Ancient cities of Russia. The most ancient cities in the world

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Our country is powerful and great. Thousands of years ago, the territory of the modern state was inhabited by tribes that organized permanent settlements. There is still debate about which is the oldest city in Russia. We will help you figure it out.

How to determine age?

It is difficult to determine the specific year of founding of Russian cities. Historians agreed that it is best to focus on the first mentions of settlements in ancient chronicles and written references.

Throughout history, almost all Russian sources were burned due to vicissitudes - disputes over land during the ancient millennia, during the reign of Macedon, the destructive raids of the Tatar yoke, or during the inculcation of the Christian faith.

All the invaders mercilessly destroyed cultural values ​​and written sources of ancient times, so very few of them remained. Now, when determining the age of a particular city, scientists are guided by foreign chronicles. But the information they contain is not always reliable.

In the article we indicate the generally known dates of the founding of modern cities. But this does not prevent us from thinking that in their place tens and hundreds of years before there were human settlements.

Kerch

After the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula into the Russian Federation, the championship in age rightfully began to belong to the city of Kerch. On its territory, even in ancient times, there were several settlement-polises, the main one of which was Panticapaeum. Ancient Greek colonists in the 6th century. BC e. of them they created a military confederation with the aim of confronting the local warlike tribes - the Scythians.

After excavations in the vicinity of the village of Mayak, it became known that the territory of modern Kerch in the 17th-15th centuries BC. e. was already inhabited.

During its heyday, the city occupied a total area of ​​100 hectares. The upper fortified part of the settlement was located on the mountain, which today is called Mithridates. In the center of the acropolis there was a majestic temple dedicated to Apollo, the patron saint of Panticapaeum. Its construction was completed at the end of the 6th century. BC e. And later, ancient architects built another temple, but in honor of Dionysus and Aphrodite.

Confirmation of the antiquity of the city can be seen with your own eyes by visiting the ruins of Panticapaeum, seeing the entrance to the royal mound, or taking an excursion to the historical museum. It should be noted that many historical finds and treasures of antiquity are now part of the collections of the Berlin Museum, the Louvre, the Hermitage, and the Moscow Museum. A.S. Pushkin and the British Museum.

Today Kerch is a developed city with a population of about 148 thousand people. It is located on the shore of the Kerch Peninsula. And it is over 2600 years old!

Derbent

On the territory of the Republic of Dagestan there is one of the oldest cities in Russia - Derbent. Mentions of it date back to the 4th century. BC e. Once upon a time there was a village called the Caspian Gate, which was mentioned in his writings by the geographer from Ancient Greece Hecataeus of Miletus.

Derbent became more developed only in 438 AD. e., when a Persian fortress was founded here with a citadel on a hill and two rows of stone walls. Thus, the narrow passage (3 km) between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains was closed, blocking the path of the conquerors and protecting the townspeople from the invasions of the Huns, Khazars and Scythians. The favorable location made it possible to control all routes from “Anterior Asia” to Eastern Europe.

The rich history of Derbent has given rise to outstanding landmarks on its territory:

• Naryn-Kala Citadel - approximately 438 AD. e.;
• Juma Mosque – VIII century. n. e.;
• Derbent fortress with stone walls up to 20 m high and up to 3 m wide.

Today the city features many museum exhibitions dedicated to antiquity. Also, most of Derbent is an open-air museum - here you can see excavations of ancient buildings.

By order of the President, in 2014, citizens celebrated the 2000th anniversary of the city.

Velikiy Novgorod

The three oldest cities in the country include the original Russian Veliky Novgorod. Its formation dates back to 859 AD. e.

Rurikovich, the founder of the ancient Russian state and the ancestor of the Rurik dynasty in Rus', was called here. Therefore, many historians believe that it was in these places that the birth of Russian statehood took place.

In the Middle Ages, the city was part of Kievan Rus as the center of the Novgorod land. In 1136, Novgorod became the first independent city, separating from Rus'.

During the Tatar yoke, the townspeople paid tribute to the Horde. Therefore, Novgorod was not subjected to destructive attacks and preserved ancient architectural monuments.

Among the main and most outstanding are:

• Saint Sophia Cathedral;
• Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the Anthony Monastery;
• St. George's Cathedral;
• Ruins of the Rurik settlement;
• John's Church on Opoki;
• Znamensky Cathedral;
• Novgorod Kremlin.

