Ladoga residents, Ladoga resident, Ladoga resident
Volkhov. Kurgans. Below Staraya Ladoga
1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga; in the photograph you can see ancient mounds and people in historical costumes during the celebration
St. George's Cathedral
Located in the northern part of the region on the left bank of the Volkhov River, 8 km north of administrative center district - the city of Volkhov.
origin of name
The Scandinavian name for Ladoga is Aldeigya, Aldeigjuborg(Old Norse: Aldeigja, Aldeigjuborg).
Name Ladoga carries a river, a lake and a city. However, until recently it was not entirely clear which of the names was primary. The name of the city was derived from the name of Lake Ladoga (from the Finnish *aaldokas, aallokas “worried” - from aalto"wave"), or from the name of the river Ladoga(now Ladozhka, from Finnish *Alode-joki, where alode, aloe- "low terrain" and jok(k)i- “river”).
As T. N. Jackson writes, “by now it can be considered almost proven that the name of the river first arose, then the city, and only then the lake.” Therefore, she considers the primary hydronym Ladoga, from ancient Finnish. *Alode-jogi (joki) “lower river”. The name of the city of Old Norse comes from the name of the river. Aldeigja, and it was already borrowed by the Slavic population and transformed through metathesis ald → lad in other Russian Ladoga. T. N. Jaxon suggests a Scandinavian mediation between the Finnish and Old Russian words: the Scandinavians first appeared on Ladoga in the early 750s, that is, a couple of decades earlier than the Slavs.
Church of St. George
The first settlement consisted of several buildings of a pillar structure, which has analogues in Northern Europe. In the 760s, it was destroyed by the Ilmen Slovenes and built up with houses of log construction. The lack of continuity between the first inhabitants of Ladoga and the subsequent population, which had different cultural traditions, was noted. During this period, the settlement was already trading with local tribes. The Slovene settlement lasted until the 830s and was captured by the Varangians.
Since the 780s, beads have been boiled in Ladoga using Arab low-temperature technology. “Eyes”, that is, eyed beads, are the first Russian money. Ladoga residents bought furs for them. And the furs were sold to Arab merchants for full-weight silver dirhams. The first treasure of Arabic dirhams found in Ladoga dates back to 786. A 10th-century Arab traveler claims that one glass “peephole” could buy a slave.
Further, Ladoga was a trade and craft settlement, which was once again destroyed in the 860s as a result of internecine wars. Around 870's. The first fortress was built in Staraya Ladoga, similar in design to the neighboring Lyubsha fortress, which was abandoned in the same years. As a result, Ladoga developed from a small trade and craft settlement into a typical ancient Russian city. In one of the interpretations of the “Tale of Bygone Years” of the Ipatiev List of the Old Russian Chronicle, in 862 the Ladoga residents, in order to protect their lands from raids, invited the Varangian Rurik to reign:
Although other readings say that he sat down to reign in Novgorod (Rurik settlement). Hence the version that Ladoga was the first capital of Rus' (more precisely, the place of Rurik’s reign from 862 to 865). Archaeological research carried out in Staraya Ladoga (led by A. N. Kirpichnikov) proves close contacts between the Ilmen Slovenes, Finno-Ugric tribes and Normans (Urman) in this area in the 9th–10th centuries.
The city was known as part of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.”
According to the Novgorod Chronicle, the grave of Prophetic Oleg is located in Ladoga (according to the Kyiv version, his grave is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa).
Demography
Population dynamics from 1920 to 2007:
Attractions
- In the village there is the Staraya Ladoga Historical-Architectural and Archaeological Museum-reserve, which includes the Staraya Ladoga Fortress.
- St. George's Cathedral
- Assumption Monastery
- Varyazhskaya Street - the oldest street in Russia
- Karst caves
Transport
A road passes through the village New Ladoga - Volkhov - Kirishi - Zuevo.
From Volkhov to Staraya Ladoga you can take buses No. 23 and 23A.
Notes
Links
- when Novaya Ladoga was founded (Staraya Ladoga became a village)
- Kuzmin S. L.
Site search:
History of Staraya Ladoga
Another (Swedish) name for Ladoga is Aldeigjuborg (Aldeigjuborg, formerly Aldeigja, presumably from the ancient Finnish Alode-jogi - “lower river” or “lower river”, from which other Russian Ladoga). The oldest known buildings - production and ship repair workshops on Zemlyanoy Gorodische, according to dendrochronology, were erected from logs cut down before 753 and were probably built by immigrants from Northern Europe. Excavations show that the first settlement in Ladoga was founded and initially populated presumably by Scandinavians (according to E. Ryabinin, by Gotlanders).
