Over the high hill among rolling fields, you can see the massive and well-known Church of the Savior on Nereditsa – the Church of the Transfiguration, located 1, 5 km from the city of Novgorod on the right Bank of the former riverbed of Small Volhovets and near the Ryurik Gorodishche.

The Church was built in the summer of 1198 Grand Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich. The Church of our Saviour is among the last stone buildings of the Novgorod princes. And although the dimensions of the Church are not so great as it is perceived as a monumental and impressive structure. Originally adjoined the Church stairwell that led straight into the mountains, but soon she was gone. In 1199 the Church was painted, followed by several centuries of obscurity. Later, in the second half of the 19th century, on the Nereditsa noticed the old lovers and historians.

The most famous Church acquired in the early 20th century. Already precisely it became clear that available on Nereditsa frescoes of the Savior are an amazing phenomenon that the security, integrity, and artistic significance goes far beyond the boundaries of national art and have truly global significance. The most precious monument of Novgorod painting of the 12th century were frescos on Nereditsa, which are intact and fully finished cycle.

In-depth study of the frescoes began in 1910-ies. During 1903-1904 was held the first restoration of the temple under the guidance of the famous architect p. P. Pokryshkin. On the required sketch and study of frescoes Nereditsa took only 40 years. In 1941 the famous monument of world importance was lost. Church of the Savior on Nereditsa was on the front line, which led to her getting under enemy artillery fire; the temple was in ruins. Collapsed the upper part of the walls, the dome and vaults. The building is not even half survived, and the frescoes were only insignificant fragments.

The largest medieval ensemble of steel "Paintings of the Savior on Nereditsa", which was brutally destroyed by Nazi troops that became an irreplaceable loss for Russian culture. In this ensemble were expressed so clearly all the characteristics of Novgorodian painting. Murals Nereditsa was struck by the amazing safety, and completeness in the choice of themes, acquainting the viewer with the incredible system of medieval painting.

The Church on Nereditsa something similar to the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, because not only Vladimir Church, but the Nereditsa are outside the city and are inextricably linked with the landscape around it. The Church of our Saviour in appearance differs little from the modest merchants, knights and wichansky Novgorod buildings of the late 12th century. It is a small single-domed Church of the cubic type, built of limestone, which is the local building material. Flagstone has an amazing feature – this stone is not a perfect process, because of its surface always be rough and uneven, creating a type of clay.

The interior of the Church is shrouded in darkness and seems particularly squeezed because of the massiveness of the walls and severity of the pillars. Surviving the unique fragments of frescoes can be seen on the West and South walls, as well as in Central apsidny part of the Church. The imagery of the frescoes of the Church on Nereditsa is similar to the architecture of the building in which is expressed the whole spiritual power, combined with violent force.

The master, who was engaged in the painting of the Church, was the Novgorodians, although related to different art schools. The first master was written in archaic Byzantine style, and the other two masters belonged to the Novgorod school, which was taught drawing in a bright graphic style, although one of the artists clearly drew another primitive.

To date the frescoes of the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa can only be viewed in special albums that have been created by researchers of the first half of the 20th century. The album presents copied the frescoes that will help to preserve the memory of the great Russian heritage of the greatest masters of the middle ages. People continue to visit the famous temple, the ancient walls can be seen the remaining immortal frescoes.