All these attractions are available for inspection by tourists - you can see with your own eyes what architecture was like during the times of Kievan Rus and before it.

Today Novgorod is a city of regional significance and at the same time a city of military glory. Its population is about 222 thousand inhabitants.

Smolensk is the same age as Veliky Novgorod; the first mentions of it are found in the chronicle and date back to 862 AD. e. Even then it was a populous settlement and the center of the Krivichi tribal union. Therefore, it is not surprising that during the campaigns of conquest in 863, Askold and Dir decided to bypass it. It can be assumed that he is much older.

Smolensk has a very advantageous location - “on the way from the Varangians to the Greeks.” It is believed that during trade travels many travelers visited the city. Thanks to this, he developed very rapidly.

Even today, important trade routes from the capital to the Baltic states, Belarus and European countries pass through Smolensk. Its population is about 330 thousand people.

Moore

The first mention of Murom is found in the Tale of Bygone Years in 862 AD. e. It was from this source that historians were able to establish the origin of the city’s name. It was named after the ancient Murom tribes who lived in these places on the banks of the Oka River.

Gleb became the first Old Russian prince of the city, when Prince Vladimir gave it to him under control.

The oldest monastery in Russia is located in Murom. This is the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery - a very beautiful place with a rich history.

Rostov

In 862, mention also appeared of another Russian city - Rostov the Great. At the beginning of the 10th century. the city became the center of the Rostov-Suzdal land.

Since 1777 it became a city, but in 2006 it received the status of an urban settlement due to a decrease in the number of inhabitants. Now about 31 thousand people live here.

In the center of Rostov on the shore of the island. Nero is the Rostov Kremlin, which in 1995 was included in the list of the most valuable cultural heritage sites in Russia. The residence of the Metropolitan of the Rostov diocese was once located here.

Pskov

A small regional center, according to some historians, was founded in 859. But 903 is considered officially accepted - the year it was mentioned in the Laurentian Chronicle and in the Chronicle of Bygone Years. It was from here that Princess Olga, the wife of Prince Igor, was from.

Pskov is located on the banks of the Velikaya River, where it merges with the Pskova River. It is one of the most important tourist centers in the northwestern part of the country. Many travelers come to see famous landmarks:

• Pogankin chambers;
• Trinity Cathedral;
• Mirozhsky Monastery;
• Pskov Fortress;
• There are many ancient churches that are included in the list of cultural heritage of the country.

Today 203 thousand people live here. The city has lost a little of its power, but still attracts tourists who want to look at examples of ancient architecture.

Uglich

The ten oldest cities in our country include Uglich, which gained its fame thanks to the death of the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Dmitry Uglichsky. In written sources, historians have found memories of this settlement dating back to 937.

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Uglich to see the main attractions - the Uglich Kremlin, the Holy Resurrection, Epiphany and Alekseevsky monasteries, the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Travelers are also attracted by the ensemble of the shopping area and the Mekhov-Voronin House. It’s not for nothing that Uglich is included in the list of main cities of the “Golden Ring” of Russia.

Suzdal

Another city from the “Golden Ring” - Suzdal - was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor for special services in the development of tourism in Russia and the preservation of cultural monuments. It is believed that it was founded in 999.

The list of the main attractions of the city includes the ensemble of Torgovaya Square with all the buildings, monastery complexes, Posad monuments and, of course, the Suzdal Kremlin.

In total, there are about 50 temples and churches in Suzdal. Therefore, the townspeople proudly claim that from anywhere in the city one can see the gilded domes of some architectural shrine.

Kazan

Kazan is considered one of the largest centers in the country, therefore it has a registered brand “The Third Capital of Russia”. According to ratings of various Internet portals, the tourism industry is actively developing in Kazan - More and more Russians come here to see the most interesting sights:

• Kazan Kremlin, included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites;
• Peter and Paul Cathedral;
• Palace of Landowners;
• Spasskaya Tower;
• Tower Syuyumbike;
• Kul-Sharif - the main mosque of the Republic;
• Epiphany Cathedral.

The city is located practically on the border between Asia and Europe. And with all its diversity, it successfully embodies the unity of different cultures.

