Kremlin ensemble. The Moscow Kremlin is the crown of power of Russia Residence of the President of the Russian Federation

The Moscow Kremlin is a fortress in the center of the Russian capital. This is the main socio-political and artistic complex of the city and official residence President of the Russian Federation. The Kremlin is located on the high left bank of the Moscow River.

Today's structures were built mainly between 1485 and 1495 on the site of dilapidated white stone walls erected in 1366. The fortress with twenty towers connected by walls has a triangular shape. Three corner towers are round in shape for all-round firing, the rest are square, very different from one another.

The length of the Kremlin wall is 2,335 m, its height is 8-19 m, and its thickness is 3.5-6.5 m. The towers have details characteristic of Italian architecture of that time, which is not surprising, since they were built by Italian architects.

The age of the architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin has exceeded 500 years. At one time, its construction was started by Prince Ivan III. Today, residents and guests of the city can see 20 towers, the names of which reflect their history:

• Sviblova;
• Borovitskaya;
• Armory;
• Kutafya;
• Sobakina;
• Average arsenal;
• Kolymazhnaya;
• Petrovskaya;
• Tsarskaya;
• Nabatnaya;
• Senate;
• Spasskaya;
• Konstantino-Eleninskaya;
• Moskvoretskaya.

Prices: admission ticket for the territory - 500 rubles (for full-time students and pensioners - 250 rubles). To get to the Moscow Kremlin, you need to purchase single ticket to visit the architectural ensemble of Cathedral Square, which also gives the right to view the Ceremonial changing of the mounted and foot guards of the Presidential Regiment (on Saturdays at 12:00).

Tickets can be purchased online (except for discounted ones) or at the box office in the Alexander Garden (only on the day of the visit, that is, you cannot buy a ticket “for tomorrow” here).

The treasury museum is part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex. It is housed in a building built in 1851 by the architect Konstantin Ton. The basis of the museum collection is made up of exhibits that were kept for centuries in the royal treasury and the patriarchal sacristy.

The Armory contains ancient state regalia, ceremonial royal clothing and coronation dress, vestments of hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest collection of gold and silver items made by Russian craftsmen.

The museum displays about four thousand monuments of decorative and applied art from Russia, European and Eastern countries of the 4th – early 20th centuries. It is named after the state treasury, which in 1720 included the Kremlin workshops. Since 1806 it has functioned as a museum.

Location: Palace Square.

The Diamond Fund was created under Peter the Great, when in 1719 he established a regulation according to which valuable items, primarily coronation regalia, belonged to the state and were kept in the treasury, in a chest behind three locks.

The chamber built for storing valuables was called the Diamond Fund, later – the Diamond Room. Over time, the fund was replenished, some decorations were remade, others were sold. The charter changed, but the procedure for storing valuables remained unchanged.

During the reign of the Romanovs, the room in which the jewelry was kept was called the Diamond Room. With the outbreak of the Second World War, a threat arose to the values, so the collection was transported from St. Petersburg to the Moscow Armory.

Official site: http://www.gokhran.ru

Operating mode: from 10:00 to 17:00. Ticket office - from 09:00 to 16:30, break from 13:00 to 14:00. Closed on Thursday.

Ticket price– 500 rubles, preferential – 100 rubles.

The Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin is located on Cathedral Square. The simple, but at the same time majestic temple is an example of cathedral architecture. This is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Moscow. For several centuries it was the cathedral church of Russia.

Where the Assumption Cathedral is now located, at the end of the 12th century there was a wooden church, and at the end of the 13th century. Alexander Nevsky's son Daniil built on the very high point The Moscow Kremlin is a stone temple, which became the first stone building in Moscow.

In 1472, the church became completely dilapidated, and it was decided to build a new, large church. The Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was taken as a model. Construction began, but it was never completed. On May 20, 1474, the temple was destroyed. The reason is an earthquake in the capital.

After the revolution, the temple was closed. Since 1955 it has operated as a museum. Since 1991, it has been part of the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Moscow Kremlin". Here, with the blessing of the Patriarch, divine services are held on certain holidays.

Location: Cathedral Square. Official site: www.uspenskymos.moseparh.ru

Located in the southwestern part of Cathedral Square. The nine-domed temple shines with golden domes. Small in size, but majestic Orthodox Cathedral was built in honor of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. It is the home church of rulers - princes and kings. During the solemn ceremonies that took place on Cathedral Square, the prince or king and his retinue came out of the temple.

During the revolution of 1917, the shrine was damaged by artillery shelling. The porch of the temple was destroyed by a shell. In March 1918, when the Bolshevik government moved to Moscow, the temple was closed.

Location: Cathedral Square.

The church-bell tower is part of the architectural ensemble of Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin. Built in 1505-1509. designed by the Italian architect Bon Fryazin. In the period before 1815, it was repeatedly completed, rebuilt and expanded. In 1992, after a 74-year break, the ringing was heard again from the heights of the Ivan the Great bell tower.

The architectural ensemble of the bell tower includes a functioning Orthodox church, an exhibition hall of museums and a museum dedicated to the history of architecture of the Moscow Kremlin.

You can get there from the metro stations “Alexandrovsky Sad”, “Biblioteka im. Lenin", "Borovitskaya", "Arbatskaya".

Museum opening hours: from 9:00 to 17:00. Ticket office - from 09:30 to 16:00. Seven days a week.

World Heritage Architectural Monument. Its history begins in 1487, when, by order of Ivan III, the Italian architect Marco Fryazin began construction of the ceremonial throne room in the palace of the Grand Duke of All Rus'.

