Russia is an ancient country. And on its territory there are many cities whose age has exceeded a thousand years. The historical and cultural heritage that they have preserved is an invaluable gift from generations to generations to come.
We present you the oldest cities in Russia.
10. Bryansk -1033 years
It is not known exactly when the city of Bryansk arose. The approximate date of its foundation is 985.
In 1607, the city was burned so that it would not go to False Dmitry II. He was rebuilt and for the second time survived the siege of the troops of the Tushino thief.
In the 17th century, Bryansk was one of the most important shopping centers in Russia. And now it is an important industrial center of the country.
9. Pskov - 1115 years
The founding date of Pskov is 903, when the city was first mentioned in the Lavrentievsky Chronicle. Olga, the first Christian princess in Russia and the wife of the Kiev prince Igor Rurikovich, is from Pskov.
For a long time Pskov was one of the largest cities in Europe and was an impregnable barrier on the western borders of the country.
And in March 1917, while at the Pskov station, the last Russian emperor Nicholas II abdicated and became just citizen Romanov.
8. Smolensk - 1155 years
In September, the beautiful and ancient Smolensk will celebrate its anniversary - 1155 years from the date of foundation. Only for one year is he inferior to his closest rival in terms of mentioning in the annals (863 year against 862 year at Murom).
For many centuries this “key city” has defended Moscow from the encroachments of several European countries. In the Time of Troubles, the inhabitants of Smolensk heroically held a siege for 20 months in a fortress that was besieged by Polish troops. Although the Poles managed to take the city, King Sigismund III, who had spent all the money on the siege, had to abandon the idea of going to Moscow. And the Moscow garrison of the Poles, who did not receive military assistance, surrendered to the Russian militia under the leadership of Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.
7. Murom - 1156 years
This small city, standing on the left bank of the Oka, is mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years". Its name, presumably, came from the tribe of Murom, although historians do not exclude the inverse dependence. One of the main characters of the Russian epic epic, the legendary hero Ilya Muromets, hails from the city of Murom. The townspeople are proud of this and even erected a monument to the hero in the city park.
6. Rostov the Great - 1157 years
Rostov, the current center of the Yaroslavl region, has been carrying out its official chronology since 862. After its founding, the city became one of the most important settlements of the Rostov-Suzdal land. And the prefix "Great" appeared in him thanks to the "Ipatiev Chronicle." In it, when describing the events of 1151 (the victory of Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich over Yuri Dolgoruky), Rostov was called the Great.
5. Veliky Novgorod - 1159 years
In early June 2018, Veliky Novgorod will celebrate the 1,159th anniversary of its founding. According to the official version, Rurik was called to reign here. And in 1136, Novgorod became the first free republic in the history of feudal Russia. The city escaped the fate of many Russian cities and was not affected by the Mongol invasion. Precious monuments of architecture of Rus of the pre-Mongol period have been preserved to this day.
4. Staraya Ladoga - over 1251
In 2003, the village of Staraya Ladoga celebrated its 1250th anniversary. Until 1703, the settlement was called "Ladoga" and had the status of a city. The first mention of Ladoga dates back to 862 AD (the time of calling for the reign of the Varangian Rurik). There is even a version that Ladoga is the first capital of Russia, because Rurik reigned in it, and not in Novgorod.
3. Derbent - over 2000 years
If you conduct a survey about which is the oldest city in Russia, then most educated people will name Derbent as such. This sun-drenched city, the southernmost in Russia, located in the Republic of Dagestan, officially celebrated its 2000th anniversary in September 2015. However, many Derbents, as well as some scientists conducting excavations on the territory of Derbent, are sure that the city is 3,000 years older.
The Caspian gate - namely, such is the ancient name of Derbent - as a geographical object is mentioned as far back as the 6th century. BC e. in the works of the ancient Greek geographer Hekateus of Miletus. And the beginning of the modern city was laid in 438 AD. e. Then Derbent was the Persian fortress of Naryn-kala, with two fortress walls blocking the way along the coast of the Caspian Sea. And the earliest mention of Derbent as a stone city was in 568 CE or 37 years of the reign of Shah Khosrov I Anushirvan.
The date of 2000 years is not exact, but more of an anniversary, and refers to the time of the appearance of the first fortifications in Caucasian Albania.
2. Theodosius - 2549 years
One of the oldest cities in Russia with the beautiful name Theodosius, which translates as "given by God," was founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC. In the 13th century, on the site of Theodosius, the Genoese founded a trading city called Kafa and built a fortress, which, although not completely, has survived to the present day. The sad fact: it was from Kafa in the 14th century that the plague called Black Death went to spread throughout Europe.
In 1475, the city was captured by the Turks and became part of the Ottoman Empire. However, in 1783, Kafa, like the rest of Crimea, became part of the Russian Empire and regained its original name - Theodosius.
One of the most beautiful cities in Crimea is distinguished not only by its ancient and eventful history, but also by a large number of attractions. Here is the largest (417 works) collection of paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky, who lived in Feodosia all his life.
By the way, the famous artist benefited his hometown not only in terms of art, but also in terms of transport development. It was he who ensured that a railway appeared in Feodosia, which turned the resort city into an important transport hub of the Crimea.
Also in the city there is a small house-museum of Alexander Green, the author of the famous "Scarlet Sails" and "Running along the waves."
1. The oldest city in Russia - Kerch
Until 2014, when the Crimean peninsula returned to Russia, Derbent wore the title of the oldest of the Russian cities. However, in 2017, Rambler / Saturday Media reported that The Academic Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences recognized Kerch as the most ancient city in Russia. The ruins of the ancient Greek colony Panticapaeum are preserved on the territory of the city. Historically, Kerch is the heiress of Panticapaeum and its age has exceeded 2600 years.
According to archaeological research, the foundation of Kerch belongs to the time range from 610 to 590 BC. e. On its territory, historical and architectural monuments belonging to different eras have been preserved. These include: mounds with burials of the Bronze Age, the ruins of the city of Nymphaeum, the ancient settlement of Mirmeky, etc.
Not immediately Kerch got its current name, after Panticapaeum ceased to be the historical and cultural center of the Black Sea.
- In the 8th century, the city fell under the rule of the Khazar Kaganate and was renamed from Panticapaeum to Karsha or Charsha.
- In the 10th century, the Northern Black Sea coast came under the control of the Rus. The Tmutarakan principality appeared, which included the city of Karsha, called Korchev. He was one of the most important sea gates of Kievan Rus.
- In the 12th century, Korchev came under the rule of Byzantium, and in the 14th century became part of the Black Sea Genoese colonies, and was called Vospro, as well as Cherkio. The local inhabitants preserved the name Korchev in everyday life.
- In the 15th century, the merchant and diplomat Josaphat Barbaro named the city of Chersh (Kersh) in one of the chapters of his essay “Traveling to Tanu”.
- In 1475, the Turks captured the Genoese colonies, and Cherkio became part of the Ottoman Empire. The city began to be called Cherzeti. He repeatedly suffered from the raids of the Zaporozhye Cossacks.
- In the 16th century, the ambassadors of Moscow tsars going to the Crimean Khan knew the city as “Kerch”.
- In 1774, Kerch (already under the final name) became part of the Russian Empire. This happened following the results of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774.
For Kerch to officially head the list of the oldest cities in Russia, you need to get the approval of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian government. The relevant documents were prepared by the leadership of the East Crimean Reserve last year.