During antiquity, the most ancient Russian city, Kerch, appeared in Crimea. But later, under Kievan Rus, the oldest cities on the territory of former Russia were founded. It seems that until the 900s. This century our ancestors had practically no settlements. It can be argued that in the future archaeologists will still discover the most important evidence that will help determine a more advanced age of our cities.

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The most ancient cities in the world - some of them disappeared from the face of the earth forever, leaving only ruins and memories. And there are settlements whose names have paved a long way in history and have survived to this day. Their streets are full of architectural sights, magnificent in their beauty and monumentality, looking at which you are mentally transported back to the depths of centuries.

Jericho is the oldest city on Earth

The Judean Hills dominate the West Bank. At their foot, at the mouth of the river flowing into the Dead Sea, is the ancient city in the world - Jericho. On its territory, archaeologists have discovered fragments of ancient buildings dating back to 9500 BC. e.

The history of this settlement was described in the Old Testament. It is also mentioned in Roman chronicles. There is a legend that Jericho was brought as a gift to Cleopatra by Mark Antony. But magnificent buildings in this city were built by King Herod, who received rule over this city from the Emperor of Rome, Augustus. It was during his era that many monuments of ancient architecture appeared, preserved in this city to this day.
There are also records that the Christian church appeared in Jericho in the first century AD. Constant raids by Bedouins and hostility between Muslims and knights led to the decline of the city by the 9th century. AD In the 19th century, the Turks destroyed the once prosperous center of the ancient world, Jericho.

It was only in 1920 that the oldest city in the world, Jericho, received its second life. Arabs began to populate it. Now it is permanently home to approximately 20,000 people.

The main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill, on which stands a tower dating back to the 6000th century. BC.

Nowadays, military operations are constantly taking place in Jericho, a disputed land between Palestine and Israel. For this reason, the beauty of this place is hidden from tourists. At the very least, the governments of many countries do not recommend their citizens to visit it.

Famous surviving cities of antiquity

Over the course of many centuries, civilizations developed and cities appeared. Some of them were destroyed as a result of wars or natural disasters. Few of the most ancient cities in the world, which have survived multiple changes of eras, can still be visited today:

On earth, which are named as the most ancient cities in the world. Many of them are still being destroyed today, despite the establishment of special protection regimes by the international organization UNESCO.

Ancient cities amaze with their grandeur: our history was born and unfolded in them. And although most of the ancient cities have not survived to our time, there are those few that we can see today. Some of these cities are small, while others are huge. This list represents cities that have not only survived to this day, but also continue to function. Each city was photographed at sunrise and sunset. In addition, in some photographs you can find the sights of these places.

10. Plovdiv
Founded: before 400 BC

Plovdiv is located in modern Bulgaria. It was founded by the Thracians and was originally called Eumolpias. It was conquered by the Macedonians and eventually became part of modern Bulgaria. It is the second largest and most important city in Bulgaria after the capital Sofia, which is located about 150 kilometers away.

9. Jerusalem
Founded: 2000 BC




Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is considered the holy city of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It is the capital of Israel (although not all countries recognize this fact). In ancient times, this was the famous city of David from the Bible, and later the place where Jesus spent his last week of life.

8. Xi'an
Founded: 1100 BC




One of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Xi'an is now the capital of Shaanxi Province. The city is full of ancient ruins, monuments, and still has an ancient wall built during the Ming Dynasty - pictured below. It also contains the tombs of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who is best known for his Terracotta Army.

7. Cholula
Founded: 500 BC




Cholula is located in the Mexican state of Puebla, which was founded before Columbus arrived on the shores of America. Its most famous landmark is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, which now appears as a hill with a church on top. However, in reality the hill is the base of the pyramid. The pyramid temple is the largest in the new world.

6. Varanasi
Founded: 1200 BC




Varanasi (also known as Benares) is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Jains and Hindus consider it a holy city and believe that if a person dies there, he will achieve salvation. It is the oldest inhabited city in India and one of the oldest in the world. Along the Ganges River you can find many pits - these are stops on the way of believers, in which they perform religious ablutions.