The first settlement consisted of several buildings of a pillar structure, which has analogues in Northern Europe. In the 760s it was destroyed by the Slovenes and built up with houses of log construction. The lack of continuity between the first inhabitants of Ladoga and the subsequent population, which had different cultural traditions, was noted. During this period, the settlement was already trading with local tribes. The Slovenian settlement existed until the 830s. and was captured by the Varangians.
Further, Ladoga was a trade and craft settlement, which was once again destroyed in the 860s as a result of internecine wars. Around 870 The first fortress was built in Staraya Ladoga, similar in design to the neighboring Lyubsha fortress, which was abandoned in the same years. As a result, Ladoga developed from a small trade and craft settlement into a typical ancient Russian city.
In one of the interpretations of the “Tale of Bygone Years” of the Ipatiev copy of the ancient Russian chronicle, in 862 the Ladoga residents, in order to protect their lands from raids, invited the Varangian Rurik to reign:
“And the first one came to the Slovenes and cut down the city of Ladoga and Rurik became grayer than the elders in Ladoga.”
Although other readings say that he sat down to reign in Novgorod (Rurik settlement). Hence the version that Ladoga was the first capital of Rus' (more precisely, the place of Rurik’s reign from 862 to 865). Archaeological research carried out in Staraya Ladoga (led by Anatoly Nikolaevich Kirpichnikov) proves close contacts between the Slovenes, Finno-Ugric peoples and Normans (Urmans) in this area in the 9th–10th centuries.
The Tale of Bygone Years is not the only source to which one should lean, for example, B.D. Grekov writes that Ladoga is not a Varangian state, but a Slavic one, and specifically of the Krivichi.
The city was known as part of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.”
According to the Novgorod Chronicle, the grave of Prophetic Oleg is located in Ladoga (according to the Kyiv version, his grave is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa).
In 997, Ladoga was attacked by the Varangian Erik Haakonsson, the future Norwegian king. The first Ladoga fortress, which existed for more than 100 years, was destroyed. In the sagas there is a mention that when the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Shotkonung, Princess Ingegerda in 1019 married the Novgorod prince Yaroslav the Wise, as a dowry (veno) she received the city of Aldeigaborg (Old Ladoga) with adjacent lands, which have since received the name Ingermanlandia (the land of Ingegerda), and Regnvald Ulvson, jarl of Västra Götaland (a relative of Ingegerda on the maternal side), was appointed mayor (jarl) of Ladoga. Ulv (Uleb) and Eiliw are the sons of Regnvald. According to Scandinavian sources, Eiliw became a jarl (posadnik) in Ladoga after the death of his father, and Uleb is mentioned in the chronicle under 1032 as a Novgorod governor.
In 1116, Ladoga mayor Pavel founded a stone fortress.
The ancient Staraya Ladoga fortress, which has become the “heart” of today’s Staraya Ladoga, stands at the confluence of the Elena/Ladozhka River into the Volkhov. During the times of Novgorod Rus' it was a strategically important place, because it was the only possible harbor where they could stop sea vessels, unable to swim along the rapids of the Volkhov.
In 1142, “the prince of Svea and the biskup came in 60 augers” - the Swedes attack Ladoga.
After the end of the Russian-Swedish war of 1590-1595, according to the Tyavzinsky peace, Ladoga was recognized as belonging to Russia and according to the Stolbovo peace, which ended the Russian-Swedish war of 1613-1617, Sweden returned Ladoga to Russia.
In 1703, Peter I founded Novaya Ladoga at the mouth of the Volkhov and renamed Ladoga “Old Ladoga”, depriving it of the status of a city and the right to have its own coat of arms, and ordered many Ladoga residents to move to live in Novaya Ladoga. Before this event, Ladoga was the center of the Ladoga district of the Vodskaya Pyatina of the Novgorod Land.
In 1718, the first wife of Peter I, Evdokia Lopukhina, was transferred from Suzdal to the Ladoga Assumption Monastery.
In 2003, a celebration of the 1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga was held, which was covered by the press and attracted the attention of the authorities (Russian President Vladimir Putin visited it twice).
Staraya Ladoga is a small village in Leningrad region with a great past.
