Old Ladoga. Staraya Ladoga is the most ancient city in Russia Staraya Ladoga is the ancient capital of Rus'

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. The Ladoga residents burned the settlement and locked themselves in the stone Kremlin, after which they sent to Novgorod for help. The Swedes tried to take the Kremlin by storm, but were repelled 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.

The village and museum-reserve Staraya Ladoga are located on the high left bank of the Volkhov River, flowing from the lake and flowing into. The village is located near Lake Ladoga, about 15 km from where the Volkhov flows into it. It stretches along the river bank for 1.5-2 km. Down the river, 9 km, at the mouth is Novaya Ladoga.

Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It was first mentioned in the “Tale of Bygone Years” of the Ipatiev List under 862 in the section telling about the calling of three Varangian brothers to reign in Rus': “And he chose three brothers from his clans and came to the glorious first and cut down the city of Ladoga and the oldest in Ladoz, Rurik.”.

Story

Based on the record, historians conclude that it, along with Novgorod and Kiev, is one of the capitals of the Old Russian state and was the capital city of Rurik until 864, when “Elder Rurik sat in Novgorod”.

Ladoga is one of the transit points on the trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” Thanks to this circumstance, it developed quickly. Fairs were often held here. Dynasties of pilots lived here, guiding foreign ships up the Volkhov to Lake Ilmen, where Veliky Novgorod stood - the center of Novgorod Rus, then the Novgorod land, and subsequently the Novgorod Republic.

To protect merchant ships from “dashing people,” a military garrison was stationed in the fortress.

The city grew richer, the wooden fortifications no longer seemed reliable protection, and in 1144, by order of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Monomakh (1053-1125), the construction of a stone Kremlin began. A wall rose above the river cliff, and the cliff itself was covered with stone.

Such measures did not seem excessive: starting from the 12th century. the city was repeatedly besieged by Karelians and Swedes (in 1164, 1313 and 1338), but without much success.

In the XI-XV centuries. Old Ladoga (in those centuries it was simply called Ladoga) was both a fortress and a trade and craft center of the Novgorod Republic.

In the middle of the 15th century. Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich the Great (1440-1505) defeated the Novgorod Republic in the Moscow-Novgorod War of 1477-1478. during the unification of Russian lands around Moscow. The city became the northern outpost of the united Russian state and needed stronger fortifications.

The Staraya Ladoga fortress became pentagonal in plan and rebuilt taking into account the use of firearms. Powerful fortress walls and multi-tiered towers with walls up to 7 m thick were made of limestone, which was taken from neighboring quarries, and filled with boulders. The cladding was done with hewn stone. To get into the fortress, you had to walk along the wall to the only gate closed by bars in the quadrangular Gate Tower. Once in the tower, you had to turn half-turn to face the passage. The other towers each had their own purpose: for example, Tainichnaya covered the passage to the river, which made it possible to collect water in the event of a siege.

During the Time of Troubles, in 1610, the Swedes, who brought 55 ships, managed to capture the fortress, which was returned to Russia in 1617. according to the Stolbovo Peace Treaty. The fortress withstood the last assault in its history in 1701.

After victories over the Swedes at the beginning of the Northern War, the fortress lost its significance, and Tsar Peter I (1672-1725) ordered the transfer of offices and a significant part of the inhabitants to Novaya Ladoga.

Construction of railways in the second half of the 19th century. reduced the importance of Staraya Ladoga to a minimum, and it became a simple village on the river.

Old Ladoga appeared where there was the most convenient place for establishing a trading city on the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”, for intermediary trade between the northern and southern countries. The location of the fortress is such that it is possible to successfully repel an attack from the river, since it took a long time to get here by land.

The tallest buildings are the stone towers of the Staraya Ladoga fortress and monastery churches, symbols of the establishment of the power of the Russian state and the Orthodox faith in these places.

Part of the rampart, churches and an earthen settlement have also been preserved from the old city. Remains of wooden buildings from the 8th-12th centuries have been discovered on its territory. and the ruins of the stone church of Clement from the mid-12th century.

The pentagonal layout of the 15th century has been preserved from the Staraya Ladoga fortress, but the walls are in ruins, not even having clear outlines. A small section of the wall with two towers - Klementovskaya and Vorotnaya - has been restored.

