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131-657: As early as the 12th century, explorers from Novgorod entered the White Sea through the Northern Dvina , Mezen , Pechora and Onega estuaries and founded settlements along the sea coasts of Bjarmaland . Kholmogory served as their chief town until the rise of Arkhangelsk in the late 16th century. From their base at Kola , they explored the Barents Region and the Kola peninsula and Novaya Zemlya . Later

262-418: A Western or European construct. The culture of neighboring peoples had a significant influence on the fairy tale (bylina) tradition of Pomorye. The most popular ones here are long fairy tales about adventures, in which the action is often connected with the sea. Usually the main character of such tales is a poor man. Fairy tales with a female protagonist are no less common. They share all the trials equally with

393-562: A custom, the elder son and heir of the ruling Kievan monarch was sent to rule Novgorod even as a minor. When the ruling monarch had no such son, Novgorod was governed by posadniks , such as the legendary Gostomysl , Dobrynya , Konstantin , and Ostromir . Yaroslav the Wise was Prince of Novgorod from 1010 to 1019, while his father, Vladimir the Great , was a prince in Kiev. Yaroslav promulgated

524-702: A free, fluid and diverse conception of religion and may celebrate traditional holidays like the Pomor New Year in September or the Roe Deer Festival, partake in Orthodox pilgrimages or meditate in places of power where they may also leave ribbons and coins. These traditions are however often combined into a single syncretic worldview with a topographical basis that includes local locus cults and hierotopic practices without clear boundaries between

655-734: A genetically distinct population of polar bears associated with the Barents Sea area. Almost all of the area of the Oblast belongs to the basin of the Arctic Ocean , with the major rivers being the (from west to east) Onega River , the Northern Dvina (with the major tributaries the Vychegda , the Vaga , and the Pinega ), Kuloy River , Mezen River , and Pechora Rivers . A minor area in

786-420: A larger city the other side of Moscow which, between 1932 and 1990, had been renamed Gorky, in honour of Maxim Gorky . Veliky Novgorod is the administrative center of the oblast and, within the framework of administrative divisions , it also serves as the administrative center of Novgorodsky District , even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as

917-533: A major centre of crafts which employed the majority of its population. There were more than 200 distinct professions in 16th century. Bells, cannons and other arms were produced in Novgorod; its silversmiths were famous for the skan' technique used for religious items and jewellery. Novgorod chests were in widespread use all across Russia, including the Tsar's household and the northern monasteries. In 1727, Novgorod

1048-583: A military commander, legislator and jurist. The exact composition of the Veche , too, is uncertain, with some historians, such as Vasily Klyuchevsky , claiming it was democratic in nature, while later scholars, such as Marxists Valentin Ianin and Aleksandr Khoroshev, see it as a "sham democracy" controlled by the ruling elite. In the 13th century, Novgorod, while not a member of the Hanseatic League ,

1179-610: A museum of wooden architecture was established in 1964. Over twenty wooden buildings (churches, houses and mills) dating from the 14th to the 19th century were transported there from all around the Novgorod region. 11,400 graves of the German 1st Luftwaffe Field Division are found at the war cemetery in Novgorod, and 1,900 soldiers of the Spanish Blue Division are buried there. Novgorod has connections to Moscow (531 km) and St. Petersburg (189 km) by

1310-701: A network of buses and trolleybuses . The trolleybus network, which currently consists of five routes, started operating in 1995 and is the first trolley system opened in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union . A minor planet , 3799 Novgorod , discovered by the Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1979, is named after the city. Veliky Novgorod is twinned with: Arkhangelsk Oblast Arkhangelsk Oblast (Russian: Архангельская область , IPA: [ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲskəjə ˈobɫəsʲtʲ] )

1441-952: A number of Russian Orthodox monasteries, including the Antoniev Siysky Monastery and the World Heritage Site of the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea . Plesetsk Cosmodrome is one of three spaceports in Russia (the other two are Kapustin Yar in Astrakhan Oblast and Yasny in Orenburg Oblast ). Arkhangelsk Oblast, which includes the Nenets Autonomous Okrug , borders Kirov Oblast , Vologda Oblast ,

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1572-637: A number of smaller islands, are located in Onega Bay. Onega Bay and the Dvina Bay are separated by the Onega Peninsula . The Mezen Bay is separated from the main body of the White Sea by Morzhovets Island . Other major islands in the oblast include Shogly, Zhizgin, Yagry, Lyasomin, Layda, Nikolskiy, and Mudyugskiy islands. Almost all of the oblast is covered by taiga , the coniferous forest dominated by pine , spruce , and larch . Large areas in

1703-558: A result of its inability to feed its large population, making it dependent on the Vladimir-Suzdal region for grain. The main cities in the area, Moscow and Tver , used this dependence to gain control over Novgorod. Eventually Ivan III forcibly annexed the city to the Grand Duchy of Moscow in 1478. The Veche was dissolved and a significant part of Novgorod's aristocracy, merchants and smaller landholding families

1834-501: A significant mythopoetic meaning as a threshold between the world of the living and the world of the dead. This view of the sea as a boundary endowed navigation with profound religious significance. The Pomors regarded the northeast wind, or "polunoshnik," as a sacred force, connecting the mundane world to the mystical realms of the North, where contact with the otherworldly was inevitable. The sea, with its destructive and creative powers,

1965-545: A territory of practically the whole European Russian North, including the Murmansk , Arkhangelsk and Vologda regions; and Karelia and Komi republics. The traditional livelihoods of the Pomor based on the sea included animal hunting, whaling and fishing; in tundra regions they practiced reindeer herding. The Pomor traded by sea in corn and fish with Northern Norway , which became important to both sides. This trade

2096-521: A yet earlier stage, but the correlation of this reference with the actual city is uncertain. Originally, Holmgård referred to the stronghold, now only 2 km (1.2 miles) to the south of the center of the present-day city, Rurikovo Gorodische (named in comparatively modern times after the Varangian chieftain Rurik , who supposedly made it his "capital" around 860). Archaeological data suggests that

