The best sights of old Ladoga with photos and descriptions. Description and photos of the sights of old Ladoga On Varyazhskaya Street

I couldn’t even imagine how many attractions there are in the east Leningrad region, where we will live and travel during our trip to the Northwest. The plans included: Volkhov, Staraya Ladoga, Novaya Ladoga and Lodeynoye Pole, or rather the village of Staraya Sloboda, Lodeynopolsky district, where A Lexandro-Svirsky Monastery. When, upon arrival, we “plunged into reality,” we realized that we would like to see a lot more. For example, the Tanechkina and Staroladozhskaya caves, the Gorchakovsky waterfall, the Lyubsha fortress, the village of Isaad, the canyon of the Lava River... As you can see, there are plenty of natural attractions here, and there are many of them not only in Karelia.

But our goals and objectives were initially different. But you won’t be able to see all the local attractions in just a day or two. So much the better, there will be a reason to return. The most important thing is that we visited everything planned. Today in my post I’ll briefly show you some of what I saw:

  • Staraya Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery,
  • Staraya Ladoga Holy Dormition Convent,
  • Staraya Ladoga fortress,
  • museum-reserve Staraya Ladoga,
  • a bird on a stone - a sculpture of a falcon, the symbol of Ladoga,
  • cafe "Prince Rurik" in Staraya Ladoga,
  • Sopki tract - burial place of Prophetic Oleg,
  • the city of Novaya Ladoga, its architecture,
  • sights of Volkhov.

Why can you only show everything briefly? Yes, because each (each) of the cities and places visited is a whole Universe, worthy of a separate conversation.
However, even fluently I can’t get up to speed. The brief report about the trip stretches into a multi-volume book... Why? Yes, because this is not a trip or when every day can be described with three to five photos... I wanted to do the trip to Karelia like that, in one post. Nooo, that's impossible. :) So be patient, the conversation will be long, the report will be multi-article.

Day IV. Staraya Ladoga, New Ladoga, Volkhov

After having breakfast “on our own” in the hotel room, we moved towards Staraya Ladoga.

Staraya Ladoga

From the small, fairly young town of Volkhov to the small but very ancient village of Staraya Ladoga , just 10 minutes drive. And a whole chasm in time - the year of Volkhov’s foundation - 1918, the year of the foundation of Staraya Ladoga - no later753 According to most historians Staraya Ladoga is the most ancient city in Russia.
So, just 17 kilometers and we are there. Yes, settling in was the right decision. This is an ideal option for those who come to get acquainted with these places.

We got acquainted with the sights of Staraya Ladoga as we progressed. What is surprising and pleasant - for everything iconic places there are signs in the city, and all these places, like pearls on a string, are “strung” on the main street - Volkhovsky Prospekt. You won't get lost.
The very first sign to the right (from Volkhov, of course) “sends” us to Staraya Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery. We drive up to the northeastern tower, leave the car there and go on foot to get acquainted with the monastery. First outside, and then inside.

The weather is a miracle, the surrounding nature is stunning, an ancient place that still remembers its founder - Alexander Nevsky... What else is needed for the happiness of a traveler?
Nikolsky Monastery stands on the left bank of the Volkhov River. The rivers in the Leningrad region are incredibly beautiful - blue water and fluffy, velvet-like greenery of their banks.



We enter the gates of the monastery.

We look around a small area, Church of John Chrysostom(1860–1873).

The interiors are awe-inspiring - very good.





Stands next to the church St. Nicholas Cathedral(Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker). It is he who is the main mystery of the St. Nicholas Monastery. Built in 1160, rebuilt in the 17th century (after partial destruction in the Time of Troubles, when Ladoga was under the Swedes for seven years), unsuccessfully restored in 1958, it is on this moment preserved and closed.

Hello travelers! ;)

After visiting the St. Nicholas Monastery, our acquaintance with Staraya Ladoga continued. Driving along Volkhovsky Prospekt, to the right of the road we noticed a bird on a stone, or rather a falcon, spreading its wings wide. Falcon - the symbol of Staraya Ladoga.

Well, we’re going to see perhaps the most famous landmark of the city - Staraya Ladoga fortress. The car was parked in a small parking lot near the road (just opposite the fortress). Before us, in full view, is a powerful historical artifact.

The Klimentovskaya watchtower immediately catches your eye with its impressive size.

The Staraya Ladoga fortress was built during the time of the Prophetic Oleg at the turn of the 9th-10th centuries. Rare historical, architectural and archaeological monuments of the 13th - 19th centuries have survived to our times. It stands in a very beautiful place, the confluence of the Ladozhka River and the Volkhov.
Entrance to the fortress and two exhibitions is paid. We buy single tickets (80 rubles - adult) and through the Gate Tower we enter the territory of the museum-reserve.

The thickness of the tower walls is impressive.

The first exhibition of the museum is located in the Gate Tower, so we immediately go there.

On the first floor of the exhibition...

admire the territory of the fortress and stunning views of the surrounding area. Yes, the fortress itself is small, but very picturesque.





Only one moment really upset me - St. George's Church, where I so wanted to go, turned out to be closed due to restoration. Moreover, it is closed both from the inside and from the outside.

Near the Church of St. St. George's wooden stand Church of St. Dmitry Solunsky(early 17th century), which was also closed to the public.

In order to get to the second exhibition of the museum, we left the fortress, walked straight to the bridge, crossed the bridge (it is clearly visible in the photo below)... And there it’s a stone’s throw to

an old white mansion on Varyazhskaya Street, in which the exhibition “Archaeology of Ladoga” is located.

At the Museum of Archeology.

Next to the museum lies Varyazhskaya street- the first street in Rus'. Near the excavations on Varyazhskaya, enclosed by a wooden fence, there is now a memorial stone indicating that a monument to princes Rurik and Oleg, the creators of the Russian state (862 - 882).

We enter the monastery through the Holy Gate (XIX century).

I should note that both monasteries in Staraya Ladoga - both male and female - are very sincere and calm. They treat tourists and travelers normally, they don’t chase women in trousers, and neither do people with cameras. There is an adequate understanding of its own historical significance and attractiveness for people. In general, it would be like this everywhere. I walked here with a calm soul and heart. This is probably how visiting monasteries should be.
The Assumption Monastery is much larger than Nikolsky. Large green area. Flowers and animal figures are everywhere. Caring female hands are visible in everything.

The exact date of foundation of the Assumption Monastery is not known. The time period when this possibly happened is determined by historians as follows: 1040-1116. Someone says 1156
This monastery is the second one I know of (the first is) where famous Russian women and aristocrats lived. The first wife of Peter I, Evdokia Lopukhina, was forcibly exiled here (and, initially, she was in the Suzdal Intercession Monastery). She lived here for a short time and died at the age of 23, forced into marriage, but as a result disliked by her husband, Evdokia Hannibal. Relatives of the Decembrists were also exiled here during the time of Nicholas I.
The main temple of the monastery and its main attraction is Assumption Church. It was built simultaneously with the Staraya Ladoga fortress in 1114-1116. The round date of 1000 years is just around the corner!

The interior of the temple is quite modest.

In 2013, a cross was installed in the Assumption Monastery. On the cross it is written:

This holy life-giving Cross of the Lord was built in memory of the cross of 1688 on August 5, erected by the sovereign's people Zheltukhin Vasily Simonovich and his son Mikhail Vasilyevich...

Abbot's Corps (1880).

Chapel over the well of St. Barbara (2008-2011, pictured on the right), Hospital building with the house church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (1861-1862, pictured on the left). Between them is the cell building (1859).

After the Assumption Monastery, we went to see another attraction of Staraya Ladoga - Church of St. John the Baptist on Malysheva Mountain(1695). This is the only thing left of the Ivanovo Monastery, founded on this place in 1276. If you go down the path, you can get to the source and the font.

But we didn't have time for this. We looked at the temple and went further - to Novaya Ladoga.

Novaya Ladoga

From Staraya Ladoga to Novaya Ladoga it’s just a stone’s throw away. Only 12 kilometers drive. Before they had time to blink, they were already there.
Novaya Ladoga is an old city, but not ancient. Founded in 1704 by decree of Peter I. The main attractions of Novaya Ladoga are numerous monuments and architecture. Actually, we came here to see them. We didn’t see everything, of course, but we took in the city as a whole, walked around it, felt the atmosphere of this small provincial town in the Leningrad region.

The Nativity Cathedral is almost the same age as the city. It was built in 1702. The temple is operational, and therefore is in fairly good condition. Unlike their neighbors.

Church of St. Clement and Peter (1741 - 1743), or rather its bell tower, is already overgrown with trees.

Side by side with the Clement Church stands the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands. When I passed by it (1763 - 1767), looked at it and took photographs, a woman with a child came up to me and said: “This church is unusual. Do you know about this?”

And she told me that above the entrance to the temple, in the portal, there is a drawing depicting a dove. So - many times this dove was painted over, erased, but it always appeared again.

The church as a whole is in very poor condition. I found this photograph of the temple, taken in 1909 by S.M. Prokudin-Gorsky. There were times...

There are a lot of such wooden houses in Novaya Ladoga. However, what Russian provincial town does not have such houses?

It is these houses and the red “lump” next to it that create a special, very familiar atmosphere and warmth...

On the banks of the Volkhov River there is a large memorial Complex in honor of the sailors of Ladoga Military Flotilla and river workers of the North-Western River Shipping Company, who guarded the water route of the “Road of Life” and provided transport communications besieged Leningrad with the country.

There are two vessels at the memorial - the minesweeper "TShch-100"

and the motor ship "Kharkov". Both are actively climbed by children and even adults.


And there is grace all around!!!

Gostiny Dvor (Trading Rows). At the top is the inscription “Manufactured Goods” - a real artifact of almost half a century ago. A miracle preserved in the outback!

What do you think of the Manufactured Goods store, built in 1956? Also a miracle! This is what it is, Novaya Ladoga. Some kind of solid artifact.

Literally 3 kilometers from Novaya Ladoga (towards Staro Ladoga) there is the village of Yushkovo.

There is a fish shop right next to the road. I knew about this tent. That's why we came here deliberately. We bought cold smoked bream - 125 rubles. fish and dried roach for 30 rubles. The bream was good! In general, the selection of delicacies here is impressive - several types of fresh and smoked fish (hot and cold smoked), caviar, etc. Don't pass by!

Staraya Ladoga is village in the Leningrad region, 120 km from St. Petersburg on the banks of the Volkhov River. But what other village can boast of such a truly great history and so many attractions?! In Staraya Ladoga there is a stone fortress, two ancient monasteries, Nikolsky men's and Uspensky women's monasteries, several churches and ancient mounds.