The first wall, erected back in the 12th century, in many places turned out to be embedded in a later wall. It offers a picturesque view of the northern part of the village with the Assumption Cathedral and the southern part with Nikolsky.

There are no traces of the oldest buildings in the fortress.

Inside the fortress there is a wooden church of Dmitry Solunsky, with a museum exhibition in it.

Another church in the fortress is St. George from the beginning of the 12th century, built under Vladimir Monomakh - one of the most ancient stone buildings in the north of Rus'. The church is single-domed, four-pillared, three-apsed, rebuilt several times. It preserves fragments of frescoes from the Novgorod school, in particular the fresco “The Miracle of George on the Serpent,” as well as ancient tombstone inscriptions of the 12th-13th centuries.

On a hill called Malysheva Mountain, where there was once another monastery, there is the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist.

To the south of the fortress is the Staraya Ladoga Monastery of St. Nicholas. Legends tie the time of its construction to the years of the reign of Alexander Nevsky (1221/1222-1263) when he was Prince of Novgorod, but there is no documentary evidence of this. The modern ensemble of the monastery took shape in the 17th century, when St. Nicholas Cathedral was built on the site of a 12th century church. Adjacent to it is the Church of St. John Chrysostom - an example of religious buildings from the mid-19th century.

To the north of the fortress, on the banks of the Volkhov, stands the Staraya Ladoga Holy Dormition Convent. Its main temple is the Assumption Cathedral - in a place called the Bogoroditsky end. Nearby are monastery buildings for domestic purposes.

In the vicinity of the village there are burial mounds from Varangian times. According to legend, the Prophetic Oleg, Prince of Novgorod and Kiev Oleg (? - 912), who died in Staraya Ladoga, is buried in one of them: the hill in the northern part of the village is called Oleg’s grave. Excavations do not confirm the legend.

On the opposite bank of the Volkhov in the Plakun tract there are the remains of a Varangian cemetery.

Systematic excavations of the Ladoga fortress and burial mounds on the opposite bank have been carried out intermittently since the 1880s. In 1909, research into the settlement began. The lower horizons of the cultural layer, the later strata starting from the 12th century, have been preserved better than others. - much worse.

In the 1960s restoration work has been carried out in the fortress. The excavation materials are stored in the Hermitage of St. Petersburg.

According to archaeological data, the population of ancient Staraya Ladoga was multi-ethnic, consisting of Slavs, Normans and representatives of local Finnish-speaking ethnic groups.

Traces of blacksmithing, bone carving, jewelry and pottery production, various items, coins and items of Eastern and Western European origin were found in the settlement.

The territory of the fortress has been declared the Staraya Ladoga Historical, Architectural and Archaeological Museum-Reserve.

general information

Location : north-west of the European part of Russia.
Administrative affiliation : Staroladoga rural settlement, Volkhov municipal district, Leningrad region.
Based: up to 753
First mention : 862
Village: since 1703
Language: Russian.
Ethnic composition : Russians.
Religion: Orthodoxy.
Currency unit : Russian ruble.

Numbers

Staraya Ladoga Historical, Architectural and Archaeological Museum : area - 1.6 km 2, total number of historical and architectural monuments - more than 150.
Population (village Staraya Ladoga) : 2012 people (2010).
Fortress walls : thickness - up to 5 m, height - 7-12 m.
Fortress towers : diameter - up to 24 m at the base, height - up to 19 m, tiers - 3.
The height of Oleg's grave : 10 m.

Climate and weather

Moderately continental.
Cold snowy winter, moderately warm summer.
Average January temperature : -10°C.
Average temperature in July : +17.5°C.
Average annual precipitation : 550 mm.
Relative humidity : 70-80%.

Economy

Services sector: tourism, transport, trade.

Attractions

Staraya Ladoga Historical, Architectural and Archaeological Museum-Reserve (1984)

Zemlyanoye Gorodische (Zemlyanoy Gorod, until the 12th century)

Fortress "Old Ladoga" (restored walls and towers of Klementovskaya and Vorotnaya, ruins of walls and Raskatnaya, Strelochnaya and Taichnaya towers, founded in the 12th century, rebuilt in the 15th-16th centuries; Church of St. George 1114; wooden church of Dmitry Solunsky , 1731).

