Velikiy Novgorod- one of the oldest cities in Russia, located in its North-West at the sources of the Volkhov River and Lake Ilmen. Its history is inextricably linked with all the most important stages in the life of the Russian state. Twice in the middle of the 9th century and at the end of the 15th century it stood at the cradle of Russian and Russian statehood. Veliky Novgorod is the birthplace of Russian democratic and republican traditions, an important spiritual stronghold of Orthodox Rus'.

Veliky Novgorod is one of the most significant centers of education and the largest European artistic center. For centuries it was a reliable fortress on the northern and western borders of Rus'. The history of Novgorod has its roots in the distant past.

The original population of the Novgorod land were Finno-Ugric tribes, who left their memory in the names of numerous rivers and lakes. In the 6th century, a few tribes of Krivichi Slavs came to the Novgorod land, and in the 8th century, during the process of Slavic settlement of the East European Plain, the Slovenian tribe came here.

The economic life and political interaction of the tribes turned out to be connected with the powerful international Baltic-Volga trade route, which passed along Volkhov, Ilmen and Msta.

The fight against the Scandinavian warrior merchants who dominated international trade contributed to the acceleration of the process of the formation of state relations. By the middle of the 9th century, at the source of the Volkhov, a center of political communication of tribes living on numerous rivers flowing into Lake Ilmen had formed, and a system of their military interaction had developed. The collection and payment of tribute to the Varangians laid the foundation for state taxation. In 862, the Scandinavian prince and his retinue were invited by the tribal leaders to perform judicial and law enforcement functions, marking the beginning of the princely dynasty Rurikovich, which ruled all Russian lands for more than seven and a half centuries.

At the beginning of the 10th century, the Novgorod tribes of the Slovenians and Krivichi, together with Prince Igor and the Scandinavian squads, began a campaign to the south to ensure equal trade with Byzantium. Smolensk and Kyiv were conquered, on the border of the dangerous Wild Field - the steppes, and a stronghold was established for further movement to Constantinople.

The campaigns of Igor and his commander Oleg made it possible to achieve their goal - to pave a trade route " from the Varangians to the Greeks» The consequence was the unification of the East Slavic tribes and the formation of the Old Russian state with its capital in Kyiv

The first Kyiv princes became full-fledged masters of the southern Russian lands and continued to serve in the Novgorod land. Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich broke the established tradition, concentrating his political interests on the lower reaches of the Danube. In the middle of the 10th century. The absence of full-fledged state power in the Novgorod land accelerated the resettlement of tribal leaders to the political center at the source of the Volkhov, and the formation of Novgorod as a city began.

In 970, the Novgorodians turned to Svyatoslav with a demand to give them a prince, threatening, otherwise, to find him in another land. The compromise was the sending of Svyatoslav’s son and slave, Vladimir, to Novgorod.

After my father's death Vladimir was expelled from Novgorod, but in 980 he returned with a Scandinavian detachment and conquered the city. After Vladimir was confirmed on the Kiev throne, the position of Novgorod in Kievan Rus ceased to differ from other lands.

This allowed the princely authorities to easily establish Christianity in Novgorod as the official state religion. At the end of the 10th century. here the thirteen-domed wooden Church of St. was built. Sophia of the Wisdom of God. The unusual multi-domed structure of the temple may have reflected the traditional worldview of the Novgorodians, associated with their pre-Christian pagan cults. Novgorod Sophia prompted Prince Yaroslav the Wise to build the thirteen-domed stone St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv in 1037.

The adoption of Christianity gradually turned Novgorod into a powerful spiritual center of Rus'. The merits of the Novgorod rulers in the protection and development of Orthodoxy were noted in the middle of the 12th century by their elevation to the rank of archbishops and made the Novgorod lordly see the most important in the Russian Orthodox Church.

The life and work of one of the outstanding figures of the Russian Middle Ages is connected with Novgorod - Yaroslav the Wise. By the hands of the Novgorodians, he was twice placed on the grand-ducal throne in Kyiv. For ten years, Novgorod was the seat of the Grand Duke, the actual capital of the Russian lands that belonged to Yaroslav.

