Some ancient cities of Russia.

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Exercise 1. Read the text and get ready to fulfill the tasks.

A trip to Novgorod is a wonderful journey into Russian history. This city was first mentioned in chronicles in 859 A.D.

If you arrive in Novgorod by train, it does not strike you as an ancient city at first sight – everywhere there are new modern buildings – houses, cinemas, shops, cafes and so on. Then suddenly you notice a graceful church at the end of the street, a cathedral at the end of another, and another old church in the third street. Novgorod is planned in such a way that the cupolas of its churches and monasteries and the towers of its Kremlin can be seen from every street and every square of the city, wherever you happen to be. All of them are wonderful monuments of architecture, painting and culture of old times. I think no other ancient city of Russia has preserved so many splendid examples of Russian architecture and monumental painting of the 11^th-17^th centuries as Novgorod.

There are many monasteries in and around the city. Probably I’ll mention only the 12^th century Yuryevsky monastery. Its cathedral was built by a Russian master in 1119. Massive and towering it looks like a group of knights in helmets on the lookout for the enemy. Many people come to Novgorod to admire the frescoes by Theophanous, the famous Byzantine artist. The images on his murals are very expressive.

You will also be impressed by the Kremlin, this traditional landmark of all ancient Russian cities. It is in the centre of Novgorod. The simple walls and towers of the Kremlin surround a great many unique relics of different eras.

Exercise 2. Agree or disagree. Begin your sentence with “It’s right…, It’s wrong…, I’m afraid you are wrong…, According to the text…, You are quite right…”, etc.

1. The city was first mentioned in the historical records of the 1^st century AD.

2. Novgorod is planned in such a way that we can see beautiful houses in all streets.

3. In many other ancient towns of Russia we can find so many examples of the architecture of the 11^th-17^th centuries.

4. Yuryevsky monastery was founded in the 12^th century.

5. The Kremlin is a traditional landmark of all European cities.

Exercise 3. Say: what architectural monuments we can find in Novgorod

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Exercise. Read the text and say: 1) why this town was included into famous Golden Ring of Russia;

2) when the State Museum was set up;

3) what painters and architects contributed to the construction of the Museum.

The town Sergiyev Posad is included into famous Golden Ring of Russia. It is situated 59 miles outside Moscow. It is famous for its architectural monuments of the 15^th-18th centuries and unique works of folk arts.

Its history is closely connected with the establishment and development of the ancient Troitsa-Sergiyev monastery built in the middle of the 14^th century.

The State Historical and Art Museum was founded in April 1920 by the Decree signed by V.I.Lenin “On Turning Historical and Art Monuments of the Troitsa-Sergiyev Monastery into a Museum”

The best masters from Pskov and Yaroslavl, famous Russian painters of the 15^th and 17^th centuries such as Rublyov, Cherni, architects of the 18^th century Yermolin, Michurin and Ukhtomsky contributed greatly to the construction of the historical monuments and to the interior decoration of its churches and cathedrals.

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