2227-542: Is -45 °C (-49 °F). The warmest month is July with a daily mean of 18.7 °C (65 °F), the coldest month is February with a daily mean of -6 °C (21 °F). The highest amount of precipitation is on average in June with 73 mm (2.9 inches) of precipitation, the driest is March with 30 mm (1.2 inches) of precipitation. The annual amount of precipitation is 603 mm (23.7 inches) . The Sofia First Chronicle makes initial mention of it in 859, while

2358-640: Is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast ). It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya , as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea . Arkhangelsk Oblast also has administrative jurisdiction over the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO). Including the NAO, Arkhangelsk Oblast has an area of 587,400 square kilometres (226,800 sq mi), it's the largest of first-level administrative divisions in Europe. Its population (including

2489-422: Is an active and fluid concept called dynamic constancy and does not represent absolute standstill. The Pomors believed that preserving the static structure of their society was essential for survival in the environment of Pomorye , where the poet-storyteller (starinshchik) as a keeper of "deified memory" played a key role in maintaining this balance through mythopoetic expression. The passage from winter to summer

2620-511: Is considered a dreamtime , which is ended by localized celebrations of symbolic rebirth that greet the sun, which plays a key role in Pomor mythology as it is also represented by the Bird of Happiness in Pomor households. One of the critical aspects of the Pomor spiritual world was the sacred status of the bathhouse, which was viewed as an archaic sanctuary-temple. The bathhouse played a central role in initiatory and medical rituals that symbolized

2751-419: Is pivotal to Pomor philosophy , reminiscent of concepts like Yin and Yang . This highlights the importance of liminal spaces and thresholds. Even the sacred always has a dark side which is in this case represented by the "guardians of the threshold" while the "axis of the world" or "northern mountain" which was believed to exist behind the sea was recognized as a paradise . However, it is not possible to enter

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2882-710: Is the Savior church at Nereditsa (1198). In the 13th century, tiny churches of the three-paddled design were in vogue. These are represented by a small chapel at the Peryn Monastery (1230s) and St. Nicholas' on the Lipnya Islet (1292, also notable for its 14th-century frescoes). The next century saw the development of two original church designs, one of them culminating in St Theodor's church (1360–1361, fine frescoes from 1380s), and another one leading to

3013-404: The Veche can be drawn up, the city-state's exact political constitution remains unknown. The boyars and the archbishop ruled the city together, although where one official's power ended and another's began is uncertain. The prince, although his power was reduced from around the middle of the 12th century, was represented by his namestnik , or lieutenant, and still played important roles as

3144-490: The city of oblast significance of Veliky Novgorod —an administrative unit with status equal to that of the districts . As a municipal division , the city of oblast significance of Veliky Novgorod is incorporated as Veliky Novgorod Urban Okrug . The city is known for the variety and age of its medieval monuments. The foremost among these is the Saint Sophia Cathedral , built between 1045 and 1050 under

3275-407: The 2018–2020 Shies protests under the motto “Pomorye is not a trash heap” with more than 30,000 participants that successfully blocked the creation of a landfill at Shiyes station and led to the resignation of Governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast Igor Orlov and Komi Republic Governor Sergei Gaplikov. The movement was influenced by Pomor separatists that seek an independent Pomorye or Biarmia One of

3406-658: The Arctic Ocean and in Barents Sea , Morzhovets Island , and most of the White Sea coast in Mezensky District. In particular, the area includes the town of Mezen and the urban type settlement of Kamenka . In order to visit the zone, a permit issued by the local FSB department is required. Arkhangelsk Oblast is one of the industrial regions of Russia. The region has a developed fishery , forestry, woodworking, cellulose , and paper industry. There are large reserves of natural resources: Lumber , oil , bauxite , titanium , gold , manganese , and basalt . In 2011,

3537-701: The Baltic region since the late 12th century. Novgorod went to war 26 times with Sweden and 11 times with the Livonian Brothers of the Sword . The German knights , along with Danish and Swedish feudal lords, launched a series of uncoordinated attacks between 1240 and 1242. Novgorodian sources mention that a Swedish army was defeated in the Battle of the Neva in 1240. The Baltic German campaigns ended in failure after

3668-633: The Battle on the Ice in 1242. After the foundation of the castle of Viborg in 1293 the Swedes gained a foothold in Karelia . On 12 August 1323, Sweden and Novgorod signed the Treaty of Nöteborg , regulating their border for the first time. In the 15th century, Novgorod faced significant struggles with food scarcity , which lasted for a decade in the mid-15th century. This scarcity had profound implications for

3799-577: The East European Plain , and most of it is forested, hilly landscape. The north-eastern part belongs to the Timan Ridge , a highland mostly situated east from the oblast. The Nenets Autonomous Okrug is essentially a flat tundra ( Bolshezemelskaya Tundra ) with several hill chains like Pay-Khoy Ridge . The Arctic islands including Novaya Zemlya and Franz Joseph Land are mountainous with glaciers and eternally snow-covered. This region has

3930-530: The Great Duchy of Moscow . Until 1703, the Northern Dvina served as the main export trading route of Muscovy . The local centers were Veliky Ustyug and Kholmogory ; however, during the 17th century, Kholmogory lost its significance, and its role was gradually replaced by Arkhangelsk . In 1708, when the governorates were established by Tsar Peter the Great , Arkhangelsk became the seat of one of

4061-483: The Nenets Autonomous Okrug , the Onega Peninsula , and the north of the oblast. The exceptions with functioning airports are Mezen , Leshukonskoye , and Onega . The oil transport system, Baltic Pipeline System , runs through the oblast, with two oil-pumping station located at Urdoma and Privodino . The Kudemskaya narrow-gauge railway in 2010 has appeared in Forbes ranking, of 10 most beautiful railway routes of

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4192-669: The Novgorod First Chronicle first mentions it in 862, when it was purportedly already a major Baltic -to- Byzantium station on the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks . The Charter of Veliky Novgorod recognizes 859 as the year when the city was first mentioned. Novgorod is traditionally considered to be a cradle of Russian statehood. The oldest archaeological excavations in the middle to late 20th century, however, have found cultural layers dating back to

4323-595: The Red Army entered Arkhangelsk, by which time all allied troops had already been evacuated. In the 1930s, the Soviets carried out the same experiments in economics as elsewhere in Soviet Union. The peasants and fishermen were forcibly organized into collective farms . These were heavily subsidized, which eventually brought the agriculture to the collapse in the 1990s, when the subsidies stopped. Arkhangelsk Oblast