Cult

Staraya Ladoga Holy Dormition Convent (Assumption Cathedral of the 12th century, rebuilt in the 17th-19th centuries)

Staraya Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery (XIII-XIV centuries, Nikolsky Cathedral, bell tower and other buildings of the 17th century, Church of St. John Chrysostom 1860-1873)

Transfiguration Church (wooden - 1684, brick - 1871)

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist, 1695, chapel of St. Peter and Fevronia.

Historical

Neolithic site (3 thousand years BC)

Sopki tract (grave hills, VIII-X centuries)

Pobedishche (VII-X centuries) and Plakun (IX-X centuries)

Remains of the Varangian cemetery (late 9th - early 10th century)

Houses of merchant Kalyagin (19th century) and Schwartz (1816)

Varyazhskaya street and monument to Rurik and Oleg (2015)

Curious facts

The Scandinavians called ancient Ladoga Aldeigjuborg, less commonly Aldeigya. The earliest reliable news about Ladoga-Aldeigyuborg dates back to the end of the 10th century. and is contained in the collection of sagas “The Circle of the Earth”. An attack on Aldeigjuborg was reported during a military campaign against Gardariki by the Norwegian Earl Eirik.
“When he sailed into the possessions of King Valdmar, he began to fight and kill people, and burn houses wherever he passed, and devastated the country. He sailed to Aldeigjuborg and besieged it until he captured it. There he killed many people and destroyed and burned the entire city.” Historians date this event to 997 and consider it as evidence that there was a fortress or fortified settlement in Ladoga even then.

One of the reasons for Rurik’s move from Ladoga to Novgorod the Great is that Ladoga, located on the outskirts of the settlement territory of the East Slavic tribes, turned out to be inconvenient for them to manage.

In 2003, a big celebration took place in the village on the occasion of the 1250th anniversary of one of the first Russian capitals. To emphasize the Scandinavian presence in those ancient times on this land, the authorities of the county (province) of Nordland and participants in the show “Steigenberg Sagaspil” - a musical and historical reconstruction of the life of the ancient Vikings - were invited from Norway.

The economic importance of Staraya Ladoga began to decline in the 1580s, when Arkhangelsk became the northern port of the Moscow state.

The name Staraya Ladoga is of Baltic-Finnish origin, coming from the Ladoga River, now called Ladozhka, a left tributary of the Volkhov, which flows into it next to the fortress.

Tsarina Evdokia Feodorovna, née Lopukhina (1669-1731), the first wife of Tsar Peter I, by his will in 1698, was initially exiled to the traditional place of imprisonment for queens - the Suzdal-Pokrovsky Monastery, where she stayed until 1718. During the trial Tsarevich Alexei revealed her participation in the conspiracy, as well as the fact that she had not lived a monastic life for a long time. She was transferred first to the Alexander Assumption Monastery, and then to the Ladoga Assumption Monastery. A military guard was placed in the monastery, parishioners were prohibited from entering, and the tonsure of new novices was suspended. Evdokia Fedorovna lived here for seven years under strict supervision until the death of her ex-husband in 1725.

The design of the Church of St. John Chrysostom of the St. Nicholas Monastery was created by the architect Alexei Gornostaev (1808-1862), who stood at the origins of the eclectic trend in Russian architecture of the 19th - early 20th centuries. - “Russian style” (also called “pseudo-Russian”), The appearance of the building of the Church of St. John Chrysostom reflects the main components of the style: the traditions of Old Russian architecture and folk art, combined with elements of Byzantine architecture.

The Staraya Ladoga expedition of the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences discovered that already by the 12th century, when the fortress was being built, local craftsmen knew how to smelt copper from local raw materials. Traces of copper smelting were found; its composition differed from the usual alloys for these places from imported raw materials delivered from the Urals or from England. Experimental smelting was carried out using ancient technologies and pure metal was obtained.

Malysheva Mountain is riddled with underground passages. In the 19th century peasants extracted quartz sand from it and sold it in St. Petersburg to make light bulbs. The resulting voids threatened the safety of the monument, and restorers introduced large amounts of concrete into them to prevent destruction.

Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest villages in Russia, “the first capital of Rus'”. Today it is a fairly large village, located 120 kilometers from St. Petersburg. However, in terms of the number of historical and architectural monuments it surpasses many cities in the country.