According to many historians and archaeologists, it was Staraya Ladoga that became the first capital of the Old Russian state. In any case, it was one of the most ancient and significant cities of Ancient Rus', which played a vital role in the formation of the state, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds.

This “village” with its architectural and fortification monuments is a real treasury of Russian and world cultural heritage.

Ancient history of Staraya Ladoga

The area around Staraya Ladoga was developed back in the 4th-2nd millennia BC, during the Neolithic and Early Metal Ages. The exact date of the founding of Ladoga is unknown, but research carried out by archaeologists allows us to say with certainty that this happened no later than 753 of the year.

A group of scientists and archaeologists led by A. N. Kirpichnikov determined that in the mid-8th century there was a settlement here. The year 753 was determined as the date of the city's foundation using dendrochronological analysis of one of the ancient buildings. However, the results of a study of some finds and soil suggest that a settlement in this place already existed in the second half of the 7th and early 8th centuries, and perhaps even earlier. Traces of arable land were discovered under the cultural layer, and radiocarbon analysis showed that its age dates back to the 6th century.

Where did the name come from - Ladoga?

According to one version, the name of the city comes from the Ladozhka River, which flows here into the Volkhov. And the name of this river comes from the Finnish hydronym "Alode-jogi (joki)", which means « lower river» . The Scandinavians began to call the fortress on the cape at the confluence of two rivers and the settlement next to the fortress - Aldeigya, further - Aldeigjuborg, and the huge lake into which the Volkhov River flows was called Aldoga in those days. Over time, the name of the settlement was transformed into "Ladoga", the lake also began to be called.

The appearance of a fortress and a city in this place is not accidental. The Volkhov River, on the banks of which the settlement was founded, was part of the system of the most important trade routes. Along the Volkhov, through Ladoga, there were routes “from the Varangians to the Arabs” and “from the Varangians to the Greeks”, further along the Volga and Dnieper - to the Arab Caliphate and Byzantium. It is precisely to its key position on trade routes that Ladoga owes its rapid rise. The city played a major role in the commercial and political life of Northern Europe in the 8th-10th centuries.

According to archeology, from the very beginning of the emergence of Ladoga, people lived permanently or temporarily in the city different countries. During excavations, objects were found that belonged to the Slavs, Scandinavians, Finno-Ugric peoples, and Balts.

The main occupation of the population was trade. There was an intensive exchange of goods on the banks of the Volkhov.

Furs and weapons were supplied from Scandinavia, which local residents sold to the Arabs for silver dirhams. Arabic dirhams were in great circulation in Staraya Ladoga, as evidenced by numerous finds of Arab coins and even entire treasures during excavations; the earliest of the treasures dates back to 786.

Weapons, utensils, various decorations, fabrics, luxury goods, spices and incense were transported on ships through Ladoga.

Back in the 780s, the production of eye beads using Arabic low-temperature technology was established. Moreover, these beads served not only as decoration; beads were also a monetary unit.

Various crafts flourished in Ladoga. Numerous workshops of blacksmiths, jewelers, bone carvers, potters, and bronze foundries operated in the city. Of course, there were also shipyards here.

Around Ladoga, points arose for inspecting cargo and collecting tribute, as well as fortified settlements, one of which was, and the other was fortifications in the area of ​​​​the village of Duboviki (now this is the New Duboviki microdistrict in Volkhov).

In the first third of the 9th century, Ladoga became the center of a large early state formation (Russian Kaganate, Ladoga Rus), which was an important Eurasian economic partner and traded along the Great Volga and Dnieper routes. Ladoga became a prosperous city, one of the key international ports on transcontinental trade routes, and provided the Slavs with free connections with the countries of Western Europe, West Slavic Pomerania and others. It was also a major craft and spiritual center.

The historical significance of Ladoga was enormous: the founding and development of this city provided Rus' with free access to the Baltic and the assignment of the Neva-Ladoga lands to the country.

Many historians believe that Ladoga is first capital of Rus': the Ipatiev list of the Tale of Bygone Years says: “And the first one came to the Slovenes and cut down the city of Ladoga and the oldest in Ladoz, Rurik.”. IN 862 Ladoga became the first residence of Rurik, the founder of the Rurik dynasty, who was called to the principality. Rurik ruled here in 862-865. Later, the prince moved his throne to Novgorod, and later Kyiv became the main city of Rus', but Ladoga was still the first capital.

V. M. Vasnetsov. Calling of the Varangians. 1909

Under Rurik, to protect against raids by Varangian tribes and control trade routes, a wooden fortress was built on the cape formed by the confluence of Ladozhka and Volkhov. And the settlement was located on both banks of Ladozhka and on the banks of the Volkhov. In 882, Prince Oleg, Rurik's successor, “starting to build cities”, that is, to build a stone fortress. Under Rurik and Oleg, Ladoga's trade relations expanded significantly.

In the 11th century, in 1019, Ladoga was given as a wedding gift to the wife of Yaroslav the wise, the Swedish princess Ingigerd. Then Ladoga became the center of the Ladoga Earldom, a special territory within Ancient Rus'. Ladoga was ruled by Swedish military rulers. Interestingly, Aldeigjuborg is mentioned in the ancient Scandinavian sagas of the 10th-13th centuries.

At the beginning of the 12th century, Ladoga was subjugated by the Novgorod prince Mstislav the Great, and intensive stone construction began. In 1114-1116, Prince Mstislav erected a new stone fortress in Ladoga, which became a reliable defense for the city. During the 12th century, six stone temples were built one after another in the city. At the same time, the main planning structure of the settlement was formed. Temples became the centers of the “ends” of the city. The main part of the development consisted of courtyards with extensive garden plots.

Until 1703, Ladoga retained the status of a city, and then at the mouth of the Volkhov, on the shore Lake Ladoga, Novaya Ladoga arose, and then the ancient city became a village and was renamed Staraya Ladoga.

Staraya Ladoga Fortress

The main attraction of Staraya Ladoga, its heart, is the ancient fortress, located in the very center of the village on the cape at the confluence of the Ladozhka River and the Volkhov.

She witnessed many historical and military-political events. For more than eight centuries, the fortress defended the northwestern borders of Rus' and during its history it was repeatedly attacked by the Swedes and other Scandinavian tribes, destroyed, and also subjected to numerous reconstructions.

The very first wooden fortification was built on this site back in the 9th century. As reported in The Tale of Bygone Years, in 862 year in Ladoga was called to reign Rurik with their brothers Sineus and Truvor, and on a cape formed by two rivers, they began construction wooden fortress to protect against attacks by overseas Varangians from Lake Ladoga and strengthen control over the waterway along Ladoga. This fortress became the administrative center of Ladoga, as well as the urban core around which the ancient settlement was formed.

IN 1114-1116 years during the reign of Novgorod Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich, a new stone fortress was built in Ladoga.

IN 1164 year, the Ladoga fortress was attacked by the Swedes, who sailed here on 55 ships. After a long siege, the enemy troops retreated, and were then finally defeated by an army from Novgorod that came to the rescue. In honor of this victory, most likely, it was erected on the territory of the fortress. temple, dedicated St. George- patron saint of the army.

Due to the proliferation of firearms in 15-16 centuries, a complete reconstruction and modernization of the Ladoga fortress was carried out according to all the rules of fire fortification. IN 1584-1585 years, to the south of the stone fortress, an additional wood-earth fortification with three bastions was erected from wood and earth - Zemlyanoy city, was an innovative structure for those times.

During the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century, the Ladoga Fortress was at the center of military operations. The fortress was the object of constant struggle between the warring parties, changed hands many times, was significantly damaged, but then restored.

The last, unsuccessful, assault on the stronghold by the Swedes took place at the beginning of the Northern War; Soon the border of the state moved to the west by almost 100 km, the fortress lost its military-strategic significance and was no longer used for military purposes. The garrison of the fortress was transferred to a new city built on the shores of Lake Ladoga, Novaya Ladoga.

All this determined the future fate of the fortress: it began to collapse and gradually turned into ruins.

The current appearance of the towers and walls of the legendary Staraya Ladoga fortress, dating back to the 16th century, is mainly the work of modern restorers.

Switch and Gate towers of the fortress

The archaeological complex, consisting of the stone Ladoga fortress and the Zemlyanoy settlement, is a unique example of fortification structures, demonstrating all stages of the development of ancient Russian defense construction. Elements of fortifications from the 11th, 12th, and 16th centuries and the remains of earthen fortifications from the 16th and 17th centuries have been preserved here.

Now the fortress is part Staraya Ladoga Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve of federal significance, which includes historical and architectural monuments of the 8th-19th centuries, monuments of archeology and monumental painting.

On the territory of the fortress there are two churches: the stone church of St. George the Victorious from the 12th century and the wooden church of St. Dmitry of Solunsky at the beginning of the 20th century.

Church of St. St. George the Victorious, built in 12 century in honor of the victory of Russian weapons, is one of the most ancient in Staraya Ladoga and in the north of Rus'. And in terms of the expressiveness of its architectural forms, it is considered one of the best examples of ancient Russian architecture.

This is a typical Old Russian temple of the 12th century with architectural forms characteristic of Novgorod churches of that time: single-domed, with a helmet-shaped dome and a roof covering, four pillars and three apses.

The cathedral is famous unique fresco paintings 12th century, miraculously preserved to this day and being an outstanding monument of ancient Russian and world culture. These frescoes are an amazing example of religious painting from the 12th century, one of the few surviving in Rus' from this period. They were found under a layer of later applied plaster and were partially restored.

Church of St. George Fresco "The Miracle of George about the Serpent"

To this day, about 150 square meters of the original interior painting have survived on the walls of the temple. m. fresco painting from the 12th century (this is about a fifth) and minor areas of painting from the mid-15th century.

The most interesting of the surviving frescoes is considered "The Miracle of George about the Serpent", which depicts a popular plot: a holy warrior, with the word of God, pacifies the serpent - the personification of evil.

In terms of expressiveness of composition, thoroughness of design and color, this is one of the best creations of medieval Byzantine-Russian art and the oldest image of St. George in ancient Russian monumental painting, which is known today.

Next to St. George's Cathedral there is a small wooden church of St. Dmitry Solunsky, erected in 1901 more than a year in place ancient temple “according to its previous forms and details, preserved to the smallest detail”.