4454-771: The Republic of Karelia , the Komi Republic , and the White, Pechora , Barents and Kara seas. Cape Fligely in Franz Josef Land (the northernmost point of Russia, Europe and Eurasia ) and Cape Zhelaniya in Novaya Zemlya (the easternmost point of Europe) are both located within Arkhangelsk Oblast. Mount Kruzenshtern is the highest point of the oblast. Arkhangelsk Oblast is located on

4585-540: The Revolution of 1917 a large percentage of Russians from Pomorje (or Pomors) were practicing Old Believers , the Pomorian Church still has around 400 thousand members. Pomor Christianity has traditionally coexisted and been infused with an animism , which is based on sacral geography, in a syncretic manner, resulting in a strong environmental ethic . This led to the classification of certain animals like

4716-588: The Savior church on Ilyina street (1374, painted in 1378 by Feofan Grek ). The Savior' church in Kovalevo (1345) was originally frescoed by Serbian masters, but the church was destroyed during the war. While the church has since been rebuilt, the frescoes have not been restored. During the last century of the republican government, some new churches were consecrated to Saints Peter and Paul (on Slavna, 1367; in Kozhevniki, 1406), to Christ's Nativity (at

4847-826: The Sheksna , along the Slavyanka River into Lake Nikolskoye, then the boats were taken by land to Lake Blagoveshchenskoye, from there downstream along the Porozovitsa River into Lake Kubenskoye and further to the Sukhona and the Northern Dvina. Portages from the Northern Dvina Basin led further to the Mezen and the Pechora . After the fall of Novgorod in 1478, all these lands became a part of

4978-679: The Treaty of Stolbovo . The conflict led to further depopulation: the number of homesteads in the city decreased from 1158 in 1607 to only 493 in 1617, with the Sofia side described as 'deserted'. Novgorod only regained a measure of its former prosperity towards the end of the century, when such ambitious buildings as the Cathedral of the Sign and the Vyazhischi Monastery were constructed. The most famous of Muscovite patriarchs, Nikon ,

5109-578: The Ural Mountains , making it one of the largest states in medieval Europe, although much of the territory north and east of Lakes Ladoga and Onega was sparsely populated and never organized politically. One of the most important local figures in Novgorod was the posadnik , or mayor, an official elected by the public assembly (called the Veche ) from among the city's boyars , or aristocracy. The tysyatsky , or "thousandman", originally

5240-599: The Ural Mountains . Almost the entire rail network belongs to the Northern Railway , which west of Onega connects to the Oktyabrskaya Railway . There is also a railway line from Severoonezhsk west to Yangory (an extension of the line from Puksa to Navolok), which belongs to the Department of Corrections. A big number of narrow gauge railways were built in the 1950s and 1960s to facilitate

5371-443: The beluga whale as holy and resistance to modern fishing techniques in the 20th century. As part of the broader category of "cold societies" that are based around the concept of eternal return like the neighboring Sami , Nenets or Komi the Pomor worldview reflects a complex interaction between ancient piety, shamanism , and ritualistic practices aimed at maintaining homeostasis within their communities. This homeostasis however,

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5502-443: The federal highway M10 . There are public buses to Saint Petersburg and other destinations. The city has direct railway passenger connections with Moscow ( Leningradsky Rail Terminal , by night trains), St. Petersburg ( Moscow Rail Terminal and Vitebsk Rail Terminal , by suburban trains ), Minsk ( Belarus ) ( Minsk Passazhirsky railway station , by night trains) and Murmansk . The city's former commercial airport Yurievo

5633-424: The sacred and the profane. Affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church is low. In Pomorye traditionally exists the social role of "raspetushya", persons of indeterminate sex, who can be either born intersex or a biological male with appearance, behavior, lifestyle and occupations that are closer to a woman. According to society, these people did not have a certain gender and therefore had to wander around

5764-480: The "second birth" of a person, just like the festivals connected to the sun. The connection between the bathhouse and the forge is notable, as both were considered marginal spaces associated with transformation and rebirth, drawing from their symbolic links to fire and water . The sacred geography of the Pomors placed the bathhouse on the periphery of the settlement, reinforcing its chthonic associations with both life and death. The sea, central to Pomor life, held

5895-465: The 12th century originally on the orders of Bishop Nikita (died 1108) (the "porches" or side chapels were painted in 1144 under Archbishop Nifont ) and renovated several times over the centuries, most recently in the nineteenth century. The cathedral features famous bronze gates, which now hang in the west entrance, allegedly made in Magdeburg in 1156 (other sources see them originating from Płock in Poland ) and reportedly snatched by Novgorodians from

6026-471: The 12th century. Later German merchantmen also established tradinghouses in Novgorod. Scandinavian royalty would intermarry with Russian princes and princesses. After the great schism , Novgorod struggled from the beginning of the 13th century against Swedish , Danish , and German crusaders. During the Swedish-Novgorodian Wars , the Swedes invaded lands where some of the population had earlier paid tribute to Novgorod. The Germans had been trying to conquer

6157-413: The 14th century, the city was the capital of the Novgorod Republic and was one of Europe's largest cities. The "Великий" part was added to the city's name in 1999. Veliky Novgorod has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ). The city has warm summers with temperatures reaching over 30 °C (86 °F) and relatively cold winters with frequent snowfall. The lowest air temperature ever recorded

6288-407: The Cathedral of the Mother of God of the Sign (1688), the St. Nicholas Cathedral of Vyaschizhy Monastery (1685). Nevertheless, the styles of some parochial churches were still in keeping with local traditions: e.g., the churches of Myrrh-bearing Women (1510) and of Saints  Boris and Gleb (1586). In Vitoslavlitsy, along the Volkhov River and the Myachino Lake , close to the Yuriev Monastery ,

6419-412: The Cemetery, 1387), to St. John the Apostle's (1384), to the Twelve Apostles (1455), to St Demetrius (1467), to St. Simeon (1462), and other saints. Generally, they are not thought to be as innovative as the churches from the previous period. Several shrines from the 12th century (i.e., in Opoki) were demolished brick by brick and then reconstructed exactly as they used to be, several of them in

