancient city in Russia remains controversial to this day. It is extremely difficult to find the true truth, but knowing the facts about the cities of your country is necessary and interesting.

Smolensk

is one of the first cities of Russia. In the dated part of the Tale of Bygone Years, it was first mentioned under the year 862 as the center of the tribal union of the Krivichi.

According to the Ustyuzhensky (Arkhangelsk) vault, it was recorded under the year 863, when Askold and Dir, on a campaign from Novgorod to Constantinople, bypassed the city, since the city was heavily fortified and crowded. In 882, the city was seized and annexed to the Old Russian state by Prince Oleg, who handed it over to Prince Igor, from whose childhood power in the city was exercised by governors and squads, and general management was carried out from Kiev.

Staraya Russa is an old provincial town in the Novgorod region. His exact age is not known, since Karamzin had a hand in history, who confused many events in ancient Russia.

Veliky Novgorod appears on a paper five-ruble banknote, and Staraya Russa on an iron ten-ruble coin.

So judge who is older.

The town of Staraya Russa is mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years, the fundamental book in the history of Rus. The city stands on museum treasures. The area of ​​the ancient settlement is 200 hectares, and excavations were carried out carelessly on one thousandth of this territory. Staraya Russa is an ideal springboard for anyone who wants to make a historical discovery.

Temple of the Miraculous Icon of the Old Russian Mother of God

Velikiy Novgorodconsidered the most ancient.

At least, almost every resident of the city thinks so. The year 859 is considered the date of reckoning. The grandiose city, washed by the waters of the Volkhov River, became the progenitor of Christianity in Russia, the Kremlin and numerous architectural monuments remember the rulers of the early period of our state. This version is also supported by the fact that Novgorod has always been a Russian city and is the starting point for calculating age (not something blurry, such and such a century ...).

Another version, which also has the right to exist, is the one that most historians insist on.

Staraya Ladoga- the most ancient city in Russia. Now Staraya Ladoga has the status of a city and the first mention of it reaches us already from the middle of the VIII century. There are tombstones that date back to 753 year ... Not so long ago, when visiting Staraya Ladoga, V.V. Putin decided to conduct additional studies of the city's surroundings in order to nominate it for the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, and this will serve as an impetus for studying its history

In Staraya Ladoga, a church has been preserved in which, according to legends, the descendants of Rurik were baptized.

The debate on this matter will not stop for a long time until irrefutable evidence is found:

Belozersk (Vologda region) - 862

From the name of Lake Beloe it happenedthe name of the city of Belozersk.

The first mention of the city dates back to 862 in the Tale of Bygone Years under the name Beloozero. This date is also the date of foundation of the present Belozersk.Initially, the city was located on the northern shore of the White Lake, in the Ⅹ century it was moved to the southern shore, where it stood until 1352.

From 1238 the city became the center of the Belozersk principality and from 1389 it passed into the Moscow principality. The city was devastated by epidemics in 1352 and revived again, flourished in the century and fell into decay at the end of the ⅩⅦ century.
At the beginning of the ⅩⅨ century, the development of the city was facilitated by the Belozersk bypass channel (construction of the Mariinsky water system). The canal is used to transport materials from the timber industry to St. Petersburg Belozersk... With the opening of the Volga-Baltic waterway, Belozersk established ties with other industrial cities.
The current coat of arms of the city was approved on October 12, 2001 and is: "In a wavy-crossed with azure and silver shield at the top there is a broadened cross over a silver crescent, below there are two crossed silver sterlets with scarlet fins, thinly edged with azure." The former coat of arms was approved under Soviet rule in 1972.

Former and current coat of arms of Belozersk

The architecture of Belozersk - along the embankment of the Belozersk canal, a complex of one-story buildings from 1846. Five of its buildings are arranged symmetrically
* The Kremlin and the Transfiguration Cathedral - a ring of an earthen rampart surrounded on all sides by a moat. The embankment and the moat are striking in their scales. A three-span stone bridge leads across the moat to the territory of the Kremlin. The five-domed Transfiguration Cathedral rises in the center of the Kremlin.
* Church of the All-Merciful Savior (1716-1723) - the five-domed church is one of the first stone temples in the city.
* Church of Elijah the Prophet (1690-1696) - a wooden three-tiered one-domed church in the western part of the city
* Church of the Assumption (1553) - the oldest building in Belozersk. This five-domed temple together with the Epiphany Church make up an architectural complex. At the moment, these churches are active.
* Belozersk Art and History Museum - the museum is divided into 8 parts, for example
- "Russian hut museum"
- "Museum of the History of the Region"
- "Museum of Nature"
* Monument created for the 1112th anniversary of the city (note the date) a boat, symbolizing the fact that the history of the city is closely connected with waterways.