5. Lisbon
Founded: 1200 BC




Lisbon is the largest city and capital of Portugal. This is the oldest city in Western Europe - much older than London, Rome, and similar cities. Religious and funerary monuments have been preserved there since the Neolithic era, and archaeological evidence also suggests that it was once an important trading city for the Phoenicians. In 1755, the city suffered a devastating earthquake that almost completely destroyed it due to fires and tsunamis - this earthquake was one of the deadliest in history.

4. Athens
Founded: 1400 BC




Athens is the capital of Greece and also the largest city. Its 3,400-year history is eventful, and due to Athenian dominance of the region as a vast city-state, much of the culture and customs of the ancient Athenians were reflected in many other cultures. The many archaeological sites make Athens an ideal city to visit for those with an interest in European history and culture.

3. Damascus
Founded: 1700 BC




Damascus is the capital of Syria and more than 2.6 million people live here. However, unfortunately, recent civil uprisings have caused considerable damage to one of the most significant and ancient cities in history. Damascus was listed as one of the top 12 cultural heritage sites that are in danger of being destroyed or at risk of suffering irreparable damage. Only time will tell whether this ancient city will be able to survive or whether it will go down in history as one of the world's ancient vanished cities.

2. Rome
Founded: 753 BC




Initially, Rome was a collection of small urban-type settlements. However, it eventually became a city-state, ruling one of the greatest empires in all of human history. The period of existence of the Roman Empire (which grew from the Roman Republic) was relatively short-lived - it was founded in 27 BC. its first emperor was Augustus, and its last, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown in 476 (although the Eastern Roman Empire lasted another 977 years).

1. Istanbul
Founded: 660 BC




As noted above, the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital in the city of Constantinople - now known as Istanbul, continued to exist until 1453. Constantinople was captured by the Turks, who founded the Ottoman Empire in its place. The Ottoman Empire lasted until 1923, when the Turkish Republic was created and the sultanate was abolished. To this day, both Roman and Ottoman artifacts can be seen in Istanbul, the most significant of which is probably the Hagia Sophia. Originally a church, it was converted into a mosque by the Islamic Ottomans, and with the formation of the republic it became a museum.

Until recently, Derbent was considered the most ancient city in Russia. However, after the aggravation of relations between Ukraine and Russia in 2014, Derbent lost its status, since Kerch became the oldest city in Russia after the annexation of Crimea.

Stepping away from foreign policy, we will talk about both localities, as well as how old the oldest cities in Russia are. You may also be interested in the article about the most ancient cities in the world.

The oldest city in Russia

Derbent

Ancient Derbent is located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, not far from the place where the Samur River ends. The city was surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus on one side and the waters of the Caspian Sea on the other, and therefore had the strategic importance of a link between Eastern Europe and “Anterior Asia”, protection from numerous raids of the Scythians, Huns and Khazars. Derbent was rightly called the “crossroads of civilizations”: at this point East and West, North and South converged.

Even today, after many centuries, the defensive complex of Derbent inspires awe. Derbent fortress - two grandiose stone walls (height - from 12 to 20 meters, thickness - 3), separated from each other by 400 meters, a sea wall extending into the water for half a kilometer, and the monumental citadel of Naryn-Kala, rising on top of 300- meter steep hill.

Now in the oldest city of Russia there are many extremely interesting museum exhibitions. By and large, more than half of the city is an open-air museum-reserve. The Juma Mosque located on the territory of the fortress (translated from Arabic as “Friday mosque”, that is, the largest mosque in the city) deserves special attention. It is recognized as the oldest mosque and one of the most ancient buildings in Russia that have survived to this day - the date of construction of the Derbent Juma Mosque is 733 AD.

Kerch

Archaeologists have discovered evidence that people settled on the territory of Kerch long before the official date of the founding of the city - approximately eight thousand years BC. But there were also finds that confirmed a completely shocking figure: it turns out that this piece of the Kerch Peninsula was inhabited during the time of the Neanderthals!

