See you in Russia: Moscow Kremlin

Big photographic survey of the most famous Russian attraction.

Moscow Kremlin is the main Russian symbol, the largest fortress in Europe and the official residence of the President of Russian Federation.

The Kremlin is the complex that comprises Kremlin wall with 20 towers and everything inside it: cathedrals, squares and palaces.

Cathedral square is the heart of the Kremlin. It is surrounded by six buildings, including three cathedrals.

The square owes its name to the three cathedrals facing it - The Assumption Cathedral

The Assumption Cathedral was erected in 1475-1479 by Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti on the place where two older churches once stood.

For four centuries the Assumption Cathedral had been the main church of Russia. Here Great Princes were crowned for reigning and local princes swore fealty. Here inaugurations of Tsars and coronations of Emperors were held.

Nowadays, the cathedral houses old murals and a unique collection of icons. It is one of the most frequented museums of the Moscow Kremlin.

Cathedral of the Archangel

The Archangel’s Cathedral was erected in 1505-1508 by Italian architect Aleviz Novy.

It houses 47 tombstones and 2 reliquaries of the dynastic necropolis of Moscow Great Princes and Tsars: Ivan Kalita, Dmitriy Donskoy, Ivan III, Ivan the Terrible, tsarevich Dmitriy, Tsars Mikhael and Alexei Romanov were buried here. The first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible and two his sons are buried in a special tsar’s shrine in the altar part of the cathedral.

Cathedral of the Annunciation

The Annunciation Cathedral was erected in 1484-1489 by the team of Pskov stone-layers.

Nowadays, the Annunciation Cathedral is one of the most frequented Moscow Kremlin’s museums. Here you can see unique murals of the XVI century and the invaluable multi-tiered iconostasis, the deesis and festive rows of which (XIV-XV centuries) are presumed to be painted by famous icon-painters Theofan the Greek, Prokhor from Gorodets and Andrei Rublev.

From the time of Ivan the Terrible’s coronation as Tsar, the members of the royal family worshiped at the Annunciation Cathedral, got married and baptized their children there. Even after the relocation of the capital to St. Petersburg, the Annunciation Cathedral remained one of the most important churches in Russia.

Another three buildings on Cathedral Square are the Palace of Facets

(On the photo you see part of it).

It was the main banquet reception hall of the Tsars, nowadays it is an official ceremonial hall in the residence of the President.

The Church of the Deposition of the Robe

Erected in 1484-1485 by a team of Russian masters invited to Moscow from Pskov. Up to the mid XVII century, it had been a home church of Metropolitans and later Moscow Patriarchs. In 1655, in the time of Patriarch Nikon, the church was given to the Great Prince’s Palace.

the Church of the Twelve Apostles

The Church of the Twelve Apostles is a minor cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, commissioned by Patriarch Nikon as part of his stately residence in 1653 and dedicated to Philip the Apostle three years later.

The gilded iconostasis of the XVII-XVIII centuries made of carved wood in the home church of Twelve Apostles is of particular interest. It is a wonderful example of carving. A collection of icons showing the development of icon-painting in the XVII century is placed in the church.

The other notable structure is the Ivan the Great Bell Tower on the north-east corner of the square, which is said to mark the exact centre of Moscow and resemble a burning candle.

There are two special Kremlin attractions near the Cathedral Square: Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell.

Tsar Cannon was created in 1586 in Moscow’s Cannon Court by eminent Russian cannon-caster Andrei Chokhov on the order of Tsar Feodor Ioannovich, the sovereign ruler of All Great Russia. The Tsar Cannon is located on the west side of Ivanov Square, between the Ivan-the-Great Bell-Tower and the Twelve Apostles’ Church.

Judging by the Tsar Cannon’s caliber of 890 mm, it was given its name as the world’s biggest cannon. The gun’s tube’s weight is about 40 ton, its length is 5,34 m. The cannon’s surface is adorned with the cast figured friezes, vegetation ornament, memorial inscriptions and an equestrian image of Tsar Feodor Ioannovich. In 1835, the Tsar Cannon was fixed on the carriage specially cast for it at the Berdt’s factory in St. Petersburg. Four hollow decorative cannonballs were made at the same time.

Tsar Cannon has never shot.

Tsar Bell, a masterpiece of the Russian casting of the XVIII century, stands on the stone base to the east of the Ivan-the-Great Bell-Tower. It was cast in 1733-1735 on the order of empress Anne Ioannovna by the casting-masters Ivan Motorin and his son Mikhail. Up till now the Tsar Bell is considered to be the biggest one in the world. It weights about 202 ton and is 6,14 meter high. Its diameter is 6,6 m.