Rostov (Yaroslavl region) - 862

Smolensk - 862

The question of when the Slavs appeared in the territory where the Old Russian state was later formed has not yet been finally resolved. Some researchers believe that the Slavs are the original population of this territory, others believe that non-Slavic tribes lived here, and the Slavs moved here much later, only in the middle of the 1st millennium AD. At the moment, there are many scientific works devoted to the emergence of the Old Russian state, but the question of the emergence of cities and the role they played in the economic, political and spiritual life of Ancient Russia remains quite important. The main goal of this work was to find the role of the city in the Old Russian state. Also, tasks were identified to determine the functions of cities in the economy, politics and culture, as well as theories of the origin of urban settlements in the territory of Ancient Russia.

In any case, the Slavic settlements of the 6th - 7th centuries. on the territory of modern Ukraine are already well known. They are located in the southern part of the forest-steppe, almost on the border of the steppes. Apparently, the situation here at that time was quite calm and there was no need to fear enemy attacks - Slavic settlements were built unfortified. Later, the situation changed dramatically: hostile nomadic tribes appeared in the steppes, and here they began to build near the city.

Apparently, the emergence of cities was a consequence of the success of the Eastern trade of the Slavs, which began in the 8th century, and there was the emergence of the most ancient trading cities in Russia, but the role of the city was not limited only to trade. The story of the beginning of the Russian land does not remember when these cities arose: Kiev, Pereslavl. Chernigov, Smolensk, Lyubech, Novgorod, Rostov, Polotsk. At the moment with which she begins her story about Russia, most of these cities, if not all of them, apparently, were already significant settlements. A quick glance at the geographical location of these cities is enough to see that they were created by the successes of Rus' foreign trade. Most of them stretched out in a long chain along the main river route "from the Varangians to the Greeks", along the Dnieper-Volkhov line; only a few, Pereslavl on Trubezh, Chernigov on Desna. Rostov in the Upper Volga region, moved to the east from this, how to say, the operational basis of Russian trade as its eastern outposts, indicating its flank direction to the Azov and Caspian Seas. The emergence of these large trading cities was the completion of a complex economic process that began among the Slavs in new places of residence. We saw that the Eastern Slavs settled along the Dnieper and its tributaries in lonely fortified yards. With the development of trade among these one-yard yards, prefabricated trade points arose, places of industrial exchange, where trappers and beekeepers converged for trade, for a guest, as they used to say in the old days. Such collection points are called graveyards. Subsequently, with the adoption of Christianity, in these local rural markets, as usual human gatherings, first of all, Christian churches were erected: then the churchyard acquired the significance of a place where a rural parish church stands. The dead were buried at the churches: hence the importance of the churchyard as a cemetery. The rural administrative divisions coincided with the parishes or were timed to coincide with them: this informed the churchyard the importance of a rural volost. But all these are the later meanings of the term: initially, this was the name of prefabricated trade, "living" places. Small rural markets were drawn to larger ones that emerged along particularly brisk trade routes. From these large markets, which served as intermediaries between native industrialists and foreign markets, our ancient trading cities grew along the Greek-Varangian trade route. These cities served as trade centers and main storage points for the industrial districts that formed around them. These are two important economic consequences that accompanied the resettlement of the Slavs along the Dnieper and its tributaries: 1) the development of the external southern and eastern Black Sea-Caspian trade of the Slavs and the forest industries caused by it, 2) the emergence of the most ancient cities in Russia with commercial and industrial districts stretching to them ... Both of these facts can be attributed to the 8th century.

What significance, besides the center for trade, was the city? Some of its functions are reflected in the name itself, for example, the word city in the Old Russian language meant a fortified settlement, as opposed to a vesi or a village - an unfortified village. Therefore, any fortified place was called a city, both a city in the socio-economic meaning of this word, and a fortress itself or a feudal castle, a fortified boyar or prince's estate. Everything that was surrounded by a fortress wall was considered a city. Moreover, up to the 17th century. this word was often used to refer to the defensive walls themselves. From the above, we can conclude that the cities played the role of defensive fortifications, served as a refuge from enemy raids.

In ancient Russian written sources, especially in the annals, there is a huge number of references to the siege and defense of fortified points and the construction of fortifications - cities.

The fortifications of the early Slavic castles were not very strong; their task was only to delay the enemy, prevent him from suddenly bursting into the village and, in addition, provide the defenders with cover from where they could hit the enemies with arrows. Yes, the Slavs in the VIII-IX, and partially even in the X century, still did not have the opportunity to build powerful fortifications - after all, at that time an early feudal state was just forming here. Most of the settlements belonged to free, relatively sparsely populated territorial communities; they, of course, could not build powerful fortress walls around the settlement on their own or count on someone's help in their construction. Therefore, they tried to build the fortifications so that their main part was made up of natural barriers.

The most suitable for this purpose were the islets in the middle of the river or in the middle of an impassable swamp. A wooden fence or palisade was built along the edge of the site, and this was limited. True, such fortifications also had very significant flaws. First of all, in everyday life, the connection of such a settlement with the surrounding area was very inconvenient. Moreover, the size of the settlement here depended entirely on the natural size of the islet; it was impossible to enlarge its area. And most importantly, it is far from always and not everywhere that you can find such an island with a site protected by natural barriers from all sides. Therefore, island-type fortifications were used, as a rule, only in swampy areas. Some of the settlements of the Smolensk and Polotsk lands are typical examples of such a system.