6550-417: The Gaulish ethnonym Morini . The term Pomor, which in the 10th–12th centuries meant "a person who lived near sea", gradually was extended into one to apply to this population living relatively far away from the sea. Finally in the 15th century, the people became disconnected from the sea. The sea was not a major part of economy of this region. At the same time, people began using the term Pomor'e to refer to

6681-445: The Gorodishche, the residence of the knyaz (prince), dates from the mid-9th century, whereas the town itself dates only from the end of the 10th century; hence the name Novgorod, "new city", from Old East Slavic новъ and городъ ( nov and gorod ); the Old Norse term Nýgarðr is a calque of an Old Russian word. First mention of this Norse etymology to the name of the city of Novgorod (and that of other cities within

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6812-430: The Grand Duchy of Moscow. During the era of Old Rus' State , Novgorod was a major trade hub at the northern end of both the Volga trade route and the " route from the Varangians to the Greeks " along the Dnieper river system. A vast array of goods were transported along these routes and exchanged with local Novgorod merchants and other traders. The farmers of Gotland retained the Saint Olof trading house well into

6943-419: The Massacre, Ivan the Terrible sacked the city, slaughtered thousands of its inhabitants, and deported the city's merchant elite and nobility to Moscow, Yaroslavl and elsewhere. The last decade of the 16th century was a comparatively favourable period for the city as Boris Godunov restored trade privileges and raised the status of Novgorod bishop. The German trading post was reestablished in 1603. Even after

7074-405: The NAO) was 1,227,626 as of the 2010 Census . The city of Arkhangelsk , with a population of 301,199 as of the 2021 Census, is the administrative center of the oblast. The second largest city is the nearby Severodvinsk , home to Sevmash , a major shipyard for the Russian Navy . Among the oldest populated places of the oblast are Kholmogory , Kargopol , and Solvychegodsk ; there are

7205-415: The Nenets Autonomous Okrug also contains a number of bigger lakes. The river basin of the Pinega is characteristic of the karst , with a number of caves in the region. The White Sea coast within the Oblast is split into the Onega Bay (where the Onega is the major tributary), the Dvina Bay (the Northern Dvina), and the Mezen Bay (comprising the Mezen and the Kuloy). The Solovetsky Islands , as well as

7336-446: The North. To date, no encyclopedia or encyclopedic dictionary refers to the Pomor as a separate ethnic group. In the 2002 census , respondents had the option to identify as "Pomors", this group being tabulated by the census as a subgroup of the Russian ethnicity. However, only 6,571 persons did so, almost all of them in Arkhangelsk Oblast (6,295) and Murmansk Oblast (127). Pomors are mostly Orthodox Christians in faith. Prior to

7467-491: The Novgorodians dismissed their prince Vsevolod Mstislavich . The year is seen as the traditional beginning of the Novgorod Republic . The city was able to invite and dismiss a number of princes over the next two centuries, but the princely office was never abolished and powerful princes, such as Alexander Nevsky , could assert their will in the city regardless of what Novgorodians said. The city state controlled most of Europe's northeast, from lands east of today's Estonia to

7598-419: The Oblast administration, and eventually the governor was appointed/elected alongside elected regional parliament . The Charter of Arkhangelsk Oblast is the fundamental law of the region. The Legislative Assembly of Arkhangelsk Oblast is the province's standing legislative (representative) body. The Legislative Assembly exercises its authority by passing laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and by supervising

7729-400: The Onega downstream from Severoonezhsk, and very few roads on the right bank of the Northern Dvina. Many rivers can be crossed only by ferry boats, which means they cannot be crossed during the ice melting period. There is regular bus service on the main roads. The principal railway line in the oblast is the railroad connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk. The piece between Vologda and Arkhangelsk

7860-404: The Pomor Krai. Novgorod Veliky Novgorod ( / v ə ˈ l iː k i ˈ n ɒ v ɡ ə r ɒ d / və-LEE-kee NOV-gə-rod ; Russian : Великий Новгород , IPA: [vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət] ; lit.   ' Great Newtown ' ), also known simply as Novgorod ( Новгород ), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast , Russia . It is one of

7991-410: The Pomors discovered and maintained the Northern Sea Route between Arkhangelsk and Siberia . With their ships ( koches ), the Pomors penetrated to the trans- Ural areas of Northern Siberia, where they founded the settlement of Mangazeya east of the Yamal Peninsula in the early 16th century. Tatyana Bratkova has reported that some historians speculate that in the early 17th century, Pomors settled

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8122-429: The Swedish town of Sigtuna in 1187. More recent scholarship has determined that the gates were most likely purchased in the mid-15th century, apparently at the behest of Archbishop Euthymius II (1429–1458), a lover of Western art and architectural styles. The Novgorod Kremlin , traditionally known as the Detinets , also contains the oldest palace in Russia (the so-called Chamber of the Facets, 1433), which served as

8253-407: The UNESCO World Heritage Site list as the Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings . As of 2020, regular archeological rescue work continues across the site. In 1999, the city was officially renamed Veliky Novgorod (literally 'Great Novgorod'), thus partly reverting to its medieval title "Lord Novgorod the Great". This reduced the temptation to confuse Veliky Novgorod with Nizhny Novgorod ,

8384-399: The allies were Shenkursk and Verkhnyaya Toyma . The allies were hoping that the Aleksandr Kolchak 's forces would move in the direction of Kotlas , however, the White Army was unable to advance in this direction. In January 1919, after the Battle of Shenkursk , the allied forces were driven out of the Shenkursk area. Battles around the station of Plesetskaya followed. On 20 February 1920

8515-461: The ancestors, ensuring the stability of the ethnic group’s sacred traditions. In Pomor belief, these island-topos served as symbolic models of the universe, where the three co-temporal and co-spatial domains of the dead, the living, and the descendants intersected, creating a space where the past, present, and future were fused into a single continuum. Ritual remembrance, particularly through the act of memorial rites conducted on these islands, reinforced

8646-536: The chairman of the oblast Executive Committee (executive power). In 1991 the CPSU lost all power. The head of the Oblast administration, and eventually the governor, came to be elected or appointed. The economic crisis of 1990s , after the fall of the Soviet Union , struck Arkhangelsk Oblast very badly. Although there remains a strong demand for timber, the basis of the oblast's economy, the population of Arkhangelsk Oblast has steadily declined, especially in rural areas. Many villages either have been deserted, or are on

