Kremlin history briefly for children. Moscow Kremlin: history, legends and facts. Significance of the Moscow Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin is a remarkable architectural ensemble of the 15th-19th centuries. In shape, it is an irregular triangle, the southern side of which faces the Moscow River. It is enclosed brick wall with 20 towers of different architecture.

Towers and gates of the Kremlin

The main entrance to the Kremlin - the Spassky Gate - is located on the eastern side, facing Red Square, opposite St. Basil's Cathedral. The Spasskaya Tower was built in the 15th century. In 1625, its tent completion was built, on which a clock was installed. The modern clock has been operating since 1851. On the southwestern side of the Kremlin, near the river, are the Borovitsky Gates, through which Napoleon entered the Kremlin in 1812. From the west, from the side of the Alexander Garden, the Trinity Gate leads to the Kremlin; valuable imperial archives were previously stored in the tower of the same name. In the northern part of the Kremlin, the Nikolsky Gates are located, facing the northern tip of Red Square. They are used to get into state institutions. The oldest of the towers of the Kremlin wall are Beklemishevskaya, erected in 1487-1488, and Vodovzvodnaya, in which mechanisms were installed for supplying river water to the Kremlin and the settlement.

Palaces and chambers of the Kremlin

The Kremlin houses state institutions, ancient palaces and temples. One of the largest buildings is the Grand Kremlin Palace facing the river (1838-1849). The oldest buildings of the Kremlin include the Palace of Facets, built in the 15th century, and the Terem Palace, built in the 16th-17th centuries. The interior of the Grand Kremlin Palace consists of many halls and rooms, some of which are used for official receptions.

The Faceted Chamber, located in the eastern wing of the Grand Kremlin Palace, was built by Italian architects in 1487-1491 and was intended for banquets and royal receptions. The Terem Palace, in the northern wing of the Grand Kremlin Palace, was built in 1635-1636 by Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich for his sons, and later served as the residence of Tsars Alexei Mikhailovich and Fyodor Alekseevich. The western wing of the palace is occupied by the Armory (1844-1851). This is one of the largest Moscow museums, which contains gold and silver items, clothing, armor, weapons, gifts, royal regalia, carriages and other valuables of historical interest.

The former building of the Court Regulations, originally the Senate, erected in 1776-1790 and reconstructed twice in the 19th century, was occupied by the government of the USSR. It is currently the residence of the President of Russia. Before the revolution of 1917, the building was topped with a crown, which was replaced by the red Soviet flag, which was replaced by the Russian tricolor in 1991.

Kremlin cathedrals

Among the many places of worship in the Kremlin, the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Cathedral of the Archangel and the Cathedral of the Annunciation stand out. The Assumption Cathedral with five gilded domes was built in 1475-1479, was repeatedly looted and burned, but was invariably restored to its original form, from the 16th century. became the site of the coronation of kings. Archangel Cathedral, also with five domes, built on the site of a temple of the XIV century. in 1505-1508 and last restored in 1921, was the tomb of the great princes and kings of the Rurik dynasty and the first Romanovs. Opposite the Cathedral of the Archangel is the Cathedral of the Annunciation with nine gilded domes, the house church of Russian tsars. It was built in 1481-1489, rebuilt in the 16th century. and subsequently restored several times.

Ivan the Great belltower

The sights of the Kremlin also include the bell tower "Ivan the Great" (1505-1508), which for a long time was the highest bell tower in Rus', and the Tsar Bell installed in front of it. The bell tower was built on in 1600 at the behest of Tsar Boris Godunov as part of public works to help the starving. The tower was reconstructed in 1813. The bell tower has five tiers and reaches a height of 81 m. From above it is crowned with a gilded dome with a cross, currently 24 bells are installed on it. Two belfries adjoin the bell tower, two churches are equipped in the complex, one of which used to house the patriarchal sacristy.

The Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world. Its weight is about 200 tons. It was cast in 1735 using the material of a bell damaged in a fire in 1701, but it itself was damaged by fire and only in 1836 was hoisted onto its current pedestal. Tsar Cannon was cast in 1586 and was considered the largest of its time.

On a note:

• Nearest metro stations: "Borovitskaya", "Aleksandrovsky Sad", "Library named after Lenin", "Arbatskaya"
• Official site: www.kreml.ru
• Opening hours: From May 15 to September 30 - every day except Thursday, from 9:30 to 18:00. Ticket offices are open from 9:00 to 17:00. from October 1 to May 14 - every day, except Thursday, from 10:00 to 17:00. Ticket offices are open from 9:30 to 16:30. The Armory and the observation deck of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower operate according to a separate schedule.
• Tickets: sold near the Kutafya Tower in the Alexander Garden. The cost of a ticket to the Cathedral Square, to the Kremlin cathedrals: for adult visitors - 500 rubles. For Russian students and pensioners upon presentation of relevant documents - 250 rubles. Children under 16 years old - free of charge. Tickets to the Armory and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower are purchased separately from the general ticket.