Where there were few swamps, but moraine hillocks were abundant, fortified settlements were built on outlier hills. This technique was widespread in the northwestern regions of Russia. However, this type of defense system is associated with certain geographic conditions; individual hills with steep slopes on all sides are also far from everywhere. Therefore, the most common type of fortified settlement became the cape type. For their construction, a cape was chosen, bounded by ravines or at the confluence of two rivers. The settlement turned out to be well protected by water or steep slopes on the sides, but had no natural protection on the floor side. It was here that it was necessary to erect artificial earth obstacles - to tear off a ditch. This increased the labor costs for the construction of fortifications, but it also gave huge advantages: in almost any geographical conditions it was very easy to find a convenient place, to pre-select the required size of the territory to be fortified. In addition, the earth obtained by tearing off the ditch was usually poured along the edge of the site, thus creating an artificial earthen rampart, which made it even more difficult for the enemy to access the settlement.

It should be remembered that it was in the cities that the craft developed. It was through the cities that Christianity penetrated into the pagan environment, and after the baptism of Rus, the cities firmly consolidated their role as a center of spiritual culture.

By the beginning of the IX century. in Russia, there were about 24 large cities. The Varangians (Normans), who walked through this territory on the way from the Varangians to the Greeks or from the Varangians to the Persians, called Russia Gardarika - the country of Cities. In the center of the ancient Russian city, fortified in a natural and (or) artificial way, there was a Detinets (krom - the Kremlin), which was surrounded by the settlements of artisans, and on the outskirts there were settlements (settlements).

This is how the Eastern Slavs built their fortifications up to the second half of the 10th century, when the ancient Russian early feudal state - Kievan Rus was finally formed.

1. Country of cities

Western European travelers saw medieval Russia as a country of endless forests and plains with villages and villages scattered everywhere. And only occasionally did they meet cities on the way.

The Vikings (Varangians) had a completely different impression: they called the vast area along the important trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” “Gardariki” - “the country of cities”. In the sagas recorded by the ancient Icelanders, 12 large cities of Ancient Russia are mentioned. Among them are Novgorod, Staraya Ladoga, Kiev, Polotsk, Smolensk, Murom, Rostov. There were much more urban settlements in the East Slavic lands than in Scandinavia.

According to historians, in the IX-X centuries. in Russia there were 25 cities, in the XI - 89, by the end of the XII century. - 224, and on the eve of the Mongol-Tatar invasion - about 300. Among them, the capital centers of the lands and principalities stood out. An unforgettable impression on contemporaries was made by majestic Kiev, which in the era of its heyday occupied a huge area (more than 350 hectares). Nevertheless, small towns predominated, the fortified part of which - "Detinets", or the Kremlin, usually amounted to only 2-2.5 hectares.

Finally, there were even smaller settlements - numerous feudal women scattered throughout the country. They were sometimes called simply "townships" or "settlements". Enclosed by ramparts and ditches, protected by wooden walls, they often did not even have a permanent population. For the surrounding villages and villages, such towns were a refuge in case of a sudden attack by nomads. In peacetime, only a few guards lived here.

"The cities, shining with majesty", were thrown into the dust as a result of the invasion of Batu. Their number has dropped dramatically. So they could not again become the capital of the principality, destroyed to the foundation of Saray Ryazan. The once noisy and huge and populous Kiev, according to the descriptions of eyewitnesses, was reduced to almost nothing. The Pope's ambassador Plano Carpini wrote in 1245: "There are hardly 200 houses there, and the Tatars keep those people in the most difficult slavery."

The rise of urban life began again only in the XIV century. So, by the end of this century, only in Zalesskaya Rus there were 55 cities, in Novgorod - 35, in the Tver principality - 8, etc.

In those days, a traveler was led to the city by a well-worn road running through dense forests, dangerous swamps, along the river banks. Gradually the forests parted, more and more villages, villages and repairs appeared, and now in the distance a dark silhouette of the fortress and the village spreading around it grew. Among the one-storey buildings above the wooden Kremlin wall, the city cathedral and the impressive mansions of the “best people”, several stories high, towered.

2. What is a city?

Cities arise in the era of the formation of statehood. The word "city" itself means "a fortified, fenced-in place." Initially, the city was opposed to the village and the countryside, although its very development was largely due to the needs of the rural area in handicrafts and imported goods. It was a fortified settlement of artisans and merchants, an exchange center, an economic center of a large territory.

Cities arose for a variety of reasons. Not so long ago, historians believed that only that settlement, which is a trade and craft center, should be considered a city. In Russia, there were many cities that grew out of trade and craft settlements: Staraya Ladoga, for example, or Gnezdovo, which later grew into Smolensk. But now scientists have paid attention to other ways of the emergence of ancient Russian cities.