8777-478: The chief square of Novgorod). The Yuriev Monastery (one of the oldest in Russia, 1030) contains a tall, three-domed cathedral from 1119 (built by Mstislav's son, Vsevolod , and Kyurik, the head of the monastery). A similar three-domed cathedral (1117), probably designed by the same masters, stands in the Antoniev Monastery , built on the orders of Antony , the founder of that monastery. There are now some fifty medieval and early modern churches scattered throughout

8908-429: The city and its surrounding areas. Some of them were blown up by the Nazis and subsequently restored. The most ancient pattern is represented by those dedicated to Saints Pyotr and Pavel (on the Swallow's Hill, 1185–1192), to Annunciation (in Myachino, 1179), to Assumption (on Volotovo Field , 1180s) and to St. Paraskeva-Piatnitsa (at Yaroslav's Court , 1207). The greatest masterpiece of early Novgorod architecture

9039-465: The city is mentioned as the capital of Gardariki . Many Viking kings and yarls came to Novgorod seeking refuge or employment, including Olaf I of Norway , Olaf II of Norway , Magnus I of Norway , and Harald Hardrada . No more than a few decades after the 1030 death and subsequent canonization of Olaf II of Norway, the city's community had erected in his memory Saint Olaf's Church in Novgorod . The Gotland town of Visby functioned as

9170-414: The city was occupied by the German Army . Its historic monuments were systematically obliterated. The Red Army liberated the city on 19 January 1944. Out of 2,536 stone buildings, fewer than forty remained standing. After the war, thanks to plans laid down by Alexey Shchusev , the central part was gradually restored. In 1992, the chief monuments of the city and the surrounding area were inscribed on

9301-409: The city, leading to political disturbances and forcing Alexander Nevsky to punish a number of town officials (he cut off their noses ) for defying him as Grand Prince of Vladimir (soon to be the khan's tax-collector in Russia) and his Mongol overlords. In the 14th century, raids by Novgorod pirates , or ushkuiniki , sowed fear as far as Kazan and Astrakhan , assisting Novgorod in wars with

9432-734: The cold climate. Ustyansky District is notable for bee-keeping. Two notable breeds originate from Arkhangelsk Oblast. The Kholmogory cattle , from Kholmogory and Arkhangelsk countryside, mostly black and white, was particularly stable against cold climate in Northern Russia and eventually spread well beyond the Arkhangelsk Region. The Mezen horses , bred in the Mezen River valley, are rather small but suitable for difficult work and easily survive cold winters. The area of current Arkhangelsk Oblast has always been located on

9563-575: The command of Vladimir Voronin , sailing from Arkhangelsk, crossed the Northern Sea Route in a single navigation. Arkhangelsk Oblast proper was established in 1937. Before 1991, the high authority in the oblast was shared between three persons: the first secretary of the Arkhangelsk Oblast CPSU Committee (who in reality had the biggest authority), the chairman of the oblast Soviet (legislative power), and

9694-489: The depopulation of vast areas that are now used for military purposes. By 2012, 50% of all Pomor villages had been destroyed, dubbed a genocide by P. Esipov, the first leader of the Pomor national-cultural autonomy as registered by the Russian Ministry of Justice . Many Pomor villages are only reachable by helicopter and have lacking infrastructure, large parts of Pomorye are now used as garbage dumps. This led to

9825-457: The eternal memory of the ancestors and the sacred geometry of the cosmos, thereby preserving the cultural identity of the Pomors. These traditions live on in modern Pomor society where a syncretic belief is widespread next to a number of (new) religious movements, that are based on traditional Pomor worldviews, which emerged after the fall of the atheist Soviet Union . Modern Pomor people have

9956-534: The first written code of laws (later incorporated into Russkaya Pravda ) among the Eastern Slavs and is said to have granted the city a number of freedoms or privileges, which they often referred to in later centuries as precedents in their relations with other princes. His son, Vladimir of Novgorod , sponsored construction of the great Saint Sophia Cathedral , more accurately translated as the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom, which stands to this day. In Norse sagas

10087-568: The great bulk of the population consisted of free peasants. A portion of the land belonged to monasteries and to the Stroganov merchants. There were no landlords in Pomor'e. The population of Pomor'e districts was engaged in fishing, mica and salt production (Sol'-Kamskay, Sol'- Vychegodskay, Tot'ma, etc.) and other enterprises. The Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary , in its 1890–1907 edition, classified Pomors as Great Russians or referred to them as Russian traders and trappers of

10218-471: The head of the town militia but later a commercial and judicial official, was also elected by the Veche . Another important local official was the Archbishop of Novgorod who shared power with the boyars. Archbishops were elected by the Veche or by the drawing of lots , and after their election, were sent to the metropolitan for consecration. While a basic outline of the various officials and

10349-558: The implementation and observance of the laws and other legal acts passed by it. The highest executive body is the Oblast Government, which includes territorial executive bodies such as district administrations, committees, and commissions that facilitate development and run the day to day matters of the province. The Oblast administration supports the activities of the Governor who is the highest official and acts as guarantor of

10480-536: The incorporation into the Russian state Novgorod land retained its distinct identity and institutions, including the customs policy and administrative division. Certain elective offices were quickly restored after having been abolished by Ivan III. During the Time of Troubles , Novgorodians submitted to Swedish troops led by Jacob De la Gardie in the summer of 1611. The city was restituted to Muscovy six years later by

10611-559: The isolated village of Russkoye Ustye in the delta of the Indigirka , in north-eastern Yakutia . The name of the Pomors derives from the Pomorsky (literally, "maritime") coast of the White Sea (between Onega and Kem ), having the root of more ( море , meaning "sea"; derived from an Indo-European root ). The same root appears in the toponym Pomerania ( Polish : Pomorze ) and Armorica ( Gaulish : Aremorica ) and also in

10742-561: The late 10th century, the time of the Christianization of Rus' and a century after it was allegedly founded. Archaeological dating is fairly easy and accurate to within 15–25 years, as the streets were paved with wood, and most of the houses made of wood, allowing tree ring dating . The Varangian name of the city Holmgård or Holmgard ( Holmgarðr or Holmgarðir ) is mentioned in Norse Sagas as existing at

