Memorable Dates of Russia: Veliky Novgorod to launch the All-Russian Museum and Historical Project "Alexander Nevsky: The Great Northern Way", marking the 800th anniversary of the statesman

On April 7, 2021, the Novgorod Museum-Reserve will launch the All-Russian Museum and Historical Project "Alexander Nevsky: The Great Northern Way", timed to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the statesman, commander and saint. The project aims to comprehend various aspects of the biography and veneration of Alexander Nevsky. Its geography reflects the way of the holy relics of Alexander Nevsky, transferred in 1723 from Vladimir to Saint-Petersburg. Moving from central Russia to the North, the procession visited Veliky Novgorod - the place of the reign of Alexander Nevsky and then arrived in Saint-Petersburg. The events of the current project will be held in Veliky Novgorod, Vladimir and Saint-Petersburg from April to December 2021. The project features exhibitions that present unique items from museum collections, as well as archival documents, revealing the development of Russia to the North - a significant direction at all times. The campaign brought together museums, universities and academic institutions of Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Vladimir, Suzdal, Veliky Novgorod.

Veliky Novgorod opens an anniversary program of the project.

On April 7, the International Scientific Conference "Alexander Nevsky - Warrior and Politician" will be launched in the conference hall of the Fine Arts Museum of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve.

Also, the main building of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve will host the theatrical opening of the exhibition "Alexander Nevsky: the Legend of the Warrior". The main idea of ​​the exhibition is to show the evolution of a legend about Alexander Nevsky. The exhibition highlights the activities of Alexander Nevsky in the development and protection of the northern territories of Russia - from Novgorod to the Finnish and Karelian lands, from Vladimir to the Kola Peninsula. It tells about the canonization of the prince and spread of his worship, his iconographic images, the state recognition of him as the saint patron of the Russian capital and the entire Russian army, the transformation of this image into the Soviet "icon" during the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War.

The exhibition presents archaeological artefacts, seals and stamps of the XII–XIII centuries, maps of campaigns, battle schemes, texts of contracts, early manuscripts - hagiographies and service books of the XVII– XVIII centuries, icons, items of applied art of the XVIII - early XX centuries, painted portraits of knights of the Order of Alexander Nevsky in 1725 and documents from their private archives, plates from the order service of the XVIII century, the script of the film "Alexander Nevsky" by Sergei Eisenstein , photographs from the filming, 1942 Order of Alexander Nevsky and documents from private archives of its holders. The exhibition will run until July 7.

The Novgorod Regional Universal Scientific Library will host a lecture "The Toropets Icon of the Mother of God and the Historical Memory of Alexander Nevsky". It will be delivered by Aleksey Sirenov, Director of the Saint-Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The Novgorod part of the project will end on April 8 with a lecture "Alexander Nevsky" by Sergei Eisenstein: History and Myths" at the Novgorod Film Museum. The lecturer will be the director of the Institute of History and Social Sciences of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Professor Roman Sokolov.