Darkevich, V. P. The origin and development of the cities of ancient Russia (X-XIII centuries) [Electronic resource] / V. P. Darkevich // Electronic scientific library on the history of ancient Russian architecture RusArch. 2006. Access mode: www.rusarch.ru/darkevich1.htm

History of Russia: textbook. / A. Orlov, V. A. Georgiev, I90 N. G. Georgieva, T. A. Sivokhina. - 3rd ed., Rev. and add. - M: TK Welby, Prospect Publishing House, 2008.- 528 p.

Encyclopedia for Children: Vol. 5, Part 1 (History of Russia and Nearest Neighbors). / Comp. S. T. Ismailova. M .: Avanta +, 1995.

Small settlements on cleared lands

Rybakov B.A. The first centuries of Russian history

Rybakov B.A.Kievan Rus and Russian principalities of the XII - XIII centuries.

Princely administrators

From its very inception, Russia was famous for its densely populated and fortified villages. It became so famous that the Varangians, who later began to rule it, called the Slavic lands "Gardariki" - the country of cities. The Scandinavians were amazed by the fortifications of the Slavs, since they themselves spent most of their life at sea. Now we can figure out what an ancient Russian city is and what it is famous for.

Reasons for the appearance

It is no secret that a person is a social being. For better survival, he needs to gather in groups. And if earlier the tribe became such a "center of life", then with the departure of barbaric customs, they had to look for a civilized replacement.

In fact, the emergence of cities in people's lives is so natural that it could hardly be otherwise. They differ from the village or village in one important factor - the fortifications that protected the settlements. Simply put, by walls. It is from the word "fence" (fortification) that the word "city" originated.

The formation of ancient Russian cities is associated, first of all, with the need for protection from enemies and the creation of an administrative center for the principality. After all, it was in them that the "blue blood" of Russia was most often found. For these people, a sense of security and comfort was important. All merchants and artisans flocked here, turning the settlements into Novgorods, Kiev, Lutsk, seething with life.

In addition, the newly created settlements became excellent trade centers, merchants from all over the world could flock here, receiving a promise to be under the protection of a military squad. Due to the incredible importance of trade, cities in Russia were most often built on the banks of rivers (for example, the Volga or the Dnieper), since at that time waterways were the safest and fastest way to deliver goods. The settlements on the banks of the rivers are enriched more than ever.

Population

First of all, the city could not exist without a ruler. It was either the prince or his governor. The building in which he lived was the richest secular housing, it became the center of the settlement. He resolved various legal issues and established procedures.

The second part of the old Russian city is the boyars - people close to the prince and able to influence him directly with their words. They held various official positions and lived in such settlements richer than anyone, except perhaps the merchants, but they did not stay in one place for a long time. At that time, their life was an endless road.

Next, you need to remember about the various artisans of all possible professions, from icon painters to blacksmiths. As a rule, their living quarters were inside the city, and the workers' workshops were outside the walls, outside.

And the last in the social ladder were the peasants, they did not live inside the settlement, but were located on the lands that they cultivated. They, as a rule, ended up in the Old Russian town only for trade or legal matters.

The cathedral

The center of the old Russian city is a church. The cathedral in front of the main square was a real symbol. The most monumental, decorated and richest building, the temple was the center of spiritual power.

The larger the city became, the more churches appeared within it. But none of them had the right to be more grandiose than the main and first temple, which personified the entire settlement. The princes' cathedrals, parish and house churches - all of them were supposed to reach out to the main spiritual center.

A special role was played by monasteries, which sometimes literally became cities within cities. Often a fortified settlement in general could arise just around the place of residence of the monks. Then the main temple of the monastery became dominant in the spiritual life of the city.

Cathedrals were actively decorated, and gilded domes appeared for a reason: they could be seen from many kilometers away, and they were a "guiding star" for travelers and lost souls. The temple with its splendor was supposed to remind people that earthly life is nothing, and only God's beauty, which the church was, can be considered true.

Gates

The gates, which in the fortified villages were up to four pieces (on the cardinal points), were given, oddly enough, great importance. As the only passage to the ancient Russian city, they represented a tremendous symbolic meaning: "to open the gates" meant to give the city to the enemy.

They tried to decorate the gates as much as possible, and it is better to make at least one of them a front entrance, through which the prince and noble people would enter. They were supposed to instantly shock the visitor and testify to the prosperity and happiness of the local residents. Neither money nor effort was spared for a good finishing of the gates, they were often repaired throughout the city.

It was also considered to be a kind of sacred place, which was protected not only by earthly troops, but also by the saints. In the rooms above the gates, there were often many icons, and right next to them was a small chapel, the purpose of which was to protect the entrance by the Will of God.

Bargain

A small area, usually near the river (near which most settlements were based), was a necessary part of economic life. The ancient Russian cities of Russia could hardly exist without trade, in which merchants were the main ones.

Here, at the auction, they placed and unloaded their goods, and the main transactions took place here. Often, already spontaneously, a market appeared here. Not the one where the peasants traded, but a rich place created for the elite of the city with many foreign goods and expensive jewelry. It represented not a symbolic, but a true "quality mark" of the settlement. It was through the bargaining that one could understand how rich the settlement was, because the merchant would not stand idle where there was no profit.

