STARAYA RUSSA, a town of Russia, in the government of Novgorod, 58 m. S. of the city of Novgorod, on the river Polista, by means of which and Lake Ilmen it is brought into steamer communication with St Petersburg. Pop., 15,234. Brine springs on the east of the town were used as a source for the supply of salt as late as 1865; at present they are used only as mineral waters (temperature 51-54° F.), having a great resemblance to those of Kreuznach in Germany. Some thousands of visitors resort to them every summer, and owing to this circumstance Staraya Russa is better built and better kept than any other town in the government of Novgorod. The inhabitants are supported chiefly by the summer visitors. There is a trade in rye, oats and flax shipped to St Petersburg. The name of Staraya Russa occurs in Russian annals as far back as 1167. It belonged to the republic of Novgorod, and suffered continually in the wars between Russia, Lithuania and Livonia. It was afterwards annexed to Moscow.