The most recognizable architectural structure in Russia, the Moscow Kremlin, is located in the historical center of the capital. The main feature of the architectural ensemble is its fortifying complex, consisting of walls in the form of a triangle with twenty towers.

The complex was built between 1485 and 1499 and is well preserved to this day. It several times served as a model for similar fortresses that appeared in other cities of Russia - Kazan, Tula, Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod, etc. Within the walls of the Kremlin there are numerous religious and secular buildings - cathedrals, palaces and administrative buildings of different eras. The Kremlin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990. Together with the adjoining Red Square, which is on this list, the Kremlin is usually considered the main attraction of Moscow.

Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin

The architectural ensemble is formed by three temples, in the center is located. The history of the cathedral began in 1475. It is the oldest fully preserved building among all the Kremlin buildings.

Initially, construction took place in 1326-1327 under the leadership of Ivan I. After the completion of construction, the cathedral served as the home church of the Metropolitan of Moscow, who settled in the predecessor of the current Patriarchal Palace.

By 1472, the now collapsed cathedral was destroyed, and then a new building was built in its place. However, it collapsed in May 1474, possibly due to an earthquake or due to construction errors. A new attempt at revival was made by Grand Duke Ivan III. It was in this cathedral that prayer services were served before important campaigns, kings were crowned and elevated to the rank of patriarchs.

Dedicated to the Archangel Michael, the patron saint of Russian rulers, it was built in 1505 on the site of the 1333 church of the same name. It was built by the Italian architect Aloisio Lamberti da Montignana. The architectural style combines traditional ancient Russian religious architecture and elements of the Italian Renaissance.

Located on the southwest corner of the square. In 1291, a wooden church was built here, but burned down a century later and was replaced by a stone church. The white stone cathedral on the facades has nine onion domes and is intended for family ceremonies.

Working hours of the cathedrals: 10:00 to 17:00 (day off - Thursday). A single ticket for visits will cost 500 rubles for adults and 250 rubles for children.

Palaces and squares of the Moscow Kremlin

• - these are several representative secular buildings created in different centuries and served as a home for Russian grand dukes and tsars, and in our time for presidents.
  

  

  

  

• - a five-story building, decorated with rich carved decorative frames, as well as a tiled roof.
  

  

  

• - a building of the 17th century, preserved rare architectural features of civil architecture of that time. The museum presents jewelry, exquisite dishes, paintings, items of royal hunting. The magnificent iconostasis of the Ascension Monastery destroyed in 1929 has been preserved.
  
  
• - a three-story building, made in the early neoclassical style. Initially, the palace was supposed to serve as the residence of the Senate, but in our time it exists as the central working representation of the President of Russia.
  

  

  

  

Among the popular places in the Moscow Kremlin, the following squares should be noted:

Moscow Kremlin towers

The length of the walls is 2235 meters, their maximum height is 19 meters, and the thickness reaches 6.5 meters.

There are 20 defensive towers similar in architectural style. Three corner towers have a cylindrical base, the remaining 17 are quadrangular.

Trinity Tower is the highest, rising up to 80 meters.

Lowest - Kutafya tower(13.5 meters), located outside the wall.

Four towers have travel gates:

The tops of these 4 towers, which are considered especially beautiful, are decorated with symbolic red ruby ​​stars of the Soviet era.

The clock on the Spasskaya Tower first appeared in the 15th century, but burned down in 1656. On December 9, 1706, the capital heard for the first time the chimes, which announced a new hour. Since then, many events have taken place: wars have been fought, cities have been renamed, capitals have changed, but the famous chimes of the Moscow Kremlin remain the main chronometer of Russia.

The bell tower (81 meters high) is the tallest building in the Kremlin ensemble. It was built between 1505 and 1508 and still performs its function for three cathedrals that do not have their own bell towers - Arkhangelsk, Assumption and Annunciation.

Nearby is a small church of St. John, from which the name of the bell tower and the square appeared. It existed until the beginning of the 16th century, then collapsed and has since deteriorated significantly.

The Faceted Chamber is the main banquet hall of the Moscow princes, it is the oldest surviving secular building in the city. Currently, this is the official ceremonial hall for the President of Russia, so it is closed for tours.

Armory and Diamond Fund

The chamber was built according to the decree of Peter I, so that weapons obtained in wars were stored in it. Construction was delayed, starting in 1702 and ending only in 1736 due to financial difficulties. In 1812, the chamber was blown up in the war against Napoleon, and was reconstructed only in 1828. Now the Armory is a museum, which can be visited on any day of the week from 10:00 to 18:00, except for Thursday. Ticket price for adults - 700 rubles, for children - free of charge.

There are not only exhibits of the weapons trade, but also the Diamond Fund. The permanent exhibition of the State Diamond Fund first opened in the Moscow Kremlin in 1967. Here, unique jewelry and precious stones, most of which were confiscated after October revolution. Opening hours - from 10:00 to 17:20 on any day except Thursday. For an adult ticket, you will have to pay 500 rubles, a child ticket costs 100 rubles.