Under Yaroslav the Wise, the Novgorod State Council resumed its activities, the Novgorod aristocracy - the descendants of tribal leaders - received special judicial rights and tax benefits, the oldest edition was created Russian Truth.

An important stage in the formation of republican traditions was the acquisition of self-government by the Novgorod aristocracy. From the end of the 11th century. Novgorodians begin to elect mayors, and then thousanders, whose participation in the political life of the state gradually expands.

IN 1136 Novgorodians, together with the Pskovians and Ladoga residents, expelled Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich at the assembly and announced their “ Liberties in princes" This attracted the attention of many Russian princes to Novgorod, who sought to occupy the grand-ducal table, and on the way to it, receive the support of Novgorod. Each contender tried to gain his supporters in the city. Parties were formed that bitterly fought with each other. The people's council at Yaroslav's Courtyard with the participation of all residents of the city, and veche meetings in the city districts, became widely developed.

The Grand Duke of Vladimir tried to destroy the new tradition Andrey Bogolyubsky. In 1169, he united the squads of the southern Russian princes and sent them to destroy Novgorod. The city did not have a professional army, fortifications and did not have time to gather a militia. The forces of the attackers and defenders of the city turned out to be very unequal. Nevertheless, Andrei’s army was not only defeated, but also captured. The Novgorodians associated this victory with the help and intercession of the miraculous Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”, revered since then as a national relic of the Russian people.

In the middle of the 13th century. that fell on Rus' Tatar-Mongol invasion Novgorod was also affected in many ways. The Horde's campaign against Novgorod in 1238 ended in failure for the conquerors. The heroism and courage of the defenders of the new Torg, which found itself in the path of the Horde, delayed the Tatar cavalry for almost a month. The onset of spring thaw forced the invaders to turn back. Nevertheless, by the will of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, Novgorod fully shared the economic burden placed by the Horde on Rus'. The huge and fairly densely populated Novgorod land paid most of the “Tatar exit” due from Rus', thereby reducing the threat of new destructive raids on the southern Russian lands.

The city, which escaped destruction, played an important role in protecting the northwestern borders of Rus' from Swedish and German serf aggression. In 1240, the Novgorod militia defeated a Swedish military expedition at the confluence of the Neva and Izhora rivers, and in 1242, the Novgorodians, together with the Vladimir squad, defeated the combined forces of the Livonian and Teutonic crusading orders on the ice of Lake Peipsi. The knightly army suffered the greatest damage in the entire history of medieval wars. The victory was secured by the defeat of the Livonian Order at the Battle of Rakvor in 1268.

The efforts of the Novgorodians and Pskovites destroyed the plans of Catholic Europe for the spiritual enslavement of Rus', weakened by the Horde invasion, and made it possible to preserve Orthodoxy as the basis of the national spirit.

Over the centuries, Novgorod has gathered vast territories around itself. In the face of increasingly louder united tendencies from outside Moscow, Tver, Grand Duchy of Russian-Lithuanian Novgorod aristocracy tried to preserve and ensure the independence of the Novgorod state. Novgorod successfully fought the armies of Mikhail Tverskoy and Dmitry Donskoy, and during the period of the fratricidal internecine war at the beginning of the 15th century, it hosted and sheltered its organizer and inspirer Dmitry Yuryevich Shemyaka.

The struggle between two tendencies became especially aggravated in her homeland of the 15th century, when Novgorod, in violation of a previously signed agreement with Moscow, called upon Grand Duke Casimir, the sovereign of Catholic Lithuania, to reign. Moscow in 1471 responded to the Novgorod “betrayal” with a military campaign, which revealed a deep split within Novgorod society itself. The archbishop's Pole refused to fight against the Grand Duke of Moscow, and the “perevetnik” Upadysh riveted the cannons with iron, which disabled the entire Novgorod artillery.

Convinced of the reluctance of the majority of residents of the Novgorod land to protect the interests of a narrow circle of the Novgorod aristocracy, the Great Sovereign of Moscow Ivan III made a campaign against Novgorod “in peace” in 1478. The city did not offer resistance; the ruling circles only asked to guarantee their safety and preserve their property and land holdings.

Annexation of Novgorod to Moscow laid the foundation for a unified Russian state and opened a new page in Russian history.