10873-658: The leading trading center in the Baltic before the Hansa League . At Novgorod in 1080, Visby merchants established a trading post which they named Gutagard (also known as Gotenhof). Later, in the first half of the 13th century, merchants from northern Germany also established their own trading station in Novgorod, known as the Peterhof . At about the same time, in 1229, German merchants at Novgorod were granted certain privileges, which made their position more secure. In 1136,

11004-419: The main meeting hall of the archbishops; the oldest Russian bell tower (mid-15th century), and the oldest Russian clock tower (1673). The Palace of Facets, the bell tower, and the clock tower were originally built on the orders of Archbishop Euphimius II, although the clock tower collapsed in the 17th century and had to be rebuilt and much of the palace of Euphimius II is no longer standing. Among later structures,

11135-670: The main river valleys. The main historical areas of the Arkhangelsk region were Poonezhye ( Поонежье ) along the Onega , the Dvina Land along the Northern Dvina , Pinezhye ( Пинежье ) along the Pinega , Mezen Lands along the Mezen , and Pomorye ( Поморье ) on the White Sea coast. The main waterway was the Northern Dvina, and Novgorod merchants used the Volga and its tributary,

11266-542: The main trading harbour of the Russian Empire. However, in the early 20th century Arkhangelsk was an important starting point for Russian Arctic expeditions . For instance, in the 1830s Pyotr Pakhtusov sailed twice from Arkhangelsk to investigate and map Novaya Zemlya . In 1918 and 1919, Arkhangelsk Governorate became one of the most active battlegrounds of the Civil War in Russia . On 2 August 1918 Arkhangelsk

11397-473: The men or turn out to be his wonderful assistant. Though, in a number of tales, girls are also innocent victims of a treacherous enemy. Nowadays the Pomors are a minority in Arkhangelsk Oblast where most people are descendants of non-native Russians but there is still a thriving cultural scene with international outreach. However, the Pomor villages are not protected by the state which has taken

11528-501: The mid-fifteenth century, again under Archbishop Yevfimy II (Euthymius II), perhaps one of the greatest patrons of architecture in medieval Novgorod. Novgorod's conquest by Ivan III in 1478 decisively changed the character of local architecture. Large commissions were thenceforth executed by Muscovite masters and patterned after cathedrals of Moscow Kremlin : e.g., the Savior Cathedral of Khutyn Monastery (1515),

11659-428: The middle of taiga are devoid of trees and covered by swamps . In the floodplains of the rivers, there are meadows. A number of areas in Arkhangelsk Oblast have been designated as protected natural areas. These are subdivided into national parks , nature reserves ( zapovedniks ), and zakazniks of the federal level. The following protected areas have been designated, Kenozersky and Vodlozersky National Parks have

11790-533: The most remarkable are a royal palace (1771) and a bronze monument to the Millennium of Russia , representing the most important figures from the country's history (unveiled in 1862). Outside the Kremlin walls, there are three large churches constructed during the reign of Mstislav the Great . St. Nicholas Cathedral (1113–1123), containing frescoes of Mstislav's family, graces Yaroslav's Court (formerly

11921-531: The most remote Russian Orthodox monasteries. After the great schism in the Russian Orthodox Church in 1653, the area attracted many Old Believers , who were persecuted by the state. Most would later flee to even more remote locations such as Siberia . In 1703, with the construction of St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, which lacked St. Petersburg's geographical proximity to Europe and the non-freezing harbour of Murmansk , lost its significance as

12052-481: The observance of the oblast Charter in accordance with the Constitution of Russia . In the period when they were the most important authority in the oblast (1937 to 1991), the following first secretaries were appointed Since 1991, governors were sometimes appointed and sometimes elected, On 8 September 2013, regular elections of deputies to the legislative Arkhangelsk Oblast Assembly of Deputies were held in

12183-420: The oldest Slavic book written north of Bulgaria, and the oldest inscription in a Finnic language ( Birch bark letter no. 292 ) were unearthed. Some of the most ancient Russian chronicles ( Novgorod First Chronicle ) were written in the scriptorium of the archbishops who also promoted iconography and patronized church construction. The Novgorod merchant Sadko became a popular hero of Russian folklore . Novgorod

12314-510: The oldest cities in Russia, being first mentioned in the 9th century. The city lies along the Volkhov River just downstream from its outflow from Lake Ilmen and is situated on the M10 federal highway connecting Moscow and Saint Petersburg . UNESCO recognized Novgorod as a World Heritage Site in 1992. The city has a population of 224,286 ( 2021 Census ) . At its peak during

12445-482: The one (paved) from Konosha southwards, and two (unpaved) from Kargopol to Pudozh and to Solza and Belozersk . Most of the local roads are unpaved. Until 2008, there were no all-season roads connecting the main road network with the north-east of the oblast, including the town of Mezen and the selo of Leshukonskoye, and there are still no roads into the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, on the left bank of

12576-636: The paper production and related industries were responsible for 55% of all industrial production of the Oblast, food production – 11%, timber processing (excluding paper production) and furniture production – 12%. The principal industrial enterprises in Arkhangelsk Oblast are shipyards in Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk (including Sevmash ), pulp and paper mills in Koryazhma and Novodvinsk, and bauxite extraction plant in Severoonezhsk . Almost any town has some timber works. Fishery traditionally

12707-519: The parties of Russia, in the present convocation are: The oblast is administratively divided into six cities and towns under the oblast's jurisdiction ( Arkhangelsk , Koryazhma , Kotlas , Novodvinsk , Onega , and Severodvinsk ), one city under the federal jurisdiction ( Mirny ), twenty-one districts (one of which is Novaya Zemlya ), and two island territories ( Franz Josef Land and Victoria Island ). Another six towns ( Kargopol , Mezen , Nyandoma , Shenkursk , Solvychegodsk , and Velsk ) have

12838-425: The patronage of Vladimir Yaroslavich, the son of Yaroslav the Wise ; Vladimir and his mother, Anna Porphyrogenita , are buried in the cathedral. It is one of the best preserved churches from the 11th century. It is also probably the oldest structure still in use in Russia and the first one to represent original features of Russian architecture (austere stone walls, five helmet-like domes). Its frescoes were painted in