In our article we will tell you about the history and main attractions of Staraya and Novaya Ladoga.

Staraya Ladoga - a village with a thousand-year history

These days, Staraya Ladoga is just a village on the banks of the Volkhov River with a population of 2,000 people. But it was once an important outpost city of Russia, which held back the ferocious attacks of ill-wishers. The main reason to visit Staraya Ladoga is its numerous natural, historical, cultural and architectural monuments dating back to the 9th-19th centuries.

Almost all the sights of the village of Staraya Ladoga are interesting and unique in their own way. And there are incredibly many of them! But tourists come here not only for the monuments, but also to feel the spirit of antiquity and enjoy the incredibly picturesque landscapes.

To further captivate the reader with Staraya Ladoga, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the ten most interesting historical facts about this village:

• Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest settlements in Russia (the first mention of it dates back to 862);
• until 1703, Staraya Ladoga had the status of a city and was simply called Ladoga;
• the city was one of the most important points on the trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”;
• according to one version, the ancient Russian prince Oleg was buried in Ladoga;
• Ladoga became the first city in Northern Europe, all of whose walls were built exclusively of stone;
• already in the 8th century, Ladoga residents traded with the help of money (glass beads played their role);
• in the 10th century you could buy a slave for just one Ladoga bead;
• the architecture of the Staraya Ladoga Fortress is unique for Russian architecture; there is no other similar monument in all of Russia;
• The Staraya Ladoga stronghold is included in the hundred most beautiful places in the country;
• A real treasure of silver Arab coins was found on the territory of the village (the find was dated by historians to the 8th century).

Novaya Ladoga and its history

If you go upstream from Staraya Ladoga, then after 15 kilometers you will reach Novaya Ladoga. This small town was founded in 1704 by decree of Peter the Great to serve the shipyard created two years earlier. Many Old Lada residents were ordered to move to the new city. During the Second World War, Novaya Ladoga played a significant role in providing besieged Leningrad along the so-called Road of Life.

It would be a sin not to stop by this small town if you are heading to Staraya Ladoga. There are also plenty of attractions here. Novaya Ladoga is a beautifully planned city, ancient buildings and magnificent views of the Volkhov River and Lake Ladoga.

The main monuments and interesting places in Novaya Ladoga:

• Nikolo-Medvedsky Monastery.
• Gostiny Dvor.
• Staraya Ladoga Canal.
• St. Nicholas Cathedral.
• Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin.
• Temple of Clement of Rome (dilapidated).
• St. George's Church.
• Novoladozhsky Museum of Local Lore.
• Memorial complex "Road of Life".

List of attractions of Staraya Ladoga

However, let's return to the settlement where our story began - Staraya Ladoga. As a rule, an inspection of the monuments of this village begins with the fortress. This is the main and most valuable attraction of Staraya Ladoga, which is under UNESCO protection. Inside the fortress there is an ancient church from the 12th century, which is perfectly preserved.

The complete list of historical monuments and interesting places to visit in this unique village is as follows:

• Staraya Ladoga fortress.
• Assumption Monastery.
• Varyazhskaya street.
• Oleg's grave.
• St. Nicholas Orthodox Monastery.
• Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist.
• House of merchant Kalyazin.
• Estate "Uspenskoe".
• Tanechkina and Staroladoga caves.
• Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall.

A map of the sights of Staraya Ladoga will help you navigate the village (see photo below).

Staraya Ladoga Fortress

The main attraction of Staraya Ladoga is the fortress, founded at the end of the 9th century. What we can see today was built almost from scratch in the 2000s.

The fortress is located on a narrow cape, in the place where the Ladozhka River flows into the Volkhov. Initially it was wooden. During the reign of Prince Oleg, a powerful stone stronghold was erected here. For a long time, the fortress defended the northern borders of Ancient Rus', then Russia. It lost its defensive significance only at the beginning of the 18th century.

Assumption Monastery

To the north of the fortress there is another important monument of the village - the Staraya Ladoga Holy Dormition Monastery. It was founded in the middle of the 12th century.

Behind the walls of the monastery hides the northernmost of the ancient Russian churches of the pre-Mongol period - the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has been here since 1156! The temple is quite miniature: its width is 14 meters and its height is 19 meters, however, it can accommodate several dozen people. The walls of the Assumption Church were lavishly painted, but the painting has practically not survived to this day.