Kerch experienced its first heyday during the era of the Bosporan Kingdom. The city of Panticapaeum, the oldest “ancestor” of Kerch, grew up on the shore of the strait at the end of the 7th century BC. It was he who became the starting point for the expansion of the Hellenes into the peninsula. Until the 3rd century BC. Patnikapaean culture was at its peak: gold and silver coins were minted here, local residents were familiar with the works of Hesiod and Herodotus, the city was famous for its winemakers, masters of foundry and pottery, and traded with Europe, China and the countries of Central Asia. The Yeni-Kale fortress is one of the most famous attractions of Kerch

Four hundred years later, the Slavs became the masters of Charshi, who renamed the city Korchev. The settlement that protected the strait served as the most important trade and military point of the Kyiv state. However, in the 12th century, after repeated raids by the Cumans, he returned under the wing of Byzantium. Kerch returned to Russia only at the end of the 18th century, after the sixth Russian-Turkish War.
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The question of which city in Russia can be called the oldest still remains open. There are various hypotheses, various studies are being conducted, but there is no comprehensive data.

According to data from some sources, I was able to compile a list of the ten oldest cities in Russia:

0. Derbent is a medium-sized city, part of the Republic of Dagestan. Founding date: end of the 4th millennium BC. e.
1. Veliky Novgorod - A regional center with a small population. Founded in 859.
2/3/4. - A medium-sized city. It is part of the Vladimir region. Year of foundation: 862
2/3/4. Rostov the Great is the same age as the city of Murom, a small city included in the Yaroslavl region. In 1995, the Rostov Kremlin Museum-Reserve was included in the list of especially valuable objects of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia.
2/3/4. Belozersk (First name - Beloozero). The same age as Rostov the Great. A small city. Year of foundation: 862
5. Smolensk - Large city, regional center of the Smolensk region. Founded in 863.
6. Pskov is a small regional center. Founded in 859.
7/13 Uglich - First mentioned in the chronicle in 1148, but some local sources report other information: 937, 947, 952 and other years.
7/8. Trubchevsk is a small city in terms of population. Founded in 975.
8/9. Bryansk is a regional center. The city was founded in 985.
9/10/11/12 - Regional center. Founding date (one version) is 990.
10/11/12 - A small city that is part of the Vladimir region. Founding date: 999 or 1024.
11/10/12 Kazan - Regional center, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Founded in 1005.
11/12/13 Yaroslavl - Large regional center. Founded in 1010.

There is an opinion that the most ancient city in Russia is Derbent. It existed when Ancient Rus' did not yet exist, and its approximate age is 5000 years. However, this city became part of the Russian state only in 1813. Now Derbent belongs to the Republic of Dagestan as part of the North Caucasus Federal District.

However, the oldest original Russian can rightfully be considered a city in Russia Velikiy Novgorod . This city was founded in 859 and is the origin of the Christian faith. On the left bank of the Volkhov River in Novgorod there is one of the most beautiful Kremlins in Russia.

The top ten oldest cities in Russia include two cities that are part of the Vladimir region. According to some sources, Suzdal was founded in 999 and also claims to be among the ten most ancient Russian cities.

Moore It is considered the third oldest city in Rus', along with Rostov the Great and Belozersk. The first written mention of it comes from The Tale of Bygone Years. From the chronicle it becomes clear that Murom received its name from the ancient Finno-Ugric tribe “Muroma”, which once lived in the Oka basin. The first prince of Murom was Gleb. Back in 988, he received Murom as an inheritance from the hands of his father, Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. Murom Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is one of the oldest in Russia.

Vladimir - one of the most beautiful cities in Russia, which stands on the banks of the Klyazma River. According to recent studies by local historians, according to information from a number of chronicle sources, Vladimir-on-Klyazma was founded by Vladimir Svyatoslavich Monomakh in 990. The oldest inhabitants of this region were Finno-Ugric tribes (VI-VII centuries), some of which were subsequently assimilated by the Slavs.

Another ancient city Suzdal first mentioned in the chronicle when talking about the uprising of the Magi in 1024. According to other studies, Suzdal was first mentioned in written sources under the year 999. It is believed that the city arose on the site of ancient agricultural, trade and craft settlements, which, there is every reason to believe, appeared here no later than the 9th century. Now Suzdal is a city-reserve, which is part of the Golden Ring of Russia. In terms of the abundance of architectural monuments and the integrity of its appearance, it has no equal.

If we talk not only about cities, then we can recall another ancient settlement - the village of Staraya Ladoga, which was a city until 1703. In 2003, the 1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga was celebrated, during which the village was positioned as “the ancient capital of Northern Rus'.”