Usually, the history of Eastern Europe, which was inhabited by the Slavs, begins to be studied from the foundation of Kievan Rus. According to official theory, this is the first state in these lands that the world knew about, was reckoned with, and rulers respected. One after another, ancient cities arise in Ancient Rus, and this process stopped only with the invasion of the Mongols. With the invasion of the horde, the state itself, fragmented between the numerous descendants of the princes, goes into oblivion. But we will talk about its heyday, we will tell you what the ancient cities of Russia were like.
A little bit about the country
The term "Ancient Russia" is usually referred to as a state, united around Kiev, which existed from the ninth to the middle of the thirteenth centuries. In fact, it was a union of principalities, the population of which was Eastern Slavs, subordinate to the Grand Duke. This union occupied vast territories, had its own army (squad), established rules of law.
When the ancient cities in Ancient Russia adopted Christianity, the active construction of stone temples began. The new religion further strengthened the power of the Prince of Kiev and contributed to foreign policy relations with European states, the development of cultural ties with Byzantium and other highly developed countries.
Gardarika
The emergence of cities in ancient Russia was stormy. No wonder in Western European annals it is called Gardarika, that is, the country of cities. From written sources dating from the 9th-10th centuries, 24 large settlements are known, but it can be assumed that there were many more. The names of these settlements were, as a rule, Slavic. For example, Novgorod, Vyshgorod, Beloozero, Przemysl. By the end of the twelfth century, the role of cities in Ancient Russia was truly invaluable: there were already 238 of them, they were well-fortified, and they were centers of politics, trade, education and culture.
The structure and characteristics of ancient settlements
A city in Ancient Russia is a settlement for which a place was carefully chosen. The territory should be convenient in terms of defense. On the hill, as a rule, in the separation from the river, a fortified part (Kremlin) was constructed. Residential buildings were located closer to the river, in the lowlands or, as they said, on the hem. Thus, the first cities of Ancient Rus consisted of the central part - the Detinets, well-protected, and a more convenient, but less safe trade and craft part. A little later, settlements, or foothills, arise in the settlements.
The ancient cities in Ancient Russia were built not of stone, like most settlements in Western Europe at that time, but of wood. From here came the verb “cut down” the city, not build. The fortifications formed a protective ring of wooden log cabins filled with earth. It was possible to get inside only through the gate.
It is worth noting that in ancient Russia, the city was called not only a settlement, but also a fence, a fortress wall, a fortress. In addition to the children’s building, which housed the main buildings (cathedral, square, treasury, library), and the trade and craft district, there was always a trading area and a school.
Mother of Russian cities
It is this epithet that historians awarded the main city of the state. The capital of Ancient Russia was the city of Kiev - beautiful and very convenient in terms of geographical location. People lived in this area already 15-20 thousand years ago. The legendary prince Kiy, the founder of the village, probably lived during the period of Chernyakhov culture. The Veles Book claims that he was a native of the South Baltic and lived approximately in the middle of the second century. But the source of the city itself dates back to Scythian times, which echoes the message of Herodotus about chipped. Perhaps the Polyansky prince did not lay the city, but only strengthened it and made it a reference. Academician Rybakov believes that Kiev was founded later, in the 5-6th century, when the Slavs actively populated the territories above the Dnieper and Danube, advancing to the Balkan Peninsula.
The emergence of cities in Ancient Russia after Kiev was logical, since behind the fortified walls people felt safe. But at the dawn of the development of the state, the capital city of glades was part of the Khazar Kaganate. In addition, Kiy met with the Byzantine emperor, presumably with Anastasius. About who ruled the city after the death of its founder is unknown. History names only the names of the last two rulers before the arrival of the Vikings. Prophetic Oleg without bloodshed took control of Kiev, made it his capital, drove the nomads, crushed the Khazar Khanate and went on the offensive on Constantinople.
