Staraja Ladoga

Staraja Ladoga (Russian: Старая Ладога) is a town near Lake Ladoga. Its old Russian name is Ladoga (Rus: Ладога). In 1703 Russian tsar Peter I the Great founded the town of Novaja Ladoga ("New Ladoga"), and renamed old Ladoga to Staraja Ladoga ("Old Ladoga"). Its Swedish name is Aldeigjuborg. Dendrochronology reports that it was found in 753.

According to legend (written down, for example, in the Primary Chronicle), it was the first capital of Russia.

The heart of Staraja Ladoga is an ancient fortress where the Elena (Rus: Елена) River flows into the Volkhov (Rus: Волхов) River. In earlier times, it was a strategic site because it was the only possible harbour for sea-vessels that could not navigate through the Volkhov river.

In 2003 there was a celebration of Staraja Ladoga's 1250th anniversary, that was covered by the press and attracted the attention of powerful people (Vladimir Putin, Russian President, visited there). This may give at least minimal funding for the ancient Russian capital, forgotten for many hundreds of years. In the image one can see ancient mounds located in Staraja Ladoga (the shot was taken during the 1250th anniversary celebration, so people are in period clothes).