For several centuries, the Chamber of Facets was the main ceremonial reception hall in the Grand Duke's palace. Nowadays it is a representative hall at the residence of the President of Russia.

This is a two-story building. The lower ground floor is not connected to the upper one. According to the stored documentation, there were once ovens on the lower floor, and a huge ceremonial hall on the upper floor.

Today, through the Holy Entrance, the chamber is connected to the Vladimir Hall.

Working hours: Wednesday from 10:00.

A monument of medieval Russian architecture, located in Moscow on Red Square. Open 24 hours a day.

Created presumably in the 16th century. Until 1917, it was used during religious processions on Orthodox holidays, as well as for the public announcement of royal decrees.

The expression “frontal place” is often used to mean “scaffold”.

In 1980-1985 The next major scientific restoration work was carried out, the result of which was the modern exhibition.

In 2010, the museum's exhibition was slightly modified. And during the renovation work in 2013, areas of 17th-century painting were uncovered. on the walls of the front hallway and executive chambers.

Location: Cathedral Square.

The Temple of the Twelve Apostles in the Moscow Kremlin is Russian national monument architecture. It was built by Russian masters, the authors of the Tsar's Prison Palace, Bakhen Ogurtsov and Antipa Konstantinov in 1635-1656.

The Temple of the Twelve Apostles was not intended for religious services, but was a patriarchal palace.

In 1917, the cathedral was damaged during the shelling of the Kremlin, and in 1918, after the ban imposed by the new government on religion, the temple was transferred to the museum. After many years of restoration, the entire second floor began to be occupied by the exhibition of the Museum of Applied Arts and Life of Russia of the 17th century.

Location: Kremlin embankment. Opens on Wednesday from 10:00.

The white, majestic Archangel Cathedral is quiet and gloomy inside. It seems to be filled with deep sadness, because under these arches lie great princes and Russian tsars. Included in the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve.

It is believed that the stone Archangel Cathedral was built in 1333 by dismantling the old church.

Location: Cathedral Square.

Orthodox church on Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin, consecrated in honor of the robe Holy Mother of God. It was built in 1484-1485, served as a chapel for Moscow metropolitans, and with the establishment of the patriarchate it became the home church of the patriarchs.

As of 2018, the northern gallery is used as an exhibition space, where wooden sculptures of the 15-19th centuries from Moscow, Novgorod, Rostov and monasteries of the Russian North, examples of church art, faces of saints, icons, etc. are presented.

Memorial architectural complex located near the walls of the Moscow Kremlin in the Alexander Garden. Built in 1967 according to the design of architects Dmitry Burdin, Vladimir Klimov, Yuri Rabaev and sculptor Nikolai Tomsky.

Since 1997, Post No. 1 has been located at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The monument has been given the status of an object cultural heritage Russia, as well as the National Memorial military glory. Open 24 hours a day.

Monument to Russian foundry art of the 18th century. The height with the lintel is 6.24 m, the diameter is 6.6 m, the weight is 202 tons. Never used for its intended purpose. The bell was cast by order of Empress Anna Ioanovna in 1730 in memory of the descendants of her reign.

The bell was damaged in 1737 during the Trinity Fire and lay in the ground for about a century. In the first half of the 19th century. it was raised and installed on a pedestal in the Moscow Kremlin near the Ivan the Great bell tower.

Location: on the corner of Spasskaya Street and Ivanovskaya Square, on the eastern side of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. You can get there from the metro stations “Borovitskaya”, “Alexandrovsky Sad”, “Biblioteka im. Lenin" and "Arbatskaya". The ticket office is located near the Kutafya Tower.

After passing through the Trinity Tower, you will find yourself directly in the Kremlin itself. Here you need to follow Troitskaya Street through Ivanovskaya Square.

Operating mode:

Artillery weapon of the Russian Kingdom, a monument of Russian foundry art of the New Age. A masterpiece of heavy fortress artillery of its period, the most significant work of Russian gunsmiths, one of the largest cannons in the world.

The cannon was cast in 1856. In the 30s of the 19th century. together with other cannons, it is exhibited at the façade of the Armory Chamber as a museum exhibit. Currently it is an exhibit of the artillery museum.

Location: Ivanovskaya Square. The metro stations closest to the Kremlin are Borovitskaya, Aleksandrovsky Sad, Biblioteka im. Lenin" and "Arbatskaya". You need access to the Alexander Garden (follow the signs). Coming out of the subway, you will find yourself in a long pedestrian passage, near the exit of which you will see a ticket office where you can buy a ticket to the Kremlin territory (the ticket office is located near the Kutafya Tower in the Alexander Garden).

Then through the Trinity Tower you need to enter the Kremlin itself. Next, walk past the Palace of Congresses and reach the Tsar Cannon (it is located next to west side Ivanovskaya Square, between the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great and the Church of the Twelve Apostles).

Operating mode: Thursday is a day off. From May 15 to September 30 - from 9:30 to 18:00, from October 1 to May 14 - from 10:00 to 17:00.

Archaeological windows are a well-known way to show cultural layers, the so-called “portals to the past”, in which you can see the foundations of lost monasteries and palaces. In 2017, two archaeological windows were opened on Ivanovskaya Square. This is a design that allows you to see the excavation site under glass.

Visitors say that the windows didn’t turn out very well, because they can’t see well. But the idea is considered good.

From the middle of the 20th century. The Kremlin attracts close attention from archaeologists. However, it has not been sufficiently studied: the modern functions of the Kremlin as the seat of the highest organs of state power have long held back archaeological work.

