Presidential Library's documents tell about ancient cities of Leningrad region

"Ladoga used to be forty versts long, and there were forty churches in it," say local residents. Forty churches probably never actually existed here, but there were definitely more than there are now... In some places, wooden crosses mark the sites of destroyed churches, and in other places, during the excavation of embankments, the ruins of ancient churches have been discovered, which according to various sources also date back to the 11th and 12th centuries," says the book Russia's Capitals: Staraya Ladoga, written by Ekaterina Nelidova in 1916.

Staraya Ladoga, until 1704 known as Ladoga, is located 130 kilometers east of St. Petersburg in Leningrad Region. The region celebrated its 97th anniversary on August 1st. Some historians and archaeologists believe this ancient city was the first capital of Ancient Russia. According to one chronicle, Rurik, the founder of the Ancient Russian state, settled here in 862-864. Anatoly Kirpichnikov, a professor at the Institute of History of Material Culture at the Russian Academy of Sciences and a researcher of Staraya Ladoga from 1929 to 2020, explains the reason for the rapid development of temple architecture in this area in the film Stolny Gorod by the Presidential Library. He states: "At the beginning of the 12th century, something remarkable happened in Ladoga - 5 or 6 stone churches were built simultaneously. This was unprecedented in Russia. Apparently, it was part of a state plan to establish a large settlement in Ladoga and build monasteries made of stone."

These northernmost ancient Russian churches were built almost instantly - in just two or three decades. This was another powerful rise of Russia. The films Saved Frescoes of Staraya Ladoga and The Saved Frescoes of Staraya Ladoga: Churches of the 12th Century tell us about the unique monuments of medieval culture, such as St. George's Church.

Of the churches that currently exist in Staraya Ladoga, the Church of St. George is considered to be the oldest. This temple, decorated with frescoes from the 12th century, played a significant role in the Orthodox world.

According to Ekaterina Nelidova, there is a legend that the church "was built on the site of a former pagan temple." It is also believed that it was founded in the 11th century by Yaroslav the Wise during his reign in Novgorod.

This is supported by the fact that the church was dedicated to St. George, as Yaroslav was christianized with that name. Many historians believe that Alexander Nevsky, who received his title for his victory over the Swedes in 1240, prayed in this church prior to the battle.

Another important period in Russian history, closely linked to the territory of present-day Leningrad, falls during the reign of Peter the Great. Historian Apollon Krotov, in his book The Capture of the Swedish Fortress of Noteburg on Lake Ladoga by Peter the Great in 1702 (1896), reports:

"Peter the Great wrote a letter to his ally in the war against Sweden, King August II of Poland, informing him about the capture of the fortress. At the end of the letter, he added a postscript stating, 'From the conquered fortress of our ancestors, Oreshek.'"

During the reign of Peter the Great, Ladoga lost its city status and was renamed to Staraya Ladoga, becoming an ordinary village. Nevertheless, it is not an ordinary place: almost its entire territory, with earthen ramparts, ancient fortress walls, and churches and temples, is now included in the Old Ladoga Historical, Archaeological, and Architectural Museum-Reserve. In 2015, a monument to Rurik and Oleg was unveiled in the center of Staraya Ladoga to commemorate the first steps of Russian statehood. The grand dukes, cast in bronze, rest on a shield, symbolizing the protection of the state and the strength of the Russian people.

Visitors can take a virtual tour of the cities in the 47th region and learn more about their history thanks to the Leningrad Region and Leningrad Region: Pages of History collections. These collections contain maps and plans of buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, archival documents, photos and postcards from the 20th century, and other materials.

Full access to the Presidential Library's collection, which now exceeds one million depository items, is available in the electronic reading room at the historic Synod building, in the library branches in Moscow and Tyumen, and through remote access centers in Leningrad region. To date, there are 40 of these centers in the region.