Detinets: what is it, what did it matter in the life of the city and how has it survived to this day?

To answer the question, what is detinets, it is easy. The central, most fortified part of the city in ancient Russia, later called the Kremlin.

The meaning of the word detinets

Appearing in the annals from 1097, this word was widely used for several centuries. In 1317, when describing the construction in Tver, it was first noted the new name of the city center - the Kremlin, which quickly became fashionable, the use and understanding of what the detinets had become, disappeared from everyday life and disappeared altogether.

The defensive significance of the detinets

The Old Russian state, located on the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks", had an attractive territory for many external invaders. Internal disagreements were also resolved exclusively by military methods. In the communities of that period, the presence of soldiers and the defensive capacity of the settlement were indeed issues of survival.

The most inaccessible place for the enemy, located on the top of the hill, surrounded by moats and wooden spears is Detinets. What is the structure could for a long time keep the defense, hiding behind the walls of the city's population, no doubt.

Boys from childhood taught the basics of military affairs, possession of weapons, regardless of the type of occupation in the future. To protect the settlement, and later the city, rose up all over the world.

Civic appointment of detinets

Northern neighbors called the Russian lands "Gardariki", that is, a country with many fortified cities, with a center in Veliky Novgorod.

And there really were a lot of cities. Splintered into appanage principalities, Rus did not know one government, being constantly in a state of internecine wars. The princes and their numerous descendants, having received lands in the reign, erected their own cities for living and cities-fortresses to protect their lands.

First of all, a detached was built. Determining its location dictated the natural conditions. High place and river are the basic requirements for its appearance. Being a stronghold of princely power, it was populated, first of all, by noble and rich townspeople. Princes, boyars and clergy erected here their chambers and palaces, they were served by a numerous servant.

But the city was open to both artisans and traders, who were coming here in search of work and protection. Trade was mainly along the river. Land plots settled on the outskirts or behind the wall of the city, closer to their allotments.

The city sprawled around, occupying the entire area of the fortress, and then going out and beyond. The center of city life, in all its manifestations, became a detaine. What is important is the location of power and wealth, no wonder. Having its streets and shopping areas, it was a city in the city.

Spiritual significance of the detinets

The church in the detinets was built at the same time as the walls. With God's help, the townspeople built their city and protected it. As the settlement grew around the detinets, many other churches were built, but the main city temple was the one that was inside the fortress walls.

Next to him settled the highest clergy of the city, to decorate such churches did not spare money. It was here that the highest bell tower served as a watch tower. And here they went to the prayer service in anticipation of the enemy's attack.

Novgorod Detinets

The Kremlin in Veliky Novgorod is the most ancient Kremlin in Russia, which you can visit today. He saved not only the walls, towers and buildings, which are the most valuable monuments, but also his original name.

Annals say that in 1044 on the river Volkhov Prince Vladimir Yaroslavovich (son of Yaroslav the Wise) began to build detinets. What is the construction of standing in one place for almost a thousand years no one could not imagine.

A year later the construction of the main Novgorod cathedral - the St. Sophia Cathedral, which was consecrated in seven years - began. The stone church, painted in half a century after the construction, has retained a small part of the frescoes to this day. The main part of the painting is the century before last. Today it is the Cathedral Church of the Novgorod Metropolis.

The wooden detinets burned and recovered again, but years and misfortunes spared it. Today we can see stone walls with a height of 8-15 meters; 9 of the 12 towers; Vladychnaya (Faceted) Chamber of the XV century; Other ancient monuments.

The central place on the Kremlin's square is occupied by the monument to the Millennium of Rus, delivered in 1862.

The building on the territory since 1865 is occupied by the Novgorod Museum-Reserve, a lot of expositions and exhibitions of which are open to visitors. Today there is a regional scientific library, a music school, a philharmonic society. Townspeople are sure that the best place in Novgorod is their detinets, that such proximity to urban cultural institutions contributes to the preservation of historical value and makes it simultaneously accessible to people.

The origin of the word "detinets"

Finding out what the detinets are, where the preserved ancient monument in Russia is located, and what place it occupied and occupies in the life of the townspeople a thousand years ago today, I would like to understand the origin of the word itself.

According to Wikipedia, there are several opinions on this matter:

1. Metropolitan Eugene (Bolkhovitinov) in 1808 suggested that the one-root word is "children", whom during the attack the enemies were hiding behind the walls.

2. M. Kh. Aleshkovsky believed that the prince's druzhinniki (children, children's), living in the fortress, gave her that name. Experts refute this interpretation, arguing that in Novgorod detinets lived only the clergy, the princes - nearby, in Gorodische.

3. F. Laskovsky is sure that the word comes from the verb "to put." In case of danger, the walls were hidden, "devali" the most valuable, from treasures to children.

4. In the opinion of Academician Yanina, the origin of the word is associated with the collections on the territory of grandfathers-elders, who decide important questions.

To get acquainted with the Novgorod Detinets may not be enough for one day. To visit the nearby monasteries, city streets and sights, which is rich in Novgorod, you need much more time.