The dismantling of the 14th building of the Moscow Kremlin, built in 1930-1932, opened unique opportunities not only for the archaeological study of the eastern part of the Kremlin Hill, but also for filling the modern ensemble of the Kremlin with authentic heritage elements that reveal its historical appearance.

One of the palaces of the Moscow Kremlin. Built in 1838-1648. by order of Emperor Nicholas I.

Currently used for state diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies and is the ceremonial residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

A public building located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. It was built on the initiative of Nikita Khrushchev. The palace was intended to host congresses of the CPSU, and also served as a venue for theatrical performances, concerts and other public events. Opened on October 17, 1961 by the 22nd Party Congress.

After the collapse of the USSR, the palace retained its status as one of the most prestigious theater and concert venues in the country. In 1992 it was renamed State Kremlin Palace. As of 2018, it is an identified cultural heritage site in the Moscow Kremlin. However, due to stylistic inconsistency with the historical building, the modernist building was not included in the UNESCO list. Located in the Department of Administration of Presidential Affairs.

Architectural monument of the 17th-19th centuries. Located between the Trinity and Nikolskaya towers. It was founded by Peter I in 1701. Damaged in the Great Moscow Fire of 1737, restored in 1786-1796. It was blown up by retreating Napoleonic troops in 1812.

Currently, the arsenal houses the barracks of the Kremlin regiment and the administrative services of the Kremlin commandant's office.

Artillery guns

The Moscow Kremlin Museums have the largest historical collection of artillery in Russia - about 800 barrels. In quantitative terms, it is second only to the Artillery Museum in St. Petersburg.

A sculptural monument dedicated to the leaders of the people's militia in 1612. It is the first sculptural monument in Moscow.

Location:

A building on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, built in 1776-1787. The palace was built by order of Empress Catherine. The building was originally supposed to serve as a residence supreme body authorities Russian Empire– The Governing Senate, which is where it got its name.

Under Soviet rule, V.I.’s office was located in the palace. Lenin, later it became the building of the USSR Government. Currently, the Senate Palace is the working residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Address: Kremlin, building No. 1.

Located on the Kremlin embankment. It is located along the southern wall of the fortress, and received its name in honor of the Tainitskaya Tower.

Included in the UNESCO list. The part of the park bordering Ivanovskaya Square is called the Great Kremlin Square.

A palace building of the Moscow Kremlin, located near the western Kremlin wall between the Commandant and Trinity towers on Dvortsovaya Street. The building was built in 1651 as the living chambers of boyar Ilya Danilovich Miloslavsky, father-in-law of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. It is the only example of a boyar choir preserved in the Kremlin.

Working hours: Thursday – day off, other days – from 10:00 to 17:00.

An architectural monument of the 17th century, located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. The palace was built in 1635-1636. by order of Mikhail Fedorovich as ceremonial royal chambers.

Currently, the palace is part of the ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace and is the residence of the President of Russia.

Verkhospassky Cathedral

Cathedral of the Great Kremlin Palace, built in 1635-1636. It is part of the complex of house churches at the Terem Palace.

The temple is closed to the public and no services are held there.

The oldest of the partially surviving architectural monuments of Moscow. It is part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex.

It was believed that the temple was founded in memory of the Battle of Kulikovo, as it was dedicated to the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A monument erected in the Moscow Kremlin at the site of the murder of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. Located near the Nikolskaya Tower between the Senate and Arsenal buildings.

The opening of the monument took place on April 2, 1908. Demolished by the Bolsheviks on May 1, 1918. Restored on behalf of the President of Russia, opened on May 4, 2017.

The main square of Moscow is located between the Moscow Kremlin and Kitay-Gorod. It comes out to the bank of the Moscow River through the gentle Vasilyevsky Descent. The square stretches along the north-eastern wall of the Kremlin, from Kremlyovsky passage and Voskresenskiye Vorota passage to Vasilyevsky Spusk, which faces the Kremlin embankment.

On Red Square there is Lobnoye Mesto, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Lenin’s mausoleum, and a necropolis near the Kremlin wall. In the northern part of the square there is a historical museum and the Kazan Cathedral, in the southern part - the Intercession Cathedral.

Since ancient times, the square has served as a trading place, where temporary and permanent shopping arcades were erected for many centuries in a row. IN Soviet time Military parades and demonstrations took place in the square. After the collapse of the USSR, it began to be used for public events and concerts.

Total length – 330 meters, width – 75 meters, area – 750 sq. m.

Orthodox church on Red Square in Moscow, a monument of Russian architecture. Construction of the cathedral took place from 1555 to 1561. St. Basil's Cathedral was built by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible in memory of the events of the Kazan campaign. The cathedral unites 11 churches, some of which are consecrated in honor of saints, whose memorial days coincided with the decisive battles for Kazan.

The cathedral was popularly called the Intercession on the Moat. The ditch mentioned in the name ran along the Kremlin wall and served as a defensive fortification. Its depth was about 13 meters and its width was about 36 m.

Later, St. Basil the Blessed was buried in one of the chapels of the temple, thanks to whom the cathedral acquired its name.

The cathedral is included in Russian list UNESCO.

Monument-tomb on Red Square near the Kremlin wall in Moscow, where since 1924 the body of V.I. has been exhibited in a transparent sarcophagus. Lenin.

The first wooden mausoleum was erected in January 1924, the second wooden one in May 1924. The stone mausoleum was built by October 1930.