Two exhibited diamonds deserve special attention, as they belong to the most famous examples of this gem in the world:

1. It is not only the largest medieval fortress in Russia, but also the largest active fortress in all of Europe. Of course, there were more such structures, but the Moscow Kremlin is the only one that is still in use.
2. The Kremlin walls were white. The walls "acquired" their red brick in late XIX century. To see the White Kremlin, look for works by 18th or 19th century artists such as Pyotr Vereshchagin or Alexei Savrasov.
3. Red Square has nothing to do with red. The name comes from the old Russian word "krasny", which means beautiful, and is in no way related to the color of the buildings, which, as we now know, were white until the end of the 19th century.
4. The stars of the Moscow Kremlin were eagles. During the time of Tsarist Russia, four Kremlin towers were crowned with double-headed eagles, which have been the Russian coat of arms since the 15th century. In 1935 the Soviet government replaced the eagles, which were melted down and replaced with the five pointed stars we see today. The fifth star on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower was added later.
5. Kremlin towers have names. Of the 20 Kremlin towers, only two do not have their own names.
6. The Kremlin is densely built up. Behind the 2235-meter Kremlin walls there are 5 squares and 18 buildings, among which the most popular are the Spasskaya Tower, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the Assumption Cathedral, the Trinity Tower and the Terem Palace.
7. The Moscow Kremlin was practically not damaged in World War II. During the war, the Kremlin was carefully disguised to look like a residential building block. The domes of the church and the famous green towers were painted gray and brown respectively, fake doors and windows were attached to the walls of the Kremlin, and Red Square was burdened with wooden structures.
8. The Kremlin is in the Guinness Book of Records. In the Moscow Kremlin you can see the world's largest bell and the world's largest cannon. In 1735, a 6.14 meter high bell was made from metal casting, the tsar cannon weighing 39.312 tons was lost in 1586 and was never used in the war.
9. The stars of the Kremlin always shine. In its 80 years of existence, the illumination of the Kremlin's stars has only been switched off twice. The first time was during World War II when the Kremlin was camouflaged to hide it from bombers. The second time they were turned off for the film. Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov filmed a scene for The Barber of Siberia.
10. The Kremlin clock has a deep secret. The secret of the accuracy of the Kremlin clock literally lies under our feet. The clock is connected to the control clock at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute via a cable.

The Kremlin of Dolgoruky was tiny: it fit between the modern Tainitskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya towers. It was surrounded by a wooden wall 1,200 meters long.

At first, this fortress was called a city, and the lands around it were called a settlement. When it appeared, the fortress was renamed the Old Town. And only after construction in 1331, the fortress was called the Kremlin, which meant "fortress in the center of the city."

The word "comes from the Old Russian "krom" or "kremnos" (solid) - this was the name of the central part of the ancient cities. The Kremlin walls and towers were usually placed on the highest place.

The word "Kremlin" could also come from the so-called "kremlin" (strong) tree, from which the city walls were built. And in 1873, researcher A.M. Kubarev suggested that this toponym could come from the Greek language, where "kremnos" means "steepness, a steep mountain above the shore or ravine." The Moscow Kremlin really stands on a mountain on a steep bank of the river, and the words “flint” and “kremnos” could get into Russian speech with the Greek clergy who arrived in Moscow in the late 1320s with Metropolitan Theognost.

Guide to Architectural Styles

The Moscow Kremlin stands on Borovitsky Hill, at the confluence of the Moscow River and. Behind the walls of the fortress with an area of ​​9 hectares, the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements could hide from danger.

Over time, the plantations grew. The fortress grew with them. In the 14th century, under Ivan Kalita, new walls of the Moscow Kremlin were built: outside, wooden, covered with clay, inside - stone. Since 1240 Rus' was under Tatar-Mongol yoke, and the Moscow princes managed to build new fortresses in the center of the occupied country!

The Kremlin under Dmitry Donskoy (after the fire of 1365) was built from white stone. Then the walls had a length of almost 2 kilometers - 200 meters shorter than the current ones.

Fires and an earthquake in 1446 damaged the fortress, and under Ivan III at the end of the 15th century, the Moscow Kremlin was rebuilt. For this, Italian architects were invited - experts in fortification - Aristotle Fiorovanti, Pietro Antonio Solari, Marco Ruffo. They built not just a fortress, but a holy city. The legendary Constantinople was laid at three corners on all sides of seven miles, so the Italian masters on each side of the Moscow Kremlin put 7 red-brick towers (along with the corner ones) and tried to keep the same distance from the center -. In this form and within such boundaries, the Moscow Kremlin has survived to this day.

The walls of the Kremlin turned out so good that no one has ever taken possession of them.

How to Read Facades: A Cheat Sheet on Architectural Elements

Two water lines and the slopes of Borovitsky Hill already gave the fortress a strategic advantage, and in the 16th century the Kremlin turned into an island: a canal was dug along the northeastern wall, which connected the Neglinnaya and Moscow rivers. The southern wall of the fortress was built before everyone else, since it went to the river and was of great strategic importance - merchant ships that arrived along the Moscow River moored here. Therefore, Ivan III ordered to remove all buildings south of the Kremlin walls - since that time nothing has been built here, except for earthen ramparts and bastions.