The 15th century became a new page in the history of Novgorod itself. All Novgorod landowners were evicted to other lands, and their possessions were distributed to Moscow nobles.

Crafts and trade continued to develop, and culture experienced a new flourishing, having absorbed many of the traditions of the ancient city.

Perhaps the preservation of Novgorod traditions caused particular irritation in the unhealthy, suspicious tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible, who in 1570 subjected the Novgorod land to an oprichnina defeat unprecedented in its cruelty. Thousands of people were tortured throughout the land, churches and monasteries were plundered, villages and villages fell into desolation.

The 17th century began for Novgorod with new misfortunes. In 1611 - 1617 it was occupied Swedes, who again plundered and destroyed the city. After the Swedish devastation, the Novgorod land was no longer able to restore its former power.

For another century, Novgorod was an important fortress on the northwestern borders of Russia. The construction of St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 18th century and the transfer of the capital of the empire to the banks of the Neva led to the loss of this significance of the ancient city. It retained only its role as an important spiritual center of Russian Orthodoxy.

Now, in our time, the word “city” does not surprise anyone. This is the usual place of residence for the majority of people. But few people think about what process of evolution has gone through so that we can fully enjoy the privileges of city life - hot water, infrastructure, Internet, telephone, etc. Therefore, in our article, we will tell you how cities arose and were built in different eras of human life.

Of course, first we will tell you about the very first cities that existed on our planet long before the advent of sewerage systems, heating and other benefits.

When did the first cities appear?

• According to respected historians, the first cities appeared in 4 thousand - 3 thousand BC. e. in the area of ​​Mesopotamia. These were the centers of residence of tribes and communities. Also, according to some historical information, in countries such as India, Greece, China and Egypt, cities arose in 3 thousand - 2 thousand BC. e.
• Ancient settlements occupied quite vast territories. Most of them were surrounded by walls and ditches. The central place of the village was rightfully temples or palaces.
• As the first cities developed, urgent needs for economic systems and planning emerged. While the stratification of society took place, the differentiation of their homes also took place. Along with the luxurious palaces, there were also dark shacks in which the poor found their refuge.
• The first elements of the city economy were sewerage facilities and a centralized water supply, baths, and sanitary cleaning.

How did the cities of the Middle Ages appear?

• The main component of the feudalism that reigned at that time was not cities, but peasant communities, villages and farms. That is, in the early periods of the feudal system, cities were practically absent. But with the emergence of the need for trade and crafts, feudal cities soon began to be built. Large settlements began to arise around castles and on trade routes. This is how Pisa, Venice, Hamburg, Toulouse, and other famous cities arose. The settlements of the Middle Ages were small. At that time, the largest cities were those with a population of about 10,000 people.
• The cities of the Middle Ages were not very developed. The city economy was not created, sanitary conditions were at a rudimentary level, there was no running water, just as there was no sewage system. It was only in the 15th century, in Nuremberg and Lübeck, that the first street cleaning services appeared. It was during this period that vacuum cleaner workshops appeared in large European cities.

How were Renaissance cities formed?

The revival of life and the transition to manufacturing gave impetus to the formation of large cities. Now the first urban management systems began to appear. The primary task of providing for the population was the organization of water supply and sewerage services. Later, the construction of waste incineration stations began, and machines for cleaning streets began to be used. Public transport gradually increased in development. Gas street lighting appeared in the 19th century. Afterwards, they began to use kerosene lamps. It was only towards the end of the century that electricity began to be used.

How cities were built in the post-industrial period

The number of urban populations is constantly growing, and along with them, cities. The adjacent villages are gradually being built up, as they can no longer cope with the number of residents. Thus, entire intercity agglomerations with a huge number of residents appear. Often the city center is no longer considered prestigious, and people move to newly built prestigious areas on the outskirts of the city.

The main feature of this period is the development of absolutely all urban management systems. It includes priority areas of development, including the city’s infrastructure, which contributes to the quality of life of the population.

Cities that appeared under Peter 1

During the era of the famous Russian Tsar, the feudal system was abandoned, manufacturing began to develop, and therefore more and more people needed quality housing. Thus, social structures were consolidated, the urban economy developed, and urban planning acquired an impressive scale. Thus, many cities built during the time of Peter 1 exist and flourish to this day. These are St. Petersburg, Verkhne-Kamchatsk, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Taganrog. But, unfortunately, the technologies of the Russian Empire did not reach the scale of Europe, and at the beginning of the 20th century, only 20% of cities had water pipes.