It is known that from 1718 to 1725, it was in this monastery that the first wife of Peter the Great, Evdokia Lopukhina, stayed and became a nun.

Varyazhskaya street

It is unacceptable to visit Staraya Ladoga and not take a walk along Varyazhskaya Street. After all, according to historians, this is the oldest street in Russia! The earliest mentions of it date back to the 15th century.

Today on Varyazhskaya Street you can see ancient one-story wooden houses that once belonged to local merchants. It's quiet and very cozy here. At the beginning of the ancient street there is a bronze sculpture of a falcon. This bird is considered the symbol of Staraya Ladoga. All tourists make a wish near this sculpture and leave coins in the beak of the bronze falcon.

Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall

Very few people know about the Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall, but in vain, because it is the highest waterfall in the Leningrad region. This is an amazing natural corner where you can calmly relax your thoughts and enjoy nature. It is located in the village of Gorchakovshchina, on the opposite bank of the river from Staraya Ladoga.

The height of the waterfall is only four meters. It is located in a river canyon and falls into a shallow bowl with sandstone walls. The walk to the waterfall does not take long; a forest path leads to it directly from the village.

Tanechkina Cave

In the past, Tanechkina Cave was a place where white quartz was mined. It stretches seven kilometers in length. The cave has many passages and labyrinths, and in its central gallery there is a shallow lake.

Hundreds of bats live inside. This is the largest, but also the most dangerous cave in Staraya Ladoga. Landslides and flooding often occur here, although this rarely stops speleologists.

How to get to the sights of Staraya Ladoga?

The village is located in the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region, ten kilometers from the city of Volkhov and 120 km from St. Petersburg. How can I get to the sights of Staraya Ladoga? It will be easiest to do this by car. But you can also get there by public transport.

By car you need to travel from St. Petersburg along the Murmansk highway (M18). Immediately after the village of Kiselnya you need to turn right off the highway (signpost to Volkhov). After another two kilometers you should turn left. This road will lead to an intersection on the banks of the Volkhov River. Here you need to turn left again and drive another four kilometers to Staraya Ladoga.

The second way to get to the village is by public transport. You can get to the city of Volkhov by electric train (from Moskovsky or Ladozhsky railway stations). In Volkhov you can change to a regular bus to Staraya Ladoga. In about 20 minutes he will bring you to the ancient village.

A short photo story about one of the most ancient Russian settlements, which witnessed the birth of our state. An interesting and beautiful weekend route for residents of St. Petersburg.

“We climb the hill, and in front of us is one of the best Russian landscapes”
- Nicholas Roerich wrote about Staraya Ladoga

A boat slowly floats along the river, its oars creaking, carrying a passenger and much-needed cargo. Pilgrims stand in a crowd at the entrance to one of the monasteries, and a tourist group walks along Varangian Street, along which the distant ancestors of the Scandinavians marched many hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
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Abandoned houses coexist with restored churches - the spirit of antiquity is literally in the air.
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Under the ancient mounds that guard the peace of the holy land, dozens of fishermen gather in the morning hours.
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This is Staraya Ladoga - a village in the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region, located in a beautiful and cozy place on the banks of the Volkhov and Ladozhka rivers, 120 kilometers east of St. Petersburg.
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Previously, it was called simply Ladoga and arose long before the formation of Rus', becoming a witness and participant in the birth of our state.
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Ladoga also sheltered the first prince, who took upon himself the burden of governing Northern Russia.
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Until 1703, the village was a city. In 1704, Peter I founded New Ladoga at the mouth of the Volkhov River and ordered the Ladoga residents to move there. And he “demoted” Ladoga to a village and added the prefix “Old”.
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When the current Northern capital celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2003, the people of Staraya Ladoga celebrated their 1250th anniversary.
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In prehistoric times, pioneer camps were located in these places, and with the beginning of active trade relations between East and West, great waterways “from the Varangians to the Arabs” and “from the Varangians to the Greeks” ran along the Volkhov, but despite this, the majority of Ladoga residents were not engaged in trade, and agriculture and crafts.
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The first settlers in Ladoga were Scandinavians. But already in those ancient times, the interests of the ancient Slavs, ancient Germans and local Finno-Balts intersected in the region.
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In 2015, a site of an ancient man from the Neolithic era (3000 BC) was found here.
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Over the long years of its existence, Ladoga was subjected to numerous attacks, mainly by our eternal “friends” the Swedes, and was destroyed several times.
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"Village-city" is covered in legends and traditions. According to one of them (If you believe the Novgorod Chronicle, but it is not known for certain), here, under a ten-meter mound, the great Russian prince Oleg the Prophet was buried. Hundreds of tourists visit the supposed burial site every day. The mound is located at the highest point in the surrounding area, and from its top there is a magnificent view of the Volkhov River.