In plan, the walls of the Kremlin form an irregular triangle with an area of ​​about 28 hectares. Outside, they are built of red brick, but inside they are built from the white stone of the old walls of the Kremlin of Dmitry Donskoy, and for greater strength they are filled with lime. They were built from half a pood brick (weighing 8 kg). In proportion, it resembled a large loaf of black bread. It was also called two-handed, because it was possible to lift it with only two hands. At the same time, brick in Rus' was an innovation at that time: they used to build it from white stone and plinths (something in between brick and tile).

The height of the Kremlin walls ranges from 5 to 19 meters (depending on the terrain), and in some places reaches the height of a six-story building. Along the perimeter of the walls there is a continuous passage 2 meters wide, but outside it is hidden by 1,045 merlon teeth. These M-shaped battlements are a typical feature of Italian fortification architecture (the supporters of the imperial power in Italy marked fortresses with them). In everyday life they are called "dovetail". From below, the teeth seem small, but their height reaches 2.5 meters, and the thickness is 65-70 centimeters. Each prong is made of 600 half-pood bricks, and almost all prongs have loopholes. During the battle, archers closed the gaps between the battlements with wooden shields and fired through the cracks. Whatever the tooth, then the archer, - they said among the people.

The walls of the Moscow Kremlin were surrounded by rumors for underground wars. They protected the fortress from undermining. Also under the walls was a system of secret underground passages. In 1894 archaeologist N.S. Shcherbatov found them under almost all the towers. But his photographs disappeared in the 1920s.

Dungeons and secret passages of Moscow

The Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers. They played a key role in monitoring the approaches to the fortress and in defense. Many of the towers were travel, with gates. But now three are open to the Kremlin: Spasskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya.

The corner towers are round or polyhedral in shape and contain secret passages and wells inside to supply the fortress with water, while the rest of the towers are quadrangular. This is understandable: the corner towers had to "look" in all external directions, and the rest - forward, since the neighboring towers covered them from the sides. Also, travel towers were additionally protected by diversion towers-shooters. Of these, only Kutafya has survived.

In general, in the Middle Ages, the towers of the Moscow Kremlin looked different - they did not have hipped roofs, but there were wooden watchtowers. Then the fortress had a more severe and impregnable character. Now the walls and towers have lost their defensive value. not preserved and gable roof: it burned down in the 18th century.

By the 16th century, the Kremlin in Moscow acquired the appearance of a formidable and impregnable fortress. Foreigners called it the "castle" on Borovitsky Hill.

The Kremlin has been at the center of political and historical events. Here Russian tsars were crowned and foreign ambassadors were received. Here the Polish interventionists and the boyars who opened the gates took refuge. The Kremlin tried to blow up Napoleon, who was fleeing Moscow. The Kremlin was going to be rebuilt according to the grandiose project of Bazhenov ...

What can be compared with this Kremlin, which, surrounded by battlements, flaunting the golden domes of cathedrals, reclines on high mountain like a sovereign crown on the brow of a formidable lord? .. He is the altar of Russia, many sacrifices worthy of the fatherland should be and are already being made on it ... No, neither the Kremlin, nor its battlements, nor its dark passages, nor magnificent palaces to describe it impossible ... One must see, see ... one must feel everything that they say to the heart and imagination! ..

In Soviet times, the government was located in the Moscow Kremlin. Access to the territory was closed, and the dissatisfied were "calmed down" by the chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, Ya. Sverdlov.

Undoubtedly, the bourgeoisie and the philistines will raise a howl - the Bolsheviks, they say, desecrate the shrines, but this should not worry us the least. The interests of the proletarian revolution are above prejudice.

During the reign of Soviet power, the architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin suffered more than in its entire history. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 54 buildings inside the Kremlin walls. Less than half survived. For example, in 1918, on the personal instructions of V.I. Lenin demolished a monument to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich (he was killed in February 1905), at the same time they destroyed the monument to Alexander II (then a monument to Lenin was erected on its pedestal). And in 1922, more than 300 pounds of silver and 2 pounds of gold, more than 1,000 precious stones, and even the shrine of Patriarch Hermogenes were taken out of the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin.

Congresses of Soviets were held, a kitchen was set up in the Golden Chamber, and a dining room in the Faceted Chamber. The Small Nikolaevsky Palace turned into a club for workers of Soviet institutions, a sports hall was opened in the Catherine's Church of the Ascension Monastery, and a Kremlin hospital was opened in the Miracle Monastery. In the 1930s, the monasteries and the Small Nikolaevsky Palace were demolished, and the entire eastern part of the Kremlin turned into ruins.

Kremlin: mini-guide to the territory

During the Great Patriotic War, the Kremlin was one of the main targets of aerial bombardment of Moscow. But thanks to the disguise, the fortress "disappeared".

