For the first time Novgorod was mentioned in the chronicle in 859 - this date is considered to be the starting point for the age of the city. In 862 in the "Tale of Bygone Years" there is a story about the vocation of the Varangians to Russia. The eldest of the Varangians who came, Rurik, began to reign in Novgorod.
At the beginning of the 11th century, Novgorod did not differ from other cities of Kievan Rus in its structure. But in 1014, Prince Yaroslav the Wise refused to pay tribute to Kiev, and in fact Novgorod became independent. The construction of the stone walls of the city and the stone Sophia Cathedral begins in Novgorod.
In the second half of the 12th century, the Novgorodians acquired the right to a veche - they began to elect a bishop - the highest ecclesiastical authority. By the end of the 12th century, Novgorodians received the right to invite princes from any city to rule and conclude an agreement with them. In 1226, Alexander Yaroslavovich, who was later named Nevsky, ascended the throne of Novgorod.
In the XIV century, the city was called the Novgorod Republic and was one of the largest and richest regions in Europe. The republic included the territories of the present Novgorod, Pskov, Leningrad, Arkhangelsk regions and the autonomous republics of Komi and Karelia. Most of the discovered birch bark letters also belong to this time. But at the end of the 15th century, Novgorodians swear allegiance to the Moscow prince Ivan III.
In 1570, Ivan the Terrible arrives in Novgorod to pacify the townspeople, accused of a false denunciation of a desire to go over to Lithuania. The guardsmen have been smashing and plundering Novgorod for several weeks, and several thousand residents are killed.
At the beginning of the 17th century, during the Time of Troubles in Russia, Novgorod was occupied by the Swedes, the population was reduced to 800 people. In the second half of the 17th century, Novgorod was settled by settlers from Valdai, Tikhvin and other surrounding cities. In the 18th century, with the beginning of the construction of St. Petersburg, Novgorod finally loses its commercial and economic importance. At the end of the 18th century, Novgorod began to be rebuilt according to the general plan. In 1862 the Millennium of Russia monument was opened in the city.
During the Great Patriotic War, Novgorod was occupied by the Nazis in August 1941. On January 20, 1944, he was liberated by Soviet troops.
In 1959 Novgorod celebrated its 1100th anniversary.