St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, like St. George is considered the patron saint of warriors. Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica was built as a winter, warm church, next to the cold stone church of St. George. St. George's Cathedral was summer, unheated, and in the church of St. Dmitry Solunsky held services during the cold season.

Now in the church building there is an interesting exhibition dedicated to the study and reconstruction of the fresco paintings of the Church of St. George.

More information about the Staraya Ladoga Fortress -.

The fortress is located in the very center of the village of Staraya Ladoga.
Address: Staraya Ladoga, Volkhovsky pr., 19
Coordinates: 59.997239 , 32.29671

"Historical, architectural and archaeological museum-reserve "Staraya Ladoga" includes itself Staraya Ladoga Fortress, on the territory of which there are several exhibitions: in the Gate, Klimentovskaya and Raskatnaya towers, in the Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica and St. George, as well as the exhibition "Archaeology of Ladoga", which is located in the old stone house of the merchant P.V. Kalyazin on Varyazhskaya Street, 8 (not far from the fortress, across the Ladozhka River).

Opening hours of the exhibitions of the Staraya Ladoga Museum-Reserve: from June 1 to August 31 - Monday - from 9.00 before 17.00 , Tuesday - Sunday from 9.00 before 18.00 , from September 1 to May 31 - 9.00 before 17.00 , day off - January 1.
Ticket sales stop 30 minutes before the end of the exhibition.
Tickets for all exhibitions are sold only at the ticket office in front of the entrance to the fortress (tickets are not sold at the Archeology Museum).

Church of St. Georgia is open only from May 1 to October 1 and only if the weather is warm and dry. This is due to the need to comply with conditions for the preservation of unique frescoes.

Varyazhskaya street

Varyazhskaya Street starts from Volkhovsky Prospekt near the Ladozhka River and goes to the fence of the Assumption Monastery. An ordinary village street - gravel, fences, one- and two-story houses with flower beds and vegetable gardens behind the fences; but this particular street certainly deserves special attention, as the oldest street in Staraya Ladoga and one of the oldest streets in Russia. Its name - Varangian - has been known since the 12th-13th centuries.

The beginning of Varyazhskaya Street is decorated with symbolic sculpture - bronze falcon, wings spread wide.

The sculpture was installed in 2013 The sign reads: “FALCON is a symbol of the ancient Russian princely family.”

The falcon is a symbol of the entire Staraya Ladoga. The image of this bird is present on the coat of arms and on the flag of the Staraya Ladoga rural settlement and personifies its glorious history. "In a purple field, a golden falcon flying down into a pillar", says the heraldic description.

Coat of arms of Staraya Ladoga Flag of Staraya Ladoga

The falcon in heraldry is a symbol of nobility, courage, intelligence, strength and beauty.

The falcon on the coat of arms resembles a bronze form with the image of a bird found during excavations in Staraya Ladoga, and, in addition, it looks like a trident - the sign of the Rurikovichs.

Falcon is generally one of the most popular symbols in Ancient Rus'. The ancient Slavic god of fire and light Rarog was considered similar to a falcon. In Rus', the hunting falcon was called a rerik and was a revered symbol of courage and invincibility. On the basis of this, some researchers derive the name of the founder of the ancient Russian princely dynasty, Rurik.

On small area, which is crossed by Varyazhskaya Street, stands a majestic monument to Rurik and Prophetic Oleg- to the legendary Russian princes, founders of the Staraya Ladoga fortress and the Old Russian state.

Rurik, according to ancient Russian chronicles, is the founder of the Novgorod principality in Rus' and the prince of Novgorod since 862, as well as the founder of the princely and subsequently royal Rurik dynasty.

Oleg- Prince of Novgorod since 879. In the chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years" he is mentioned as Prophetic Oleg. After Rurik's death in 879, Oleg received power as regent for his son Igor. Oleg captured Kyiv and moved the capital of Ancient Rus' there, uniting the lands of the Eastern Slavs, and since 882 he has been referred to as the Grand Duke of Kiev.

The majestic figures of two Russian princes, Rurik and Oleg, embody the power and strength of the Russian people. The shield they lean on symbolizes the defense of the state.

The monument was unveiled in 2015 year and became a real decoration of Staraya Ladoga. It is made of bronze and is 5 meters high. The author of the monument is a sculptor Oleg Shorov.

38 architects took part in the competition for the best design of the monument, which was held in 2013. The winner was Oleg Shorov. Work on the project was carried out in 2014-2015. The sculptor traveled to Staraya Ladoga several times, studied the results of archaeological excavations and historical literature to give authenticity to the monument, and altered details during the work - clothing, weapons. As a result, the shield was installed exactly the same as the warriors used. In Rurik’s hands, instead of the originally conceived staff, a scroll appeared, which shows that the founder of statehood is not only a warrior, but first of all, a diplomat.

A 40-ton stone pedestal was brought from Kamennogorsk especially for the installation of the monument. It was decided to erect the monument on Varyazhskaya Street, in a place that offers a wonderful view of the Ladoga Fortress. At the same time, the square was reconstructed and the entire surrounding area was landscaped.

An observation deck behind the monument, with a view of the Staraya Ladoga Fortress.

Previously, here, at the intersection of Kultury Street and Varyazhskaya Street, there was a square called Torgovaya. A characteristic feature of the merchant houses located near the Trade Square was the presence of trading shops in them.

Residential development of Varyazhskaya street of the 19th and early 20th centuries. located on the territory of the cultural layer of Ladoga Posad of the 8th-15th centuries, an important archaeological monument. During archaeological excavations in this area, various household items dating back to the 8th-10th centuries were found, which allowed researchers to conclude that at that time the left bank of the Ladozhka River was already completely developed. Data from archaeological excavations show that in the second half of the 10th century on the left bank of the Ladozhka there were courtyards and estates at some distance from each other. It was around then that Varyazhskaya Street began to take shape. According to some sources, this street once ran in a slightly different direction, to the northwest.

On Varyazhskaya street

From the end of the 18th century, Varyazhskaya Street began to be built up with merchant houses. Then the current direction of the street developed, parallel to the river and the highway. Some of the houses that now stand on Varangskaya Street date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries (although most of the old houses have not survived).

In general, almost all the central streets in Staraya Ladoga - this is Varyazhskaya Street, Volkhovsky Prospekt (known since the 16th century), Kultury Street, the former Progonnaya, this is the historical direction of the road to Oreshek - have retained the main historical planning directions.

At house No. 2 on Naberezhnaya Street, which departs from Varyazhskaya and runs along the very bank of the Volkhov, transportation across the river on private boats has been operating since the beginning of the 19th century. In this place, it is as if there is a descent into the water. In summer there is a small beach here. And in cold winters, when there is strong ice on the river, there is a path from here to the other bank.

On Varyazhskaya Street there are two houses, wooden and stone, built in the 19th century and belonging to the wealthy merchant family of the Kalyazins. In the 80s of the 19th century, four Kalyazin brothers were listed as New Ladoga merchants of the 2nd guild.

IN stone house of P. V. Kalyazin, which is an architectural monument of the 19th century, is located Museum of Archeology of Staraya Ladoga.

The house of the merchant P.V. Kalyazin, now the Museum of Archeology of Staraya Ladoga

The owner of the stone house was one of the four Kalyazin brothers - Pyotr Vasilyevich. After the fire of 1884, the merchant built new house, in which the main walls were made of the strongest Eliseev brick. The first floor of the house was occupied by a store that sold mainly dry food products. On the second floor there were living rooms where the owner of the house lived with his wife and three children. During Soviet times, the building housed a rural club, then a kindergarten.

In 2003, on the second floor in the house of the merchant P.V. Kalyazin, it was located exhibition “Archaeology of Ladoga”, which is constantly updated and supplemented.

The archaeological heritage of Staraya Ladoga provides a wealth of material for study. The museum halls display more than a thousand exhibits dating back to the Neolithic and early Middle Ages.

These are archaeological artifacts that were found at the Zemlyanoy settlement and settlement in Staraya Ladoga from 1972 to the present day, telling about the heyday of the early medieval city of Ladoga during the Viking Age from the second half of the 8th century to the 10th century, including very rare finds - found in Ladoga objects with Scandinavian runic inscriptions.

These are objects of material culture and everyday life of the inhabitants of Ladoga from the era late Middle Ages to the 17th century: weapons and horse harness, home furnishings, kitchen utensils, costume details and jewelry, numerous glass and stone beads, handicrafts and tools telling about the occupations of the townspeople, liturgical books, silver Eastern and Western European coins. All these exhibits allow you to vividly imagine the appearance and activities of the city’s inhabitants.

On the ground floor there is an exhibition hall of the Staraya Ladoga Museum-Reserve, where exhibitions of contemporary artists are held.

Address of the Museum of Archeology: Varyazhskaya st., 8, village of Staraya Ladoga
Coordinates: 59.999184 , 32.296190

Opening hours: from June 1 to August 31 – daily from 9.00 before 18.00 , from September 1 to May 31 – daily from 9.00 before 17.00 , day off – January 1
Sales of entrance tickets stop 30 minutes before the end of the exhibition.
Tickets to the Archeology Museum are sold only at the ticket office near the fortress.

Wooden house by A. V. Kalyazin, which is closer to the banks of the Volkhov, is also part of the museum-reserve and is protected as an architectural monument. Previously, there was an exhibition “Merchant Life of the 19th – Early 20th Century”. The house is now closed.

House of merchant A.V. Kalyazin

On Varyazhskaya Street behind the museum building there is a small stone chapel. The brick chapel was built in 1913 with funds from the Imperial Geographical Society on the initiative of archaeologist N. E. Brandenburg, who discovered the foundation of an older temple that was previously located here. At this place there once stood a 12th century church, consecrated in honor of the Resurrection of Christ, which was the main temple of the Spassky (Resurrection) end of Ladoga.

Chapel on Varyazhskaya Street

Nearby on Volkhovskoye Highway (house 27) there is House-museum of old life of Ladoga, this is a small museum-shop, located in a private house, where you can see various ancient objects used in village houses, and also sell all sorts of crafts, amulets, amulets and other gizmos. The museum is like a junk shop; however, there is an inscription on the house: “Babaeshka’s House” - what else could this very Babayeshka’s house be?

Staraya Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery

One of the main attractions of Staraya Ladoga is the Staraya Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery, located on the southern outskirts of Staraya Ladoga on the picturesque left bank of the Volkhov River at the foot of a high hill called “Victory”.