If you are going to St. Petersburg for school holidays, then choose a time to visit Staraya Ladoga. The beauty of these places is certainly worth it, and so is the history... Staraya Ladoga is a small village in the Leningrad region with a great past; it was once one of the ten largest Russian cities. Today, it is distinguished from other villages by the ancient fortress standing on the high bank of the Volkhov, and several ancient monasteries and churches beyond its borders.
From the history of Staraya Ladoga
Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest cities in Russia, first mentioned in 862. The chronicle tells about the calling of three Varangian brothers to reign in Rus': “And he chose three brothers from his birth and came to the glorious first and cut down the city of Ladoga and the oldest in Ladoz, Rurik.” It turns out that Staraya Ladoga, along with Kiev and Moscow, should be considered one of the capitals of Rus'. True, she remained in this capacity for a very short time. Geographical position Staraya Ladoga was very profitable. It is located at that point on the route from the “Varyags to the Greeks”, which is almost impossible to bypass. Even if the merchants sailed to the Volga through the Svir River, their path still lay along south coast Lake Ladoga, that is, past Staraya Ladoga. Staraya Ladoga was shopping center. The elder Rurik understood this and planned the construction of fortifications in these places. On the other hand, this place was poorly suited to control the Slavs, that is, to fulfill the task assigned to Rurik. It is very far from the banks of the Volkhov to the central regions of the country - to Kyiv, Murom, Polotsk, Rostov. Apparently this was the reason for Rurik’s move to Novgorod. 
And yet, the city quickly developed and grew rich. In 1144, construction of a stone Kremlin began here, and 20 years later the warlike Swedes sailed here on 55 ships. Locals They burned their houses and took refuge behind the wall. An interesting fact is that the wall was not only built over a cliff to the river, but the cliff itself was lined with stone. Therefore, from below, from the river, the walls seemed enormously tall. After failure in the assault, the Swedes went back to Ladoga, but there they were overtaken by the Novgorodians who came to the rescue. The second attempt to capture Staraya Ladoga was made in 1313. The Swedes, obviously alien to prejudices about the number 13, captured the fortress and burned the wooden buildings, but could not leave the fortress behind them.
Currently, Staraya Ladoga is a museum-reserve. The first exhibitions of the museum opened in 1971, and the ideas for its creation appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. The museum received the status of a historical and architectural museum in 1984, and in the same year it became known as a museum-reserve of federal significance.
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Old Ladoga Fortress
The Ladoga stone fortress of the late 9th century is unique and has no analogues in Russian defensive architecture. The fortress was built from limestone slabs laid on clay without the use of lime. The discovery by St. Petersburg scientists of the oldest stone fortress known in Rus' was an event of enormous importance. The beginning of the stone fortification construction of Kievan Rus was pushed back into the depths of centuries by at least a whole century and, possibly, two.
Similar structures became widespread in Rus' only in the 11th century. The ancient Ladoga fortress stands on a par with similar structures in Western Europe. 
The walls, made of flagstone and lime mortar, reached a height of 8 meters. Among the wood-earth fortifications common at that time, the Ladoga stone fortress was an exception. She outlined the path in defense architecture that became widespread only a century later. The fortress has proven its reliability. It turned out to be invulnerable to the Swedes and Germans, who were well acquainted with advanced European siege technology, and throughout the 12th-15th centuries it reliably defended the northern Russian lands. 
At the end of the 15th century, the Moscow government, taking into account difficult relations with Sweden, undertook a large-scale reconstruction of a number of northwestern fortresses. Ladoga was also rebuilt, becoming an important stronghold for the border defense of the Moscow state. The new fortress of the times of Ivan III was a powerful fortification structure.
Strongly extended to the side of the field. The towers of the Ladoga fortress were placed quite close to one another. Round Klimentovskaya was the most powerful. It had 14 loopholes - more than any other tower. 
The only square gate tower was located in the middle of the western wall and was equipped with a cranked entrance, which, in addition to folding doors, was protected by a wooden lowering grating - a gersa and, probably, a ditch with a drawbridge. Later, already in the 17th century, the entrance was covered by a wooden fort. Directly above the entrance gate in the southern wall of the tower, there was a loophole (in total, the Gate Tower had at least eleven loopholes). A special role, as described above, was assigned to the Secret Tower, located in the middle of the eastern wall. In its first tier there was a well, which was connected by pipes to the Volkhov.
