The main monument of the Detinets is the well-known monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russia. The date is conventionally counted from the summoning of Rurik to Ladoga. It was erected in the mid-19th century to commemorate the Millennium itself. It is a unique example of Russian monumental art and one of the most important monuments in the country. It was designed by artist Mikhail Mikeshin and sculptor Ivan Schroeder. Before the project, they were little known, but their fame came to full fruition. Mikeshin designed the monuments to Catherine in St. Petersburg and Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv, and the bell is his signature piece.
Here stands Rurik with a shield, his gaze turned south; on the shield is written "Year 6370." On the left is Vladimir Svyatoslavich, facing Kyiv. The Baptist tramples underfoot a fragment of an idol, part of which is held by an old man. On the right, Dmitry Donskoy drives away a Tatar murza, his gaze turned toward Moscow.
Ivan III represents the formation of the Russian state. On the left is a slain Lithuanian and a kneeling Tatar; on the right is a fallen Livonian knight.
Prince Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.
Here, of course, Peter I and the heavenly genius show him the way north to St. Petersburg.
The state is crowned by an angel with a cross blessing Russia.
Below the monument there are an incredible number of famous figures of educators and military leaders; it would take too long to show them all, but I will show those guys you would never expect to see on a monument dedicated to Russian history.
Lithuanian princes: Vytautas in a knight's helmet, Olgerd with a shield (the "Pahonia" coat of arms can be seen on the shield), and Gediminas in a pointed helmet. The reunification of Lithuania in the Russian state was perceived as the reunification of Rus', and it's not so important that the two principalities were already part of the empire when they weren't dividing anything between themselves. To their left are Vladimir Monomakh and Yaroslav the Wise.
It is interesting that many of these figures are now constantly being divided between the newly formed republics, although it is unlikely that any of them can claim historical continuity.
An incredibly epic thing.
Next we will go to the Novgorod Historical Museum, located in the government building; at the entrance we are greeted by two lions.
The museum's collection is very interesting, especially the part that relates to the Novgorod period.
Here is a caveman who scratched a deer on a stone.
Map of Rus', 10th or 11th century.
Stone idol found in Sheksna.
One of the museum's main assets is a multitude of birch bark letters. Novgorod accounts for more than half of the letters discovered in Rus'. People wrote on them about their daily affairs and then simply threw them away.
Novgorod's entire cultural heritage is protected by UNESCO, and excavations are ongoing. The treasures Novgorod left behind are difficult to overstate.
Seals of the Novgorod princes.
Serpentine amulets represent the transitional period from paganism to Christianity. On one side is a holy symbol, on the other a pagan one.
They were labeled as Viking artifacts, but I never figured out their purpose.
The local stone crosses from different periods are interesting.
The animal details are interesting. Generally, Novgorod at that time was a vibrant arts city; it was a very wealthy city that escaped the Mongol plunder and preserved its crafts and culture.
Source: travel.ru