Novgorodec

Novgorodec is a demonym for a person from Veliky Novgorod, a city in northwestern Russia. In English, the common term is Novgorodian, while Novgorodets is the transliterated masculine form used in Russian-language texts. Historically, the term can also denote inhabitants of the medieval Novgorod Republic, a powerful East Slavic polity that played a prominent role in trade, culture, and governance in the medieval period.

Veliky Novgorod is among the oldest cities in Russia. Founded in the early medieval era, it became a major urban, commercial, and ecclesiastical center on the routes between the Baltic region and the interior. The city was known for its veche, or popular assembly, and for a degree of local self-government that contributed to the development of Russian statehood before the rise of Moscow. The medieval period left a rich legacy of churches, monasteries, kremlin walls, and other monuments.

In the present day, Novgorodec refers to residents of Veliky Novgorod and to people from the surrounding area who identify with the city. Veliky Novgorod remains an important regional center in Novgorod Oblast, with industries in manufacturing, education, and tourism. The historic center and its surrounding monuments are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the title The Historic Centre of Novgorod the Great and its Surroundings.