During its history, the fortress was besieged by the Swedes more than once and captured by them more than once. The fortress survived the last assault in 1701. In August 1702, from here the troops of Peter I headed to Noteburg. As a result of the capture of the fortress and the subsequent founding of St. Petersburg in 1703, the Swedish border was pushed far to the west. From that moment on, Ladoga lost its military significance. In 1703, Peter I also founded Novaya Ladoga at the mouth of the Volkhov and renamed Ladoga “Old Ladoga”, depriving it of the status of a city and the right to have its own coat of arms, and ordered many Ladoga residents to move to live in Novaya Ladoga. 
“Ancient Ladoga - the first capital of Rus'” - historical museum
Currently, the fortress in Staraya Ladoga is protected by the state and operates as historical Museum. There is a local history museum in one of the buildings in the courtyard of the fortress. Today the Fortress is in a state of repair and restoration, and much has already been done. The formidable towers rise up to 19 meters, reaching a diameter of 24 meters, the western wall has been completely restored. The first wall, which was built back in the 12th century, in many places appears to be embedded in a later wall. Some sections of this wall are visible today. Particularly interesting are the not yet restored towers adjacent to the river. For example, Secret. Its internal structures are clearly visible, you can climb inside. The walls offer picturesque views of both northern part Staraya Ladoga with the Assumption Cathedral, and to the south, with Nikolsky. The territory of the fortress is occupied by a museum. Nowadays, Staraya Ladoga holds historical reconstruction festivals every year in June-July, which I will definitely tell you about. 
Staraya Ladoga - the spiritual center of Russia
There are two churches inside the fortress. The first is pre-Mongolian St. George's Church, one of the oldest stone buildings preserved in the north of Rus' and the oldest existing church in Staraya Ladoga, is a typical ancient Russian temple of the 12th century: a helmet-shaped dome, a mosquito-like covering, yellowish plaster on top of the plinth. There is a legend that it was built on the site of a former pagan temple. Perhaps the temple was built by order of Yaroslav the Wise during his reign in Novgorod. During the troubled era, it was completely ruined and only after the Stolbovo Treaty with the Swedes in 1618 it was consecrated again by Abbot Theocritus.
The painting of the temple is very interesting. The ceiling and side frescoes have been preserved from the time of construction of the temple. The temple was most likely painted by Greek masters, commissioned by one of the Novgorod princes. 
This strict in outline, ancient white stone temple, crowned with a single dome, despite the simplicity of its forms, makes a strong impression and evokes the mood of a long-gone antiquity. Also impressive are the surviving fragments of frescoes from the St. George Church, which are among the earliest works of Russian painting that have survived to our time. The fresco that makes the temple so famous has been preserved - “The Miracle of George on the Serpent.” The fresco “The Miracle of George on the Dragon” is more than 800 years old. It survived the Tatar-Mongol invasion, several wars and miraculously survived the revolution.
Nearby there is a wooden Church of Demetrius of Thessalonica 1731 - one of the rare city wooden churches. The Church of Dmitry of Thessalonica was built in the form of “cage” buildings; it is based on the same constructive and compositional techniques as in an ordinary peasant hut. The Church of Dmitry of Thessalonica was built in the early 17th century, after the liberation of Ladoga from the Swedes. Saint Dmitry of Thessalonica, like Saint George the Victorious, has long enjoyed special veneration among the Slavs. 
The first church was dismantled due to dilapidation, and on this site, at the request of parishioners, a new one was built, which is an exact copy of the previous one. Some details preserved from old building, took their place in the new temple. There is an assumption that the Royal Doors have been preserved from the first church of Demetrius of Thessaloniki, or were moved here from some ancient temple, since they date back to the early 16th century.
The entrance to the fortress and churches is officially open from 10:00 (at this time the gates are unlocked) until 17:00. You can get into the churches only after the fortress is opened. There is a very good archaeological museum in Staraya Ladoga. Among other exhibits, the museum exhibits jewelry and talismans with signs of the Rurik family. In many ways, it is on these finds that the Norman theory of the origin of the Slavs is built.
According to legend, under the Staraya Ladoga fortress in ancient times there was an extensive network of underground passages. The passages connected the churches, the fortress, and there was a passage to the other side of the Volkhov.
