Ryurikovo Gorodishche

Ryurikovo Gorodishche (, , ), also known as Novgorodskoye Gorodishche (), or simply Gorodishche, was a medieval settlement located south of the Novgorod Detinets in Veliky Novgorod, Russia.

Founded in the 9th century, it lies within the boundaries of the modern city and is considered the direct predecessor of the site of present-day Veliky Novgorod. The archaeological site covers an area of approximately and is located on the right bank of the Volkhov River, where it flows out of Lake Ilmen.

Part of the Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it includes the original residence of the princes of Novgorod, connected with the names of many famous political figures of medieval Russia.

Name

Since the 19th century, it has been called Ryurikovo Gorodishche in honor of Rurik. Before then, the tract, as well as the adjacent village, was called simply Gorodishche; the word Ryurikovo was added under the influence of Russian chronicle legends that identify the settlement with Rurik.Рюриково городище // Great Soviet Encyclopedia in 30 volumes – Volume 22. – 3rd ed. – Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia Publishing House, 1975. – p. 459.Янин В., Алешковский М. Х. Происхождение Новгорода (К постановке проблемы) // История СССР. — 1971. — № 2. — С. 32—61.

The Old Norse name is usually identified with Veliky Novgorod, although it may also have referred to Gorodishche.

History The settlement is identified as the capital of the Slovenes before the arrival of Rurik. Following his arrival, it became the capital of his state. In the 9th and 10th centuries, it was a military-administrative center as well as a major trade and craft center. It also served as the residence of the prince of Novgorod and his retinue.

In the early 11th century, Yaroslav the Wise moved his princely residence to Yaroslav's Court in Novgorod, but the palace, gridnitsa (hall for junior retainers), administrative buildings, and workshops in Gorodishche remained in use.

Gorodishche is first mentioned in the Novgorod First Chronicle in 1103 in connection with the construction of the Church of the Annunciation under Mstislav Vladimirovich, the second stone church to be built in northern Russia after St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, during the period when the grand princes of Moscow grew in power (annexing Novgorod in 1478), several grand princes stayed at Gorodishche, including Vasily II, Ivan III, Vasily III, and Ivan IV.

Ryurikovo Gorodishche

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