We had about a three hour bus ride over some seriously bumpy road to get there. After we picked up our guide, who spoke in English!, we went to see a monastery, built in the 12th century, I think. 
(this church was built later, I can't remember when)
(this church was built later, I can't remember when)Then we went to an open air museum, the Museum of Wooden Architecture. Built on the site of an ancient village to show how people used to live and showcase the old timber buildings from the region. It was surprisingly cool. Turns out everyone enjoyed a rather cozy existence. The houses were pretty big, but the bottom floor was the barn. It gets too cold up here to go out and check on the animals in the winter, so they just brought them inside! I'm sure it smelled fantastic. The oldest building here is this Church of the Nativity, from the 16th century.
After that museum, we went across the street to have a "traditional" Russian meal. I got a special one with fish. I think I've had a cucumber, tomato, and radish salad every day I've been here, and that day was no different. I also had some pretty decent fish and the dessert was kind of like a donut with an apricot sauce filling.Then we went to the Kremlin (note: not the famous Kremlin in Moscow) and walked inside the city walls. We sat St. Sophia's Cathedral from the 11th century..
We also saw this really cool memorial for the millennium celebration of Novgorod in 1862. Yep, Novgorod was founded in 862. Its name means "new city" which has left historians looking for the original city (if it's the new one, there has to be an old one, right?), but no once can find anything before Novgorod. I think 862 is pretty solid though. 
After that we strolled around a bit and then headed back to Saint Petersburg! 
1 comment:
I really want a little cabin with a midnight blue dome decorated with gold stars somewhere in my future. So incredibly beautiful! I love all the history, so keep it coming.
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