Staroladoga Holy Dormition Convent is located on the left bank of the Volkhov River, north of the stone fortress. The monastery ensemble was mentioned already in the 15th century; the date of its foundation is considered to be 1156. The buildings that have survived to this day date back to the period of intensive construction of the 19th century. It was at this time that a brick fence with three gates and four towers was erected along the road to Novaya Ladoga and Volkhov. 
The main attraction of the monastery is Assumption Cathedral. This is a typical monument of Novgorod architecture, dating back to the time before the Mongol-Tatar invasion. It is located in the center of the ensemble and is oriented towards the main gate of the monastery. This monument belongs to the type of cubic, cross-domed churches of the 12th century. The walls of the cathedral are painted, but the painting is poorly preserved. Historians consider this temple to be a princely tomb. This is the oldest temple that has survived to its full height in the entire north-west of Rus'. The walls of the Assumption Church were decorated with frescoes. About 30 square meters of ancient mural painting have reached us - these are images of saints and the “Flourishing Cross” in the dome, the same as in the famous Dmitrov Cathedral of the 12th century in Vladimir. The builders of the temple were Novgorod masters, who created an architectural masterpiece, uniting around themselves all the buildings of the Assumption Monastery.
Opposite the Assumption Cathedral, in the old cemetery there is Church of St. Alexius, in its shape it resembles a park secular building. Erected in 1833, it is one of the latest architectural monuments of Staraya Ladoga. The history of the monastery is connected with the presence of famous women in Russia there. First it was the former Tsarina Evdokia Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter I. Her tonsured name was Elena, she lived in the monastery from 1718 to 1725. What remained from Lopukhina’s stay was a double wooden palisade and the “Three-Handed” icon, which she bestowed on the sisters who looked after her. After the monastic name of Lopukhina, the ancient river Ladozhka began to be called Elena, the embankment began to be called Eleninskaya, and Eleninsky Lane appeared on the settlement.
Here Evdokia Hannibal, the wife of A.P. Hannibal (“the blackamoor of Peter the Great,” the great-grandfather of A.S. Pushkin, served her sentence, and only later, during the reign of Nicholas I, a relative of the Decembrists. The donors of the convent were the well-known philanthropist in Russia Alexey Romanovich Tomilov .
Before the revolution, the monastery housed two miraculous icons: the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Great Martyr Barbara. Since the end of the 20th century, the monastery buildings have been empty and in a short time fell into poor condition. Since 2004, the monastery has been operating again.
Between the Assumption and St. John the Baptist monasteries there are buildings of the former Uspenskoe gardens, built in the 1780s by Roman Nikiforovich Tomilov. The surviving buildings belong to 19th century and belong to the museum-reserve. Before the revolution, the estate belonged to Evgeniy Grigorievich Schwartz (the main house is now known as the “Schwartz House”), a former art collector (in 1918 the collection was confiscated and transferred to the Russian Museum). Therefore, Uspenskoe is associated with many names of artists who came here; known, for example, is the portrait of the Schwartz family by B.M. Kustodiev.
Nikolsky Monastery
It is located half a kilometer from the Staraya Ladoga Rurik Fortress, on the left bank of the Volkhov River. Nowadays it has a double meaning: as a monastic monastery and as historical monument, testifying to the glory and piety of the Russian people.
The foundation of the monastery in Staraya Ladoga dates back to the 12th–13th centuries. Apparently, at the same time it was being built Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In oral tradition, its foundation dates back to the victory of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky over the Swedes in 1240.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the monastics transferred the relics of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam here. Here they stayed until 1718, and then were transferred to the Valaam monastery. 
In 1974, St. Nicholas Cathedral was classified as an architectural monument of federal significance, which did not prevent it from being in a dilapidated state. It is currently undergoing restoration. The monastery is surrounded by a low decorative wall with pointed corner towers, inside which there are residential buildings, and two churches - St. Nicholas Cathedral with an almost cubic volume and an almost perfectly spherical dome, which is in the process of restoration, and, which is a typical three-nave basilica in plan. This church is the only restored building of the monastery, and now its condition is ideal.
Church of John Chrysostom represents "a typical example of religious buildings of the mid-19th century." The stone church of St. John Chrysostom with the martyr's chapel on the site of a dilapidated temple of the 17th century. With its architectural design, the church building resembles a Romanesque basilica: three elongated naves, a central one, a higher one, illuminated by a series of upper windows and separated from the side ones by columns. Paintings have been preserved on the vaults, walls and arches of the temple: gospel scenes in the style of academic realism, geometric patterns of Byzantine design.