The red-brick walls were repainted, and windows and doors painted on them to mimic individual buildings. The battlements on top of the walls and the stars of the Kremlin towers were covered with plywood roofs, and the green roofs were painted to look like rust.

The camouflage made it difficult for German pilots to find the Kremlin, but did not save them from bombing. In Soviet times, they said that not a single bomb fell on the Kremlin. In fact, 15 high-explosive and 150 small incendiary ones fell. And a bomb weighing a ton hit it, and part of the building collapsed. British Prime Minister Churchill, who arrived later in the Kremlin, even stopped and took off his hat as he passed the gap.

In 1955, the Moscow Kremlin was partially opened to the public - it turned into an open-air museum. At the same time, the Kremlin banned residence (the last residents were discharged in 1961).

In 1990, the Kremlin ensemble was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. At the same time, the Kremlin became a government residence, but retained museum functions. Therefore, uniformed employees are present on the territory, quickly instructing the lost tourists "on the right path." But every year more and more corners of the Kremlin become open for walking.

And the Kremlin is often filmed for cinema. And in the film "Third Meshchanskaya" you can even see the Moscow Kremlin before the demolition of the Chudov and Ascension monasteries.

Mini guide to the Kremlin walls and towers

They say that......The Kremlin walls were built by Ivan the Terrible (Ivan III was also called "The Terrible"). He summoned 20,000 village peasants and ordered:
- To be ready in a month!
They paid little - 15 kopecks a day. Therefore, many died of starvation. Many were beaten to death. New employees were brought in to take their place. And a month later the Kremlin walls were completed. Therefore, they say that the Kremlin is on the bones.
...the shadow of Ivan IV often wanders in the lower tiers of the bell tower. Even the memoirs of Nicholas II have been preserved, how on the eve of the coronation, the spirit of Grozny appeared to him and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
And when False Dmitry was killed in the Moscow Kremlin, Muscovites sometimes began to see the outlines of the figure of the Pretender, flashing in the twilight between the battlements of the walls. They also saw him on the August night of 1991 - before the attempted coup d'état.
And one evening, the watchman who was on duty in the building next to the Patriarch's Chambers raised the alarm (under Stalin there was housing). One of the apartments on the second floor was occupied by the People's Commissar of the NKVD Yezhov, and the duty officer was in the hallway of the former Yezhov apartments. Around midnight, the watchman heard footsteps on the stairs, then the jingle of a key in the lock, the creak of a door opening and closing. He realized that someone had left the building and tried to detain the intruder. The duty officer jumped out onto the porch and saw, a few meters from the house, a small figure in a long overcoat and cap, well known from old photographs. But the ghost of the Chekist melted into the air. We saw Yezhov a few more times.
The spirit of Stalin did not appear in the Moscow Kremlin, but the ghost of Lenin is a frequent visitor. The spirit of the leader made the first visit during his lifetime - on October 18, 1923. According to eyewitnesses, the terminally ill Lenin unexpectedly arrived from Gorki to the Kremlin. Alone, without guards, he went to his office and walked around the Kremlin, where he was greeted by a detachment of cadets of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The head of the guard was at first dumbfounded, and then rushed to call Gorki to find out why Vladimir Ilyich was unaccompanied. It was then that he learned that Lenin had not traveled anywhere. After this incident, real devilry began in the leader’s Kremlin apartment: the sounds of moving furniture, the crackle of a telephone, the creak of floorboards and even voices were heard. This continued until Ilyich's apartment with all his belongings was transferred to Gorki. But until now, the guards and employees of the Kremlin sometimes see frosty January evenings on

The chronicle keeps the first mention of Moscow from 1147, and the walls of the Moscow fortress were notified in 1156, when Prince Yuri Vladimirovich " ". The Kremlin becomes the beginning of all rays passing through the subsequent rings of Moscow.

Names - Moscow and the Kremlin

Moscow and the Kremlin- the origin of ancient names. Presumably, the city of Moscow got its name from the Moskva River, in the 12th century, Yuri Dolgoruky designated the area near Borovitsky Hill with the word "Moskov". The Moscow Kremlin in ancient times was called "kremnik" from the ancient word "krom" (fortress).

the Red Square

the Red Square- the main attraction of Moscow. It is located in the center of the capital, near the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. As soon as it was not called: Trading from trading since the time of Ivan III; Troitskaya - along the standing Trinity Church; and then Red (i.e. Beautiful Square).

- surround the Moscow Kremlin from all sides. First wooden, then reinforced oak, later white stone. In 1485, they were built by Italian masters, together with the towers, now standing red from crumbling bricks.

- in 1485, when the Tainitskaya tower was erected, and then within 5 years another 7 towers, the construction of all other towers and fortifications took another 30 years. There are twenty towers of the Kremlin in total, four of them from the 50s of the 17th century were decorated with imperial double-headed eagles, in the 30s of the 20th century, they were replaced with ruby ​​stars, and a fifth star was added to them on another tower - Vodovzvodnaya. The first star flashed in 1935 on the Spasskaya Tower, then on the other four. Thus, 5 stars adorn all 5 Kremlin towers: Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya.

