Presidential Library tells about history of Staraya Ladoga, first capital of Rus

15 August is the Day of Staraya Ladoga, the first capital of Russia. Here the Russian statehood was born, the world trade routes "from Varangians to Greeks" and "from Varangians to Arabs" passed by, the great cultures of the East and the West met, here the founder of the ruling dynasty of Ancient Russia Rurik started his way and here, according to the Novgorod Chronicle, Prophetic Oleg, Rurik's successor, was buried.

The village of Staraya Ladoga is located 130 kilometres east of St. Petersburg in the Leningrad Region, in the lower reaches of the Volkhov River. When in 1704 Peter I moved the town at the mouth of the Volkhov River to the shore of Lake Ladoga, New Ladoga appeared, and Old Ladoga became a village.

Staraya Ladoga witnessed the birth of the Russian state. Proof of the "capital" of Stara Ladoga and the significance of the role it played in Russian history is provided by the Presidential Library's film Capital City, as well as other materials, which can be found on the institution's portal.

According to "The Tale of Bygone Years", which is presented on the library's portal in different lists, in the section The Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, the calling of Rurik to reign in Ladoga took place in 862. Scientists connect the date of the foundation of Ladoga with the archaeological finding of log bridges in the ancient courtyard. The analysis of the sawcut revealed the date of its cutting - 753. But studies of the soil in this place show that Ladoga could have arisen in earlier centuries. Anatoly Kirpichnikov (1929-2020), Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Institute of History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the author of the concept of Old Ladoga as "the ancient capital of Northern Russia", tells about it in the film of the Presidential Library Capital City. He explained the reason for the rapid development of temple architecture on this land at the beginning of the second millennium as follows: "At the beginning of the XII century a peculiar record occurred in Ladoga - 5 or 6 stone churches were built at once. Such a thing had not happened anywhere in Russia. Obviously, it was the state's plan to create a large settlement in Ladoga and build monasteries in stone. These northernmost Old Russian churches were built instantly - literally in two or three decades... Ladoga. The first half of the XII century. Another powerful rise of Russia".

The Presidential Library films Rescued Frescoes of Staraya Ladoga.The Church of St George and Saved Frescoes of Staraya Ladoga. Churches of the XII century.

Of the existing churches in Staraya Ladoga at present, the Church of St George is considered to be the oldest. The temple, decorated with frescoes from the 12th century, played an important role in the Orthodox world. According to the writer Ekaterina Nelidova, author of the book Russia in its Capitals. Old Ladoga (1916), there is a legend that the church "was founded in the XI century by Yaroslav the Wise, during his reign in Novgorod. <...> This is also indicated by the fact that the church was built in the name of St George: Yaroslav was called George at his baptism". Many historians believe that in this church prayed before the battle with the Swedes in 1240 Alexander Yaroslavovich, who received the nickname Nevsky for the victory.

Although since the reign of Peter the Great Ladoga changed its name to "Old Ladoga" and turned into an ordinary village, it is hard to call it "ordinary". Today almost the entire territory of Staraya Ladoga - with earthen ramparts, burial mounds, ancient fortress walls and temples - is part of the Staraya Ladoga Historical, Architectural and Archaeological Museum-Reserve.

Speaking about the uniqueness of Staraya Ladoga, Anatoly Kirpichnikov emphasised: "It is on this ancient land that we find the greatest possible harmony between chronicle testimonies and archaeology".

Ten years ago, in 2015, a monument to Rurik and Oleg, with whom the first steps of Russian statehood are connected, was opened in the centre of Staraya Ladoga. Cast in bronze, the great princes lean on a shield, embodying the defence of the state and the power and strength of the Russian people.