12969-428: The poiesis of a new world is all-encompassing and does not only apply to people, but also gods and beasts . These spiritual beliefs also played a large role in daily life, as it is a part of the "Pomor fate" to actively engage in this battle, which is not only shaped by actions but also the words of the shaman or starinshchik, the person who has knowledge of the ritual turns of speech and sacred formulas. The winter

13100-528: The population and the city's stability during that time, including its downfall. Novgorod was a hub for trade, attracting German merchants in substantial numbers, around 200 German merchants resided in the trade city in the 1430s, comprising about 1% of the total population of Novgorod at that time. The interactions between these merchants and the local population contributed to the nature of Novgorod during that time, influencing its economic prosperity and cultural diversity. The city's downfall occurred partially as

13231-411: The realm of the sacred without experiencing its ambivalence and dark aspects, represented by the guardians. Elements like the "wind rose", which helped Pomor sailors navigate, were also considered to be sacred knowledge. The concept of islands also held a sacred significance in Pomor rituals, particularly in burial and memorial practices. Islands were seen as chthonic spaces that connected the living with

13362-557: The region. Election results by party: The Regional Assembly of Deputies of the sixth convocation began work on 25 September 2013. Viktor Novozhilov was elected Chairman of the Arkhangelsk Oblast Assembly of Deputies, elected from the Arkhangelsk regional branch of United Russia. Party factions formed: The deputies of the State Duma of Russia, as representatives of the Arkhangelsk Oblast and members of

13493-414: The right to fish and hunt animals away from the Pomors, banned the traditional Pomor trade of Greenland seals and expropriates their lands to then auction them to foreign investors, turning traditional houses to firewood and banning the people from entering their ancestral grounds. Russian laws target the indigenous population and even if promised the Pomors do not receive any compensation. This has led to

13624-417: The seven governorates of the Russian Empire. At the same time, Arkhangelsk lands were one of the most remote areas in Russia. This fact was attractive for monks fleeing the crowds. In 1436, Solovetsky Monastery was founded, and it quickly became one of the richest and most influential Russian monasteries. Other monasteries followed. For instance, Kozheozersky Monastery , founded in 1552, still remains one of

13755-493: The status of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve . In addition, there are two protected areas in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, adjacent to each other: Nenetsky Nature Reserve and Nenetsky Zakaznik . The area of Arkhangelsk Oblast has been settled by Finno-Ugric peoples since prehistoric times, and most of the toponyms in the region are in fact Finno-Ugric. It was subsequently colonized by the Novgorod Republic . Kargopol

13886-541: The status of the towns of district significance. Nenets Autonomous Okrug , which is administratively subordinated to the oblast, is administratively divided into one district ( Zapolyarny District ) and one town of okrug significance ( Naryan-Mar ). Huge areas within the limits of the oblast are included in the border security zone , intended to protect the borders of the Russian Federation from unwanted activity. These restricted areas include all islands in

14017-464: The territory of the then Kievan Rus' ) occurs in the 10th-century policy manual De Administrando Imperio by Byzantine emperor Constantine VII . In 882, Rurik's successor, Oleg of Novgorod , conquered Kiev and founded the state of Kievan Rus' . Novgorod's size as well as its political, economic, and cultural influence made it the second most important city in Kievan Rus'. According to

14148-504: The three universities of Arkhangelsk was named the Pomor State University (now merged into Northern (Arctic) Federal University ). In line with the current Russian trend towards amalgamating the least populated federal subjects into larger entities, a merger of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk Oblasts, the Komi Republic , and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug has been proposed , one of the possible names of this new territory being

14279-561: The trading routes connecting central Russia to the White Sea, and, in fact, in the 17th century the White Sea was the main sea export route for Russia. The whole course of the Northern Dvina is navigable, as well as the lower course of some of its tributaries, most notably the Vychegda, the Vaga, and the Pinega. The Mezen is also navigable in the lower course. The Onega is not navigable except for

14410-495: The transport of timber, but since then most of these became unprofitable and have been destroyed. In the 1970s and 1980s the aviation was active, with all district centers connected to Arkhangelsk with regular flights, Kotlas being the second important hub. Currently, it has almost disappeared. There are two airports in Arkhangelsk, but regular local flights are only carried out to the destinations which do not have rail or road connections, such as Novaya Zemlya , Solovetsky Islands,

14541-438: The two relatively short stretches because of the rapids . However, except for the lower course of the Vychegda and some parts of the Northern Dvina, there is currently very little or no regular passenger navigation on these rivers. They are used for cargo traffic though. In 1765, a road was built between Saint-Petersburg and Arkhangelsk, mainly for postal service. The road still exists and passes Kargopol and Plesetsk , and it

14672-531: The verge of disappearing. During the Soviet period, the high authority in the oblast was shared between three persons: The first secretary of the Arkhangelsk CPSU Committee (who in reality had the highest authority), the chairman of the oblast Soviet (legislative power), and the chairman of the oblast Executive Committee (executive power). Since 1991, CPSU lost all the power, and the head of

14803-455: The villages. However, they were also seen as people with magical knowledge and secret skills like healing. While never being able to be a full part of society outside of intermediate positions, they were able to have social contacts and could for example sing together with the women. Nowadays, the LGBT community of the region embraces the identity instead of the term " third gender " which is seen as

14934-820: The west of the Oblast, most notably the basin of the Ileksa River , drains into Lake Onega and eventually to the Baltic Sea . A very minor area in Kargopolsky District in the south-west of the Oblast drains into the Kema River which belongs to the basin of the Caspian Sea . The area in the Onega River basin containing the biggest lakes in the oblast, such as Lake Lacha , Lake Kenozero , Lake Undozero , and Lake Kozhozero . The tundra of

15065-510: The west, to Onega and further to Belomorsk , was built during World War II to secure the transport of goods from the harbour of Murmansk to central Russia. A piece of railroad between Arkhangelsk and Karpogory was also built in the 1970s and is expected to become part of the Belkomur project  — a railway line connecting Arkhangelsk via the Komi Republic with the Perm Krai and