Since 1924, there has been a laboratory at the mausoleum for the preservation of Lenin’s body. The bodies of several famous politicians were also embalmed in it. different countries. From 1953 to 1961, the mausoleum housed a sarcophagus containing the body of Joseph Stalin.

From 1989 to the present, there have been debates about the reburial of Lenin and the closure of the mausoleum.

Other sights of the Moscow Kremlin

Other attractions located in Moscow and worth visiting include:

• Tretyakov Gallery;
• Moscow Zoo;
• Zaryadye Natural Landscape Park;
• Moscow Planetarium;
• Old Arbat in Moscow;
• Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow;
• state museum fine arts named after A.S. Pushkin;
• Ostankino TV tower;
• Big theater;
• Novodevichy Convent;
• house-museum of V.M. Vasnetsova;
• Kalomenskoye Museum-Reserve;
• Gorky Park in Moscow;
• Sokolniki Park;
• the palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye;
• cable car on Vorobyovy Gory.

Sights of the Moscow Kremlin - video review

This video talks about some famous interesting places and buildings of the Moscow Kremlin:

The Moscow Kremlin is extremely rich in various attractions, which include parks, gardens, monuments, churches, palaces, etc. All of them are architectural monuments that have been preserved since ancient times and now delight the eyes of tourists and city residents.

The Moscow Kremlin is the center of Russia and the citadel of power. For more than 5 centuries, these walls have reliably hidden state secrets and protected their main bearers. The Kremlin is shown on Russian and world channels several times a day. This medieval fortress, unlike anything else, has long become a symbol of Russia.

Only the footage we are provided with is basically the same. The Kremlin is the strictly guarded active residence of the president of our country. There are no trifles in security, which is why all Kremlin filming is so strictly regulated. By the way, don’t forget to take a tour of the Kremlin.

To see a different Kremlin, try to imagine its towers without tents, limit the height to only the wide, non-tapering part and you will immediately see a completely different Moscow Kremlin - a powerful, squat, medieval, European fortress.

This is how it was built at the end of the 15th century on the site of the old white-stone Kremlin by the Italians Pietro Fryazin, Anton Fryazin and Alois Fryazin. They all received the same surname, although they were not relatives. “Fryazin” means foreigner in Old Church Slavonic.

They built the fortress in accordance with all the latest achievements of fortification and military science of that time. Along the battlements of the walls there is a battle platform with a width of 2 to 4.5 meters.

Each tooth has a loophole, which can only be reached by standing on something else. The view from here is limited. The height of each battlement is 2-2.5 meters; the distance between them was covered with wooden shields during the battle. There are a total of 1145 battlements on the walls of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Moscow Kremlin is a great fortress located near the Moscow River, in the heart of Russia - in Moscow. The citadel is equipped with 20 towers, each with its own unique appearance and 5 passage gates. The Kremlin is like a ray of light carried through the rich history of the formation of Russia.

These ancient walls are witnesses to all the numerous events that happened to the state, starting from the moment of its construction. The fortress began its journey in 1331, although the word “Kremlin” was mentioned earlier.

Moscow Kremlin, infographics. Source: www.culture.rf. For a detailed view, open the image in a new browser tab.

Moscow Kremlin under different rulers

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan Kalita

In 1339-1340 Moscow Prince Ivan Danilovich, nicknamed Kalita (“money bag”), built an impressive oak citadel on Borovitsky Hill, with walls ranging from 2 to 6 m thick and no less than 7 m high. Ivan Kalita built a powerful fortress with a formidable appearance, but it stood less three decades and burned down during a terrible fire in the summer of 1365.

Moscow Kremlin under Dmitry Donskoy

The tasks of defending Moscow urgently required the creation of a more reliable fortress: the Moscow principality was in danger from the Golden Horde, Lithuania and the rival Russian principalities of Tver and Ryazan. The then reigning 16-year-old grandson of Ivan Kalita, Dmitry (aka Dmitry Donskoy), decided to build a fortress of stone - the Kremlin.

Construction of the stone fortress began in 1367, and the stone was mined nearby, in the village of Myachkovo. The construction was completed in a short time - in just one year. Dmitry Donskoy made the Kremlin a white-stone fortress, which enemies tried to storm more than once, but were never able to.

What does the word "Kremlin" mean?

One of the first mentions of the word “Kremlin” appears in the Resurrection Chronicle in a report about a fire in 1331. According to historians, it could have arisen from the ancient Russian word “kremnik,” which meant a fortress built of oak. According to another point of view, it is based on the word “krom” or “krom”, which means boundary, border.

The first victory of the Moscow Kremlin

Almost immediately after the construction of the Moscow Kremlin, Moscow was besieged by the Lithuanian prince Olgerd in 1368, and then in 1370. The Lithuanians stood at the white stone walls for three days and three nights, but the fortifications turned out to be impregnable. This instilled confidence in the young Moscow ruler and allowed him to later challenge the powerful Golden Horde Khan Mamai.

In 1380, feeling reliable rears behind him, Russian army under the leadership of Prince Dmitry they ventured into a decisive operation. Leaving from hometown far to the south, in the upper reaches of the Don, they met with the army of Mamai and defeated it on the Kulikovo field.

Thus, for the first time, Krom became a stronghold not only of the Moscow principality, but of all of Rus'. And Dmitry received the nickname Donskoy. For 100 years after the Battle of Kulikovo, the white-stone citadel united the Russian lands, becoming the main center of Rus'.