In the Moscow Kremlin

Assumption Cathedral

Assumption Cathedral - located on Cathedral Square. This building is the oldest. Over the years of its existence, it has never been destroyed and has been preserved in its original form. Until 1917 it was considered the main cathedral Rus'.

– was built in 1505-1508. The project was developed by Bon Fryazin, an Italian architect. Until 1815, the church was constantly rebuilt and enlarged. On the territory of the bell tower there is a church and an exhibition hall dedicated to the history of the Kremlin.

- a historical monument that can tell a lot about the military power of Rus'. The cannon was cast in 1586. First, it was installed near the Execution Ground, and later it was moved near the Armory.

- was cast in the 18th century, by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna. But it was never used for its intended purpose. During the Trinity fire, the monument was severely damaged and lay in the ground for a long time. Later it was restored and installed near the bell tower "Ivan the Great".

- one of the oldest buildings in Moscow. They built the monument for a long time. It is named so because it is trimmed with faceted rustication.

- a place intended for the storage of weapons and ammunition. In ancient times, entire fortresses were built, in which everything necessary for military operations was stored. The monument was built in the 18th century. Peter I set up a real museum here and collected all the interesting ancient weapons, armor and trophies.

is a real treasury where precious items received by the rulers from foreign ambassadors, local craftsmen and patriarchs are stored. It was built in 1851.

- a very beautiful building. It was built by a group of Russian architects. It was built for the royal family, where they were supposed to live during their arrival in Moscow. It was built on the site of other palaces. The palace has 5 halls of extraordinary beauty.

- a particularly picturesque building, built for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in 1635-1637 by architects Antip Konstantinov, Trefil Sharutin, Bazhen Ogurtsov and Larion Ushakov.

Senate

The Senate is a building skillfully placed on a triangular site. The peculiarity of the building is that it has a dome in the center (located above the round hall), such an architectural solution is a masterpiece of classicism architecture.

- built in 1652 by the boyar Ilya Danilovich Miloslavsky, then became state-owned, and got its name because it was used for "fun", entertainment for the royal family.

Palace of Congresses (State Kremlin Palace)

- (currently the State Kremlin Palace) was built by decree of Nikita Khrushchev. It was opened in October 1961. Not only congresses of the CPSU were held on the territory of the palace, but also concerts, theatrical performances and other important events.

History of the Moscow Kremlin

For the first time the name Kremlin appears in the Resurrection Chronicle in 1331, it is formed from the word "cream" (or "krom"), meaning a fortress inside the city. The first news about the walls of the Moscow fortress is contained in the annalistic report in 1156, then Prince Yuri Vladimirovich " lay the city of Moscow, at the mouth below the Neglinna, above the Auzy River".

(Kremlin under Prince Dmitry Donskoy of Moscow. XIV century. Painting by A. Vasnetsov)

In 1339, Ivan Kalita erected new oak walls, which were replaced in 1367 by Prince Dmitry Donskoy with white stone ones. On their basis, under Ivan III, modern walls were built. They began to be erected in 1485, when the Tainitskaya tower was erected by the Italian architect Anton Fryazin, and over the next five years, a wall and seven towers were built on the most threatened southern side.

(The Moscow Kremlin, with walls still familiar to this day, under the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III at the end of the 15th century. Painting by A. Vasnetsov)

In 1490, they began to build a wall from the side of the current Red Square, as we are used to seeing them now, namely from the northeast. Then, by decree of Ivan III, all buildings adjacent to the Kremlin were demolished. In 1495, under the guidance of the architect Aleviz Novy, walls were erected on the western side, where the bed of the Neglinnaya River was. The branch Kutafya tower also belongs to that time.

The construction of all fortifications took more than 30 years. Later, from 1625 to 1685, all the towers (with the exception of Nikolskaya) were built on with tents.

The area of ​​the Kremlin was 27.5 hectares (0.28 km 2), the length of the walls with 20 towers, of which 4 were for passage, was 2235 meters. The height of the walls is different - from 5 to 19 meters, thickness; from 3.5 to 6.5 meters.

(Ruby stars of the Kremlin against the backdrop of Soviet Moscow under construction)

In Soviet times, double-headed eagles were removed from the towers and stars made of Ural gems were placed, but they quickly faded and ruby ​​glass stars were installed instead, which are a complex engineering structure with powerful lamps and cooling units. But the old star can still be seen, it is located on the spire of the Northern River Station in Moscow.<

The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction and visiting card not only of Moscow, but of Russia as a whole. It was the Kremlin that for many centuries was the center of the socio-political, spiritual and religious life of the whole country, which it remains to this day. It is with the sights of the Moscow Kremlin that I would like to start a series of fascinating posts about the capital of our Motherland - Moscow.

Today I will talk about what you can see in the Kremlin, about its cathedrals and towers, palaces and monuments, as well as some interesting information from the history of the Moscow Kremlin.

Where the Neglinka River flows into the Moskva River, on the high Borovitsky Hill back in the 12th century. a wooden Russian fortress was built. It was almost completely destroyed during the Tatar-Mongol invasion in 1238 and later restored in stone. Since 1264, the Moscow Kremlin has become the official residence of the local specific princes.