Golden time of Kiev
The campaigns of Oleg and his successor Igor, as well as Svyatoslav the Brave, did not contribute to the development of the city. Its borders have not expanded since the time of Kiy, but a palace was already rising in it, pagan and Christian temples were built. Prince Vladimir took up the arrangement of the settlement, and after the baptism of Rus, stone shrines grow in it, the mounds of the former gods are compared with the earth. Under Yaroslav, St. Sophia Cathedral and the Golden Gate are being built, and the territory of Kiev and its population are increasing several times. Crafts, typography, and education are rapidly developing. There are more and more cities in Ancient Russia, but the city of Kiya still remains the main one. Today, in the central part of the Ukrainian capital, you can see the buildings erected during the heyday of the state.
Sights of the Ukrainian capital
The ancient cities in Ancient Russia were very beautiful. And of course, the capital is no exception. Today, architectural monuments of that time provide an opportunity to present the splendor of Kiev. The most outstanding attraction is the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, founded by the monk Anthony in 1051. The complex includes stone temples decorated with paintings, cells, underground caves, fortress towers. The Golden Gate built under Yaroslav the Wise is a unique memorial of defensive architecture. Today there is a museum inside, and around the building there is a square with a monument to the prince. It is worth visiting the famous St. Sophia Cathedral (1037), St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral of the Vydubychi Monastery (XI - XII centuries), Kirillovskaya, Trinity Gate Church, Church of the Savior on Berestove (all XII century).
Velikiy Novgorod
The large cities of Ancient Russia are not only capital Kiev. Novgorod is also beautiful, which has survived until today, since it was not touched by the Mongols. Subsequently, to emphasize the important role of the settlement in history, the prefix “Great” was added to the official name of the authorities.
The amazing city, divided by the Volkhov River, was founded in 859. But this is the date when the settlement was first mentioned in written sources. The chronicle mentions that in 859 the Novgorod governor Gostomysl died, and, therefore, Novgorod arose earlier, long before Rurik was called to the principality. Archaeological excavations have shown that people settled in these lands since the fifth century. In the eastern chronicles of the tenth century, mention is made of al-Slavia (Slava, Salau), one of the cultural centers of the Rus. By this city is meant Novgorod or its predecessor - the old city of the Ilmen Slavs. It is also identified with the Scandinavian Holmgard, the capital of Gardariki.
Features of the capital of the Novgorod Republic
Like all major cities of Ancient Russia, Novgorod was divided into parts. There were quarters of craft and workshop purposes, residential areas without streets, and fortifications. The child is formed already in 1044. In addition to it, the rampart and the White (Alekseevskaya) tower have survived to this day. In 1045-1050, the St. Sophia Cathedral was built in the city, a little later - Nikolo-Dvorishchensky, St. George and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
When the Veche Republic is formed, architecture flourishes in the city (a Novgorod architectural school arises). The princes lost the right to build temples, but then the townspeople, merchants, and philanthropists were actively engaged in this. As a rule, people's dwellings were wooden, and only religious buildings were erected from stone. It is noteworthy that already at that time in Novgorod a wooden water supply system was functioning, and the streets were paved with paving stones.
Glorious Chernihiv
Studying the large cities of Ancient Russia, one cannot but mention Chernihiv. In the vicinity of the modern settlement, people lived already in the 4th millennium BC. But as hail, it was first mentioned in written sources in 907. After the battle of Listvy in 1024, Mstislav Vladimirovich, brother of Yaroslav the Wise, makes Chernigov his capital. Since then, it has been actively developing, growing and building up. The Ilyinsky and Yeletsky monasteries are erected here, which for a long time become the spiritual centers of the principality, the territory of which extended to Murom, Kolomna and Tmutarakan.
