Detinets

A detinets (Russian: детинец [dʲɪˈtʲinʲɪts]) or detinetz (/ˈdɛtɪnɛts/ DET-in-ets) is a type of historic Russian citadel, similar to a kremlin.^[1][2][3][4]

Novgorod Detinets in Veliky Novgorod, Russia

Etymology

The origin of the term is uncertain. Some believe it is derived from the Russian word deti, meaning "children", suggesting it was used to hide children and other less able people during a siege.^[5][6][7]

History

The term detinets (like the Novgorod Detinets) is considered to be older and was kept in the Novgorod region, while the term krom (like the Pskov Krom) was more often used in the Pskov region.^[1] In other Russian regions, such as in the Moscow and Tver regions, fortresses in the center of cities began to use the term kremlin,^[1][8] which superseded the term detinets in the 14th and 15th centuries.^[4]