The Moscow Kremlin during the reign of Ivan Kalita (A.M. Vasnetsov)

By the second half of the XV century. the Kremlin buildings were very dilapidated and under the leadership of Ivan III, work began on the construction of new churches and chambers, partially preserved to this day.

The Assumption Cathedral was built first in the likeness of a cathedral in the city of Vladimir, a new Church of the Deposition of the Robe and the Annunciation Cathedral were erected, new churches of Miracles and the Ascension Monastery were replenished. According to the project of Italian architects, a new Grand Duke's Palace was erected with the Faceted Chamber that has survived to this day. Then, in the 15th century, the Moscow Kremlin "acquired" red brick walls with openwork towers around the perimeter. Construction was finally completed only in the 17th century.

With the coming to power of Peter I, the Moscow Kremlin gradually loses its political significance. Russian emperors move to Petersburg. Under Peter I, the Arsenal building appeared in the Kremlin, and a little later, under Catherine II, the Senate building was built.

In early September 1812, Napoleon's troops invaded the Kremlin, and the next day the French emperor himself entered the residence. But a major fire forced him to flee. Retreating, Napoleon's army partially blew up the Kremlin buildings.

However, the power of the Soviets inflicted the greatest damage to the historical ensemble. The Soviet government, which moved into the Kremlin, destroyed 28 out of 54 historical buildings. Unique churches and monasteries were blown up, the main Kremlin towers got red stars.

During the war, the Kremlin was carefully disguised. German troops failed to inflict significant damage on the heart of Russia. And after the war and restoration work, it turned into the most visited open-air museum in Russia.

Since 1990, the Moscow Kremlin with all its historical buildings has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and since 1991 it has been the official residence of the Russian President.

Sights of the Moscow Kremlin

How to download google map and use it offline,

Walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin

The Kremlin in its architecture resembles an irregular triangle stretched along the banks of the Moskva River. Along the perimeter, it is surrounded by impressive walls from 5 to 19 m in height and up to 6.5 m in width. The Kremlin walls were built in the 15th - early 16th centuries. by Italian architects, and have dovetail-shaped completions that are classic for castles in northern Italy. There are 20 different towers along the perimeter. 3 corner towers are round, the rest have a square at the base. The main ensemble of towers was formed in the 17th century; only the Nikolskaya Tower, rebuilt in the 19th century, is different. in a pseudo-gothic style.

I will not talk about all the towers, I will focus only on the most interesting ones:

• Taynitskaya tower was built first. Previously, a secret passage to the Moskva River was laid through the gates of the tower, hence its name;
• Spasskaya Tower, perhaps the most famous tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the main entrance, which opens only on special occasions. With its facade, the tower overlooks Red Square. The Spasskaya Tower is recognized by the clock-chimes installed on it, to the sound of which all of Russia celebrates the New Year. Modern chimes appeared here in the middle of the 19th century.

Interesting fact! Many Russians believe that the new year begins with the last blow of the chimes, but this is not entirely true. The countdown of the new hour, day and year begins with a 20-second chime. until the first strike of the hour. We hear the last 12th blow when the first minute of the New Year has passed.

Spasskaya and Nikolskaya - the most famous of the Kremlin towers

• Nikolskaya tower, as well as Spasskaya overlooks Red Square and is very different from the entire architectural ensemble, because it was rebuilt in a pseudo-Gothic style in the 19th century. In 1612, the militia of Minin and Pozharsky solemnly entered the Kremlin through the Nikolskaya Tower.
• Middle Arsenal Tower in the Alexander Garden is known for the fact that at its base, in memory of the destruction of Moscow by Napoleon's troops, the ruins grotto was installed. Stones from destroyed buildings were used to build the grotto.

Kutafya Tower is the only surviving bridge tower of the Kremlin

• Kutafya tower- the only bridge tower of the Moscow Kremlin that has survived to this day. It is connected by a bridge with the Trinity Tower.
• Trinity Tower- is considered the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Its height is 80 m. Currently, the Trinity Tower is considered the main entrance to the Kremlin for most tourists.
• Borovitskaya tower. Entrance for tourists is possible only through the gates of the Borovitskaya Tower, installed on the high Borovitsky Hill in the depths of the Alexander Garden.
• Vodovzvodnaya tower- one of the three corner round towers. Known for numerous posters and postcards with a panorama of the Kremlin, made from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge.

In addition to those mentioned above, there are other towers in the Kremlin. See their names and location on the map of the Moscow Kremlin.

Churches and cathedrals of the Kremlin in Moscow

Cathedrals are the main decoration, historical wealth and the central part of the Moscow Kremlin. They were erected by decree of Ivan III in the 15th century.