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan 3

The current dark red appearance of the Moscow Kremlin owes its birth to Prince Ivan III Vasilyevich. Started by him in 1485-1495. the grandiose construction was not a simple reconstruction of the dilapidated defensive fortifications of Dmitry Donskoy. The white stone fortress is being replaced by a red brick fortress.

The towers are pushed outward in order to fire along the walls. To quickly move the defenders, a system of secret underground passages was created. Completing the system of impregnable defense, the Kremlin was made into an island. On both sides it already had natural barriers - the Moscow and Neglinnaya rivers.

They also dug a ditch on the third side, where Red Square is now, approximately 30-35 meters wide and 12 m deep. Contemporaries called the Moscow Kremlin an outstanding military engineering structure. Moreover, the Kremlin is the only European fortress that has never been taken by storm.

The special role of the Moscow Kremlin as a new grand-ducal residence and the main fortress of the state determined the nature of its engineering and technical appearance. Built from red brick, it retained the layout features of the ancient Russian detinets, and in its outlines the already established shape of an irregular triangle.

At the same time, the Italians made it extremely functional and very similar to many fortresses in Europe. What Muscovites came up with in the 17th century turned the Kremlin into a unique architectural monument. The Russians just built on stone tents, which turned the fortress into a light, skyward structure, which has no equal in the world, and the corner towers took on the appearance as if our ancestors knew that it was Russia that would send the first man into space.

Architects of the Moscow Kremlin

The construction was supervised by Italian architects. Memorial plaques installed on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin indicate that it was built in the “30th summer” of the reign of Ivan Vasilyevich. The Grand Duke celebrated the anniversary of his state activities with the construction of the most powerful entrance front tower. In particular, Spasskaya and Borovitskaya were designed by Pietro Solari.

In 1485, under the leadership of Antonio Gilardi, the powerful Taynitskaya Tower was built. In 1487, another Italian architect, Marco Ruffo, began to build Beklemishevskaya, and later Sviblova (Vodovzvodnaya) appeared on the opposite side. These three structures set the direction and rhythm for all subsequent construction.

The Italian origin of the main architects of the Moscow Kremlin is not accidental. At that time, it was Italy that came to the fore in the theory and practice of fortification construction. Design features testify to the familiarity of its creators with the engineering ideas of such outstanding representatives of the Italian Renaissance as Leonardo da Vinci, Leon Battista Alberti, Filippo Brunelleschi. In addition, it was the Italian architectural school that “gave” Stalin’s skyscrapers in Moscow.

By the beginning of the 1490s, four more blind towers appeared (Blagoveshchenskaya, 1st and 2nd Nameless and Petrovskaya). All of them, as a rule, repeated the line of the old fortifications. The work was carried out gradually, in such a way that there were no open areas in the fortress through which the enemy could suddenly attack.

In the 1490s, the construction was curated by the Italian Pietro Solari (aka Peter Fryazin), with whom his compatriots Antonio Gilardi (aka Anton Fryazin) and Aloisio da Carcano (Aleviz Fryazin) worked. 1490-1495 The Moscow Kremlin was replenished with the following towers: Konstantino-Eleninskaya, Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Senate, Corner Arsenalnaya and Nabatnaya.

Secret passages in the Moscow Kremlin

In case of danger, the Kremlin defenders had the opportunity to quickly move through secret underground passages. In addition, internal passages were built in the walls, connecting all the towers. The Kremlin defenders could thus concentrate as necessary on a dangerous section of the front or retreat if the enemy forces outnumbered them.

Long underground tunnels were also dug, thanks to which it was possible to observe the enemy in the event of a siege, as well as to make surprise attacks on the enemy. Several underground tunnels went beyond the Kremlin.

Some towers had more than just a defensive function. For example, Tainitskaya hid a secret passage from the fortress to the Moscow River. Wells were made in Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Arsenalnaya, with the help of which water could be delivered if the city was under siege. The well in Arsenalnaya has survived to this day.

Within two years, Kolymazhnaya (Komendantskaya) and Granenaya (Srednyaya Arsenalnaya) fortresses rose in orderly ranks, and in 1495 the construction of Trinity began. The construction was led by Aleviz Fryazin.

Chronology of events

All towers of the Moscow Kremlin

Address: Russia Moscow
Start of construction: 1482
Completion of construction: 1495
Number of towers: 20
Wall length: 2500 m.
Main attractions: Spasskaya Tower, Assumption Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Annunciation Cathedral, Archangel Cathedral, Faceted Chamber, Terem Palace, Arsenal, Armory Chamber, Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell
Coordinates: 55°45"03.0"N 37°36"59.3"E
Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation

Brief history of the Moscow Kremlin

In the very heart of Moscow, on Borovitsky Hill, the majestic Kremlin ensemble rises. It has long become a symbol not only of the capital, but of all of Russia. History itself decreed that an ordinary Krivichi village, located in the middle of the forest, eventually turned into the capital of a mighty Russian state.

The Kremlin from a bird's eye view

The Kremlin or Detinets in ancient Rus' was the name given to the central, fortified part of the city with a fortress wall, loopholes and towers. The first Moscow Kremlin, built in 1156 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, was a wooden fortress surrounded by a moat and rampart.

During the reign of Ivan I, nicknamed Kalita (money bag), oak walls and towers were erected in Moscow and the first stone building was laid - the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady.

View of the Kremlin walls from the Kremlin embankment

In 1367, Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy surrounded the Kremlin with a powerful fortress wall made of white limestone. Since then, the capital has received the nickname “White Stone Moscow”. Large-scale construction began under Ivan III, who united a significant part of the Russian lands around Moscow and built a residence worthy of the “Sovereign of All Rus'” in the Kremlin.