The city, as a system, appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century, with the advent of power plants, urban transport and conditions for normal living of the population.

Before naming the most ancient cities of Russia, it is necessary to clarify what is meant, an original Russian city that originally arose on the lands of Rus', or a settlement located on the territory of modern Russia. In the second case, the answer will be clear - this is Derbent. It has been known about since the 6th century BC, when there was no Rus' at all.

Territory inhabited since time immemorial

Of course, as excavations show, there were ancient settlements everywhere, including on the territory of Moscow. And in Crimea, on the White Rock, a skeleton of a mother and child was found, which is 150,000 years old.

Later, during the Copper Age (Chalcolithic), settlements were already protected in every possible way, a prototype of fortresses appeared - a fortified settlement was erected on a high place, a fence was built near the river. Archaeologists still have a lot of work to do - there are already hundreds of excavated settlements on the territory of our country belonging to various temporary cultures. Herodotus mentions the wooden city of Gelon, which, according to some scientists, could be located on the territory of present-day Saratov. Much is known about the existence, especially in the Crimea, of ancient cities such as Tiras and Olbia, Tanais and Phanagoria. These cities and many others shaped medieval Rus'. Based on the above, we can conclude that Rurik did not come out of nowhere.

One of many

There are many lists of ancient Russian cities and they all differ. In some, some settlements are indicated, in some others, the dates of formation do not always coincide. Scientists argue, and new data appear. Below is one of the lists.

		Dates of foundation
	Velikiy Novgorod
	Rostov Veliky
	Belozersk
	Veliky Izborsk
	Smolensk
	Vladimir
	Yaroslavl

Several Yet

The most ancient cities in Russia are those whose names sound more familiar, and their origin dates back to us closer to the 9th century. Researchers do not have complete agreement on which city of Rus' should be considered the most ancient; all the lists differ - somewhere the first line is occupied by Veliky Novgorod, somewhere by Staraya Ladoga (in another version it occupies the fifth line), somewhere by Murom. Izborsk, which was a suburb of Pskov under Princess Olga (10th century), is rarely mentioned in articles, and in some lists it occupies second place. The year of foundation is indicated as 862. Polotsk and Rostov, Murom and Ladoga, Beloozero, Smolensk and Lyubich are considered to be the same year. The list of “The Most Ancient Cities of Russia” continues with Pskov, whose date of birth is 903, followed by Uglich, Trubchevsk, Bryansk, Vladimir, Rostov. Suzdal was founded in 999. Kazan in 1005, Yaroslavl in 1010.

Novgorod is the oldest

Most often, the list is headed by Veliky Novgorod, first mentioned in the Novgorod Chronicle of 859. The mention is associated with Rurik, who came to Rus' from Ladoga (based on this information, in some lists this settlement is indicated under the first number). The advantageous location made Novgorod already by the middle of the 9th century the center of the northwestern lands and the first capital of Ancient Rus'. The city is a major cultural, political and commercial center, exchanging goods with many foreign countries.

But in 882, Prince Oleg conquers Kyiv and makes it his capital and leaves Novgorod. The city continued to develop quite successfully, becoming the first “window to Europe” for Rus'. It may be noted that the first bishop arrived in Veliky Novgorod in 989.

Year of the construction boom

The second number in some list of “The Most Ancient Cities of Russia” is Belozersk, founded in 862. I wonder whose efforts laid the foundation for so many cities this year? Beloozero (the second name of the city) was moved several times - either it would flood it, or a pestilence would destroy half the population. Trade routes passed through it along the Sheksna and Mologa rivers to the Volga and beyond. Both Novgorod and Belozersk are cities with a rich history, they still exist, but in this article they are interesting precisely as ancient cities of Russia.