The founding of the Nikolsky Monastery is associated with the name of Alexander Nevsky. According to ancient monastic legend, the monastery of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was founded in 1240 or 1241 year Prince Alexander Nevsky after his victory over the Swedes in the Battle of Neva in 1240, in which a detachment of Ladoga residents took part. The monastery chronicle says that the monastery was built “in memory of the lost Ladoga relatives”, - comrades-in-arms of Alexander Nevsky, who returned from the battlefield.

There are two churches on the territory of the monastery.

The most ancient building and the main temple of the Nikolsky Monastery - Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, patron saint of sailors and travelers, originally built back in 12 century; The current appearance of the temple dates back to 17 century. The temple is now not operational, restoration is underway.

The decoration of the monastery was Church of St. John Chrysostom built in 1860-1873 gg. designed by academician of architecture A. M. Gornostaeva in the form of a Romanesque basilica with elements of Old Russian style. The temple has preserved amazingly beautiful paintings. This is the main operating temple of the St. Nicholas Monastery.

Between the St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Church of St. John Chrysostom rises a slender octagonal three-tier Bell tower, with a wooden tent top, built by Tikhvin craftsmen in 1691-1692 years.

Today, the monastery is a functioning monastic monastery and an architectural monument of federal significance.

St. Nicholas Monastery is located in the southern part of the village of Staraya Ladoga.
Parking coordinates at the monastery: 59.990927 , 32.301729

The monastery is open to visitors every day from 9:00 before 19:00 .

Read more about the Staraya Ladoga St. Nicholas Monastery -.

At the pier of the Nikolsky Monastery there is a nice sculpture - Ladoga fisherman wearing earflaps and a waterproof raincoat, with a fishing rod and a box of tackle at his feet. A little to the side is a cat, waiting in case he gets something from the catch.

On the pier at the Nikolsky Monastery

Holy Dormition Monastery

To the north of the Staraya Ladoga fortress is the Staroladoga Holy Dormition Monastery, one of the oldest in northwestern Russia.

The exact time of the foundation of the Assumption Monastery is unknown. According to one version, the monastery was founded at the beginning 12 century, when the oldest stone temple of Ladoga that has survived to this day was built - Church of the Assumption Holy Mother of God (1114-1116 gg.) - as a temple-tomb of a princely convent.

But perhaps the monastery was founded much later than the Church of the Assumption itself. The Assumption Cathedral was originally a parish cathedral, and the monastery around it was built later; in any case, the first mention of the monastery in chronicles dates back to 1500.

Holy Dormition Convent, view from the opposite bank of the Volkhov

The monastery for a long time remained one of the largest religious centers in the Russian north.

In the center of the monastery rises Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the main temple of the monastery and a unique monument of Novgorod architecture of the 12th century. The construction of the Assumption Church refers to period from 1114 to 1150 year. This is one of the oldest fully preserved church buildings in northwestern Russia and the northernmost temple of pre-Mongol Rus'.


The four-pillar, three-nave, three-apse temple is crowned with a dome with a helmet-shaped dome on a high drum. In architecture, the Assumption Cathedral is similar to the Church of St. George, but has a O greater volume. During worship, it could accommodate several dozen believers.

The Assumption Church and the monastery around it could have arisen simultaneously with the construction of the Ladoga fortress in 1114-1116. or immediately after that. The customer of the temple could have been the Novgorod prince Mstislav the Great (1076-1132).

However, not so long ago, during restoration work under the arches of the Assumption Church, on one of the girth arches, a cut through the mortar was discovered. heraldic sign of Rurikovich, which, as we found out, belonged to Prince Rostislav Mstislavovich, one of the sons of Mstislav and Christina, who reigned in Novgorod in 1154 and 1157. At that time, that is, at 1157-1158 gg., obviously, built the church, but the customers could have been the mayor and the townspeople. However, this date is not considered accurate, but is only an assumption.

In the 12th century, several stone temples were erected in the city. The Assumption Cathedral, according to a number of scientists, is the first church building in Ladoga that embodies the architectural features of a new type of parish church. All other temples were built in his likeness.

Despite all the numerous reconstructions, the Assumption Church of the 12th century has been completely preserved in all its main parts. In 1958-1960 During the restoration of the temple, later additions were removed and the temple appeared in original form. At the same time, a total of about 50 square meters was revealed on the walls of the temple. meters of preserved fragments of frescoes from the 12th century.

The Assumption Monastery is surrounded by a white fence with turrets. The main entrance is the Western Holy Gate.

Western Holy Gate of the Assumption Monastery

Most of the buildings on the territory of the monastery date back to the 19th century. Until the beginning of the 19th century, all the buildings of the monastery, with the exception of the Assumption Cathedral, were wooden. In the 19th century, intensive construction began at the monastery: the Western Holy Gates, the Hospital building with the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross and other buildings were built.

After the revolution, the monastery was closed and reopened in 2005. In August 2005, the first Divine Liturgy took place in the Assumption Church.

Now all the buildings of the monastery complex are architectural monuments of federal significance.

The Assumption Church is open to the public only on weekends in the summer, and services are held only in the summer.

Therefore, the main operating temple of the monastery is Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, which is located in the south-eastern part of the monastery, almost at the very wall facing Volkhov, in the Hospital building, is a monumental brick building, built, like many other buildings on the territory of the monastery, in the neo-Russian style. There is a monastery shop at the church.

Hospital building with the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, 1860-1862, project by architect A. M. Gornostaev

IN different time the monastery became a refuge or place of imprisonment for many famous women. Perhaps the most famous prisoner of the monastery was the first wife of Peter I and the last Russian queen Evdokia Lopukhina, in monasticism Elena. She was here from 1718 to 1725; A military guard was then on duty around the monastery, entry of parishioners into the territory of the monastery was prohibited and the tonsure of new novices was suspended. The stay of Evdokia Lopukhina - nun Elena - in the monastery is reminiscent of the second name of the Ladozhka river - Elena.

Read more about the Assumption Monastery -.

The Assumption Monastery is located in the middle of the village, north of the fortress; Along the Volkhovskoe highway there is a white fence that is impossible not to notice.
The main entrance to the monastery is the Western Holy Gate, but there is another entrance from south side, where it is convenient to park your car, there is a small parking lot.
Parking coordinates: 60.001039 , 32.293330

The Assumption Monastery is open to the public every day from 9:00 before 19:00 hours.
The Assumption Church is open to visitors on weekends in the summer.

Across the road from the monastery is the Alekseevskoe cemetery with Church of Alexy, man of God; Previously, both the church and the cemetery belonged to the Assumption Monastery.

In 1831, parishioners of the Assumption Monastery, using their own funds, built a chapel, consecrated in the name of Alexy, the man of God. And two years later, in 1833 year, on the site of the chapel, with donations from the St. Petersburg merchant Semyon Kalinin and other parishioners, a single-domed stone church in the style of late classicism was erected. At the beginning of the 20th century, a porch-porch was added to the church according to the design of the architect A.P. Melnikov.

In 1939, the Alexievskaya Church was closed and fell into disrepair. In 2000, the temple was returned to the church and restored (1999-2001) at the expense of the Volkhov Aluminum enterprise, in memory of its director B. A. Alekseev.

Not far away, in a park next to the regional cultural and sports center "Ladoga", there is memorial sign in honor of the 1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga. It was installed in 2003 during the anniversary celebrations.

Uspenskoe

Next to the Assumption Monastery, on the north side, there is a small park facing Volkhov. There are benches in the park, and here you can relax in the shade of the trees, and then continue your walk and sightseeing with renewed vigor.

This was the territory of the Uspenskoye estate, which is famous primarily for its cultural traditions, established by the owner of the estate A.R. Tomilov, and the memory of the wonderful people who visited here.

In the 18th century, the estate on the banks of the Volkhov belonged to the Melgunovs, one of the richest families of Staraya Ladoga. In 1807, the owners of the estate became Varvara Andreevna, the daughter of the provincial leader of the nobility in the Olonets governorship A.P. Melgunov, and her husband Alexey Romanovich Tomilov(1779-1848) - philanthropist, great lover and connoisseur of art, collector. During the war with the French in 1812, Tomilov joined the militia and led a detachment of soldiers from his serfs, and from 1815, after being wounded in the battle of Polotsk, he settled permanently in Uspenskoye and began improving the estate.

Most of the territory of the estate was occupied by a picturesque park with deciduous trees, in the center of which there was a one-story wooden manor house. On the south side of the house there was a parterre park with a regular layout, and on the opposite side the park was a dense green area. A staircase made of limestone slabs descended from the manor house towards the river. Two ponds were dug near the bank of the Volkhov, in which silver carp were bred. A linden alley led towards the monastery fence; the alleys also stretched to Malysheva Mountain and to the road towards Novaya Ladoga. To the west of the house there were greenhouses, vegetable gardens and an orchard.

In 1816, a two-story brick building was added to the wooden manor house on the north side; both buildings were connected by a covered gallery. Later the brick building became the main one. Perhaps at first it was one-story in the middle and two-story at the edges, but then it was rebuilt several times.

O. A. Kiprensky. Portrait
Alexey Romanovich Tomilov. 1808
(State Russian Museum)

The owner of Uspensky, Alexey Romanovich Tomilov, was a very respected person in the district, he was elected several times as leader of the nobles of the Novoladozhsky district. Under Tomilov, the estate became a center of art and cultural life. A subtle connoisseur and connoisseur of art, the owner of Uspensky collected a large and very valuable collection of paintings and drawings by Russian and foreign masters, as well as sculptures, prints, and antiquities.

At the invitation of Tomilov, artists often visited Uspensky, and sometimes lived and worked for a long time - I.K. Aivazovsky, O.A. Kiprensky, A.O. Orlovsky, A.G. Venetsianov, P.E. Zabolotsky and many others, here there were architects, poets, writers. Creative evenings were held at the estate, creative ideas were discussed. Here the artistic taste of aspiring artists was formed, who were patronized and helped by the Tomilov family. The artists who visited Uspensky captured the surroundings of the estate on their canvases.

The artist Orest Kiprensky was a great friend of the owner of the estate; Over the years, he painted several portraits of A. R. Tomilov.

A. R. Tomilov died in 1848 and was buried in. After his death, the estate was inherited by his son, Roman Alekseevich, who supported the traditions established by his father, and artists continued to come to Uspenskoye. R. A. Tomilov died in 1864, his widow owned the estate; in those years, part of the collection of drawings was sold to P. M. Tretyakov.

Subsequently, in 1895, the estate was inherited by E. G. Schwartz (brother of the famous historical painter V. G. Schwartz). The new owner revived Uspensky’s artistic traditions, and the collection collected by the Tomilovs was replenished with new works.

