Medieval period coin depicting Staraya Russa, 2003 Thought to have originated in the mid-10th century, it was first mentioned as
Rusa () in chronicles for the year 1167 as one of three main towns of the
Novgorod Republic, alongside
Pskov and
Ladoga. After Pskov became independent, Russa became the second most important town and trade center of the Novgorod Republic after
Novgorod itself. By the end of the 15th century, it contained about one thousand homesteads.
Brine springs made the saltworks the principal business activity in the town, which was the biggest center of salt industry in the Novgorod region. The wooden fortifications of Russa burned to ashes in 1190 and then in 1194, after which they were replaced by the stone fortress. In 1478, it was incorporated into the
Grand Duchy of Moscow together with Novgorod. The word Staraya (
Old) was prefixed to the name in the 15th century, to distinguish it from newer settlements called Russa. Nevertheless, the current name firmly established only in the 19th century, when the salt mining settlements around the town became collectively known as Novaya Russa (
New Russa).
Early modern period When
Ivan the Terrible ascended the throne in 1533, Staraya Russa was a populous town. During the
Time of Troubles, it was held by Polish brigands and heavily depopulated. Only 38 people lived there in 1613. In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great, Staraya Russa was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as
St. Petersburg Governorate). In 1727, separate
Novgorod Governorate was split off. In 1776, Staraya Russa became the seat of
Starorussky Uyezd of
Novgorod Viceroyalty. In 1796, the viceroyalty was transformed into Novgorod Governorate.
Catherine II appointed German mineralogy expert
Franz Ludwig von Cancrin as director of the salt-works in 1783.
Late modern period In the 1820s,
military settlements were organized in Staraya Russa and around, in accordance with the project designed by
Aleksey Arakcheyev, an influential statesman. It was inconvenient to have both civil and military administration in Staraya Russa, and therefore the
uyezd was abolished in 1824. The town of Staraya Russa and some adjacent territories were directly subordinated to the Defense Ministry. The military settlements were proven inefficient, in particular, in 1831, the area participated in the
Cholera Riots. They were abolished in 1856. In 1857, Starorussky Uyezd was re-established. Soviet authority in Staraya Russa was established on November 5(18), 1917. In August 1927, the uyezds were abolished and, effective October 1, 1927, Starorussky District was established, with the
administrative center in Staraya Russa. Novgorod Governorate was abolished as well and the district became a part of
Novgorod Okrug of
Leningrad Oblast. The town was occupied by the
Germans between August 9, 1941 and February 18, 1944. The Germans operated the Dulag 110
prisoner-of-war camp in the town. Totally destroyed during the war, it was later restored. On July 5, 1944, Staraya Russa was transferred to newly established Novgorod Oblast and remained there ever since. ==Administrative and municipal status==