This is the place in the painting of 1833 (Zabolotsky P.E. View of Old Ladoga. Oil on canvas. State Russian Museum.)
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and this is my photograph taken 181 years later. (Kosykh P.N. View of Staraya Ladoga. Sony A65, CZ16-80. Hard drive. Archive:)
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Interesting fact: since the 780s, people in Ladoga have learned to make glass beads - “Eyes”. This was the first Russian money. For one glass “peephole” you could buy a slave or a slave.
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The current size of Staraya Ladoga is not impressive. Now about 2000 people live in the village. But not every village can be proud of such a rich and ancient history, and, believe me, there is something to see here. Many attractions have survived to this day, among which the following can be noted:

Staraya Ladoga Fortress(part of the historical, architectural and archaeological museum-reserve). The first one was built in the 9th-10th centuries. During the times of Novgorod Rus' it was a strategically important place. Today it is the center of Staraya Ladoga.
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On its territory there is a wooden Church of Demetrius of Thessalonica(XVII century)
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AND St. George's Church- an architectural monument of federal significance. The white stone temple (XII century) is one of the oldest surviving temples in Russia. Along with the cathedral of the Staraya Ladoga Assumption Monastery, it is the northernmost Russian stone church of the pre-Mongol period. Fragments of unique frescoes from the 12th century have been preserved in the temple.
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Staraya Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery, founded by Alexander Nevsky after a victorious battle with the Swedes in the Battle of Neva at the mouth of the Izhora River.
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Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist- a five-domed cathedral located on the northern outskirts of Staraya Ladoga. Mentioned since 1276, the modern building was built in 1695.
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Staroladoga Assumption Monastery- an Orthodox women's monastery, to which the first wife of Peter I, Evdokia Lopukhina, was transferred from Suzdal.
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On its territory, in addition to outbuildings, there is Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a couple of chapels.
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During the trip to Staraya Ladoga, we also managed to ride along the opposite bank of the Volkhov River. There are interesting places there too.
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For example, the village of Issad, where the church is located Holy Life-Giving Trinity
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The village of Lopino is located directly opposite Staraya Ladoga.
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In the evening you can admire the beautiful view of Staraya Ladoga in the sunset light.
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And in the nearby village of Chernavino, visit the Church of St. Basil of Caesarea
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and the inactive Church of the Transfiguration.
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You can talk a lot and for a long time about Staraya Ladoga, but this is not my goal. It’s better to visit this unique place on your own or with a tour...
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“Old Ladoga, which has a history of more than 1260 years, is considered not only one of the oldest cities in Russia and the center of the first Rurikovichs, but also the first large shopping center. It was here that the foundations of the East Slavic state were laid. Throughout its existence, the city survived more than one invasion by external enemies, briefly became a defensive center in the north-west, was rebuilt more than once, was the first family estate of the Rurikovichs and even a wedding gift. Ladoga was finally forgotten in 1704, when the foundations of New Ladoga were laid at the mouth of the Volkhov River, and its ancient predecessor received the addition of “Old” to its name and lost the status of a city.”

Today it is a small village in the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region. The study of the historical past of the great trading center of the Slavs began in 1708, however archaeological excavations started only in 1972. During the research, more than 160 different finds were discovered: from archaeological buildings to written sources. The study of local mounds and hills, as well as certain layers of the cultural layer, helped determine the approximate date of foundation.

