Batetsky

About the settlement. The history of Batetsky District is closely linked with legends and major figures of Russian history. Tradition says that beneath the legendary Shum-Gora, one of the largest burial mounds in northwestern Europe, Prince Rurik — the Varangian commander regarded as founder of the Russian state — was buried “in a golden coffin, with 40 barrels of silver”. The area is associated with Princess Olga, who travelled along the Luga River in 947 to establish tribute-collection points, as well as Yaroslav the Wise, Alexander Nevsky, the ancestral Muravyov estate and many other notable people. The lands of modern Batetsky District historically belonged to Novgorod and formed part of the Vodskaya Pyatina. Old records mention Batetsko, Chyornoye, Volnaya Gorka, Zaosye, Skacheli, Kositskoye, Rusynya, Ivnya, Radzha and other settlements. After later administrative reforms, parts of the territory belonged to Novgorod Uyezd, but most were in Luga Uyezd of St. Petersburg Governorate. The Novgorod census books of 1498-1500 place the present Batetsky lands in the Poluzhskaya half of the Vodskaya Pyatina. Poluzhye, especially the northwestern banks of the Luga River, is one of the district’s most scenic areas. For many kilometres the riverbanks contain archaeological monuments: burial mounds, sopkas, medieval fortified settlements and villages. Chronicles also preserve references to medieval communities here and to Princess Olga’s presence during tribute collection.