Ivan III invited architects from Milan to build fortifications. It was in 1485 - 1495 that the walls and towers of the Kremlin that still exist today were built. The top of the walls is crowned with 1045 battlements in the shape of a “swallowtail” - they have the same appearance as the battlements of Italian castles. At the turn of the 15th - 16th centuries, the Moscow Kremlin turned into an impregnable massive fortress, lined with red brick.

View of the Kremlin from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge

In 1516, a ditch was dug along the fortifications overlooking Red Square. After the Time of Troubles, the towers were decorated with tents, giving the Kremlin a modern look.

The miraculous return of the shrine of the Moscow Kremlin

The main one of the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin is rightfully considered Spasskaya, created by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The Spassky Gate has long been the main entrance to the Kremlin, and the chimes placed in the tower's tent are known as the main clock of the country. The top of the tower is crowned with a luminous ruby ​​star, but after the collapse of the USSR there are increasingly calls to remove the star and erect a double-headed eagle in its place. The tower got its name from the icon of the Savior of Smolensk over the gate.

View of the Kremlin from the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge

The icon was revered by saints, so men, passing through the gate, in front of the image of the Savior had to take off their headdress. Legend has it that when Napoleon was passing through the Spassky Gate, a gust of wind tore the cocked hat off his head. But the bad omens did not end there: the French tried to steal the gilded robe that adorned the image of the Savior of Smolensk, but the ladder attached to the gate overturned, and the shrine remained unharmed.

During the years of Soviet power, the icon was removed from the tower. For more than 70 years, the shrine was considered lost, until in 2010, restorers discovered a metal mesh hiding the image of Christ under a layer of plaster. On August 28, 2010, on the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Patriarch Kirill solemnly consecrated the newly found icon above the gates of the Spasskaya Tower.

Beklemishevskaya Tower

Legends and myths of the Kremlin

From time immemorial, the Moscow Kremlin was not only a symbol of the unlimited power of the sovereign, but also a place about which legends were written. Over the long history of the Kremlin churches and towers, so many legends have been created that would be enough for a whole book.

The most famous legends tell about secret dungeons and underground passages. It is believed that they were invented by Italian architects who designed and built the Kremlin walls and towers. Many underground rooms have been preserved under the former Chudov Monastery, which until the 1930s was located in the eastern part of the Kremlin Hill. These are passages, interiors of temples and long galleries. Today, some of them are flooded with groundwater.

Eternal flame at the walls of the Kremlin

There are rumors among Muscovites that previously there were branched roads leading out from each of the Kremlin towers. underground passages. The same secret passages connected everything royal palaces. When builders began digging a large foundation pit for the State Kremlin Palace in the 1960s, they discovered three underground passages dating back to the 16th century. The dungeons were so wide that you could drive a cart through them.

Underground passages were found during every major reconstruction. Most often, voids, gaps and labyrinths were walled up or simply filled with concrete for safety reasons.

Spasskaya Tower

One of the secrets of the Moscow Kremlin is also connected with its dungeons. For several centuries now, historians and archaeologists have been struggling with the mystery of the disappearance of the library of Ivan IV the Terrible, which is also called Liberia. The Russian sovereign inherited a unique collection of ancient books and manuscripts from his grandmother Sophia Paleologus, who received these books as a dowry.

In historical documents there is an inventory of the library, consisting of 800 volumes, but the collection itself disappeared without a trace. Some researchers are convinced that it burned down in a fire or disappeared during the Time of Troubles. But many are sure that the library is intact and hidden in one of the Kremlin dungeons.

View of the Assumption, Annunciation Cathedrals and Cathedral Square

The discovery of books in storage facilities located underground was not an accident. When Sophia Paleologus arrived in the city in 1472, she saw the terrible consequences of the fire that raged in Moscow two years earlier. Realizing that the library she brought could easily perish in a fire, Sophia ordered a spacious basement, which was located under the Kremlin Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, to be equipped for storage. After this, the valuable Liberia was always kept in dungeons.

View of Cathedral Square and Ivan the Great Bell Tower

Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin - “altars of Russia”

Today the Moscow Kremlin is both the place of work of the President of the Russian Federation and a historical and cultural museum. The historical center of the Kremlin is represented by Cathedral Square with three cathedrals- Uspensky, Arkhangelsky and Blagoveshchensky. An old proverb says: “The Kremlin rises above Moscow, and above the Kremlin there is only the sky.” That is why all the people honored the tsar’s decrees, which he proclaimed in the Assumption Cathedral.

This temple can rightfully be called the “altar of Russia.” In the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, the kings were crowned kings, the next head of the Russian church was elected, and in the tombs of the temple the relics of Moscow saints found eternal rest. The Archangel Cathedral, from 1340 until the 18th century, served as the tomb of Moscow princes and kings.

Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Under its arches, tombstones are placed in strict order on white stone slabs. The Annunciation Cathedral was the personal house of prayer for the Moscow princes: here they were baptized, confessed, and got married. According to legend, the grand ducal treasury was kept in the basement of this temple. The Cathedral Square is surrounded by the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Faceted and Patriarchal Chambers. Meetings of the Boyar Duma and Zemsky Sobors were held in the Faceted Chamber, and the office of the Holy Synod was located in the Patriarchal Palace.

Sights of the Moscow Kremlin

The younger buildings of the Kremlin include the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in the mid-19th century by order of Emperor Nicholas I. Today, the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia is located within its walls.