Ladoga was founded around the middle of the 8th century in the lower reaches of the river Volkhov. However, some scholars argue that the original small settlement is much older than the above date. The first inhabitants of the city, according to researchers, were North Slavic (primarily Krivichi) and Finno-Ugric tribes. Thus, it can be argued that the ethnic composition of the population was quite diverse. Due to its convenient location on trade routes leading from Scandinavia to Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate, the city quickly grew and prospered. Trade ships carrying furs, various textiles, precious jewelry and other goods passed through Ladoga. Thus, the city served as an intermediary in trade Scandinavians with the Greeks and Arabs, receiving benefits for every trade transaction. Exactly a century Ladoga grew and prospered. However, after the death of the Slavic prince Gostomysl, the situation turned out to be critical. The princely family was interrupted. Then it was decided to call a noble Varangian to rule Rurik.

In 862, a noble Scandinavian prince arrived here along with his brothers and a loyal army. For a while Ladoga was the capital of the East Slavic state founded by the Rurikovichs, a trade center and the initial point of unification of Russian lands. Even after the center of Rus' was transferred to Novgorod, and in 882 to Kyiv, Ladoga retained its strategic and political importance and, under the first Rurikovichs, remained their family possession. The origin itself Rurik and his brothers were subjected to detailed study, various hypotheses were put forward. However, the importance of the city itself for the Varangian prince and his descendants is not in doubt. From settlements similar in age to it Ladoga highlights the immutability of its location and the constant presence of the human factor. The favorable location on different banks of the Ladozhka River and across the Volkhov contributed to the development of agriculture here.

Original sources about Ladoga settlement date back to 997 and report an attack by a Norwegian prince Eric the Bloody along with his army. The city was plundered and burned. However, after 3 years, a new fortress was built on the site of the old stone fortress, this time made of earth and wood. In 1019, a Swedish princess Ingigerda, daughter of the first Christian king of Sweden, Olof, marries the Novgorod prince Yaroslav, later given the nickname Wise. The wedding gift for the Scandinavian bride, known in Rus' as Irina, was Ladoga. The city turned into the center of the Russian-Varangian jarlstvo (principality). Ladoga continued to be a center of brisk trade, but its main task was now to protect its northern borders Kievan Rus from the attack of the warlike Normans. The borders of the principality expanded throughout the century and the Finno-Ugric tribes, as a sign of submission, paid a large tax in kind, consisting of the furs of fur-bearing animals, various fabrics and metal products.

The expansion of the borders of the Kyiv state and the spread of Christianity to new lands continued. By the beginning of the 12th century, the centers of world trade moved far beyond Northern Europe and Ladoga begins to lose its position. After the death of Mstislav Vladimirovich in 1132, the influence of Kyiv weakened and the state fell apart into a number of principalities. The influence of Novgorod is growing. Ladoga and Pskov are part of the Novgorod principality. The construction of stone structures is being resumed. These were mainly churches; a stone fortress is being restored. In 1164, the Swedes invaded the north of Rus'. However, the long siege of the Ladoga fortress did not produce results and the enemy retreated. In honor of the significant victory, a church is being built in the city Saint George the Victorious, which has survived to this day.

Taking advantage of the civil war between the Russian principalities, the Mongols, led by their grandson Genghis Khan Batu, made their ruinous campaign in 1237. Almost all Russian lands were occupied by invaders. Only Novgorod and the surrounding territories were unaffected by the Mongols. However, the northwestern lands faced a different misfortune in the form of the Swedes and Germans. Sweden, represented by the Livonian Order, entered Russian soil in 1240. The Swedes captured Pskov and Izborsk. Next in line was Ladoga, with its capture the road to Novgorod opened. However, the brilliant victory of the Novgorod prince Alexander Yaroslavich in Neva Battle ruined all Sweden's plans. In honor of the significant victory, the prince received the nickname Nevsky, and the Nikolsky Monastery was built on the banks of the Volkhov River. Ice massacre e 1242 stopped the advance to the northwestern Russian lands Warband- union of German knights. The dreams of the Swedes and Germans about capturing the Novgorod principality remained unrealized.

