Novgorod is a city in northwestern
Russia, northwest of
Moscow and south-southeast of
St. Petersburg. (Don't confuse it with
Nizhni Novgorod, which is
east of Moscow.) It is one of the great historical locations of Russia, being one of the major trade centers between
Scandinavia and the
Black Sea or
Caspian Sea. Politically, it was probably the second most powerful city in Russia (after
Kiev) before the
Mongol invasion in the
13th century, and since the Mongols did not destroy it, was the archive of Russian culture during the years when many cities were burnt to the ground or occupied.
Unfortunately, it was largely destroyed during World War II, but the Soviet/Russian government has tried to restore a lot of the city for its historic value, and rebuild modern parts for the people who lived there.
Source: Novgorod State United Museum, http://eng.novgorod-museum.ru/