Mansions

The embodiment of secular power was the residence of a prince or governor. It was not only the place of residence of the ruler, but also an administrative building. Various legal issues were resolved here, a trial was held, an army was assembled before campaigns. It was often the most fortified place in the city, with a defended courtyard where all residents were to flee in the event of a military threat.

Less wealthy boyar houses were located around the ruler's chambers. Most often they were wooden, in contrast to the prince's house, which could afford. Old Russian cities were architecturally rich precisely thanks to the dwellings of the nobility, who tried to decorate their house as much as possible and show material wealth.

Ordinary people were housed in separate wooden one-story houses or huddled in barracks, which most often stood on the very edge of the city.

Fortifications

As already mentioned, the cities of the ancient Russian state were created, first of all, to protect people. For this, fortifications were organized.

In the beginning, the walls were made of wood, but over time, stone defenses appeared more and more often. It is clear that only wealthy princes could afford such "pleasure". The fortifications made of heavy, pointed logs were called jails. A similar word originally denoted each city in the Old Russian language.

In addition to the stockade itself, the settlement was protected by an earthen rampart. In general, more often than not, settlements appeared already in advantageous strategic points. In the lowlands, the city would not have existed for long (before the first military conflict), and therefore most often they were based on high points. We can say that we do not know anything about poorly fortified settlements, because they instantly disappeared from the face of the earth.

Layout

For modern, very chaotic and confused settlements, the real model is an ancient Russian city. The fortress, in which most of the population lived, was really skillfully and accurately planned out, as nature itself would dictate.

In fact, the cities of that time were rounded. In the middle, as already mentioned, there were two important centers: the spiritual and the secular. This is the main cathedral and the prince's estate. Around them, spinning in a spiral, were the rich houses of the boyars. Thus, winding, for example, a hill, the city descended lower and lower, to the walls. Inside, it was divided into "streets" and "ends", which were threaded through the spirals and went from the gate to the main center.

A little later, with the development of settlements, workshops, which were originally located outside the main line, were also fenced off with walls, creating secondary fortifications. Gradually, over the course of the centuries, cities grew in exactly this way.

Kiev

Undoubtedly, the modern capital of Ukraine is the most famous ancient Russian city, where you can find confirmation of all the theses mentioned above. In addition, it must be considered the first truly large fortified settlement on the territory of the Slavs.

The main city, surrounded by fortifications, was on a hill, and Podil was occupied by workshops. In the same place, next to the Dnieper, there was a bargaining. The main entrance to Kiev, its main entrance is the famous Golden Gate, which, as it was said, had not only practical, but also sacred significance, especially since they were named so in honor of the gates of Constantinople.

Became the spiritual center of the city. It was to him that the rest of the temples and churches were drawn, which he surpassed both in beauty and grandeur.

Velikiy Novgorod

The ancient Russian cities of Russia cannot be enumerated without mentioning. This densely populated center of the principality served the most important purpose: it was an extremely "European" city. It was here that diplomats and traders from the Old World flocked, since Novgorod was located in the middle of the trade routes of Europe and the rest of Russia.

The main thing that we have now received thanks to Novgorod is an incomparably huge number of various historical monuments. A unique opportunity to see them right now by buying a plane ticket is because Novgorod was not destroyed and captured during the Mongol yoke, although it paid an exorbitant tribute.

The so-called "Novgorod Kremlin" or Novgorod Detinets is widely known. For a long time these fortifications served as a reliable fort for the great city. In addition, one cannot fail to mention the Yaroslav's courtyard - a huge district of Novgorod on the banks of the Volkhov, where bargaining and many houses of various wealthy merchants were located. In addition, it is assumed that it was there that the prince's monastery was located, although it has not yet been possible to find it in Veliky Novgorod, possibly due to the absence in the history of the settlement of an integral princely system as such.

Moscow

The history of ancient Russian cities, of course, defies description without the presence of such a grandiose settlement as Moscow on the list. It got the opportunity to grow and become the center of modern Russia thanks to its unique location: virtually every major northern trade route passed by it.

Of course, the main historical attraction of the city is the Kremlin. It is with him that the first associations now arise when this word is mentioned, although initially it meant simply "fortress". Initially, as for all cities, the defense of Moscow was made of wood, and much later it acquired a familiar look.

The Kremlin also houses the main temple of Moscow - the Assumption Cathedral, which has been perfectly preserved to this day. Its appearance literally embodies the architecture of its time.

Outcome

Many names of ancient Russian cities were not mentioned here, however, the goal was not to create a list of them. Three are quite enough for a clear demonstration of how conservative the Russian people were in establishing settlements. And you can't say that they had this quality undeservedly, no, the appearance that cities had was dictated by the very nature of survival. The plan was as practical as possible and, in addition, created a symbol of the real center of the region, which fortified settlements were. Now such a construction of cities is no longer relevant, but it is possible that someday they will talk about our architecture in the same way.

