Usually the history of Eastern Europe that was inhabitedSlavs begin to study with the foundation of Kievan Rus. According to official theory, this is the first state in these lands, which was known in the world, it was considered, and the rulers were respected. One after another, the ancient cities in Ancient Russia arise, and this process stopped only with the invasion of the Mongols. With the invasion of the horde, the state itself, fragmented among the numerous descendants of the princes, goes into oblivion. But we will talk about its heyday, tell you what were the ancient cities of Russia.
The term "Ancient Russia" is usually calledthe state united around Kiev, which existed from the ninth to the middle of the thirteenth centuries. In fact, it was a union of principalities, whose population was Eastern Slavs, subordinate to the Grand Duke. This union occupied vast territories, had its own army (squad), established norms of law.
When the ancient cities in ancient Russia tookChristianity, began the active construction of stone temples. The new religion further strengthened the power of the Kiev prince and promoted foreign policy relations with European states, the development of cultural ties with Byzantium and other highly developed countries.
The emergence of cities in ancient Russia worestormy character. Not for nothing in the Western European annals it is called Gardarika, that is, the country of cities. From written sources dated to the IX-X centuries, about 24 large settlements are known, but it can be assumed that there were much more of them. The names of these settlements, as a rule, were 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, they were well fortified, were centers of politics, commerce, education and culture.
The city in Ancient Russia is a settlement, forwhose place was carefully chosen. The territory should be comfortable in terms of defense. On the hill, as a rule, in the separation from the river, a fortified part (the 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 Russia consisted of the central part — a Detinets, well-protected, and a more convenient, but less safe trade and craft part. A little later, settlements arise in the settlements, or foothills.
Ancient cities in ancient Russia were not built fromstone, like most settlements in Western Europe at that time, and made of wood. Hence the verb "cut down" the city, and not to build. The fortifications formed a barrier ring of wooden log houses filled with earth. It was possible to get inside only through the gate.
Стоит заметить, что в Древней Руси городом They called not only a town, but also a fence, a fortress wall, a fortress. In addition to the detinets, in which the main buildings were located (the cathedral, the square, the treasury, the library), and the trade and craft quarter, there was necessarily a trade square and a school.
Именно таким эпитетом наградили историки главный hail 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 Kyi, the founder of the settlement, probably lived in the period of Chernyakhov culture. The Veles Book states that he came from the South Baltic and lived around the middle of the second century. But the foundation of the hail itself, this source dates Scythian times, which echoes the message of Herodotus about chipping. Perhaps the prince of Polyansky did not pawn the city, but only strengthened it and made it a stronghold. Academician Rybakov believes that Kiev was founded later, in the 5-6 century, when the Slavs actively settled the territory over the Dnieper and Danube, moving to the Balkan Peninsula.
Возникновение городов в Древней Руси после Киева it was logical, because behind the fortified walls people felt safe. But at the dawn of the development of the state, the capital city of Polyan entered the Khazar Kaganate. In addition, Kiy met with the Byzantine emperor, presumably with Anastasius. About who hail after the death of its founder, is unknown. History names only the names of the last two rulers before the arrival of the Vikings. The prophetic Oleg, without bloodshed, captured Kiev, made it his capital, drove the nomads, crushed the Khazar kaganate and launched an offensive against Constantinople.
The hikes of Oleg and his successor Igor, as well asSvyatoslav the Brave did not contribute to the development of the city. Its borders have not been expanded since the time of Kyi, but a palace already stood in it, pagan and Christian temples were built. Prince Vladimir took up the settlement arrangement, and after the baptism of Russia, stone shrines grow in it, the mounds of the former gods are compared to the ground. Under Yaroslav, St. Sophia Cathedral and the Golden Gate are built, and the territory of Kiev and its population increase several times. Handicrafts, typography and education are rapidly developing. Cities in Ancient Russia is becoming more and more, but the city of Kiya still remains the main one. Today, in the central part of the Ukrainian capital, you can see buildings erected in the heyday of the state.
Ancient cities in ancient Russia were verybeautiful And of course, the capital is no exception. Today, architectural monuments of that time provide an opportunity to present the magnificence of Kiev. The most outstanding sight 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 monument of defensive architecture. Today there is a museum inside, and around the building there is a square, in which there is a monument to the prince. The famous St. Sophia Cathedral (1037), the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral of the Vydubitsky Monastery (XI - XII centuries), St. Cyril, Trinity Gate Church, Church of the Savior on Berestove (all XII century) are worth visiting.