Between St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Church of St. St. John Chrysostom is dominated by a three-tiered stone bell tower.
Assigned to the Nikolsky Monastery Cathedral of the Nativity of John the Baptist with a chapel in the name of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva Friday and a bell tower.
Also assigned to the monastery: ancient and temple Transfiguration of the Lord, located in the village of Chernavino opposite the monastery on the other bank of the Volkhov. So, when going to Staraya Ladoga, you can drive across the bridge in the city of Volkhov and cross to the other side of the river. Firstly, there is interesting places, and secondly, from there you can admire the fortress located on west bank rivers. 
For my long story the monastery servants saw a lot. In the 16th century, monks moved here from the island of Valaam, which was plundered by the Swedes. At the monastery there was a school where peasant children were taught to read and write, there was an icon-painting workshop, and there was its own brick factory and tile breaking.
Grave of Prophetic Oleg(hills of the 8th-9th centuries)
In ancient times, our ancestors buried their leaders in earthen mounds - mounds. A whole complex of such burials is located on the left bank of the Volkhova River in Staraya Ladoga, on the left bank of the Volkhova River.
The mounds are located on the very high point surroundings, and even from their foot (and even more so from the top) a magnificent panorama of Staraya Ladoga opens up: a village stretching along the shore and the multi-colored domes of churches located almost at an equal distance, invariably catching the eye. The Volkhov Valley, powerful and wide, is also impressive. 
There are only three mounds here: two small and one large. If you believe the legends, it was at this place that the Prophetic Oleg, the conqueror of the Khazar Kaganate, “accepted death from his horse.” These mounds are all that has survived from Staraya Ladoga of Varangian times.
Over the thousand years of existence, these mounds have been plundered more than once. The tops of almost all the hills have been excavated. The robbers were looking for valuables that were placed in the graves along with the deceased's relatives. This could be dishes, weapons, food, clothing, personal belongings of the deceased, and more.
However, archaeologists still manage to find interesting things. In 2008, archaeologists excavated a historical layer from the tenth century and found in it a mold for casting the coat of arms of the Rurikovichs, the founders of the dynasty of Russian tsars who ruled until 1533. This is a schematic representation of a falcon, the so-called trident. It is because of this find that it is quite possible that the Rurikovichs were buried somewhere in these mounds. And the largest mound, the guides call it, the grave of Prophetic Oleg. Perhaps this famous representative of the first Russian ruling dynasty really found his final refuge in it. You can climb the mounds, but descending from them is difficult and, due to the proximity of the steep bank (the height of which is a good 30 meters), unsafe.
Caves of Staraya Ladoga
Not far from the ancient mounds, downstream of the Volkhov, on the left bank there are abandoned mines. These caves were formed due to the mining of white quartz sandstones in the 19th century. The result was a long, intricate labyrinth with many corridors and forks. The place is not prepared for tourists. There is no lighting, the road is not marked, and in some places you will have to climb under low arches on your knees.
The dungeon was chosen by bats. During the day they sleep so that you can easily get closer to them and take a few photos.
How to get to Staraya Ladoga:
Staraya Ladoga is located 120 kilometers from St. Petersburg. I’ll say right away that trains and buses from St. Petersburg do not go to old Ladoga. Only to Volkhov, and from it to ancient city You will also have to travel a couple of tens of kilometers by bus. So, if you go to Staraya Ladoga, the trip, although difficult, will give you not only aesthetic pleasure from contemplating ancient beauties, but will also be very educational. You will see that Staraya Ladoga is perhaps the truly ancient capital of Rus'!
You can read about museums in St. Petersburg and the region in this article:
Leningrad region, Volkhov district, pos. Old Ladoga. About 10 km. from Volkhovstroy-1 station.
I would like to note right away that all summer photos were stolen from the site http://www.nortfort.ru, because Our camera batteries ran out very early. =) And the fortress looks much more interesting in summer.
The exact date of the founding of Staraya Ladoga, or simply Ladoga, is not known before 1703, but according to archaeologists, this was done no later than 753 AD. There is evidence that Aldeigjuborg (Swedish name for the fortress) was founded and originally inhabited by Scandinavians.
