It used to be a prosperous trading outpost in the 8th and 9th centuries.It was dominated by Scandinavians whowere called by the name of Rus'. For that reason, it is sometimes called the first capital of Russia.[7]
The fortress of Ladoga was built in the 12th century and rebuilt 400 years later. It is now mostly reconstructed since being heavily damaged during World War II.
According to theHypatian Codexthat was created at the end of the 13th century, the legendaryVarangianleaderRurikarrived at Ladoga in 862 and made it his capital. Rurik later moved toNovgorodand subsequently his successors moved from there toKievwhere foundations for the powerful state ofKievan Rus'were laid. There are several hugekurgans, or royal funerary barrows, at the outskirts of Ladoga. One of them is said to be Rurik's grave, and another one—that of his successorOleg. TheHeimskringlaand other Norse sources mention that in the late 990sEric Haakonssonof Norway raided the coast and set the town ablaze. Ladoga was the most important trading center in Eastern Europe from about 800 to 900 CE, and it is estimated that between 90% to 95% of all Arabdirhamsfound in Sweden passed through Ladoga.
Ladoga's next mention in chronicles is dated 1019, whenIngigerd of SwedenmarriedYaroslav of Novgorod. Under the terms of their marriage settlement, Yaroslav ceded Ladoga to his wife, who appointed her father's cousin, the SwedishearlRagnvald Ulfsson, to rule the town. This information is confirmed by sagas and archaeological evidence, which suggests that Ladoga gradually evolved into a primarily Varangian settlement. At least twoSwedishkings spent their youths in Ladoga,StenkilandInge I, and possibly also KingAnund Gårdske.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, Ladoga functioned as a trade outpost of the powerfulNovgorod Republic. Later its trade significance declined and most of the population engaged in fishing in the 15th century.[9]After new fortresses such asOreshekandKorelawere constructed in the 14th century further to the west of Ladoga, the town's military significance also decreased. Ladoga belonged toVodskaya Pyatinaof the Republic and contained eighty-four homesteads in the 15th century; most of the land belonged to the church.[9]The Novgorodians built there acitadelwith five towers and several churches.
Sights and landmarks
The heart of Staraya Ladoga is an old fortress where theLadozhkaflows into the Volkhov. In earlier times, it was a strategic site because it was the only possible harbor for sea-vessels that could not navigate through the Volkhov River. The fortress was rebuilt at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1703,Peter the Greatfounded the town ofNovaya Ladoga(New Ladoga) closer to the bank of Lake Ladoga. The ancient fortress thenceforth declined and came to be known as Staraya Ladoga (Old Ladoga), in order to distinguish it from the new town. The reconstruction of one of the towers of Staraya Ladoga's fortress was scheduled to be completed in 2010.[10]
Panorama of the Ladoga Fortress from the eastern bank of the Volkhov River
The mid-12th-century churches of St. George and of Mary's Assumption stand in all their original glory. InsideSt. George's, some magnificent 12th-centuryfrescoesare still visible. In addition, there is a mid-12th-century church of St. Climent, which stands in ruins.
Nicholas Roerichpainted his studies there during the summer of 1899. He named this landscape the best of the Russian one.[12]Valentin Serov,Konstantin Korovin,Boris Kustodievalso worked there.Alexander Samokhvalovwas in Staraya Ladoga many times in 1924-1926. He took part in the restoration of the St. George's Church.[13]That experience gave a great deal to the artist, he wrote. It helped him to understand the effect of joining a monumental painting with the architectural forms.[14]In result of this dwelling in that place painter made his "Staraya Ladoga" (1924) and "Family of Fisherman"(1926,Russian Museum)[15]
In February 1945 the ex-estate of the prince Shakhovskoy was given to Leningrad artists as a base zone for the rest and creative work.[16]The restoring works continued 15 years from 1946.[17]But Leningrad artists began to arrive to Staraya Ladoga from 1940s. It became a source of inspiration forSergei Osipov,Gleb Savinov,Nikolai Timkov,Arseny Semionovand many others for many years.[18]
n 1970-1980 aHouse of Creativitywas widening, the new buildings were built. They used it a whole-year. A dwelling there for 1–2 months was without any payment for them. All commitments on habitation, feed and journeys took the Art Foundation ofRussian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.[12]The paintings created there were exposed in the first-rate art exhibitions.[20][21][22]It completed the collections of the main museums of Soviet Union and numerous private collections of Russia and abroad. Also it became a base of an extensive found of painting, graphics and sculpture of the museum “Staraya Ladoga”.[23]
Financing of theHouse of Creativitystopped at the beginning of the 1990s on the breakup of theUSSRand after the liquidation of the Art Foundation. It stopped to receive the artists and was closed.