In 1735, the Tsar Bell was finally cast. However, it still remained in the moulding pit. In May, 1737, a terrible Troitskiy (Trinity) fire broke out in Moscow and spread to the Kremlin buildings. When the flames on the scarffolding around the bell were being extinguished, cold water fell on the bell itself. The difference in temperature caused it to crack, and a huge piece of 11,5 ton broke off.

Religious part of Kremlin is over, let's turn to political and cultural.

The Grand Kremlin Palace

The new imperial palace was erected on the initiative of Nicholas I in 1838-1850 by the group of architectors under the supervision of K.A. Ton.

K.A. Ton repeated the plan of the ancient ensemble placing new buildings. The layout and design of the faзades developed the architectural theme of ancient constructions.

At the same time, the K.A. Ton’s creation is marked with innovative features: large span brick top constructions, new construction materials, e.g. cement for shaped casts, were highly appreciated by contemporaries.

Nowadays, the whole Grand Kremlin Palace’s Complex, besides the Armoury, houses the residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

The State Kremlin Palace

In 1959-1961, inside the Kremlin, at the Troitskiy (Trinity) Gate in front of the Arsenal, the Palace of Congresses was built on the project of a group of architects supervised by M.V. Posokhin.

Including of a modern building in the architectural ensemble can be reasoned by several centuries’ history the city monument was forming under the influence of any epoch. However, the construction of the Palace was connected with elimination of a most interesting monument of the XIX century’s Russian classicism – the Armoury Chamber by architect Yegotov – and several historical buildings. All these facts cannot have right in the time of scientific system of preserving historical and cultural monuments.

The Palace’s building was erected in the period of forming of modern architecture and reflected the search and technical achivements of the time. It was built of beton, metal and glass. Either traditional or new construction materials were used for facing.

The key of the building is a 6000-seat hall, equipped either for performances or public meetings and congresses. The 17 m deepen building houses 800 rooms.

In 1992, the Palace of Congresses was renamed the Kremlin’s State Palace. Nowadays, it is a public building and a theatre.

The Arsenal

The Arsenal’s building has a long history. The construction began in 1702 on the initiative of Peter I according to the plan of his own. The Arsenal was to be used not only like an armoury and ammunition storehouse but also like a museum-depository of captures and ancient weapons. The largest Moscow building of Peter the Great’s epoch was placed in the northern corner of the Kremlin’s territory.

The Kremlin Arsenal is currently home to the Kremlin Regiment, which forms the main security service for the Russian President, and the longer eastern façade is a high secured and restricted area closed to the public.

The Senate

The Kremlin Senate is a building within the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin. Initially constructed from 1776–1787, it originally housed the Moscow branch of the Governing Senate, the highest judiciary and legislative office of Imperial Russia. Currently, it houses the Russian presidential administration and is a highly secured and restricted area closed to the public. At present, only the southern corner façade, opposite the Tsar Cannon can be viewed.

The Kremlin Armoury

The architecture of the Armoury is close to the Grand Kremlin Palace (on the right). The two-storeyed construction is placed on thick basement of variable height. Details styled in the XVII century manner were used in the façades’ décor, but in contradistinction to the XVII century style they are free of coldness and meagreness. The main adornment of the façades are white-stone carved columns with juicy vegetable ornament. However, the sameness of the silhouette make the palace ensemble rather inexpressive.

Nowadays, the Kremlin Armoury is home to the Russian Diamond Fund. It boasts unique collections of the Russian, Western European and Eastern applied arts spanning the period from the 5th to the 20th centuries. Some of the highlights include the Imperial Crown of Russia, Monomakh's Cap, the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible, and other regal thrones and regalia; the Orloff Diamond; the helmet of Yaroslav II; the sabres of Kuzma Minin and Dmitri Pozharski; the 12th-century necklaces from Ryazan; golden and silver tableware; articles, decorated with enamel, niello and engravings; embroidery with gold and pearls; imperial carriages, weapons, armour, and the Memory of Azov, Bouquet of Lilies Clock, Trans-Siberian Railway, Clover Leaf, Moscow Kremlin, Alexander Palace, Standart Yacht, Alexander III Equestrian, Romanov Tercentenary, Steel Military Fabergé eggs. The ten Fabergé eggs in the Armoury collection (all Imperial eggs) are the most Imperial eggs, and the second-most overall Fabergé eggs, owned by a single owner.

There are also gardens and squares on Kremlin territory, but winter is not best season for photos of nature.

And now it's the time to turn to one important part - Kremlin Towers.
It was my long-term wish to take pictures of each of them and here you can see it (clockwise).