The city stands on the banks of the Volkhov River, and at its most “rapid” and difficult to pass place, which played a role in the emergence of the fortress in this very place. But the most important factor was, of course, the Varangian trade routes. At the end of the 8th century, the route “from the Varangians to the Arabs” connected the Baltic and Caspian Sea. A little later, in the 9th century, it was mastered new way- “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” He tied Nordic countries with the Black Sea region, Scandinavia and the Baltic states with Byzantium. From north to south they carried weapons, timber, furs, honey, wax, amber, and in the opposite direction - spices, jewelry and glassware, expensive fabrics, books, bread, wine.
It was here, if you believe the Ipatiev list of the Tale of Bygone Years, that the noble Scandinavian Rurik and his brothers were invited in 862. By the way, while the existence of Rurik is historically proven, his “brothers” are rather a myth. If they were, they did not leave any traces of themselves. =) But this is so... a lyrical digression.
Already in 864, Rurik moved his residence to the future Novgorod, and in the 9th - 11th centuries Ladoga became a suburb of Novgorod.
In 997, Ladoga was attacked by the Varangian Erik Haakonsson, the future Norwegian king. And there are suspicions that after this Ladoga fell into the possession of Norway. It’s true that I couldn’t find any refutation or confirmation of this. It is only known that Eric destroyed the newly erected stone fortress to the ground. The first in Staraya Ladoga. The second one, and the one that still stands, was rebuilt in 1114.
In the sagas there is a mention that when the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Shotkonung, Princess Ingegerda in 1019 married the Novgorod prince Yaroslav the Wise, she brought as a dowry the city of Aldeigaborg (Old Ladoga) with adjacent lands, which have since received the name Ingermanlandia (land of Ingegerda ).
Since then, Ladoga has officially become a Russian city. True, the Swedes tried to capture it three times. The first time in 1164 was unsuccessful. The fortress withstood the siege of two thousand troops. In memory of this, the St. George Church was built, which they now like to call the “bride of Staraya Ladoga”.
The second time in 1581-1582. at the end of the Livonian War, again unsuccessfully. And the last time in 1610, this time successfully. Ladoga was under the rule of the Swedes for 7 years, but after the conclusion of the Peace of Stolbovo (1617) it again ceded to Russia, but the border with Sweden now passed very close, along the Lava River, where an outpost arose. Leaving Lava, the Swedes destroyed several churches in Ladoga and plundered monasteries. After that, no one attacked the city again.
The 18th century added nothing to the glory of the fading city. Trade was taken over by Novaya Ladoga, founded in 1704. By order of Peter the Great in new town All administrative institutions were transferred, part of the Ladoga residents were resettled, and the ancient capital of Rus' itself received the prefix “Old” and lost its city status.
Although the idea of creating a museum in Staraya Ladoga arose at the beginning of the twentieth century, the first museum exhibitions opened in the Ladoga Fortress on July 15, 1971. In 1984, the local history museum received the status of a historical, architectural and archaeological museum-reserve of federal significance. Today, on 160 hectares, more than 150 historical and architectural monuments of the 8th – 19th centuries have been preserved, and the richest collections of archaeological, historical and everyday life, an art gallery, and a fund of frescoes contain thousands of exhibits. In 2003, Ladoga solemnly celebrated its 1250th anniversary.
Unfortunately, very little remains of the old fortress to this day. The whole structure with the gate and two towers have been preserved - Klimentovskaya (corner) and Vorotnaya (the one in which the gate is located).
The entrance device to the fortress deserves a separate discussion. In order to get inside, it was necessary to walk along the wall from which the attackers were actively fired at and poured with hot liquids. Unfortunately, I don’t know what was used for watering in Russian fortresses. =)
But the attackers' problems did not end there. As soon as they made their way into the tower to the second gate, a grate was lowered behind them, and a hatch opened above their heads from which they fired at the trapped adversaries.
The fortress itself is very well located from a siege point of view. On the one hand, Volkhov protects her. On the other is the Ladozhka River, on the third there are high walls (the thickness of which, by the way, is from 1.5 to 2 meters) and a hillside. Well, I already talked about the gate.
Excavations were carried out inside the fortress, which are now “suspended.” And most likely they will not resume soon. The lack of funding also affects the weak interest in the history of Russia among the ruling structures. Even the treasures found on the territory of the fortress and the mystery of the Old Ladoga burial mounds do not save us. According to legend, Prince Oleg is buried in one of them.
