Novgorod Region

According to legend, Varangian prince Rurik was called upon by the Russians to rule Veliky Novgorod, which started the Rurikid dynasty. 

Novgorod was one of the few territories in medieval Russia not affected by the Mongol invasions.

There are plenty of cultural heritage sites there. The most famous are included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, including the Saint Sophia Cathedral (1045-1050), the oldest stone cathedral in Russia, and the Faceted Chamber (1433), the oldest civil building.