Monument the Thousandth Anniversary of Russia in Novgorod

The monument «The Thousandth Anniversary of Russia» was installed in the center of the Novgorod Kremlin in 1862. The opening of the monument was timed to the celebration of the thousandth anniversary of the calling of the Varangian prince Riurik to Rus. 

In 862 Riurik came to the Russian lands with his «house and druzhina» and settled in Velikiy Novgorod. It was in that town that the formation of the Russian state began, so the monument was installed at the Kremlin, on the place where the first ancient gorodishche of Novgorod was founded in 9 century.  

The authors of the project were Mikhail Mikeshin, Ivan Shreder and Viktor Hartmann. The monument is a globe on a bell-like pedestal. The globe is encircled by six sculpture groups representing the main events of Russian history:  

1. The Calling of the Varangians; Prince Riurik in the pointed helmet who came to reign in Rus` in 862. 

2. The Christianization of Rus`; Grand Prince Vladimir with the upheld cross who christianized Rus` in 988. 

3. The victory in the Battle of Kulikovo; Prince Dmitry Donskoy treading under foot the defeated Tatar murza symbolizing the fight of the Russian against the Mongol-Tatar Yoke. 

4. The foundation of the sovereign Russian tsardom in 1491; Tsar Ivan III in the Monomakh`s Cap. The defeated Tatar, Lithuanian and Livonian knight are lying in front of him. 

5. The beginning of the rule of the Romanov dynasty in 1613; Young prince Mikhail Romanov with prince Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin giving him the Monomakh`s Cap. 

6. The foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721; Tsar Peter I the Great with the laurel wreath on his head. The kneeling Swede at the feet of Peter the Great. 

The angel with the cross symbolizing the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as a kneeling woman symbolizing Russia are on the top of the globe. 109 state and church figures of Russia are depicted on the bas relief in the lower part of the monument.