Russian chronicles, Byzantine and other sources tell us about the existence of cities on the territory of Ancient Rus. The Scandinavians mention the territory of Ancient Rus as a country of cities and call it Gardaria. It is possible with a high degree of probability to list at least 25 large ones that existed in the ancient Russian state already in the 9th-10th centuries. These cities are mentioned in Russian chronicles. Their names sound Slavic roots - Beloozero, Belgorod, Vasilev, Izborsk, Vyshgorod, Vruchey, Iskorosten, Ladoga, Kiev, Lyubich, Novgorod, Murom, Peresechen, Przemysl, Pskov, Polotsk, Pereyaslavl, Smolensk, Rostov, Rodnya, Turov, Cherven , Chernihiv. Failure to mention in the annals does not mean that the city did not exist. For example, the ancient Russian city of Suzdal is mentioned for the first time in the chronicle in the XI year, although archaeological excavations confirm that the city existed much earlier. The same with the rest of the cities, they arise much earlier than the chronicles mention them. For example, the Byzantine emperor Constantine Bagryanorodsky left a description of the ancient Russian cities that were located on the way “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” Historians learned that the ancient Russian city of Vitichev, which is mentioned in the Russian chronicle only in the XI, is one or two centuries older.

The existence of cities is a confirmation of the existence of the state. Cities arose as centers of administration, the development of crafts, and, of course, the perpetual motion machine of civilization - trade. The territory of the ancient Russian state was crossed by two busy military and trade routes - the Volga and “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” The oldest, the Volga route, connected Scandinavia and the states located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. On its way, cities such as Pereslavl and Chernigov emerged and developed rapidly , Rostov. But in the X century the Pechenegs cut this trade route for many centuries, which was reflected in the development of cities. The situation was completely different with the cities that arose on the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks." The brisk trade between distant regions had a beneficial effect on the development of cities. From small settlements, they grew into military-administrative centers that controlled the river systems. Cities became centers of a wide variety of crafts, which were used not only in the cities themselves, but also became objects of trade. The very term "city" in the Middle Ages in Russia had a completely different meaning than it is now. It was a settlement, which necessarily had a fortification. It does not matter what it was - in the form of an earthen rampart or a wooden child, but it should have been an obstacle for the unexpected or unwanted Therefore, the place for the city was chosen taking into account natural natural barriers - an island among the river, hills or rugged swamps.In addition to the natural barriers, additional fortifications were installed.If there was an opportunity, and there were enough workers, an artificial earthen obstacle was erected around the city - an earthen ditch. This made it possible to additionally fortify the city with an earthen rampart and made it difficult for opponents to access the settlement. Wooden fortifications in ancient Russian cities were called the Kremlin or Detinets. Actually, the city was everything that was inside the Kremlin.

The inhabitants of ancient Russian cities did not differ much from the peasants. They were engaged in cultivation of vegetable gardens, orchards and kept pets. Archaeologists find bones not only of horses, but also of cows, pigs, and sheep. The central place is the city square. It was the place where city meetings were held, when the inhabitants chose or chased away the prince, and traded. In the pre-Christian period, all kinds of rituals were held here. After the adoption of the Christian faith, the central place of the city, as a rule, became the temple and the square in front of it. Such were the ancient Russian cities during the early feudal period.

An ancient Russian city is a fortified settlement, which at the same time was a military, economic, political, social and cultural center of the entire surrounding territory. Merchants, artisans, monks, painters, etc. settled in the cities.

Founding of ancient Russian cities

The history of Russian cities began with the appearance in a certain place of people who built housing and settled in it for a long time. In the vicinity of ancient cities that have survived to our days (Moscow, Kiev, Novgorod, Vladimir, etc.), traces of early eras, dating back to the Paleolithic, have been found. At the time of the Trypillian culture, settlements of several tens and hundreds of houses and dwellings already existed on the territory of the future Russia.

The settlements of Ancient Rus, as a rule, were located in high places near natural sources of water (rivers, springs). They consisted of houses protected from enemy attacks by a log palisade. The forerunners of Russian cities in the Middle Ages are considered to be fortified sanctuaries and shelters (Detinets and the Kremlin), erected by residents of several settlements in the district.

The early medieval cities were founded not only by the Slavs, but also by other tribes: Rostov the Great founded the Finno-Ugric tribe, Murom - the Murom tribe, Suzdal, Vladimir were founded by the Merians together with the Slavs. In addition to the Slavs, the composition of Kievan Rus included the peoples of the Baltic and the Finno-Ugric peoples, who merged into a single people with the help of political unification.

In the 9-10th centuries, along with the cities of refuge, small fortresses began to appear, and then settlements in which artisans and merchants settled. The exact dates of the founding of early Russian cities are usually established only from the first mentions in the chronicles of those times. Some of the dates for the founding of the cities were established as a result of archaeological excavations of those places where ancient Russian cities were. Thus, Novgorod and Smolensk are mentioned in the chronicles of the 9th century, however, cultural layers earlier than the 10th century have not yet been discovered.

The largest cities that began to develop rapidly in the 9-10th centuries. on the main waterways - the city of Polotsk, Kiev, Novgorod, Smolensk, Izborsk, etc. Their development was directly related to trade, carried out at the intersections of roads and waterways.

