Pin made in the Soviet Union. The text on the pin reads:”Novgorod”. 859 is the year the city/village was first mentioned. Veliky Novgorod also known as just Novgorod, is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the oldest cities in Russia, being first mentioned in the 9th century.
At its peak during the 14th century, the city was the capital of the Novgorod Republic and was one of Europe’s largest cities. On August 15, 1941, during World War II, the city was occupied by the German Army. Its historic monuments were systematically obliterated. The Red Army liberated the city on January 19, 1944. Out of 2,536 stone buildings, fewer than forty remained standing. After the war, thanks to plans laid down by Alexey Shchusev, the central part was gradually restored.