Tsar Cannon

In the palace halls, inauguration ceremonies for the President are held, state awards and credentials are presented. In one of the palace buildings the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation and the Armory Chamber are located - a treasury of palace items. In the Kremlin, on pedestals stand the Tsar Cannon weighing 40 tons and the Tsar Bell weighing 200 tons - masterpieces of Russian foundry craftsmanship. Due to their gigantic dimensions, they are not suitable for their intended use, but they have become symbols of great Russia. The Kremlin is always crowded. Guests admire the enduring beauty of architectural creations that personify Russian history. As M.Yu. wrote Lermontov in “Panorama of Moscow”, nothing can compare with this Kremlin which, “surrounded by battlements and golden domes of cathedrals, reclines on high mountain, like a sovereign crown on the brow of a formidable ruler.”

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The oldest center of Moscow - the Moscow Kremlin- was founded as a fortification of a small settlement located on Borovitsky Hill, when its history began.

The first mentions of Moscow were found in chronicles for 1147. They also report that the wooden walls of the Kremlin were erected by order of Yuri Dolgoruky. Initially, the size of the fortress was small, the length of the wall reached 1200 meters.

Versions of origin There are several words for “Kremlin”.

According to one of them, this name comes from the name of the central part of ancient cities, called “Krom”. Another version suggests that this word could also come from “kremlin”, a very durable tree used to build fortress walls. There is even an assumption that the roots of this word are Greek, i.e. “kremnos” is a steep mountain, steep above a ravine or shore. Judging by where the fortress was built, this version has every right to exist.

But all this does not change the essence, which is that the Moscow Kremlin is the largest surviving fortress in Europe.

And at first it was a small fortification on an area of ​​about nine hectares, where residents of the villages located outside the walls of the fortress could take refuge in the event of the threat of an enemy attack. Over time, the settlements grew, and the fortress grew along with them.

New Kremlin walls were erected during the reign of Ivan Kalita. They were made of stone inside, and outside were made of wood and coated with clay.

It is noteworthy that even during the difficult years of the yoke in Rus', the Moscow princes rebuilt existing fortresses and built new ones. Thus, under Dmitry Donskoy, the Kremlin, damaged in a fire in 1365, was rebuilt. White stone was used to build the walls, which became about two kilometers long, and the Kremlin towers. Since then, Moscow began to be called white-stone in chronicles.

At the very beginning of the 18th century, Peter I ordered government institutions to be moved outside the Kremlin. All dilapidated buildings are demolished, and the Arsenal building is built. It was built from 1702 to 1736. From 1776 to 1788, the Senate building with a spectacular round hall covered with a dome was built in the Kremlin.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the idea of ​​building the Grand Kremlin Palace appeared. There were many projects, but it was built according to the drawings of the architect K.A. Tones. Years of construction - 1839-1849.

Significant damage was caused to the buildings of the Moscow Kremlin in 1812.

Napoleon, during his retreat from Moscow, ordered the Kremlin to be blown up. Mines were laid under buildings, walls and towers. Some explosions were prevented, thanks to Russian patriots, but, nevertheless, significant destruction still occurred. After the French emperor was expelled from the country, they began to restore the destroyed palaces, towers and walls, then completed the construction of the Armory Chamber and the Grand Kremlin Palace. In those days, the Moscow Kremlin was accessible to visitors. Visitors entered the territory through the open Spassky Gate, having first bowed to the icon of the Savior.

The Kremlin in Moscow after the 1917 revolution

In 1917, there were cadets on the territory of the Kremlin. As a result of the shelling carried out by the revolutionary troops, the Moscow Kremlin was partially destroyed: the walls, the Small Nikolaevsky Palace, almost all the cathedrals, Beklemishevskaya, Nikolskaya and Spasskaya towers were damaged.

In 1918, V.I. moved to the Kremlin. Lenin and the entire government Soviet Russia, since the capital is moving to Moscow. Because of this, the bells in the Kremlin fall silent, churches are closed, and Muscovites are deprived of free access to the territory.

The dissatisfaction of believers with the closure of cathedrals was quickly stopped by Yakov Sverdlov, who was not slow to declare the primacy of the interests of the revolution over all prejudices. In 1922, more than thirty kilograms of gold, about five hundred kilograms of silver, the shrine of Patriarch Hermogenes and more than a thousand different precious stones were seized from the religious buildings of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Kremlin architectural ensemble suffered more during Soviet rule than in the entire previous history of its existence.

Of the 54 structures marked on the Kremlin plan at the very beginning of the last century, less than half remain. Monuments to Alexander II and Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich were demolished. Congresses of the Soviets began to be held in the large Kremlin Palace, a public dining room was set up in the Faceted Chamber, and a kitchen was installed in the Golden Chamber. The Catherine Church of the Ascension Monastery was adapted into a sports hall, and the Kremlin hospital was located in the Chudov Monastery. In the thirties, the Small Nicholas Palace and all the monasteries and buildings were demolished. Almost everything turned into ruins East End Moscow Kremlin. The Soviet government destroyed 17 churches.

Many years passed before the Moscow Kremlin began to be restored.

To celebrate the eight hundredth anniversary of Moscow, a thorough restoration of the towers and walls was carried out. Palekh artists discovered a mural from 1508 in the Annunciation Cathedral. A large amount of restoration work was carried out in the Archangel Cathedral (wall paintings were restored). A major restoration has also been carried out in the Assumption Cathedral.