Ancient fortresses and defenses

There were "senior" cities and suburbs (subordinates), which came from settlements from the main cities, and their settlement went on orders from the capital. Any old Russian fortress city consisted of a fortified part and unfortified townships located nearby, around which there were lands used for haymaking, fishing, grazing livestock, and forest areas.

The main protective role was assigned to earthen ramparts and wooden walls, under which there were ditches. For the construction of defensive fortifications, a suitable terrain was used. So, most of the fortresses of Ancient Rus were located in protected areas: hilltops, islands or a headland.

An example of such a fortified city is the city of Vyshgorod, located not far from Kiev. From the very foundation it was built as a fortress, surrounded by powerful earthen and wooden fortifications with ramparts and a moat. The city was subdivided into the princely part (Detinets), the Kremlin and the posad, where the quarters of artisans were located.

The rampart was a complex structure consisting of end-to-end huge wooden log cabins (often made of oak), the space between which was filled with stones and earth. The size of such log cabins, for example, in Kiev was 6.7 m, in the transverse part more than 19 m. The height of the earthen rampart could reach 12 m, and the ditch dug in front of it often had the shape of a triangle. At the top there was a parapet with a fighting platform, where the defenders of the fortress were located, who shot at enemies and threw stones. Wooden towers were built at the turning points.

The entrance to the ancient fortress was always the only one through a special bridge laid over the moat. The bridge was placed on supports, which were destroyed during the attacks. Later, they began to build drawbridges.

Internal structure of the fortress

Old Russian cities of the 10-13th centuries already had a complex internal structure, which evolved as the territory increased and united various fortified units along with the settlements. The layout of the cities was different: radial, radial-circular or linear (along a river or road).

The main social and economic centers of the ancient city:

• Church residence and Vecheva square.
• Prince's yard.
• Port and marketplace next to it.

The center of the city is Detinets or the Kremlin with fortified walls, ramparts and a moat. Gradually, in this place, the social and political administration is grouped, the princely courts, the city cathedral, the dwellings of servants and guards, as well as artisans are located. The street layout consisted of highways that ran along the river bank or perpendicular to it.

Roads and engineering communications

Each ancient Russian city had its own plan, according to which roads and communications were laid. The engineering device for that time was at a fairly high level.

Wooden pavements were built, consisting of longitudinal logs (10-12 m in length) and laid on top of wooden logs split in half with the flat side up. The pavements were 3.5-4 m wide, and in the 13-14 centuries. already 4-5 m and usually functioned for 15-30 years.

The drainage systems of ancient Russian cities were of 2 types:

• "Sewerage", which diverted underground water from under the buildings, consisting of barrels for collecting water and wooden pipes through which the water flowed into the catchment;
• drainage basin - a square wooden blockhouse, from which the dirty water then flowed down a thick pipe towards the river.

The structure of the city manor

The manor in the city consisted of several residential buildings and outbuildings. The area of ​​such yards was from 300 to 800 square meters. m. Each estate was fenced off with a wooden fence from neighbors and the street, which were made in the form of a palisade of spruce logs, sticking out with a point upwards up to 2.5 m high. Inside it, residential buildings stood on one side, and household buildings (cellar, medusha, cage, cowgirl, granary, barn, bathhouse, etc.). Hut was called any heated building with a stove.

The ancient dwellings of which the Old Russian city consisted began their existence as semi-dugouts (10-11 centuries), then ground structures with several rooms (12th century). Houses were built in 1-3 floors. The semi-dugouts had a pillar structure of walls up to 5 m long each and up to 0.8 m deep; a round clay or stone stove was placed near the entrance. The floors were made of clay or planks; the door was always located on the south wall. The roof was gable, made of wood, which was coated with clay on top.

Old Russian architecture and religious buildings

Cities in Ancient Rus were the place where monumental buildings were built, which were mainly associated with the Christian religion. Traditions and rules for the construction of ancient temples came to Russia from Byzantium, therefore they were built according to the cross-domed scheme. Temples were erected by order of wealthy princes and the Orthodox Church itself.

The first monumental structures were tithe churches, the oldest surviving to this day is the Church of the Savior in Chernigov (1036). Beginning in the 11th century, they began to build more complex temples with galleries, stair towers, with several chapters. The ancient architects strove to make the interior interior expressive and colorful. An example of such a temple is St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, similar cathedrals were erected in Novgorod and Polotsk.

A slightly different, but bright and original, architectural school has developed in the North-East of Russia, which is characterized by many decorative carved elements, slender proportions and plastic facades. One of the masterpieces of that time is the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (1165).

Population of Old Russian cities

The bulk of the city's population is artisans, tradesmen, day laborers, merchants, the prince and his retinue, the administration and the lord's "servants"; the clergy (monks and churchmen) began to play an important role in connection with the baptism of Rus. A very large group of the population consisted of all kinds of artisan people who settled in their specialties: blacksmiths, gunsmiths, jewelers, carpenters, weavers and tailors, tanners, potters, masons, etc.