Now there is a museum in the fortress dedicated not so much to the fortress itself, but to various archaeological research in the area of the Volkhov estuary. But it's still interesting to watch. Entrance to the fortress itself and the museum is paid, but it costs very little. 50 rub. with a visit to the museum and 15 rubles. without visiting. The road from St. Petersburg will cost much more... if, of course, everything is paid for as expected. =)
After visiting the fortress, I highly recommend taking a walk around the city. I have never seen such a number of churches and monasteries gathered in one small place. Now, however, restoration is underway almost everywhere, but there is still something to see.
An old chronicle says: once upon a time, tribes living in the north of Russia, in the territory of modern Karelia and Leningrad, paid tribute to the Varangians. But then the Varangians were kicked out. “They drove the Varangians overseas, and did not give them tribute, and began to control themselves, and there was no truth among them, and generation after generation arose, and they had strife, and began to fight with each other. And they said to themselves: “Let’s look for someone who would own us and judge us by right.” And they went overseas to the Varangians, to Rus'. Those Varangians were called Rus, just as others are called Swedes, and some Normans and Angles, and still others Gotlanders, just like these. The Chud, the Slovenians, the Krivichi and all said to the Russians: “The land is great and abundant, but there is no order in it. Come reign and rule over us." And three brothers were chosen with their clans, and all of Rus' with them, and the eldest, Rurik, sat down in Novgorod, and the other, Sineus, in Beloozero, and the third, Truvor, in . from those Varangians the Russian land was nicknamed.”
If we admit that Rurik ruled in Ladoga, then he was not a foreigner there, since Ladoga was not a Slavic city.
According to the ancient Scandinavian sagas preserved in Iceland, a long time ago a people lived in the city of Asgard and their leader was Odin. (The famous Norwegian traveler and explorer.
Odin was predicted that his offspring would inhabit the northern outskirts, and he set off on his journey. First he came to Gardariki (according to many authors, Gardariki is Karelia). Then he went to the Saxon Country, then to the island of Funen and Sweden. And in all places along the route he followed, he left his descendants to rule. Apparently this legend describes the origin of the northern Germanic tribes and their appearance on the map of Europe. http://norse.ulver.com
Having settled in Gardarik (Karelia), the descendants of Odin founded a new people - the Rus. L.N. Gumilyov wrote: “For the Slavs, it was a disaster to be in the neighborhood of the ancient Rus, who made raids on their neighbors their trade... The Rus robbed their neighbors, killed their men, and sold the captured children and women to slave traders... The Slavs settled in small groups in villages; It was difficult for them to defend themselves against the Russians, who turned out to be terrible robbers. Anything of value became booty. And furs, honey, wax and children were valuable then. The unequal struggle lasted a long time and ended in favor of the Russians when Rurik came to power.” http://gumilevica.kulichki.net/R2R/r2r01.htm#r2r01chapter1
Arab sources report that the Rus lived on the island and attacked the Slavs. According to one version, detailed in the book by Alexander Sharymov “Prehistory of St. Petersburg. 1703 Book of Research” - the island was located on the Karelian Isthmus. At that time it was an island washed by Ladoga, Vuoksa, and the Gulf of Finland. Since the island of the Rus was on the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” the Rus played a decisive role in trade.
So the modern territory of the Leningrad region can be considered the ancestral land of the Rus tribe, which in the 10th century defeated the Eastern Slavs.
As for Ladoga, it accounted for the first attack of “foreign” Varangians on Rus' recorded in history. After the calling of Rurik, until the end of the 10th century, the Scandinavians did not attack the northern regions, preferring trade relations. However, in 997 this tradition was broken.
In Staraya Ladoga there are traces of fortresses from the beginning of the 9th century. These are the oldest stone structures in Russian history. One of the fortresses was destroyed. Then Ladoga was attacked by the Varangian Erik Haakonsson, the future Norwegian king.
After this, Ladoga more than once found itself at the center of military conflicts. Thus, the Swedish army besieged the city in 1164. Ladoga residents burned down the settlement and locked themselves in stone kremlin, after which they sent for help to Novgorod. The Swedes tried to take the Kremlin by storm, but were repulsed with heavy losses. The Novgorodians who came to the rescue lifted the siege and drove out the Swedes.
The raids on Ladoga did not stop there; it was captured and retaken several times. However, Ladoga has already lost its significance as the political and economic center of the region. This role passed to Veliky Novgorod. And further struggle for possession of the Ladoga lands took place between the Novgorod Republic and the Kingdom of Sweden.