In 1908, the outstanding artist B. M. Kustodiev visited Uspensky. Here he created a wonderful painting “The Nun” - a portrait of Abbess Olympias. In addition, Kustodiev painted a portrait of the Schwartz family, a view of the estate, and interiors in Uspensky.

B. M. Kustodiev. On the estate of collector E. G. Schwartz Uspenskoye in Staraya Ladoga. 1908 (Tyumen Regional Museum of Fine Arts)

In 1916, E. G. Schwartz sold part of the collection to the Russian Museum, and in 1917 he transported the rest of the collection, as well as furniture and other items for storage to the Russian Museum. This saved the collection from plunder and destruction.

But the Schwartz family, soon after the revolution, was evicted from their home and expelled outside the Novoladozhsky district. And when the owner tried to return, if not collectibles, then at least his own things, furniture, he was refused.

The wooden manor house did not survive; it burned down in the 1920s, only the brick outbuilding and another one-story building (riga), where there was a cattle yard, survived. The basic layout of the park has been preserved: a central alley crossing the park from north to south, and an access road that led to the house; You can also find traces of two ponds near the river.

The territory of the Uspenskoye estate and the brick outbuilding. This building is sometimes called the “Schwartz House”, after the last owners of the estate.

An interesting attraction of the park is the hill, one of the many ancient burial mounds preserved on the northern outskirts of Staraya Ladoga. The hill is located near the intersection of two alleys, closer to the river bank. A. R. Tomilov explored the hill together with the Polish archaeologist Zorian Dolenga-Khodakovsky, who was excavating mounds in Staraya Ladoga. Later, a gazebo was placed on the hill, and the hill was an element of the park's layout.

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist

On the northern outskirts of Staraya Ladoga rises the five-domed Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist with a slender bell tower with a spire. The place for the temple was chosen surprisingly. The high hill above the river on which the church is built has been known since ancient times as Malysheva Mountain and is one of the best viewing platforms in Staraya Ladoga. The snow-white temple is located on the very high point Staraya Ladoga at the bend of the river and beautifully completes its perspective from the northern side.

Once upon a time there was a monastery of St. John the Baptist in this place. And in ancient times, before the founding of the monastery, there was a pagan temple on Malysheva Mountain, where they prayed to Perun and Makrusha. It is believed that the first mention of the monastery on a hill called Malysheva Mountain is found in the chronicle 1276 of the year. The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist was the main church of the monastery.

It is known that the family of Tsar Boris Godunov showed affection for this monastery. In the chronicles (1604) there is information about the king donating two bells to the monastery. On one of them there was an inscription: “Ladoga is the stronghold of my state.” On another bell it read: “Summer 7112 (1604) for the Ascension of the Lord and the Nativity of John the Baptist, two bells were poured on Malysheva Mountain in Ladoga under the rightful Tsar and Grand Duke Boris Fedorovich of All Rus' and his rightful Queen Grand Duchess Maria and under their noble children , Tsarevich Fedora, Princess Xenia and His Eminence Metropolitan Isidore of Veliky Novgorod and under the present abbot Dionysius.”

Until the end of the 17th century, all the buildings of the monastery were wooden. IN 1695 year in place of the previous one wooden church The current stone five-domed Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist was erected with the side-chapel of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa and with a high octagonal bell tower (the head and spire of the bell tower date back to the 19th century).

The monastery existed until the end of the 18th century. Then for many years (until its closure in the 1920s), the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist was the main parish cathedral of Staraya Ladoga.

Not long ago, the temple building was threatened with complete destruction. Suddenly the bell tower began to lean and the arch of the apse collapsed. As it turned out, the entire Malysheva Mountain was dug up by underground passages from the inside. In the 19th century, village peasants mined quartz sand here and sold it in St. Petersburg to make light bulbs. The resulting voids threatened the safety of the architectural monument. During the restoration of the temple, the underground passages were filled with concrete, this strengthened the soil and stopped the destruction.

Now it's operational Orthodox Church. After restoration was completed in 1991, the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist was the first in Staraya Ladoga to be returned to believers and again became the main parish church of the city. The church is assigned to. Services are held here on Saturdays and temple holidays.


During the restoration, a new multi-tiered iconostasis was installed in the temple. Chapel in the name of St. Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa was also decorated with a new iconostasis and elegant forged candlesticks. And the brick walls of the chapel remained unplastered, as a reminder of the times when the churches in the village were closed and looted. The walls of the adjacent refectory were painted by St. Petersburg artists.

Painted ceiling in the refectory

Not far from the temple there is a spring - healing source. It is located at the foot of Malysheva Mountain on the banks of the Volkhov River. It is believed that this is one of the most ancient holy springs not only in the Leningrad region, but also in Russia, and its water helps with many different diseases.

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist and chapel-font at the source of Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa

A staircase leads from the Church of John the Baptist to the source. From here you can see the bend of the river and the shore where the mound of Prophetic Oleg is located.

Chapel-font and source of Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa

Nicholas Roerich. Overseas guests. From the series “The Beginning of Rus'. Slavs". 1901 (State Tretyakov Gallery)

View from the mound to the side

Many legends and traditions are associated with these mounds. They say that Oleg Kurgan is connected by underground passages to the Old Ladoga caves and a system of catacombs; secret passages even supposedly lead to the fortress and monasteries. There is a legend that the grave of Rurik himself is located in Staraya Ladoga. Rurik is supposedly buried in a golden coffin in one of the many caves and underground galleries; Of course, countless treasures are also stored there. It is not surprising that at all times there were many adventurers who tried to find Rurik’s golden coffin in the dungeons, but to no avail.

Coordinates of the Sopki tract: 60.012296 , 32.301235

Caves

There really are underground passages, caves and catacombs here, both natural and artificial.

The caves are also a landmark of Staraya Ladoga. The most famous are Tanechkina and Staroladozhskaya.

Tanechkina cave, - it is located about a kilometer from the Old Ladoga mounds, - the largest, most beautiful and interesting. According to official data, the passages of the Tanechkina Cave stretch along the Volkhov for almost eight kilometers, but local legends say that it is almost forty.

This cave is mainly of artificial origin. At the end of the 19th century, quarries were established in this place, in which white quartz sandstone was mined, used for glass production, and after the depletion of reserves, the quarries were abandoned. Mining was carried out using the room-and-pillar method, in which numerous columns were formed. Therefore, the cave looks very beautiful: the arched vaults are supported by columns, between which a winding labyrinth of halls and passages has formed. Many parts of the cave are flooded, and the vaults are beautifully reflected in the water. In addition, several species of bats live in the cave.

Staraya Ladoga Cave is located in the lower part of Malysheva Mountain, under the Church of John the Baptist.

It was also created as a result of the extraction of quartz sandstone, but much smaller in size. Due to the cavities formed under the mountain, the Church of John the Baptist was in danger of collapsing, and some of the passages were filled with concrete.

There are other caves in the area, some of which remain virtually unexplored.

How to get to Staraya Ladoga

By car you need to go along the highway from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk and Murmansk to the village of Kiselnya (from the Ring Road to Kiselnya 95 km), there follow the sign to the right, after 2.5 km at the fork take a left and go to the bridge over the Volkhov (from Kiselnya to bridge 12 km) and before the bridge at the traffic light turn left - to Staraya Ladoga (another 5 km).

You can follow the highway to the Volkhov River and turn right in Yushkovo before the bridge; then you will enter Staraya Ladoga from the north. 6.5 kilometers after the turn, on the left side there will be the Sopka tract and the mound of Prophetic Oleg, and here at the entrance you will see a very beautiful panoramic view of Staraya Ladoga, the bend of the Volkhov River, the towers of the fortress and the domes of churches.

On public transport from Saint-Petersburg:

Electric trains to Volkhovstroy-1 station depart from Moskovsky and Ladozhsky railway stations. Travel time is approximately 2.5 hours. You can board those trains that depart from Moskovsky Station at the Obukhovo and Rybatskoye stations, and at the Obukhovo and Rybatskoye metro stations. Some evening trains from Volkhovstroy to the city may not go to the Moskovsky station, but only to Obukhovo.

Shuttle Buses go from the bus station on the Obvodny Canal in the direction of Boksitogorsk or Volkhov, from the Northern Bus Station in Murino in the direction of Kirishi.

From Volkhovstroy-1 station you can get to Staraya Ladoga by bus number 23, going along the route Volkhov-Staraya Ladoga-New Ladoga. It departs from a stop at the station square. Buses run approximately every hour. It takes 15-20 minutes to get to Staraya Ladoga. The bus passes the entire Staraya Ladoga on its way and makes three stops in the village. The first stop is at the turn to the St. Nicholas Monastery, the second is closer to the fortress, at the Museum of Archeology and the monument to Rurik and Oleg, the third is at the Church of John the Baptist. Back to station square Volkhovstroy can be reached by the same bus number 23. There is a schedule at the stops.

Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest villages in Russia, “the first capital of Rus'”. Today it is a fairly large village, located 120 kilometers from St. Petersburg. However, in terms of the number of historical and architectural monuments it surpasses many cities in the country.

In our article we will tell you about the history and main attractions of Staraya and Novaya Ladoga.

Staraya Ladoga - a village with a thousand-year history

These days, Staraya Ladoga is just a village on the banks of the Volkhov River with a population of 2,000 people. But it was once an important outpost city of Russia, which held back the ferocious attacks of ill-wishers. The main reason to visit Staraya Ladoga is its numerous natural, historical, cultural and architectural monuments dating back to the 9th-19th centuries.

Almost all the sights of the village of Staraya Ladoga are interesting and unique in their own way. And there are incredibly many of them! But tourists come here not only for the monuments, but also to feel the spirit of antiquity and enjoy the incredibly picturesque landscapes.

To further captivate the reader with Staraya Ladoga, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the ten most interesting historical facts about this village:

  • Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest settlements in Russia (the first mention of it dates back to 862);
  • until 1703, Staraya Ladoga had the status of a city and was simply called Ladoga;
  • the city was one of the most important points on the trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”;
  • according to one version, the ancient Russian prince Oleg was buried in Ladoga;
  • Ladoga became the first city in Northern Europe, all of whose walls were built exclusively of stone;
  • already in the 8th century, Ladoga residents traded with the help of money (glass beads played their role);
  • in the 10th century you could buy a slave for just one Ladoga bead;
  • the architecture of the Staraya Ladoga Fortress is unique for Russian architecture; there is no other similar monument in all of Russia;
  • The Staraya Ladoga stronghold is included in the hundred most beautiful places countries;
  • A real treasure of silver Arab coins was found on the territory of the village (the find was dated by historians to the 8th century).

