Голицынский, 7-е издание – Артикль – Упражнение 35

Veliky Novgorod is the most important city of North-Western Russia and the administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast. The city lies along the Volkhov River just below its outflow from Lake Ilmen.
Novgorod was the second main city after Kiev in Russia in the mid centuries. It was a rich and powerful city, and the State of Novgorod was as large as the present Sweden. Its power was based on the international trade. Novgorod was the main Russian port for many centuries and was important for Baltic Sea trade.
Nowadays, Veliky Novgorod is a small, calm town in the provinces, with splendid old Russian architecture, interesting museums, fresh air, many trees, and nice and helpful people. I like this town very much. I like the people there.
In 2009, Novgorod marked 1150 years since it was first mentioned in 859 in the most ancient national texts — the Russian Primary Chronicles. The event was granted national status and was organized with the participation of the Russian President and the Federal Government. The celebration lasted for a whole week. The programme was filled with performances, exhibitions, and fairs. A fireworks and laser show brought huge crowds to the Volkhov River on Saturday and Sunday nights. Skydivers and a show by vintage planes graced the skies over the river area on Sunday. Many of these events were covered by news media and shown on TV.