15196-455: The world. Population : 978,873 ( 2021 Census ) ; 1,227,626 ( 2010 Census ) ; 1,336,539 ( 2002 Census ) ; 1,570,256 ( 1989 Soviet census ) . Vital statistics for 2022: Total fertility rate (2022): 1.49 children per woman Life expectancy (2021): Total — 69.60 years (male — 64.33, female — 75.08) Fertility rates of the region 2000–2018 A notable subgroup of Russian population are

15327-526: Was active in Novgorod between 1648 and 1652. The Novgorod Land became one of the Old Believers ' strongholds after the Schism . The city remained an important trade centre even though it was now eclipsed by Archangelsk , Novgorodian merchants were trading in the Baltic cities and Stockholm while Swedish merchants came to Novgorod where they had their own trading post since 1627. Novgorod continued to be

15458-478: Was and remains attractive as an area for exile, forcible resettlement, and prison camps. Actually, the first prison camp, Solovki prison camp , was created in 1920 on the premises of the former Solovetsky Monastery. Novaya Zemlya from the 1950s, when its population (mostly the Nenets ) was strongly recommended to leave, became the military ground for nuclear bomb testing. In 1932, the icebreaker Sibiryakov under

15589-523: Was constructed in 1890s and passed through previously uninhabited areas between the valleys of the Northern Dvina and the Onega. The railroad construction gave the momentum to the population and exploitation of these areas. A branch from Konosha eastwards to Kotlas and further to Vorkuta was constructed in the 1940s to facilitate the transport of coal from the Komi Republic . From Kotlas, another branch continues south to Kirov . A branch from Obozersky to

15720-471: Was culturally connected to rebirth and rituals like making a sacrificial vow to the "sea god" Nikola Morsky and celebrating the farewell to sea like a funeral played a key role in the light of these philosophical elements. During the main holiday, the conjunction of Old and New Year, the demiurge defeats the bearer of chaos and death each year anew, emphasizing the concept of cyclical time and eternal return. The total sacrifice and descend into chaos which leads to

15851-435: Was decommissioned in 2006, and the area has now been redeveloped into a residential neighbourhood. The still existing Krechevitsy Airport does not serve any regular flights since mid-1990s although there is a plan to turn Krechevitsy into a new operational airport by 2025. The nearest international airport is St. Petersburg's Pulkovo , some 180 kilometres (112 miles) north of the city. Local transportation consists of

15982-529: Was deported to central Russia. The Hanseatic League kontor was closed in 1494 and the goods stored there were seized by Muscovite forces. At the time of annexation, Novgorod became the third largest city under Muscovy and then the Tsardom of Russia (with 5,300 homesteads and 25–30 thousand inhabitants in the 1550s) and remained so until the famine of the 1560s and the Massacre of Novgorod in 1570. In

16113-468: Was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1146, Shenkursk was mentioned in 1315, and Solvychegodsk was founded in the 14th century. By the 13th century the Novgorodian merchants had already reached the White Sea , attracted to the area for fur trading . The Novgorodians penetrated the area using the waterways, and this is why most of the ancient (as well as the modern) settlements were located into

16244-506: Was made the administrative center of Novgorod Governorate of the Russian Empire , which was detached from Saint Petersburg Governorate (see Administrative divisions of Russia in 1727–1728 ). This administrative division existed until 1927. Between 1927 and 1944, the city was a part of Leningrad Oblast , and then became the administrative center of the newly formed Novgorod Oblast . On 15 August 1941, during World War II ,

16375-783: Was never conquered by the Mongols during the Mongol invasion of Rus . The Mongol army turned back about 200 kilometers (120 mi) from the city, not because of the city's strength, but probably because the Mongol commanders did not want to get bogged down in the marshlands surrounding the city. However, the grand princes of Moscow, who acted as tax collectors for the khans of the Golden Horde, did collect tribute in Novgorod, most notably Yury Danilovich and his brother, Ivan Kalita . In 1259, Mongol tax-collectors and census-takers arrived in

16506-794: Was occupied by British and American troops, allied with the White movement . Administratively, they established the Northern Oblast with the center in Arkhangelsk. This episode of the Civil War is known as the North Russia Intervention . The troops advanced to the south, occupied the station of Obozerskaya in September 1918, and moving along the Northern Dvina and the Vaga Rivers . The southernmost points occupied by

16637-459: Was paved in 2011. One of the principal highways in Russia, M8 , connects Moscow and Arkhangelsk, and passes Velsk . This highway is paved and heavily used. In general, the road network is grossly underdeveloped. Only several all-season highways, in addition to M8, cross the oblast boundaries: the one (partially unpaved) connecting Kotlas with Syktyvkar ; the one (paved) connecting Kotlas to Veliky Ustyug and eventually with Vologda and Nikolsk ,

16768-486: Was perceived as both a source of chaos and a pathway to salvation, reflecting the dual nature of the northern lands adjacent to the Polar Mountain, which were simultaneously regions of heaven and hell . As the last two elements show, the combination of destruction and creation, life and death, or even the sacred and the mundane at the same time instead of a clear cut separation of dual forces like good and evil,

16899-470: Was so intensive that a kind of Russian-Norwegian pidgin language Moja på tvoja (or Russenorsk ) developed on the North Norwegian coast that was used from 1750 to 1920. In the 12–15th centuries, Pomor'e was considered an extensive colony of the state of Veliky Novgorod . By the early 16th century the annexation of Pomor'e by Moscow was completed. In the 17th century, in 22 Pomor'e districts,

17030-528: Was the easternmost kontor , or entrepôt , of the league, being the source of enormous quantities of luxury ( sable , ermine , fox , marmot ) and non-luxury furs (squirrel pelts). Throughout the Middle Ages, the city thrived culturally. A large number of birch bark letters have been unearthed in excavations, perhaps suggesting widespread literacy. It was in Novgorod that the Novgorod Codex ,

17161-531: Was the main means of subsistence in the Pomor villages at the White Sea coast. During the Soviet times, the fishermen were organized into collective and state farms ( Sovkhoz 's) and the fishery was heavily subsidized. In the 1990s the subsidies were stopped, and the fishery went into a serious crisis, some of the villages were deserted. In the valleys of the main rivers, there is some cattle breeding and crop and potato growing, which is, however, difficult due to

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