The invasion of the Mongol-Tatars stopped the peaceful development of the city, which was burned down by the troops of Genghiside Munke in October 1239. From princely times, several architectural masterpieces have come down to the present, from which tourists begin their acquaintance with the city. This Spassky Cathedral (XI century), Elias Church, Borisoglebsky and Assumption Cathedrals, Eletsky Assumption Monastery (all - XII century.), Pyatnitskaya Church of St. Paraskeva (XIII century.). Anthony Caves (11th – 19th centuries) and the Black Grave mounds, Gulishche and Bezymyanny are noteworthy.
Old Ryazan
There was another city that played an exceptional role. There were many cities in Ancient Russia, but not each of them was the center of the principality. Ryazan, completely destroyed by Batu Khan, has not been reborn. In 1778, Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky, which is 50 km away from the old princely settlement, was given a new name - Ryazan, but they use it with the prefix "New". The ruins of the ancient Russian city today are of great interest to historians and archaeologists. Only the remnants of the fortifications occupy over sixty hectares. The archaeological reserve also includes the ruins of guard outposts, the fortress of New Olgov, near which the All-Russian Rodnovertsky Sanctuary was sheltered.
Amazing Smolensk
In the upper reaches of the Dnieper is an ancient and very beautiful city. The toponym Smolensk goes back to the name of the Smolnya river or to the name of the Smolyan tribe. It is also likely that the city was named in honor of the fact that it lay on the way from the Varangians to the Greeks and was the place where travelers tarred boats. It was first mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years" under 862 and is called the center of the Krivichi tribal union. In the campaign to Constantinople, Askold and Dir bypassed Smolensk, as it was greatly fortified. In 882, the city was captured by Oleg the Prophet and became part of his state.
In 1127, the city became the inheritance of Rostislav Mstislavich, who in 1146 ordered the construction of the Church of Peter and Paul on Gorodanka, the Church of St. John the Evangelist. Before the Mongol invasion, Smolensk reaches its highest peak. It occupied about 115 hectares, and 40 thousand people in eight thousand houses constantly lived there. The Horde invasion did not touch the city, which allowed him to preserve many architectural monuments. But from the time he lost his meaning and fell under the dependence of other principalities.
Other cities
As we see, the high development of the cities of Ancient Russia allowed them to be not only the political center of the regions, but also establish external relations with other countries. For example, Smolensk had close relations with Riga, and there are legends about Novgorod’s trade relations. And what other settlements existed in Russia?
- Polotsk, located on a tributary of the Western Dvina. Today it is located in Belarus and is loved by tourists. The St. Sophia Cathedral (11th century, destroyed and rebuilt in the 18th century) and the oldest stone building in the country - the Transfiguration Cathedral (12th century) remind of the princely era in it.
- Pskov (903 year).
- Rostov (862 year).
- Suzdal (862 year).
- Vladimir (990 year). The city is included in the Golden Ring of Russia, it is famous for the Assumption and Dmitrievsky Cathedral, the Golden Gate.
- Murom (862), burned to the ground during the Mongol invasion, restored in the fourteenth century.
- Yaroslavl - the city on the Volga, founded by Yaroslav the Wise at the beginning of the tenth century.
- Terebovlya (Galicia-Volyn principality), the first mention of the city is dated 1097.
- Galich (Galicia-Volyn principality), the first written mention of it is dated 1140. However, epics about Duke Stepanovich say that he was better than Kiev during the life of Ilya Muromets, and received baptism long before 988.
- Vyshgorod (946 year). The city was the inheritance of Princess Olga and her favorite place. It was here that three hundred concubines of Prince Vladimir lived before his baptism. Not a single building has been preserved from the Old Russian era.
- Pereyaslavl (modern Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky). In 907, it was first mentioned in written sources. Today in the city you can see the remains of fortifications of 10-11 centuries.
Instead of an afterword
Of course, we did not list all the cities of that glorious era in the history of the Eastern Slavs. And even more so, they could not fully describe them in the way they deserve it, due to the limited size of our article. But we hope that we have aroused interest in studying the past.