Novaya Ladoga and its history

If you go upstream from Staraya Ladoga, then after 15 kilometers you will reach Novaya Ladoga. This small town was founded in 1704 by decree of Peter the Great to serve the shipyard created two years earlier. Many Old Lada residents were ordered to move to the new city. During the Second World War, Novaya Ladoga played a significant role in providing besieged Leningrad along the so-called Road of Life.

It would be a sin not to stop by this small town if you are heading to Staraya Ladoga. There are also plenty of attractions here. Novaya Ladoga is a beautifully planned city, ancient buildings and magnificent views of the Volkhov River and Lake Ladoga.

The main monuments and interesting places in Novaya Ladoga:

  • Nikolo-Medvedsky Monastery.
  • Gostiny Dvor.
  • Staraya Ladoga Canal.
  • St. Nicholas Cathedral.
  • Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin.
  • Temple of Clement of Rome (dilapidated).
  • St. George's Church.
  • Novoladozhsky Museum of Local Lore.
  • Memorial complex "Road of Life".

List of attractions of Staraya Ladoga

However, let's return to the settlement where our story began - Staraya Ladoga. As a rule, an inspection of the monuments of this village begins with the fortress. This is the main and most valuable attraction of Staraya Ladoga, which is under UNESCO protection. Inside the fortress there is an ancient church from the 12th century, which is perfectly preserved.

Complete list of historical monuments and interesting places The must-sees in this unique village are as follows:

  • Staraya Ladoga fortress.
  • Assumption Monastery.
  • Varyazhskaya street.
  • Oleg's grave.
  • St. Nicholas Orthodox Monastery.
  • Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist.
  • House of merchant Kalyazin.
  • Estate "Uspenskoe".
  • Tanechkina and Staroladoga caves.
  • Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall.

A map of the sights of Staraya Ladoga will help you navigate the village (see photo below).

Staraya Ladoga Fortress

The main attraction of Staraya Ladoga is the fortress, founded at the end of the 9th century. What we can see today was built almost from scratch in the 2000s.

The fortress is located on a narrow cape, in the place where the Ladozhka River flows into the Volkhov. Initially it was wooden. During the reign of Prince Oleg, a powerful stone stronghold was erected here. For a long time, the fortress defended the northern borders of Ancient Rus', then Russia. It lost its defensive significance only at the beginning of the 18th century.

Assumption Monastery

To the north of the fortress there is another important monument of the village - the Staraya Ladoga Holy Dormition Monastery. It was founded in the middle of the 12th century.

Behind the walls of the monastery hides the northernmost of the ancient Russian churches of the pre-Mongol period - the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has been here since 1156! The temple is quite miniature: its width is 14 meters and its height is 19 meters, however, it can accommodate several dozen people. The walls of the Assumption Church were lavishly painted, but the painting has practically not survived to this day.

It is known that from 1718 to 1725, it was in this monastery that the first wife of Peter the Great, Evdokia Lopukhina, stayed and became a nun.

Varyazhskaya street

It is unacceptable to visit Staraya Ladoga and not take a walk along Varyazhskaya Street. After all, according to historians, this is the oldest street in Russia! The earliest mentions of it date back to the 15th century.

Today on Varyazhskaya Street you can see ancient one-story wooden houses that once belonged to local merchants. It's quiet and very cozy here. At the beginning of the ancient street there is a bronze sculpture of a falcon. This bird is considered the symbol of Staraya Ladoga. All tourists make a wish near this sculpture and leave coins in the beak of the bronze falcon.

Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall

Very few people know about the Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall, but in vain, because it is the highest waterfall in the Leningrad region. This is an amazing natural corner where you can calmly relax your thoughts and enjoy nature. It is located in the village of Gorchakovshchina, on the opposite bank of the river from Staraya Ladoga.

The height of the waterfall is only four meters. It is located in a river canyon and falls into a shallow bowl with sandstone walls. The walk to the waterfall does not take long; a forest path leads to it directly from the village.

Tanechkina Cave

In the past, Tanechkina Cave was a place where white quartz was mined. It stretches seven kilometers in length. The cave has many passages and labyrinths, and in its central gallery there is a shallow lake.

Hundreds of bats live inside. This is the largest, but also the most dangerous cave in Staraya Ladoga. Landslides and flooding often occur here, although this rarely stops speleologists.

How to get to the sights of Staraya Ladoga?

The village is located in the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region, ten kilometers from the city of Volkhov and 120 km from St. Petersburg. How can I get to the sights of Staraya Ladoga? It will be easiest to do this by car. But you can also get there by public transport.

By car you need to travel from St. Petersburg along the Murmansk Highway (M18). Immediately after the village of Kiselnya you need to turn right off the highway (signpost to Volkhov). After another two kilometers you should turn left. This road will lead to an intersection on the banks of the Volkhov River. Here you need to turn left again and drive another four kilometers to Staraya Ladoga.

The second way to get to the village is public transport. You can get to the city of Volkhov by electric train (from Moskovsky or Ladozhsky railway stations). In Volkhov you can change to a regular bus to Staraya Ladoga. In about 20 minutes he will bring you to the ancient village.

Lovers of old history can visit the first capital of Rus' - Staraya Ladoga. This is a city of history with fortified walls, temples and burial mounds. It was here that the founder of the state, Rurik, was invited. Today, regular reconstruction festivals and thematic fairs are held here.

The main attractions of Staraya Ladoga are located along the left bank of the Volkhov in an area divided into northern and southern halves by the Ladozhka River.

Stone fortress

The historical center of the settlement is the Stone Fortress, built in the 15th century. On the site of more ancient walls. The fortress stands in a strategically important place on Cape Volkhov and Ladozhka and is surrounded by water. The surviving walls were built during the era of gunpowder and are very solidly built. Their thickness reaches 7 meters. Height - up to 12 meters. There are 5 well-preserved towers up to 19 meters in height.

The ruins that stood here were nicknamed “Rurik Castle”. For a long time there have been legends about secret doors behind which a huge dungeon or even a passage under the Volkhov is hidden. There was talk of treasures and secret dungeons hiding the secrets of the past. However, upon detailed examination by archaeologists, it turned out that all these were just urban legends.

There were no underground passages in the fortress and towers. Although they searched carefully and dug them down to the very foundation. In the 1880s. the fortress had a sad and abandoned appearance: “Everywhere around there is a stamp of long-ago destruction: half-crumbled vaults, stone massifs threatening to fall instantly, the crests of walls and towers chewed by centuries, all this, in the midst of general silence, breathes death, breathes something long outdated; the impression is aggravated by the multitude of graves crosses of the local St. George's churchyard, occupying the interior of the fortress."

They began to save the historical heritage only in 1978 against the background of the then revival of interest in native history. According to the design of the restorer A.E. Eck, two were rebuilt: the Klimentovskaya and Vorotnaya towers with a spindle between them. During the work, archaeologists discovered two more fortresses of the 9th and 12th centuries. This made it possible to date the founding of Staraya Ladoga to at least 753.

The most striking event in the history of the fortress was the reign of Rurik here. However. He did not rule here for long and soon moved to Veliky Novgorod - to the source of the river. The fortress remained an important trading outpost and reserve base for the Varangians. Here taxes were collected from traders and enemy troops were met.

Modern walls appeared in the 16th century. It should be noted that at this time the fortress did not have advanced military significance and was not a priority target. However, during the Time of Troubles, the Swedes still attacked it, destroying part of the walls. After the return of Staraya Ladoga, they planned to restore the city for a long time, so that it would not embarrass merchants and ambassadors passing through with its ruined appearance, but it never worked out.

Falcon sculpture

Near the entrance to the Staraya Ladoga Fortress, at the very beginning of Varangian Street, you can see the sculpture of a falcon - the symbol of Staraya Ladoga and the family coat of arms of Rurik, depicted on the shields and banners of his warriors. Nowadays the falcon is a symbol of the Staraya Ladoga settlement and the Volkhov region, as a tribute to history.

The statue represents a bronze falcon on natural stone. The formidable bird seems to have spread its wings and is preparing to take off. This is a favorite attraction for tourists, who constantly take pictures with the statue and leave coins in its beak and claws as souvenirs.

The bronze bird appeared at this place in 2013 during the annual holiday - Days of the Leningrad Region.

The best place to start exploring the sights of Staraya Ladoga is on Varyazhskaya Street. This is the main street of the historical part of the settlement, the first mention of which dates back to 1500. We can say that this is the oldest surviving street in Russia.

Today it runs along the left bank of the Ladozhka River along the highway and looks more like a narrow village street. On both sides every now and then there are ancient buildings, churches and mansions. The current appearance of the street took shape at the end of the 18th century, with the construction of several merchant houses that still stand today. Walking here you may feel as if you have traveled back several centuries and are walking along the main street of a quiet provincial town. Everything here breathes history.

On Varyazhskaya Street you can see a very remarkable chapel, built at the beginning of the last century on the site of a lost church from the pre-Mongol period. The chapel was erected with funds from the Imperial Geographical Society as a memory of the lost temple. From the old church, which was once the main temple of this end of Ladoga, only the foundation remains.

Ladoga burial hills

The Ladoga burial mounds in the Sopki tract on the left bank of the Volkhov, behind the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist, are a whole burial complex of the 8th-10th centuries. The center of the complex is a large ten-meter burial mound, which some scientists consider the burial mound of Prophetic Oleg. There is no exact information about the burial place of the second ruler of Rus', there are only sources that say that his last journey was made to Novgorod, and then to Ladoga.

There is a version that he was buried near Kiev on Mount Shchekovitsa, but given that the Scandinavian chronicles call the main city of Gardariki Holmsgard (Novgorod), the northern version is considered more plausible. In 1820, excavations were carried out here, which did not find rich burials on Oleg’s hill. However, the grave could have been robbed earlier. Based on the available finds, it is difficult to say anything definite about the burial, however, there is no refutation of the version about the prince’s grave.

In any case, this is a rather interesting historical monument. Probably, the mounds are not only burial places of the dead, but also unique commemoration complexes, where relatives of the buried gathered in order to reunite with their ancestors and pay tribute to their memory, as well as carry out other religious practices.

Estate "Uspenskoye"

Local history lovers should definitely visit the Uspenskoye estate. It is located on the banks of the Volkhov between St. John the Baptist and Assumption Monasteries (hence the name).