The list continues with the well-known Murom, thanks to the great prisoner Ilya. The history of this outpost dates back to the settlement of Oka by the Finnish Muroma tribe. The city was the capital of the Murom-Ryazan principality. Due to the fact that it was in the border zone, the city was constantly subject to raids. In 862, Polotsk (Polotesk) was founded at the mouth of the Polota River at its confluence with the Western Dvina. Polotsk became part of the Old Russian state in 907, there is documentary evidence of this. At the same time, the city of Rostov was built on the shores of Lake Nero, which later became part of the Rostov-Suzdal Principality.

Next on the list

Smolensk was founded a year later in 863. It is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. The advantageous position on the Dnieper contributed to the rapid establishment of the capital of the Krivichi people. Smolensk is part of Kievan Rus as a strong principality. Pskov and Uglich, Bryansk and Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Kursk and Ryazan, Vladimir, Kostroma and Tver are also ancient cities of Russia. Moscow also completes the list. But these are younger entities. Thus, Tver was founded in 1208. Initially, the city was part of the Novgorod principality, and then was annexed to the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. All these cities are the historical heritage of our country.

The history of the famous route

About 40 years ago, the newspaper “Soviet Russia” published a number of articles about ancient Russian cities concentrated on the territory of several nearby regions. The golden-domed churches of these cities, located in a closed ring, gave their name to the new tourist route. “The Golden Ring of Russia” was born from newspaper essays; the term was coined by the writer Yuri Bychkov. Initially, this route included only eight of the most ancient Russian cities - Moscow and Sergiev Posad, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky and Rostov the Great, Uglich and Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Ples, Suzdal and Vladimir, with one more point between them - Bogolyubovo. These cities were selected according to a certain principle. For example, they present all types of ancient Russian architecture, the development of which can be traced in stages.

Unofficial center

The route was gaining popularity, it became a cult, but many ancient settlements were not covered. And now, the “Golden Ring of Russia” already includes 20 cities, special routes are being created to visit other famous points.

There are cruises on the Volga under this name. The unofficial but generally recognized capital of the entire Golden Ring is Vladimir, a city located 193 km from Moscow, where the route begins and ends. The Pearl of the Ring was founded in 1108. Vladimir Monomakh, who was actively involved in urban planning, founded a wooden fortress and surrounded it with an earthen rampart. The city owes its prosperity to his grandson Andrei Bogolyubsky. The famous Vladimir Icon was brought to the city by him, and he also built the amazing Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God for it. In 1157, Vladimir became the capital of the Old Russian state. The city continues to actively develop. Since that time, many monuments have been preserved, and this center of ancient architecture amazes with its beauty preserved in its original form. The main attractions of the city are the Golden Gate, built in 1164, the Assumption Cathedral, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 12th century, and Demetrius Cathedral, famous for its white stone carvings. These are not all the historical and architectural monuments that Vladimir is rich in.

Famed for warriors

All the cities of the Golden Ring amaze and fascinate with their original Russian beauty. Some occupy special niches. Thus, the city of Murom, instead of which Ivanovo sometimes appears in the list of 8 cities, is the oldest city in Russia. He, mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, remained pagan for a very long time. After the murder of Yaroslav the Wise's great-grandson Mikhail in Murom, his father, his grandfather's namesake, Prince Yaroslav besieged the city, and, taking it, forcibly baptized the inhabitants in 1097. Murom was destroyed by Batu, later it was ruined three times by the Tatars, it was plundered during the Time of Troubles, but its warriors were always in the forefront of the defenders of the Motherland. Murom city

gave Rus' the most famous hero Ilya Muromets.

Handsome Suzdal

Just to list the monasteries, churches and bell towers of Suzdal, the open-air museum, not even a page is enough. Ancient monastery walls, bell towers and gate churches - dozens of beautiful objects represent Russian architecture from the 12th to the 19th centuries. The city of Suzdal has a special attraction. White stone churches and ancient monuments, of which there are up to 200 in the city-museum, are under the protection of UNESCO. This beautiful city was first mentioned in chronicles from 1024. Now everything is being done to attract more tourists. Street vendors selling souvenirs and mead, buffoons and horse-drawn carriages have created an atmosphere of endless celebration in the city.

Veliky Novgorod, due to its remoteness, is not included in the Golden Ring of Russia.

The rise of the Kremlin. All Saints Bridge and the Kremlin at the end of the 17th century. A. Vasnetsov. 1922

After much debate, historians have decided on the year the capital was founded - 1147. But the day and month of its formation are still in question. According to some reports, this day is today, April 5th. Where did the official date come from? And is it as clear as the history textbooks claim?

Memory of Moscow lands

Archaeological excavations show that the territory of modern Moscow and the Moscow region has been inhabited since ancient times. The earliest finds - stone and bone axes, knives, fishhooks and arrowheads - traces of the so-called Lyalovo culture - are attributed by experts to the Neolithic era (the later period of the Stone Age). For example, on the territory of the village of Dyakovo (now the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve), a primitive site dating back to the 4th millennium BC was discovered, and in the Orekhovo-Zuevsky district - almost a thousand years older.

The Fatyanovo culture marks the transition to the development of metal. In the Moscow region, for example in Istra and Iksha, archaeologists have studied many burial grounds (burials) from the end of the 3rd millennium BC. So it became known that nomadic herders lived here, who used tools and jewelry made of bronze.

Obvious signs of sedentary life are demonstrated by the monuments of the Dyakovo culture, which archaeologists date back to more than a thousand years - from the 7th century BC to the 7th-8th centuries AD. The bones of domestic animals, iron sickles and grain graters indicate that Finno-Ugric tribes, such as the Merya and Ves, were actively engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding.

Finally, scientists attribute the earthen mounds of the 10th-11th centuries to Slavic tribes: on the lands of modern Moscow the Vyatichi lived mainly, and in the north of the present Moscow region, above Klyazma, the Krivichi.

Traces of Slavic settlements are found in almost all areas with access to water: Dyakovo, Fili, Kuntsevo, Matveevsky, Brateevsky, Zyuzin... The oldest Moscow house is considered to be the dwelling of a Vyatichi artisan, discovered near the modern Patriarchal Chambers of the Kremlin. It was probably part of a complex of buildings surrounded by a triangular ditch, which was filled in at the beginning of the 12th century. Archaeologists discovered its outline near the current Grand Kremlin Palace.

Referring to chronicles and legends, some historians even list the names of Vyatichi settlements, in which the names of such modern districts as Vorobyovo, Vysotskoye, Kulishki, Kudrino, Simonovo, Sushchevo are recognizable.

Chronicles: facts and questions

“In the summer of 6655. Gyurga went to fight the Novgorochka volost, and came to take the New Trade and take all the revenge; and Yuri came to Svyatoslav and ordered him to fight the Smolensk volost; and Svyatoslav marched and took the people of Golyad, the top of Porotva, and so Svyatoslav’s squad was swarmed. And Gyurgi sent a speech: “Come to me, brother, in Moscow.” Svyatoslav rode to him with his child Olg, in a small squad, taking Volodyamer Svyatoslavich with him; Oleg rode ahead to Gyurgevi, and let him be forgiven. And his father Svyatoslav came for him, and so kindly kissed, on the day of heels, to the praise of the Holy Mother of God, and so there was joy. On the morning of the same day, Gyurgi commanded to arrange a strong dinner, and do great honor to them, and give many gifts to Svyatoslav, with love, and to his sons Olgovi and Volodymyr Svyatoslavich...”

According to ancient tradition, the year 6655 was counted from the creation of the world; in modern chronology this is the 1147th. Prince Yuri (George) Dolgoruky, son of Vladimir Monomakh, just invites another prince, Svyatoslav Olgovich, to a feast. Neither the status of the settlement nor the prince’s attitude towards its origin are indicated in any way.

These moments are revealed by another source - the Tver Chronicle: “In the same summer (1156) the Great Prince Yuri Volodymerich founded the city of Moscow on the Neglinnaya river above the Yauza River.” That is, the prince built a fortress; judging by archaeological excavations, it occupied the southwestern corner of the modern Kremlin.

The catch is that historians trust this source much less: the earliest surviving copy of the Ipatiev Chronicle dates back to the 15th century, and the Tver Chronicle to the 16th century. There is information that in 1156 Yuri Dolgoruky was in Kyiv and could hardly have been involved in construction on Moscow lands. This gives reason to believe that in fact the fortress was founded by Yuri’s son, Andrei Bogolyubsky.

City's legends

There are other versions of the appearance of Moscow. A branch of works under the general title “The Legend of the Conception of Moscow and the Krutitsa Bishopric” appeared at the end of the 17th century. Here, the clearly fictional prince Daniil Ivanovich is looking for a place to found a royal city. In the forests he meets a spotted beast with three heads. The prince's adviser, the Greek Vasily, interprets this meeting as a sign: the kingdom will be triangular, inhabited by a variety of people. On the territory of the future city, two points are identified: the island where the hermit Bukal lives becomes the site of the royal court (fortress), and the hill where a certain Roman Podon lives becomes the site for the Krutitsky monastery. The city was founded in 6720 (1212).

Although the “Tale” contains a lot of fiction, a historical grain is also present in it: the creation of the Krutitsy metochion is attributed to Prince Daniil of Moscow precisely in the 13th century.

But this “box” of Moscow legends does not end there! There is also “The Legend of the Founding of Moscow by Oleg,” or “The Beginning of the Reigning City of Moscow,” which researchers also date back to the second half of the 17th century. In it, the governor of Rurik, Prince Oleg, is declared the founder of Moscow, and the event itself is dated to the year 6388 (880). After Oleg, Igor Rurikovich became the prince of all Russian lands. The narrative, compressed to the limit, literally emphasizes a very important (for the establishment of princely power) point: the unknown author notes that Igor descends from the “Caesar of Rome” Augustus. Thus, there is no longer even a need for the formula: Russia is actually called the heir of Rome.

Disputed date

Although the legends listed are literary monuments, historians have paid a lot of attention to them. The first mentions of these texts are found in Vasily Tatishchev. Nikolai Karamzin disparagingly called them fairy tales. But Ivan Zabelin, one of the first directors of the Historical Museum, was not so categorical: he believed that there was a certain rational grain in the legends.

But even without legends, historians have something to argue about. In addition to 880, 1147 and 1156, sources allegedly based on chronicles also mentioned other dates for the founding of Moscow, for example 1117 and 1140. This confused few people for the time being, or rather, until the 1840s. The first serious discussion arose in connection with the upcoming 700th anniversary of the city and took place on the pages of Moskovityanin, Moskovskie Vedomosti and other periodicals.

However, it was serious more in the intensity of passions than in its subject matter. Karamzin in the “History of the Russian State,” in accordance with the Ipatiev Chronicle, authoritatively declared the year 1147 to be “correct.” Moreover, he named the exact date of the meeting of the princes - March 28 (the Feast of the Praise of the Virgin Mary). Professor I.M. was the first to decide to challenge it. Snegirev: citing shifts in the church calendar, he “moved” the event to April 5. Karamzin’s version was supported by M.P. Pogodin and A.I. Herzen, Snegirev’s version - his student P.V. Khavsky and young Ivan Zabelin. The dispute actually ended in nothing: by decree of Emperor Nicholas I, Moscow modestly, almost imperceptibly, celebrated the anniversary... January 1, 1847.

At the end of the 19th century, historians no longer actually argued, but adhered to democratic pluralism - everyone expressed their point of view. Some researchers were impressed by the version about the founding of Moscow by Prince Oleg, others called it “a fiction of later scribes.”

Moscow celebrated the next anniversary, the 800th anniversary, in September 1947. Historians again found themselves out of work: the date was personally set by Joseph Stalin, and there was no one willing to argue with the “father of nations.” The tradition was revived in 1997, and since then the holiday has become an annual event.

Science does not stand still: archaeological excavations in different areas of Moscow are still ongoing, and new artifacts give rise to continued discussion about the age of the city. For example, a settlement discovered on the territory of the Danilovsky Monastery dates back to the 9th century; Traces of buildings found near Red Square also date back to the 9th-10th centuries. The findings raise many questions. All this makes some researchers say that Moscow may be 200-300 years older than according to the generally accepted version established by Karamzin.

More cautious or skeptical scientists ask to keep a few important points in mind. Firstly, the concepts should be differentiated. If a group of buildings is enough for a settlement, then a city requires something more - the presence of defensive structures, at least ramparts and ditches, and minimal infrastructure, in modern terms, for example, pavements.

Secondly, the creation of the city must be considered as a cultural and political fact. In medieval Eastern Europe, only a prince could assign city status to a settlement. As a rule, such an important event was noted in the chronicles, which is why they are considered the main source on “administrative” issues.

Used sources

1. Kantorovich I.V. From the history of Moscow. - M.: MIROS, 1997. - P. 5-22.
2. Veksler A.G., Melnikova A.S. Moscow treasures. - M.: Moscow worker, 1988. - P. 26-56.
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The word “Perm” has long been known on Russian soil. This was the name of the lands that belonged to the Komi-Permyaks - Old Perm and Vychegda Perm. Here the Novgorodians collected tribute and traded. The hero of many Komi fairy tales and legends is Pera the hero. It is possible that the name came from his name. In the 17th century, these territories belonged to the Stroganov merchants.

In the middle of the 17th century, in our area there was a village of only two or three courtyards. There are records about him from the local governor Prokopiy Elizarov. The successful location of these courtyards on the banks of two rivers at once - the Kama and Yegoshikha - was a decisive factor for the emergence of the city.

When the Northern War with Sweden began, the state felt the need for new factories. The very origin of the word “factory” is interesting - a place near the water. In those days, only near high water could such an enterprise operate. The hero of the Battle of Poltava, Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev, came to our region. He was sent here by the Berg Commission on the orders of Peter I, with the task of finding places for new construction. The candidacy was not chosen by chance. Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev was a captain-lieutenant of artillery, manager of the Ural factories, a famous historian and geographer.

Thus, in the village on two rivers, chosen by Tatishchev, by 1724 a copper smelter was built. This was the beginning of the city of Perm. In addition to the village of Yegoshikha (Bryukhanova), other ancient settlements later became part of the city - the village of Zaostrovka, the village of Verkhnie Mully.

Egoshikha Copper Smelter

Plan of the Yegoshikha copper smelter. 1735

By the second half of the 18th century. production grew, there were already 400 yards around it,there was a stone church, which replaced a wooden one, the village of Yegoshikha became “a real mountain town.”

According to contemporaries, the rapid development of trade in the “mountain town” of Yegoshikha was explained by the fact that the road from the center of Russia to Siberia passed through the settlement. Goods from the Makaryevskaya fair were delivered to Yegoshikha along the Kama. And whole caravans of ships carried goods. At the Yegoshikhinskaya pier, the ships unloaded and sent goods further. And the caravans went back with the products of the Ural and Siberian mining factories.

The Egoshikha settlement was destined to become the center of a huge governorate.

Catherine II, carrying out the reform of 1775, gave orders to Prince Meshchersky - the Kazan governor - to find the most convenient place to locate the provincial city of the created Perm governorship.

Meshchersky chose Yegoshikha. He liked the location of the plant and recommended renaming the settlement a provincial town.

Catherine II appointed Lieutenant General Evgeniy Petrovich Kashin as governor of Perm and Tobolsk. The lieutenant general traveled around the Western Urals and in his report to the empress dated September 25, 1780, indicated that Yegoshikha was the most suitable place for turning into a provincial town.

Egoshikha

The settlement was declared a provincial town on November 16, 1780. This was the reign of Catherine the Great, who bore the title of Princess of Perm. Three years later, in July, the coat of arms was established.

The founding date of Perm is considered to be May 15 (4), 1723 - the day the Yegoshikha copper smelter was founded. Second birth - October 18, 1781. This is the date of the official opening of the Perm governorship and the provincial city of Perm. On that day, the mayor Pyotr Yegorovich Shavkunov gave a speech based on historical facts - from the small village of Bryukhanova to the foundation of the Yegoshinsky plant. The official date of birth of the city, after much debate, today is recognized as the time of the birth of the plant, from which the history of Perm began. Perm will soon turn 300 years old. For some time (1940-1957) the city was called Molotov.

The further history of the city is a separate rich topic. This includes numerous construction of buildings and highways, new enterprises, cultural and educational institutions, and the opening of the railway. These are thousands of names of our ancestors who lived and worked on this land. These are their lives, their destinies, their deeds and thoughts.

Since 1983, the city day in Perm has been celebrated on one of the Sundays in June, and since 1994 - on June 12 - on Russia Day.

Marina Ryzhova