Major cities of Ancient Russia are not onlyCapital Kiev. Novgorod is also the most 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 authorities added the prefix "Great" to the official name.
Amazing hail, divided by the Volkhov River, wasfounded in 859 But this is the date when the settlement was first mentioned in written sources. The chronicle mentions that in 859 Novgorod governor Gostomysl died, and, consequently, 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, Al-Slaviyya (Slava, Salau), one of the cultural centers of the Rus, is mentioned. This city means Novgorod or its predecessor - the old city of Ilmen Slavs. He is also identified with the Scandinavian Holmgard, the capital of Gardariki.
Like all major cities of Ancient Russia, Novgorodwas divided into parts. There were quarters of artisan-shop purpose, residential areas without streets, fortifications. Detinets is formed already in 1044. In addition to it, the shaft and the White (Alekseevskaya) Tower have survived to this day. In 1045-1050, St. Sophia Cathedral was built in the city, a bit later - Nikolo-Dvorischensky, St. George and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
When the veche republic is formed, in the cityarchitecture flourishes (the Novgorod architectural school appears). Princes lost the right to build temples, but then citizens, merchants and patrons of art actively engaged in this. The dwellings of people, as a rule, were wooden, and only religious buildings were erected from stone. It is noteworthy that already at that time wooden water supply system functioned in Novgorod, and the streets were paved with paving stones.
Studying the major cities of ancient Russia, it is impossible notmention Chernigov. In the vicinity of the modern settlement, people lived already in 4 millennia BC. But as hail, it was first mentioned in written sources in 907. After the battle of Leaves in 1024, Mstislav Vladimirovich, the brother of Yaroslav the Wise, made Chernihiv his capital. Since then, it has been actively developing, growing and being built up. Illyinsky and Eletsky monasteries are being 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 peacefuldevelopment of the city, which was burned down by Chingizid Munke’s troops in October 1239. From princely times several architectural masterpieces reached the present, from which tourists begin to get acquainted with the city. These are the Savior Cathedral (11th century), the Elias Church, the Borisoglebsky and Assumption Cathedrals, the Yelets Assumption Monastery (all 12th century), the Pyatnitskaya Church of Sts. Paraskeva (XIII century). Noteworthy are the Antoniev caves (XI — XIX c.) And the Black Grave, Gulbishche and Nameless barrows.
There was another hail that played exceptionalrole. There were many cities in Ancient Russia, but not all of them were the center of a principality. Ryazan, completely destroyed by Khan Batu, has not been revived. In 1778, Pereyaslavl-Ryazan, which is 50 km away from the old princely settlement, was given a new name - Ryazan, but used it together with the prefix "New." The ruins of the ancient Russian city today are of great interest to historians and archaeologists. Only the remains of fortifications occupy more than sixty hectares. The archaeological reserve also includes the ruins of guard outposts, the fortress of Novy Olgov, near which the All-Russian Rodnogorodchesky Sanctuary was sheltered.
В верхнем течении Днепра расположен древний и very beautiful city. The toponym Smolensk goes back to the name of the river Smolnya or to the name of the Smolyan tribe. It is also likely that hail was nicknamed in honor of the fact that it lay on the way from the Varangians to the Greeks and was the place where travelers pitch the boats. It is first mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years" under the year 862 and is called the center of the tribal union of the Krivichi. In the march to Tsargrad, Askold and Dir walked around Smolensk because he was heavily fortified. In 882, the city was captured by Oleg the Prophetic and became part of his state.
In 1127 the city becomes the lot of RostislavMstislavich, who in 1146 ordered the construction of the Church of Peter and Paul on Gorodyanka, the Church of St. John the Divine. Before the Mongol invasion Smolensk reaches its highest peak. It occupied about 115 hectares, and 40 thousand people lived there permanently in eight thousand houses. The Horde invasion was not touched by hail, which allowed it to preserve many architectural monuments. But from the time he lost his value and fell under the dependence of other principalities.
As you can see, the high development of the cities of ancient Russiaallowed them to be not only the political center of the regions, but also to establish external relations with other countries. For example, Smolensk had close relations with Riga, and there are generally legends about Novgorod’s trade relations. What other settlements existed in Russia?
Of course, we have not listed all the cities of thatglorious era in the history of the Eastern Slavs. And the more they could not describe them fully as they deserve due to the limited size of our article. But we hope that we have awakened interest in exploring the past.