Further information about Ladoga date back to the second half of the 15th century. The new collector of Russian lands, Moscow, subjugated Novgorod and the adjacent territories to its power. Ladoga at this time is radically changing. Due to the constant threat from Sweden and improvements in artillery weapons, more powerful fortifications were required. The Ladoga fortress is being rebuilt and strengthened with 5 defensive towers, and the borders of the city itself are expanding. Until the beginning of the 17th century, construction work was carried out in the city. The hardest times for Ladoga came during the Time of Troubles, when foreign invaders ruled the country, robbing and killing the population. In 1610 Ladoga fortress was captured by the Swedes and remained part of Sweden until the Truce of Stolbov in 1617. The last time the city's strategic position was used was Peter the Great. The future emperor was preparing to capture the fortress Nut. After the offensive defeat at Narva in 1700, the tsar announced the mobilization of the army and concentrated quite large forces in the Ladoga fortress. It was from here that the attack on Oreshek began. After the capture of this fortress, the security of the northern borders was ensured. The fate of Ladoga was a foregone conclusion. The city lost its strategic importance. Built at the mouth of the Volkhov, Novaya Ladoga replaced its eminent predecessor and the regional administration was moved here. Its ancient ancestor lost the status of a city, received the prefix “Old”, and the military garrison was removed from here. A small part of the population still did not leave Staraya Ladoga and continued to engage in the same business affairs. About the once great center of the first Slavs was forgotten for a while. The cultural significance of the ancient city was remembered only in the 70s of the 20th century. In 1972, the Staraya Ladoga expedition led by A. Kirpichnikova began archaeological excavations. The result of long research was the discovery of a huge number of remains of early archaeological buildings, written sources, various decorations and products. A thousand years ago, Ladoga was an economically developed port city and harbor for merchant ships of different nations, as well as a unique place for the accumulation of the then world currency - the Arab silver dirham. A fairly large market was the center of lively trade. Ladoga was the main supplier of Arab money throughout Europe; the most important trade transactions took place through it. Local craftsmen were also skilled shipbuilders and made sea voyages.

The population of the city, despite its initial multinationality and multilingualism, was initially free, but social inequality was still present. However, the magnificent noble buildings that existed in Novgorod, in Ladoga were absent. In the 8th–11th centuries, the most important social problems were resolved at a national assembly. As for the dwellings of the local population, since 1972, an archaeological expedition has uncovered more than 100 remains of residential buildings, workshops and utility rooms. Mostly local residents lived in wooden huts and peculiar five-walled houses. Among the ruins of people's homes Ladoga A variety of household items and decorations, as well as various craft tools, were also discovered. Most likely, some houses also served as craft workshops. During excavations in 1997, carried out by an expedition led by E. Ryabinina, the remains of jewelry and bronze foundries and a large number of tools were discovered, with the help of which various products and decorations made in the Varangian style were made. Excavations 2002 revealed elements of a large merchant building, which is believed to have been the residence of foreign merchants. Among the remains of the structure, a huge number of different items were discovered: glass beads, green beads, slate bars and other items. Archaeological expedition V.Petrenko 12 burial mounds were discovered, in which, most likely, city residents were buried, mostly in a collective manner. Along with wooden and earthen buildings, Ladoga also had a stone fortress, which complemented the entire architectural ensemble. The first such fortress was built at the end of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century. In its place, at the beginning of the 12th century, a new fortress was built, which until the 15th century served as the main defensive system of the city. By the beginning of the 16th century, the Ladoga fortress was being rebuilt for the last time. Elements of Italian architecture were used in its construction. The fortress was adjacent to earthen buildings, later called by architects the Earthen City. However, the real decoration of Ladoga are the stone temples built in different periods. Along with the previously mentioned monasteries, 6 churches of different shapes and at a certain distance from each other were built on the territory of the city by the middle of the 12th century. The construction of monasteries continued in later eras, but the most significant of the temples were built under his son Vladimir Monomakh- Mstislav Vladimirovich. Most of them are built on the model of the Byzantine architectural school. Only 3 monasteries have survived to this day: the Cathedral of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Staraya Ladoga Holy Dormition Convent, the Church of St. George the Victorious and the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Until the beginning of the 18th century, Ladoga remained an important port city, one of the centers of trade and craft, as well as an important northern defensive line of the strengthening state.

Along with Soviet and later Russian architects, foreign expedition groups have also taken part in the study of the ancient city since 1988. In 1984, a historical and architectural museum-reserve was opened, with an area of ​​about 190 hectares, which today houses more than 150 different restored architectural buildings. It is planned to include this village-museum on the list of world heritage UNESCO.