The estate complex was built in 1780 by a local landowner, retired general R.N. Tomilov. Initially it was just a wooden house near the river. In 1807, the estate was inherited by his son Alexey, who rebuilt the estate in 1817 according to his own design, adding a stone outbuilding to the original wooden structure. Later, the wooden house disappeared and only the main stone part remained, later expanded somewhat. In its current form, the external appearance of the building is not particularly remarkable and, without knowing it, one can mistake it for a typical post-revolutionary barracks. However, inside there is a museum with preserved interiors from old times, as well as the remains of the once outstanding collection of paintings of the previous owners.

Alexey Tomilov personally knew many artists of his time. Architects G. Quarenghi, A.N. were frequent guests at the estate. Voronikhin, painters A.O. Orlovsky, O.A. Kiprensky, I.K. Aivazovsky, A.G. Venetsians, who often worked here. The owner collected a large collection of drawings by Russian and European masters in the estate. In 1895, Uspenskoye was inherited by E.G. Schwartz (brother of the famous artist). The new owner continued to collect and expand the collection.

In 1918 the estate was confiscated, and most of paintings moved to the Russian Museum. Only a shadow of its former glory remains in the estate building. Here you can view an exhibition of 19th-century life, archaeological finds and a collection of paintings and graphics.

Standing at the origins of Russian statehood. Until 1703, it was an influential city, which for some time bore the title of the capital of northern Rus'.

Today the surviving evidence of it great history united into a project called “Staraya Ladoga Museum-Reserve”, which is a famous landmark of the Leningrad region.

Staraya Ladoga, first mentioned in chronicles in 753, is located in the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region.

Today it is a small settlement near the Volkhov River with a leisurely, measured life, but several centuries ago the interests of several states collided here, irreconcilable battles took place for territorial dominance on water trade routes, and state decisions were made. Its coordinates: 59°59′55″ N. w. 32°17′49″ E. d.

You can get to the Museum-Reserve by highway; The nearest airport “Pulkovo” (St. Petersburg) is 130 km away, the nearest railway station “Volkhovstroy-1” (Volkhov) is 15 km away. From Volkhov to the village there is a regular bus N 23 with a travel interval of about 1 hour and a fare of 48.0 rubles. Travel time – 15-20 minutes.

To Volkhov from any Russian city can be reached by rail or road.

By train

At the Volkhovstroy station, located on Oktyabrskaya railway, many trains and trains stop long distance. From St. Petersburg, trains depart in this direction from Moskovsky and Ladozhsky stations, which arrive in Volkhov in 2.5 hours. The fare is from 290 rubles.

Trains traveling from Moscow to Murmansk, Petrozavodsk, and St. Petersburg pass through the Volkhovstroy station. The trip will last from 7.5 to 14 hours. Ticket price starts from 1200 rubles. with early purchase.

By car

From St. Petersburg you can get to the museum-reserve in 2 hours (excluding traffic jams) along the P-21 “Kola” federal highway, connecting the northern capital with Karelia. The route from Moscow will pass through Tver, Valdai and Veliky Novgorod. Its length will be approximately 700 km, travel time is 8-9 hours.

Weather, best time to travel

The weather in this region is strongly influenced by the proximity of the Baltic Sea, and therefore the climate is transitional, Atlantic-continental. This means that the winter here is not severe but average. negative temperature 10 °C, and summers are cool with average thermometer readings of +17 °C.

Daytime air temperature (°C), precipitation (mm), amount sunny days in Staraya Ladoga by month:

Jan. Feb. March Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
-5,5 -4,0 -0,5 +7,0 +16,5 +19,5 +23,5 +21,0 +15,0 +6,5 +2,0 -2,5
30,5 25,0 23,0 24,0 27,5 41,0 38,5 46,0 30,0 31,5 35,0 29,0
2 0 1 8 16 16 16 17 10 5 2 1

The museum-reserve is open all year round. However, according to experts, an uncomfortable stay in these places occurs during the three winter months. The rest of the time period is characterized high level comfort, more than 4.2 points on a 5-point system. The maximum occurs in July and August.

Attractions

Locality with more than 1250 years of history, it has always attracted curious people and researchers. It is known that the first archaeological excavations here were carried out at the beginning of the 18th century.

Over the past time, more than 160 historical monuments have been discovered, testifying to the active and eventful life of Staraya Ladoga: the layout of streets of the 10th-11th centuries, rare examples of fortification structures, architectural structures.

Staraya Ladoga, the attractions of which were united by a museum-reserve opened here at the end of the last century, occupying an area of ​​190 hectares, in addition to the cultural medieval layer, preserves monuments of more recent times. The ongoing work of researchers and restorers is adding more and more artifacts to the museum's repository.

Religious buildings

Staraya Ladoga was and remains the spiritual center of Russia. Here, in a small area, many Orthodox churches were built, monasteries were opened, some of which have survived to this day.

St. George's Church

One of the oldest stone churches in Russia, the construction period of which dates back to the 12th century.


Old Ladoga. Sights: St. George's Church.

The two most ancient religious buildings have survived to this day in Staraya Ladoga:

  • St. George's Church, built in 1164 on the territory of the fortress; it was consecrated in the name of St. George the Victorious as a token of gratitude for the victory over the Swedes.
  • Assumption Cathedral, part of the Assumption Convent.

St. George's Church, although heavily rebuilt, has preserved the frescoes of the 12th century, which are of the greatest value. The temple has the status of an architectural monument of the Russian Federation and is open to visitors from May 1 to October 1 in dry weather. The architecture of the small temple is typical of ancient Russian architecture; this is how all the churches were built Novgorod land.

The 4-pillar, 3-slate structure ends with one central helmet-shaped dome, above which a cross is installed. The small size of the church is explained by the location of the temple: the territory of the fortress was crowded. Frescoes were painted on the walls and dome simultaneously with the construction of the temple. Experts in the manner of writing determined that two groups of Greek masters worked.

Church of Demetrius of Thessalonica

On the territory of the fortress, another religious building has been preserved, dating back to 1731, and erected in honor of the complete victory over the Swedes. The saint, in whose name the church was consecrated, was, along with St. George the Victorious, most revered by the Slavs of the Middle Ages.

The wooden parish church is typical of the “kletsky” rural churches of that time both in size and architecture. It was built according to the principle of constructing a peasant hut, where the basis was a log house (cage). A combination of 3 or more cages was made, and the altar was given a rounded shape. The only dome is covered with aspen ploughshare.

Nikolsky Monastery

The 14th-century monastery, clearly visible from the highway, consists of the following buildings:

  • wall with corner towers;
  • St. Nicholas Cathedral of the 17th century;
  • Church of St. John Chrysostom of the 19th century;
  • residential buildings.

The monastery, which survived war and troubled times, was closed in 1927, but the monks who lived here were not driven away until 1937. They continued to live and work here as part of a fishing team. Then, after all, a local MTS was located on the territory. The revival of the monastery began in 2002.

Assumption Convent

The monastery, founded in the middle of the 12th century, is located north of the fortress and includes the main temple of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is one of the most valuable churches of the 12th century. Here, fragments of a fence and churches of a later construction have been preserved.

The monastery, like the Ladoga fortress, was repeatedly attacked and destroyed, but was restored again, its churches were re-consecrated.

In the first half of the 19th century, a new stage of construction work began in the monastery: a stone fence with the Holy Front Gate, a cell building, a refectory, and outbuildings were erected. The new Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was built according to the design of A. Gornostaev. On its first floor, elderly nuns lived in 20 cells.

All work was carried out with money from wealthy donors: A.R. Tomilov, Count D.N. Sheremetev, Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Currently, the monastery's buildings have been partially restored, but the reconstruction is not completed. The Assumption Monastery is also famous for the fact that from 1718 to 1725 Emperor Peter I kept his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina here in captivity.

Here she took monastic vows, and here she languished until the death of the monarch. The first wife of Abram Hannibal, Evdokia Hannibal, lived in the monastery for almost 30 years. Under Nicholas I, Decembrist wives were forced to live here.

The most interesting museums

In Staraya Ladoga there is a large “Staraya Ladoga Historical, Architectural and Archaeological Museum-Reserve”, which includes many buildings, monuments and exhibition premises. The depositories contain more than 200 thousand units of the most valuable artifacts.

Address: Volkhovsky Prospekt, 19. It is open from 9 to 18 hours (in winter - until 17), day off - Monday.

Its permanent exhibitions are located:

  • in the Gate Tower: historical section from Neolithic times to our time;
  • in the house of merchant Kalyazin: archaeological and ethnographic sections.

The museum has created exhibition spaces where temporary exhibitions are held. Much attention in last years focuses on reconstructions of historical events. This spectacle takes place in the summer with a large crowd of tourists.

Price:

Full ticket, rub. Discount ticket, rub.
Entrance to the fortress 50 20
Ticket to all museum exhibitions 200 100
Visit the exhibition 30 20
Inspection of frescoes in St. George's Church 80 50

Excursions

The reserve's staff conducts excursions around the Staraya Ladoga Fortress and its surroundings.

The following programs have been developed and are offered to visitors:

Name List of visited objects Full cost, rub./person.
"Ancient Russian city of Ladoga" Defensive structures, a tour of museum exhibitions in the Gate Tower and Kalyazin’s house, acquaintance with the Nikolsky Monastery 400
"Holy Abodes" A story about all the monasteries that existed in Ladoga with a visit to the two that have survived. 150
“Old Ladoga – a page of history” 350
"On the roads of medieval Ladoga" Acquaintance with fortifications, visiting two monasteries. 250

Monuments and Monuments

Staraya Ladoga, whose attractions are monuments ancient civilization And modern sculptures, preserves equally carefully both legends and true facts of its centuries-old history.

Monument to Rurik and Oleg

In 2015, on the oldest street in the village of Varyazhskaya, mentioned in the chronicles of the 15th century, the country’s first monument to the “founders of Russian statehood” was unveiled. The sculptor O. Shorov depicted two princes, Rurik and Oleg, leaning on a shield - a symbol of the power and strength of the Russian people.

Historians have long proven that Rurik, who was called to reign, and his successor Oleg, who became regent for the young heir, laid the foundation for the creation of the Russian state. Rurik, having set foot on Russian soil and assessing the strategic position of this place, established the city of Ladoga here.

Then he moved up the Volkhov and settled at the Rurik settlement, and later built the New City (Novgorod the Great). Under Rurik, internal strife decreased, Russian lands expanded, and a system of territorial defense began to be established. The word “Rus” also came with it.