The ban on living in the Kremlin has been in place since 1955, and the ancient architectural ensemble becomes a museum, partially open to the public.

In modern, diverse Moscow, the Kremlin remains historical place, which millions of tourists strive to visit, in the hope of touching, feeling and understanding the history of the white-stone capital.

The Moscow Kremlin to this day is the main socio-political, artistic, historical, religious and spiritual center of Russia. In addition, the Moscow Kremlin is the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

In 1990, UNESCO included the Moscow Kremlin, whose history continues, on the list of world cultural heritage.

Kremlin ensemble

In the center of the capital, on a picturesque hill above the Moscow River, stands the unique Kremlin ensemble, created by the talent and labor of many generations. We find the first mention of Moscow in documents from 1147, but excavations in the Kremlin show that there were already settlements here in the second half of the first millennium BC. Under Prince Ivan Kalita in 1339-1340. New walls were built from powerful oak trunks. And already under Dmitry Donskoy, when Muscovites were preparing for a decisive fight against the Tatars, the walls and towers of the Kremlin were lined with white stone from the Moscow region. Moscow was called the “Reigning City” under Ivan III, when in the second half of the 15th century it became the capital of the united Russian state. The largest construction of the Kremlin dates back to this time.

The three corner towers are round. The first of them is Vodovzvodnaya, near the B. Kamenny Bridge. It was named so because the first water supply system in Moscow for irrigating the Kremlin gardens was installed there. The upper floors of the tower housed huge tanks for storing water. The tower was built in the late 1480s. At the same time, a second corner tower was erected - Beklemishevskaya, or Moskvoretskaya - near the Moskvoretsky Bridge. According to legend, it got its name from the Beklemishev boyars, whose courtyard was located nearby. The third corner tower is Sobakina, or Corner Arsenalnaya, near Kremlinsky Proezd, adjacent to the Arsenal, built in 1492.

The four towers are quadrangular and drive-through. The main tower, through which there was a main entrance to the Kremlin, Frolovskaya, and from the 17th century.

Spasskaya, built in 1491 under the leadership of Peter Antonio Solarno.

The tower has ten floors, three of which are occupied by the clock mechanism. The first clock was installed in the 16th century, the current one - in 1851.

One of the tallest and most beautiful, this tower amazes with the subtlety and elegance of its white stone carved decorations and is a true masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture.

At the same time as Spasskaya, the Nikolskaya Tower was erected near the building of the Historical Museum, decorated like lace with white stone carvings.

The next passage tower is the Trinity Tower, rising above the Alexander Garden. It is connected to the openwork Kutafya tower by a stone bridge. The Neglinnaya River once flowed here. Now it is enclosed in a pipe under the Alexander Garden. Trinity Tower was built in 1495.

The Borovitskaya Tower rises near the Armory Chamber. Its name recalls the times when the Kremlin hill was covered with forest. The tower was erected in 1490.

From the point of view of military engineering, the Moscow Kremlin was an outstanding defensive structure of the 15th century.

Each tower is an independent fortress. The walls, rising up and down the hills, range in height from 5 to 19 meters and thickness from 3 to 6 meters.

In the center of the Kremlin is the ancient Cathedral Square and the monuments of Russian architecture located around it, which represent one of the most outstanding architectural ensembles peace.

Crowned with five golden domes, the Assumption Cathedral was built by Russian craftsmen under the leadership of Aristotle Fioravanti in 1475-1479. It was a place of solemn ceremonies; here Russian tsars were crowned kings, metropolitans and patriarchs were buried. The iconostasis of the cathedral is a rare collection of ancient Russian icon painting. Unforgettable impression They produce the wooden carved throne of Ivan the Terrible, kept in the cathedral, made by Russian craftsmen in 1551, and the magnificent bronze tent by master Dmitry Sverchkov, cast in 1625.

Pskov craftsmen erected it in 1484-1489. as the home church of the royal family, the picturesque architectural group of the Annunciation Cathedral. Here are collected the rarest icons by outstanding masters of the 15th century - Andrei Rublev, Theophanes the Greek, Prokhor from Gorodets. The wall paintings by Theodosius (early 16th century) are of great artistic value.

Pskov masters in 1484-1485. The Church of the Deposition was also built near the western porch of the Assumption Cathedral.

Next to the Annunciation stands the strict and solemn Archangel Cathedral, built in 1505-1508. Aleviz Novy.

Four massive pillars supporting the vaults of the cathedral are painted with portraits of the princes of North-Eastern Rus', whose possessions became part of the centralized Russian state. Before Peter 1, the Archangel Cathedral served as the tomb of Russian great princes and tsars. Here are the tombs of the collector of Russian lands Ivan Kalita, the great Russian commander, hero of the Battle of Kulikovo Dmitry Donskoy, Prince Ivan III, Tsar Ivan the Terrible and his sons.

The Faceted Chamber, built under Ivan III in 1491 by architects Marco Ruffo and Peter Antonio Solarno, overlooks Cathedral Square and is the oldest civil building in Moscow. It is named so because its eastern façade is faced with white cut stone. The Faceted Chamber hosted receptions of foreign ambassadors and festive celebrations, meetings of zemstvo councils, state meetings and the most important palace ceremonies.

The fabulous appearance of the chambers amazes with the splendor of its interior decoration, stone carvings, paintings, and tiles. Terem Palace, built in 1635-1636. Russian masters Bazhen Ogurtsov, Trefil Sharutin, Antip Konstantinov and Larion Ushakov. The two lower floors were built in the 16th century.

Used Books

“Moscow district guide” p. 41.