The central place of the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin is allotted Assumption Cathedral- the oldest of the now surviving buildings in Moscow. Its construction was completed in 1479 and until the October Revolution it was the main cathedral of the Russian state. Here Russian tsars were crowned, metropolitans and patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church were elected, prayers of thanksgiving were served here before military campaigns and in honor of victories won; announced the most important sovereign decisions. Here, on the territory of the Assumption Cathedral, until the time of Peter I, Russian metropolitans and patriarchs were buried.

Assumption Cathedral

Cathedral of the Archangel Kremlin in Moscow was built in 1508. At the same time, the ruling prince Vasily III ordered the burial of the Great Russian princes to be transferred to the new cathedral. So the Archangel Cathedral became the tomb of the Moscow sovereigns from the Rurik and Romanov clans, starting with Ivan Kalita and ending with Peter II. In total, 54 burials have been preserved in the cathedral.

On the lower tier in the crypt of the cathedral rest the remains of women of the Rurik and Romanov clans, transferred here in 1928 from the blown up Ascension Monastery.

Cathedral of the Archangel

Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin erected in 1489. Until the 18th century, it served as the home church of the princes and tsars of Moscow. The outstanding masters of icon painting Andrey Rublev and Feofan Grek were invited to paint the family cathedral. Unfortunately, their frescoes were irretrievably lost during the fire of 1547.

It is also interesting that the porch in the Annunciation Cathedral depicts ancient sages and philosophers: Aristotle, Plutarch, Homer, etc.

The basement now houses the exhibition "Archaeology of the Moscow Kremlin" with the most valuable exhibits found on the territory.

For centuries, a small Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos, built in 1485 by Pskov architects. Twice in its history the church was badly damaged. Now the church houses an exhibition of Russian wooden sculpture of the 15th - early 20th centuries.

Church of the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles in the Patriarchal Chambers- This is one of the latest religious buildings on the territory of the Kremlin. The church was consecrated by Patriarch Joachim in 1681 and since then has served as a home patriarchal church. The church is part of the patriarchal palace, in which since the 17th century. housed the private quarters of the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, a refectory, patriarchal orders and household services. Now in the Patriarch's Chambers an exhibition of applied art and life of Russia of the 17th century is organized. In the exposition you can see the authentic things of the Russian patriarchs, handwritten and early printed books, ancient icons and numerous church paraphernalia.

Ivan the Great belltower

The Ivan the Great bell tower, built in 1508 at the church of St. John of the Ladder. Until the beginning of the XVIII century. this bell tower was considered the tallest building in Russia. Here, the world's largest functioning Assumption bell has survived to this day, with a total weight of 65 tons.

Belfry "Ivan the Great"

Armory and Diamond Fund

A separate topic for conversation deserves the main treasury of the Moscow Kremlin -. Here are collected precious jewelry of Russian sovereigns and church primates from the time of the 12th to the beginning of the 20th century. Monomakh's cap decorated with gems, a double throne for the young princes Ivan V and Peter I, Gospels in gold settings with inserts of precious stones, an exhibition of Russian and European weapons and horse equipment, royal carriages, as well as items of ornamental sewing and ceremonial ceremonial - everything that can be seen by visitors to the Armory.

The building of the Armory

A separate room of the Armory is assigned to the jurisdiction. Here you can see unique nuggets of precious stones, as well as especially valuable jewelry with their inserts.

Of greatest interest in the Diamond Fund are:

• large and small imperial crowns;
• the scepter of Empress Catherine II with the largest diamond of the Orlov fund, weighing 189.62 carats;
• the giant Shah diamond, weighing 88.7 carats, presented by the Shah of Persia to Emperor Nicholas I;
• imperial orb adorned with diamonds and blue sapphire;
• diamond badge and star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

The Orlov diamond is a treasure of the Diamond Fund

Other buildings

Since the Moscow Kremlin is currently not only a museum, but also the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation, access to the inside of some buildings for tourists is strictly limited. The exception is:

• , where you can get as part of a group tour by appointment;
• State Kremlin Palace, where various theater festivals, concerts and significant holidays are held, including the main New Year tree of the country.

The Grand Kremlin Palace is the residence of the President of Russia

Monuments of the Moscow Kremlin

You should not ignore the famous monuments of the Kremlin - the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell.

It was cast in 1586 by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. It was originally planned to use a huge cannon to protect the Kremlin, but it has never fired in its history. The gun is made of bronze and weighs 39 tons.

Tsar Cannon in the walls of the Moscow Kremlin

As well as the Tsar Cannon, it was never used for its intended purpose. It was cast by order of Anna Ioannovna in 1735. Its weight is 202 tons. During a fire in 1737, the bell fell and an impressive piece weighing 11 tons fell off it. Attempts to restore it have not been successful.

You can see in the Kremlin and an exhibition of cannons repulsed in battles with enemies. They were installed near the Arsenal building.

That's all for today! Our short story about the sights of the Kremlin has come to an end. I'm sure it will definitely come in handy when planning an independent trip to the Moscow Kremlin. Don't forget to bookmark this article. It will also be useful in advance to read about. Have a good trip and only the maximum of pleasant impressions from visiting the Moscow Kremlin!

Photos by: Elkan Wijnberg, C.caramba2010