St Nicholas Cathedral


The 12th-century Kyiv-style St Nicholas Cathedral is all that remains of the early palace complex of the Novgorod princes, from which Yaroslav’s Court gets its name. The cathedral holds church artefacts and temporary exhibitions of local interest. Downstairs you can see fragments from the church’s original frescoes.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Yaroslav's Court

0.09 MILES

Across a footbridge from the kremlin are the photogenic remnants of an 18th-century market arcade. Beyond that is the market gatehouse, an array of…

2. Centre of Musical Antiquities

0.15 MILES

This small but lovingly maintained museum houses a wonderful collection of traditional folk-music instruments specific to Novgorod and around, including…

3. Kremlin Wall Walk

0.33 MILES

Walk part of the kremlin walls for views over the fortress, out to the beach and across the sparkling river. Tickets are sold at the belfry; you can get a…

4. Belfry

0.33 MILES

The belfry, with its enormous steel bells, has a small bell museum and an observation platform providing good photo opps of the Cathedral of St Sophia on…

5. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign

0.36 MILES

While the outside of this 17th-century Moscow-style complex has seen better days, the interior is festooned with frescoes painted by masters from Kostroma…

7. Millennium of Russia Monument

0.39 MILES

This gargantuan 16m-high, 100-tonne sculpture was unveiled in 1862 on the 1000th anniversary of the Varangian Prince Rurik’s arrival, a moment heralded as…

8. Veliky Novgorod Kremlin

0.4 MILES

On the west bank of the Volkhov River, and surrounded by a pleasant wooded park, the kremlin is one of Russia’s oldest. Originally called the Detinets …