This was the name given to the oarsmen of the Scandinavian boat, then the guards of the princes began to be called this way, and after this all the Eastern Slavs, their lands and state. Rurik died in 879 after 17 years of rule. His son Igor was still a small child, and Rurik’s relative, Oleg, who had lived until that day in Ladoga, began to rule the country.

Oleg continued the prince's policy, uniting Novgorod with Kiev, conquering new territories, establishing Russian cities in all lands. For his wisdom and luck, he received the nickname Prophetic. Oleg died in Ladoga, Novgorod or Kyiv. There are his graves everywhere, but which of them is genuine is unknown.

Sopki tract (archaeological site)

Not far from the village, on the left bank of the Volkhov, a complex of three burial mounds dating back to the 9th-10th centuries has been preserved. This place is called the Sopki tract; it is shrouded in legends and secrets. In those distant times, our ancestors buried princes, nobles, and brave warriors in bulk burial grounds. It is believed that the remains of the great Novgorod and Kyiv prince Oleg rest in one of them.

He died from a bite poisonous snake. The actual burial place of the great ancient Russian prince is unknown. 3 cities apply for this: Ladoga, Novgorod and Kyiv. Archaeologists can neither confirm nor refute these points of view. The dispute over this issue still does not subside.

Falcon sculpture

Local residents have a special attitude towards this strong and freedom-loving bird. A diving falcon is depicted on the settlement's coat of arms. And recently, on Varyazhskaya Street, a small sculpture of a flying bird was erected, its wings spread wide over a stone. The image of a noble falcon personifies the unity of the inhabitants of Staraya Ladoga with nature.

Architectural structures

Staraya Ladoga has the most ancient architectural and historical building, part of the museum-reserve. This attraction is the defensive structures of the Staraya Ladoga fortress, which is called “ business card"Northern Rus'.

Staraya Ladoga Fortress

The strategically impeccable position for the protection of Russian lands where the Ladozhka River flows into the large, navigable artery of the Volkhov, was noticed by Prince Rurik, who in 862 was called upon by local residents to reconcile the warring tribes. He ordered to build a city here.

The construction of the defensive structure at the turn of the 10th-11th centuries is attributed to Prince Oleg. The first wooden fortress, given the number of people who wanted to own the exit from the Baltic Sea into the depths of Russian lands, did not stand for long.

The stone fortification structure, complex for that time, began to be erected in 1114 under the leadership of local resident, who was called Pavel the Posadnik according to chronicle documents. On embankments more than 3.5 m high and up to 20 m wide at the base, powerful fortress walls were erected, rising 8 m above the ground.

The walls, made of natural local flagstone, were connected on top by a wide, 2-meter walkway, which made it possible to quickly change position during the battle. Inside the fortress there was always a supply of provisions and weapons necessary in case of a siege.

At the end of the 15th century, complicated relations between Russia and Sweden prompted the Moscow government to undertake a large-scale reconstruction of the fortress.

Here five combat towers appeared, pushed far beyond the walls:

  • Klimentovskaya;
  • Gate;
  • Rolling;
  • Switch;
  • Secret.

They were located along the perimeter, creating not only increased defense capability, but also a threatening appearance to the entire structure. At the same time, the walls were additionally reinforced with boulders, their height increased to 12 m. Later, a secret passage was dug to Volkhov, and a well was dug in the Secret Tower, connected by pipes to the river.

The renewed fortress from the time of Ivan III was a formidable, well-equipped fortification structure. The fortress was repeatedly subjected to enemy siege, was captured more than once, but each time returned back into the hands of the Russians. She survived the last assault in 1701.

At the end of the Northern War, Peter I, who significantly expanded the territory of the state to the north, ordered:

  • deprive Ladoga, which has lost its strategic importance, from 1703 of the status of a city and its own coat of arms;
  • rename it the village “Staraya Ladoga”;
  • the local population was ordered to move to the newly built market town"Novaya Ladoga".

Today, restoration work to restore the ancient fortress has not yet been completely completed. However, the main objects: towers, walls with passages, internal buildings invite visitors to explore. There are museums, exhibitions, and Orthodox churches here.

Estate "Uspenskoye"

Adjacent to the outside of the Assumption Monastery is a two-story rectangular building made of red brick. It is in a deplorable state and gives the impression of a half-abandoned hostel. In fact, this is the country estate of A.R. Tomilin, an art connoisseur, collector and philanthropist of the 19th century.

His many artist friends came to Staraya Ladoga for vacation and plein air: I.K. Aivazovsky, O.A. Kiprensky, A.G. Venetsianov, N.K. Roerich, B.M. Kustodiev and others.

Collection of A.R. Tomilina was known for its value; in addition to paintings, it included etchings by Rembrandt. In 1918, it was confiscated and completely transferred to the Russian Museum. Today you cannot enter the building, but you can walk through the manor park.

Houses of the Kalyazin merchants

On Varyazhskaya Street, the name of which has been preserved since the 15th century, there are two houses. Their construction dates back to the 19th century. They once belonged to a local merchant family. The stone house made of Eliseevsky brick combined the functions of housing and a trading shop.

The wooden and brick houses are in good condition and are part of the museum-reserve. Until the completion of the reconstruction of the Gate Tower of the fortress, permanent exhibitions were located here: “Merchant Life” and “Archaeology of Ladoga”. After the exhibition was moved to the main territory of the Old Ladoga ensemble, the houses are still empty.

Natural attractions

Staraya Ladoga, whose sights are not only man-made, but also created by nature, is attractive for countryside holiday outdoors, walks, sports.

Volkhov River

Volkhov is a large river in the north-west of the country that connects two lakes: Ilmen and Ladoga. Its length is 224 km, along this way it collects the waters of many tributaries and flows in a powerful channel. On its banks there are cities such as Veliky Novgorod, Kirishi, Volkhov, Novaya Ladoga and the famous village of Staraya Ladoga.

Volkhov was part of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”; its banks were densely populated by Slavic tribes. He also got his name from Slavic legends - that was the name of the eldest son of Prince Sloven, who, according to legend, founded Veliky Novgorod.

Today, the Volkhov hydroelectric power station stands on the river, which regulates the flow of water. Ancient chronicles claim that previously the river could change its flow direction depending on weather conditions. Volkhov – favorite place recreation for fishing lovers. Bream, crucian carp, burbot, catfish, pike and other river fish are found here.

Caves

Downstream of the Volkhov, not far from the mound of Prince Oleg, there are man-made caves. In the 19th century, industrial mining of white quartz sandstones took place in these places; the formed underground adits were abandoned after the closure of the mines.

No one knows how far the underground labyrinths stretch. Documents and maps have not been preserved, no one dares to go deeper into the dangerous object, and some of the corridors have collapsed. The caves may be of interest to tourists for a superficial inspection: they live underground the bats who spend the winter here.

Gorchakovshchinsky waterfall

In the village of Gorchakovshchina there is the highest, four-meter waterfall in the Leningrad region.

It is located on a small tributary of the Volkhov, where it makes its jump from a cliff to the bottom of a ravine.

Self-guided route for 1 day

For a one-day trip to Staraya Ladoga, you can create the following route:

  • Start exploring the fortress and its historical monuments from 10 a.m. (opening of the museum-reserve) and get acquainted with the defensive structures, the exhibition in the Gate Tower, visit the St. George Church and, if open, the Church of Dmitry of Thessalonica.
  • On the way to the Assumption Monastery, you can see the house of the merchant Kalyazin and the Uspenskoye estate.
  • Excursion to the St. Nicholas Monastery with its main temple.
  • After lunch at a local cafe, you can walk to the mounds (the burial place of Prince Oleg), walk along the river bank to the caves.
  • The ancient Assumption Monastery with its temples, buildings and stories about events and inhabitants can be left for the end of the journey.

Hotels

Staraya Ladoga, whose attractions are located in a picturesque location, provides tourists with the opportunity to stay in the village for the night, for several days, or to spend a vacation in the nature of the Leningrad region. For this purpose, there is a hotel and guest houses here. 10 km from the village are the cities of Novaya Ladoga and Volkhov, where the choice of hotels is much larger.

Hotel "Staraya Ladoga"

The hotel is located in the center of the village, 10 min. walk from the bus stop with flights to Volkhov. His address: st. Sovetskaya, building 6. There is free wireless Internet on the hotel territory, next to the building there is a football field and a cafe. The hotel has a shared kitchen.

Guests can choose to stay in a private room for 1-4 people or pay for a place in a shared room for 4 people. The furnishings of individual rooms include single or double beds, a wardrobe, and a TV. For Standard rooms, a bathroom with shower is located in the hallway, Junior Suites are equipped with a private bathroom.

The cost of the room is 1600-2300 rubles. Dormitory rooms are equipped with bunk beds, the cost of a bed is 500 rubles.

Guest house "Barsky"

The recreation complex is located at: Staraya Ladoga, microdistrict "Barsky", building 11. Guests are provided with a private area with parking, a terrace, and a barbecue area. There is a shared lounge for evening entertainment. The location of the guest house is convenient for sports: cycling, hiking and skiing. There is access to the ski slope.

The house can accommodate 8 people and has 3 furnished bedrooms and a shared living room. There is a bathroom. You can rent individual rooms or the entire house. The cost of the house is 8000 rubles.

Cottage "Izvoz"

A cottage for rent for 6 people with 3 bedrooms and 2 living rooms. All premises are furnished and equipped with household appliances. There is a recreation area with a barbecue area on the territory.

The house is located on the river bank, there is a “black” bathhouse. If necessary, a transfer or excursion trip around the surrounding area will be organized. Cost - 8000 rubles.

Where to eat

There are no catering establishments with a high level of service in the village. But no one will go hungry here. Small cafes with delicious, homemade food offer a menu of Russian cuisine.

Cafe "Staraya Ladoga"

The cafe is located on Volkhovsky Prospekt, at building 24. The pleasant, cozy atmosphere of the establishment, friendly waiters and a menu sufficient for a snack or a substantial lunch encourage visitors to leave positive reviews. It is especially recommended to try dumplings, solyanka (“like from the oven”) and blueberry tea.

Cafe "Prince Rurik"

On the street Kultury, 3 there is a small cafe that specializes in both national and European cuisine. Tourists who have been here mostly speak positively about the quality of food and portion sizes.

Staraya Ladoga is a village where in a small area there are many ancient and valuable monuments. No less interesting sights can be seen in its surroundings: the Lyubshan settlement, the Volkhov hydroelectric power station, the Pobedishche tract.

Video about the settlement Staraya Ladoga

Overview of the settlement of Staraya Ladoga: