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Stara Varos Blog - Veliky Novgorod: where it all began

Veliky Novgorod, known as the «Cradle of Russian civilization» or the «Oldest City of Russia» is located some 570 northwest of Moscow and 190 south of St. Petersburg, almost right on the M10 federal highway.

During my visit in 2016, people of Novgorod seemed to be very proud of the fact that they live «where it all began» for Russia and of their Ilmen Slavs, Novgorod Slavs, or Slovenes ancestors, that eventually fell under the domain of the Kievan Rus' and the Varangian Rurik dynasty.

I was intrigued, so i did a research about the city. Tons of info are already provided through countless sources on the internet, but what i found very interesting comes from wiki: «..the Varangians (/vəˈrændʒiənz/; Old Norse: Væringjar; Greek: Βάραγγοι, Várangoi, Βαριάγοι, Variágoi) was the name given by Greeks, Rus' people, and others to Vikings, who between the 9th and 11th centuries ruled the medieval state of Kievan Rus', settled among many territories of modern Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, and formed the Byzantine Varangian Guard. According to the 12th-century Kievan Primary Chronicle, a group of Varangians known as the Rus' settled in Novgorod in 862 under the leadership of Rurik ..».

Later, i discovered the connection between Byzantium and Scandinavia, as Veliky Novgorod was a member of the Hanseatic League, a trade union of northern European cities that run the route from the Varangians to the Greeks. Furthermore, the city was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible in 1570, when the «Massacre of Novgorod» took place. The aftermath was the tens of thousands casualties and innumerable acts of extreme violent cruelty. It is said that in average Ivan killed up to 30 people per day during his reign, sometimes just to amuse himself by watching them being drowned. His attack contributed heavily to the decline of the once great city and the Novgorod Republic officially became a thing of the past.

Being within the fortified walls you realize that the city is older than the Russian state itself, as you are surrounded from some of the country’s oldest civil and religious architecture. [The definition and much of the data provided for the Kremlin and the Cathedral, come from Russia Beyond article 1 and article 2].

• The Kremlin

«Kremlin» (Кремль, kreml’) is the general name for town and city citadels in Russia. There were at one point probably about 400 kremlins across Russia and around 20 of them have been preserved to this day. «Detinets» is how a Kremlin, or a citadel, was called in ancient times in Russia.

The Novgorod Kremlin is the oldest in Russia, erected by Prince Yaroslav around the 10th century. It stands on a 10-meter hill on the bank of the river Volkhov. The fortress is 565 meters at its longest point, 220 meters at its widest point and the total length of the wall is 1,487 m. (in comparison, the Moscow Kremlin’s wall is 2,235 m. in total length). There are 9 preserved towers, however, 3 towers are gone. In the 11th-13th centuries, the Novgorod Detinets was an impregnable fortress taken only once.

The Novgorod Detinets houses the only Gothic civil building in Russia, a fascinating work of about 30 German architects and craftsmen. The Chamber was the main ceremonial hall of Velikiy Novgorod and there, in 1478, the order of Ivan the Great to subdue the lands of Novgorod to Moscow was proclaimed.

• Cathedral St. Sophia

The Cathedral of St. Sophia, completed in 1052, is the oldest church building in Russia and the oldest building of any kind still in use in the country. The paintings in the churches of Novgorod are treasures of Russian art. Theophanes the Greek, famous artist of the XIV century, worked there.

The original frescoes of St. Konstantin and Elena, as well as the 12th century priceless icon of the Sign of the Mother of God, which, according to legend, helped Novgorod in its battle against Suzdal, have been carefully preserved. The cathedral also holds the relics of Russian saints and princes. This astonishing piece of medieval architecture is 38 meters tall and has 5 domes.

• Russian Millennium Monument

The bronze monument itself weighs 100 tons and it was erected in 1862 to celebrate the millennium of Rurik's arrival to Novgorod, an event traditionally taken as a starting point of the history of Russian statehood.

It displays the most important historical events, periods and figures: The arrival of the Varangians in Rus, the Christianization of Rus, the Beginning of the expulsion of the Tatars, Ivan the Great and the Foundation of an independent Russian Tsardom, the Enthronement of the Romanov dynasty, the Creation of the Russian Empire.

• Court of Yaroslav

Across the river, right off the pedestrian bridge, the white arches indicate where the princely compound was located. It was the main area for trade in Novgorod and composed by several small churches, among which we still can find the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Church of Paraskeva or the Church of St. George, the Church of St. Procopius and the Church of the Myrrh-bearing Women.

I believe it is impossible to miss a bronze sculpture of a young lady, titled «Tourist» (a creation of the Russian artist Vadim Borovykh), as it is placed in the most picturesque place of the city.

So, if it is about to sunset, one can get glorious views to the city’s Kremlin and the Cathedral’s domes. It was completely random that my visit ended at that point, to Kremlevskiy Beach, a cool place to relax and feel the city’s laid back vibes.

Any approach of the city, guided only by the UNESCO monuments list, seems to me unfair. There are some remarkable landmarks also linked to the city’s history. For example, from the field of architecture: The Novgorod Drama Theatre.

Its bizarre shape caught my eyes, as it’s a typical late-brutalist design example. To be honest, i don’t really know much of the architectural trends in the Soviet Union, but i believe that, in general, it was not so usual to see abstract lined structures, especially buildings whose construction was approved and financed by the communist regime.

This fact makes it even more special and it is worth mentioning that «Fyodor Dostoevsky Theater of Dramatic Art» is a creation of the pioneer, let alone eccentric, Vladimir Somov. [4 fotos of teatrvn.ru follow]

One can also approach the city by its monuments related to military operations. Novgorod had a significant role in WW2 and it was awarded the title of «City of the Military Glory».

Throughout the city are scattered many memorials, like the «Monument of the Victory» that stands out near the Kremlin. I highlight the «Defense Line memorial».

Next to the T-34 Tank, on the stele, it is encrypted: «In August 1941, at that border the Hitler’s troops were stopped. 795 days and nights soldiers of the Volkhov war line blunted the attack of the enemy».

If you are interested for more details about the city’s monuments, the article «Memory of the Great Patriotic War in Veliky Novgorod» from VisitNovgorod.com is a great read.

I close my post with the following aerial picture of the city, that comes from Russia Beyond, where you can find many detailed articles about Veliky Novgorod and Russia in general.

2015 was probably the best year for me, in terms of traveling, as i rode my motorcycle abroad for about 25,000 km. Some of my trips, not including the one that follows, were on the Georgian side of Caucasus mt range, «The Greater Caucasus ride» and others in the wider Balkans, like «Alone in central Balkans» and «Scouting South Serbia». Also, the following year was just as exciting, as i repeated the kilometers i covered in 2015. Also, because i had my longest ride, 22-days of exploring western Russia, part of the Scandinavian and Baltic countries «Russia & Baltics».

Stara Varos Blog - Eastern European [radioactive] ride

Day 1: Thessaloniki, Hellas – Bucharest, Romania (~ 720 km)

It was still night when we met up just outside the city. I find sleeping at night before a ride a luxury, because of the anticipation of the trip and the violent sound of the alarm clock. Before dawn, we arrived at Komotini and left the country from the border station of Nymfaia.

Following I5 - E85 road within Bulgaria, we passed Kardzhali (Кърджали) and the town of Stara Zagora (Стара Загора) and had our first stop at the monument - former conference center «Buzludzha» (Бузлуджа).

The terrible traffic jam we encountered to approach, the ruined carcass of this brutalist communist structure, was explained as our visit coincided with the 124th anniversary of the founding of the socialist movement in Bulgaria (The Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP - Българска социалистическа партия, БСП).

I have been there several times, but for the first time in such a festive setting.

While in my 3 posts, under the title «Bulgaria: In search of concrete Titans» [Part I, Part II and Part III], extensive reference is made to socialist-inspired relics, this monument is not included, nor do i have more information about it.

Bypassing Veliko Tarnovo (Велѝко Тъ̀рново) and traffic jams from Ruse (Русе) to the Danube bridge.

We soon found ourselves in Bucharest and strolled through the Old Town.

Day 2: Bucharest, Romania – Chisinau, Moldova (~ 460 km)

We left Bucharest early to visit the island on the lake Snagov, where it is believed that the headless body found in the courtyard of the monastery belonged to Dracula.

We could not find the lake, we got lost several times, we suffered on dirt roads, dead ends, fallen bridges, until we ended up in garbage dumps and gave up trying.

We moved north on the E85 and then east on the E581, towards Moldova. The section Barlad - Husi up to the border, was a road of concrete slabs, paved side by side.

It reminded me of the route from Zugdidi to Mestia (Caucasus), although, to be honest, i would have preferred the Georgian mountain temperatures to the 40 Celsius degrees in the vast Romanian plains.

The heat was unbearable and we were in despair because we could not easily reach to Moldova.

Easy passage in the country and purchase of a vignette (40 lei).

The road network to Chisinau (Chișinău) was perfect.

After quickly settling into a hotel, we went for a walk in the city (almost with my slippers on).

For some reason it was not very crowded outside and there were few entertainment options, although we were in the center.

Finally to a casino, enjoying latin rhythms.

Day 3: Chisinau, Moldova – Tiraspol, Transnistria – Kiev, Ukraine (~ 620 km)

The initial goal of the day was to visit the city of Tiraspol (Тирасполь), located in the south, in an autonomous part of Moldova. The newborn state is struggling to gain international recognition and Tiraspol is considered the de facto capital and administrative centre of the unrecognised Transnistria, or Transdniestria, or, officially, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (shortlly, just PMR).

On Transnistrian territory and after a thorough inspection of documents and personal belongings, we were forced to issue a temporary permit for our motorcycles that cost around 145 Transnistrian rubles [note that Transnistrian rubles arent recognized as a currency anywhere in the world].

We were stopped by state authorities, for no obvious reason, on the bridge over the Dniester River and then twice on October 25th Street, in front of the monument that dominates a Τ34\85 tank.

Usual negotiations.

I have written an extensive article, entitled A glance in Transnistria and Tiraspol [PMR]. There, i explain the historical data concerning this «autonomous territorial unit», i try to answer the question: «Is PMR one of the last remnants of the USSR?» and i close with some advice for anyone thinking of visiting it. The following five photos are from this post.

Exit from Transnistria.

We returned to Chisinau, Moldova and headed to Dubasari, to exit to Ukraine.

Not an easy task, of course, since we had to cross again a part that belongs to the territorial jurisdiction of Transnistria. Their border guards had us waiting, under the August sun, for no particular reason.

Due to a «problem to your papers», they expressed a financial demand. I still don’t know why they harass travelers that much, when they are particularly interested in the image of the country abroad.

At the Ukrainian borders i experienced the strictest control i have ever received as a traveler. After deliberate delays, repeated questions about the purpose of our visit and the route in the country, they took photos of our motorcycles as well as their identification numbers (licence plates and frame numbers).

I understood later, that the check we passed from the authorities, was necesserary. At every intersection on the provincial road network, i was noticing military Humvees and other small armored vehicles, because of the recent Crimea events. So, them being cautious and strick during the control was justified. The reason why our vehicles were photographed was never officially explained. I just guess the collected data would be used in case we break the law.

The provincial road Ε584, starting at the border (near Platonove) until its intersection with the E95, was the worst 80 km i ever drove. The holes - craters on the road, gave me the impression that i was climbing the edge of a sidewalk with speed and of course when i returned to Thessaloniki the front rim was found damaged.

330 comfortable kilometers of highway followed and we were soon in the center of Kiev.

The day was huge and full. After a short walk for food, we returned to the rooms to rest.

Day 4: Kiev, Ukraine – Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (0 km)

After we met our guide and the driver in Kiev city center, we headed north to the army-secured area. We entered the «Chernobyl Exclusion Zone», the «30 Kilometer Zone», or simply «The Zone» from Dytiatky checkpoint. It is located on a branch of the P02 road, between Ivankiv (32km) and Chernobyl (23km).

Within the Zone we visited several sites: The abandoned village of Zalissya, inhabited only by one elderly woman, the completely buried village of Kopachi [only the kindergarten is still standing], the city of Chernobyl and the Fire Station.

We also approached the gates of the Nuclear Power Plant, where maintenance and restoration on the old concrete was performed, while the new sarcophagus was being constructed.

I was especially impressed of the so-called «Red Forest» and the secret Soviet radar «Duga-1».

Personally, the top spot of interest within the Zone was the town of Pripyat. There once lived about fifty thousand people, mainly military personnel and top scientists from all over the Soviet Union, who were working at the C.N.P.P.

The city was evacuated the next day of the accident, with the promise that they would return in a short time, which of course never happened. It is the reason they left behind almost all their belongings.

Anyone who wants to know more, may follow the link of an earlier post of mine, entitled «Zone of Alienation». The relevant photos come from that post.

I highly recommend anyone to visit the «Zone» to discover that behind the controlled image of decline (by those who exploit the site’s fate), there was once a Soviet city - jewel and to experience the aftermath of the biggest tragedy of the 20th century.

We returned to Kiev in the late afternoon.

Day 5: Kiev, Ukraine – Iasi, Romania (~ 580 km)

We left Kiev early for Iasi, Romania.

First we rode on the E40 to Zhytomyr and then south on the M21, up to the border town of Mohyliv - Podilskyi, next to the river Dniester.

Within Moldova we covered about 160 km, mainly on E583 - R12 and soon we crossed the border and found ourselves in Romania, north of Iasi.

We spent some time to relax in a café overlooking the Grădină Publică Palas park, in front of the Palace of Culture, formerly the palace of the Phanariot prince of Moldavia and Wallachia Alexandros Mourouzis. The most remarkable event of the day took place in the city of Vinnytsia (Ukraine). There, a motorcyclist approached us on the street and introduced himself to us, as if we had known each other for years.

We did not know each other's language, but, as always, motorcycle solidarity overcomes linguistic and other obstacles. He insisted that we could not just leave and he invited us to a great place, where the local motorcycle club Zagul meets.

Thank you Igor for the treat, the stickers and those super cool tailor-patches of your club. We will be happy to make even for the hospitality in our place, Thessaloniki Hellas.

Day 6: Iasi – Sighisoara – Sibiu, Romania (~ 420 km)

The day included everything i like in Romania. Extremely beautiful natural landscapes, lakes, gorges, medieval castles and incredible country roads.

Initially we moved on the E58 and later on the provincial roads 28 and 15, up to the gorge Bicaz (Cheile Bicazului), where the Red Lake (Lacul Roşu) is located.

After a quick stop, the 12C and 13C roads led us to the birthplace of Vlad the 3rd, or Vlad the Impaler, or shortly Count Dracula. His name is permanently on every list about the most famous Romanians of all times.

The medieval town, with its colorful old houses and cobbled streets, is amazing and a walk within its walls is a must.

Its reference point is the 64 meters high Clock Tower, built in the 14th century.

The final part of the route, on the provincial road 14 brought us to Sibiu (German: Hermannstadt, Transylvanian Saxon: Härmeschtat).

It is probably the most beautiful city in Romania, at least from the ones i have visited, with numerous well preserved buildings. We walked around the main square and tested the legend on the «Bridge of Lies», this idiosyncratic lie detector, which ultimately did not bend from the weight of the lies we have told in our lives.

Day 7: Sibiu, Romania – Transalpina pass – Nis, Serbia (~ 530 km)

The route of the day started on the A1, up to the city Sebes (Sebeș), where the famous 67C road, known as Transalpina, begins.

In a previous post of mine about the mountain pass 7C in Romania, better known as Transfagarasan Highway, i tried to answer the question if it is the best motorcycle road and many had suggested Transalpina.

I will not disagree with anyone, as these two mountain passes are among the top roads in our Balkan neighborhood.

On a road like this one, the most difficult thing to do is to stop and take photos, since nature, together with the engineers, created a huge playground for motorcyclists.

Here follows a video of a «relaxed» [this is what my fellow traveler Lazaros still claims] uphill ride of the last section of Transalpina. Set to 1080p and enjoy:

Stara Varos Blog - Transalpina, Romania

The end of Transalpina, from north to south, is defined somewhere after the Cross monument and before the small town of Ranca (Rânca).

After passing the city Targu Jiu (Târgu Jiu), we moved towards the river Danube and the country's border with Serbia.

This point is called Iron Gates, due to the hydroelectric dam that connects the two countries. Very close there are findings from the first bridge built over the Danube in 105 AD, the bridge of the Roman emperor Trajan, designed by the Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus. The section of the route through Serbia [the country road 35: Negotin - Zajecar - Knjezavac] up to the city of Nis, was in a really poor condition and we reached the limits of our endurance.

The day ended with a short walk around the Nis city center.

Day 8: Nis, Serbia - Thessaloniki, Hellas (~ 420 km)

I always find totaly boring the kilometers on E75 highway. I close my post with the next photo i took just outside Nis, that shows a famous warlord of the Hellenic Revolution of 1821.

I wish «Freedom» to all those who, in these difficult days of covid-19, are under restraint, mental or other.

Veliky Novgorod: where it all began

Eastern European [radioactive] ride: Ukraine - Transnistria - Moldova - Romania

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