Downtown Novgorod Velikij was seriously mutilated during the wars and (especially) Soviet ‘reconstructions’. What is basically shown to the visitors in the center is not actually worth seeing, save a couple of really interesting spots.
Real treasures are scattered outside the town, in the area only reachable by car.
Three pre-Mongolian churches are definitely to be seen: very few of them survived on the Russian territory.
Address: Russia, Novgorodskaja oblastj, Novgorod
1. Rurik’s Hillfort (Rjurikovo Gorodiśe): first Russian “government” resided here around 862-880
2. Church of Transfiguration on Nieriedica Hill, 1198
3. Church of Transfiguration on Kovaljovo Field, 1345
First published in the Levinarium Telegram Channel (now closed and deleted)