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Veliky Novgorod is situated in the north-west of the European part of
Russia, 180 kilometres away from Petersburg and 606 kilometres away from
Moscow.
Veliky Novgorod is a chance to learn the authentic history of Russia,
ill provided with written sources. Here the history appears as a visual
ensemble of material monuments - from domestic antiquities, found annually
during archaeological excavations, to monumental architectural buildings
of all centuries starting from the 10th century.
Definition of the date of foundation of the town was based on the
chronicles, but, according to some of them, the Novgorodians already
existed in 854, according to the others, in 859. The second date was
accepted as a starting point and in 1959 the 1100th anniversary of the town
was celebrated.
There is no other town in Russia except Novgorod that has played such an
important role in the history of our statehood at early stages of its
development
In the first centuries of history of our state Novgorod was the main
support of strong prince's power in Russia. In Novgorod Rurik's clan had
originated and gradually forced out all other Russian prince families in
numerous princedoms of Russia. Prince Oleg accomplished his campaign
against Kiev in 882. He seized Kiev and consolidated the two largest
unions of eastern Slavonic tribes: the Ilmen Slavs and the Polans. As a
result a new strong state - Kievan Rus - was formed in the East of
Europe.
The Novgorodian chronicles, started in 1077, are the oldest in Russia.
The oldest stone medieval castle in Russia - the Kremlin - is also situated
in Novgorod
In December 14, 1992 at the jubilee conference of the World Heritage
Committee UNESCO it was decided to include the historical monuments of
Novgorod and its suburbs into the List of World Heritage.
Novgorod became a member of International Union "The New Ganza
Time". 206 towns and 16 countries were included in the number of
participants.
In 1998 by the decree of the President of Russia the ancient name -
Veliky Novgorod - was given back to the town.
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