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Similar to the Saint Nicholas cathedral's
early structural shape is the cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the
Antoniev Monastery, built in 1117. The monastery is located at the north-east
outskirts of the city on the right bank of the river Volkhov. The silhouette of
the cathedral has been changed several times since, primarily by galleries and
annexes that have added. Of interest are the positions of its three cupolas;
beside the large central cupola there is one at the north-western corner above
the staircase that leads to the gallery, and another decorative one at the
south-western corner. Fragments of the original frescoes are similar to those
that we see in other churches in Novgorod which date from the same period,
though some Soviet art historians would like to see in them certain rudiments
of what later became one of the characteristics of the Novgorod school of art.
They have in mind particularly the sharp and heavy contour lines.
It appears that when Riurik first came to Novgorod he did not establish
his residence in the Kremlin but chose the place a mile or so south of the town
where the river Volkhov starts its flow from lake Ilmen. This place has been
since called Gorodishche - simply meaning a site. Novgorod's princes liked the
place, but it also served as a safer residence whenever they were in trouble
with the powerful boyars. When Novgorod became a republic, the princes moved
there permanently. No traces have yet been found of their palaces which most
probably were made of wood.
We have photos of this cathedral and the monastery in the section for Novgorod.
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