Rurikovo Gorodische

Rurikovo Gorodische (Russian: Рю́риково Городи́ще, romanized: Ryúrikovo Gorodíshche, IPA: [ˈrʲʉrʲɪkəvə ɡərɐˈdʲiɕːə], lit.

'Rurik's Hillfort'), the primary settlement in the area known in Scandinavian sources as Holmgård, was the 9th century predecessor of Veliky Novgorod.

The archaeological site is 2 km to the south of the current city center, across from Yuriev Monastery where the Volkhov River flows out of Lake Ilmen.

The settlement began in the 8th century with a fortress, built by Ilmen Slavs, which had a wooden wall on the shaft.

The word Rurikovo was added at the beginning of the 19th century, influenced by legends which identify this place with the capital of the state of Rurik.