Detinets occupied the entire southwestern section of the cape (about 11 hectares). It was surrounded by an earthen rampart with a wooden wall and a deep moat, had three entrances: Water, Kyiv and Burned Gates. In detinets housed the princely court, rich estates of the wealthy nobility and the main cathedrals of the city. The fact that the detinets were built up to a large extent by stone structures, in addition to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior and the Cathedral of Borisoglebsky, which were preserved to this day, is also evidenced by the remains of the princely courtyard of the 10th century, consisting of two stone towers from two to three floors, and its episcopal courtyard of the 12th century with stone wall and gate church. Significant influence in the city enjoyed the clergy – until the end of the X century, pagan, and then Christian. The pagan temple was probably located on the territory of the detinets, where at the beginning of the XVIII century two silver idols were found. From the north and west, Okolny Grad adjoined the detinets – the most populated handicraft and trading part of Chernihiv, not inferior in area to the Kyiv city of Yaroslav. It was surrounded by powerful walls after the battle of Listvy, when Chernihiv became the center of a vast principality. At the foot of the detinets on the river side was an extensive Chernihiv hem, part of which (probably the area of the ancient pier) was fortified with a shaft with wooden structures. The edges of the Desna and Swifts' terraces were fairly densely built up.