In every city there was necessarily a market through which the sale and purchase of all produced and imported goods and products was carried out.

The largest Old Russian city is Kiev in the 12-13th centuries. numbered 30-40 thousand people, Novgorod - 20-30 thousand. Smaller cities: Chernigov, Vladimir, Polotsk, Smolensk, Rostov, Vitebsk, Ryazan and others had a population of several thousand people. The number of people living in smaller towns rarely exceeded 1,000 people.

The largest lands of Ancient Rus: Volyn, Galician, Kiev, Novgorod, Polotsk, Rostov-Suzdal, Ryazan, Smolensk, Turovo-Pinsk, Chernigov.

History of the Novgorod land

In terms of the territory covered by the Novgorod land (north and east of the living Finno-Ugric tribes), it was considered the most extensive Russian possession, including the suburbs of Pskov, Staraya Russa, Velikiye Luki, Ladoga and Torzhok. By the end of the 12th century. this includes Perm, Pechora, Yugra (Northern Urals). All cities had a clear hierarchy, where Novgorod dominated, which owned the most important trade routes: caravans of merchants coming from the Dnieper, passing to Sweden and Denmark, as well as leading to the northeastern princes' estates through the Volga and to Bulgaria.

The wealth of Novgorod merchants multiplied due to the trade in inexhaustible forest resources, but agriculture on this land was poor, therefore grain was imported to Novgorod from neighboring principalities. The population of the Novgorod land was engaged in cattle breeding, growing cereals, horticultural and vegetable garden crops. Trades were very developed: fur, walrus, etc.

Political life of Novgorod

According to archaeological excavations by the 13th century. Novgorod was a large fortified and well-organized city, in which artisans and merchants lived. Local boyars ruled its political life. On these lands in Ancient Russia, there were very large boyar landholdings, which consisted of 30-40 clans, which monopolized many government posts.

The free population, which included the Novgorod land, is the boyars, zhiznand people (small landowners), merchants, merchants and artisans. And the addicted were slaves and smerds. A characteristic feature of the life of Novgorod is the calling of the prince through the execution of a contract for reign, and he was chosen only to make judgments and military leadership in the event of an attack. All the princes were visitors from Tver, Moscow and other cities, and each tried to tear away some volosts from the Novgorod land, because of which they were immediately replaced. For 200 years, 58 princes have changed in the city.

Political rule in these lands was carried out by the Novgorod veche, which, in fact, represented a federation of self-governing communities and corporations. The political history of Novgorod has developed successfully precisely due to the participation in all processes of all groups of the population, from the boyars to the “black people”. However, in 1418, the dissatisfaction of the lower classes ended with their uprising, in which the inhabitants rushed to destroy the rich houses of the boyars. Bloodshed was avoided only through the intervention of the clergy, who resolved the dispute through court.

The heyday of the Novgorod Republic, which existed for more than one century, raised a large and beautiful city to the level of medieval European settlements, the architecture and military strength of which delighted contemporaries. As a western outpost, Novgorod successfully repelled all the attacks of the German knights, preserving the national identity of the Russian land.

History of the land of Polotsk

The Polotsk land covered in the 10-12 centuries. territory from the Western Dvina river to the sources of the Dnieper, creating a river route between the Baltic and the Black Sea. The largest cities of this land in the early Middle Ages: Vitebsk, Borisov, Lukoml, Minsk, Izyaslavl, Orsha, etc.

The Polotsk lot was created by the Izyaslavich dynasty at the beginning of the 11th century, which secured it for itself, abandoning its claims to Kiev. The very appearance of the phrase "Polotsk land" already marked in the 12th century. separation of this territory from Kiev.

At this time, the land was ruled by the Vseslavich dynasty, but there were also redistributions of tables, which, in the end, led to the collapse of the principality. The next dynasty of Vasilkovichs already ruled Vitebsk, displacing the Polotsk princes.

In those days, Lithuanian tribes were also subordinate to Polotsk, and the city itself was often threatened with attacks by its neighbors. The history of this land is very confusing and little confirmed by sources. The Polotsk princes often fought with Lithuania, and sometimes acted as its ally (for example, during the capture of the city of Velikiye Luki, which at that time belonged to the Novgorod land).

Polotsk troops made frequent raids on many Russian lands, and in 1206 they stormed Riga, but unsuccessfully. By the beginning of the 13th century. in this region, the influence of the Livonian sword-bearers and the Smolensk principality increases, then there is a massive invasion of the Lithuanians, who by 1240 subjugate the Polotsk lands. Then, after the war with Smolensk, the city of Polotsk passed into the possession of Prince Tovtivill, by the end of whose principality (1252) the Old Russian period of the history of the Polotsk land ended.

Old Russian cities and their role in history

Old Russian medieval cities were founded as human settlements at the crossroads of trade routes and rivers. Their other goal was to protect the inhabitants from the raids of neighbors and enemy tribes. With the development and enlargement of cities, there was an increase in property inequality, the creation of tribal principalities, the expansion of trade and economic ties between cities and their inhabitants, which later influenced the creation and historical development of a single state - Kievan Rus.