Beautiful views of the Kremlin. Master class on fine arts “Kremlin”

Irina Viktorovna Pasynkova

Dear colleagues. During the thematic week dedicated to Moscow, the children and I listened to songs about our beloved capital, recited poems, read literary works, carefully examined illustrations and albums with image sights of the main city of the country. Moscow Kremlin- one of the main attractions of the capital, the greatest monument to the history of our Motherland, a brilliant creation of Russian national culture, a beautiful and complex architectural ensemble. During the lesson on fine arts the guys learned to draw Kremlin. I suggest you Master Class, in my opinion, not difficult Kremlin images.

On a landscape sheet, mark two horizontal lines with a simple pencil. Bottom line is ground, top line is wall Kremlin. It is located below the middle of the sheet (consolidate knowledge of spatial representations)

In the middle we draw the central tower and columns (consolidate knowledge of geometric shapes)

Now we make the composition in color

Here it is the image of the Kremlin turned out

Publications on the topic:

Developed by: Alexandra Aleksandrovna Bedristova Position: Additional education teacher Educational institution: MBOU DOD Center.

Abstract of a creative lesson in fine arts “Friends for Cheburashka” Summary of a creative lesson in fine arts “Friends for Cheburashka.” Goal: Create conditions for the formation of creative initiative.

Summary of the fine arts lesson “Wonderful Summer” Summary of the lesson in fine arts “Wonderful Summer” Prepared by additional education teacher Evgenia Vladimirovna Chumova.

Summary of a lesson in fine arts “Easter still life” using EOR (with presentation) Purpose of the lesson: To organize the activities of students to consolidate knowledge about the technology of step-by-step drawing and working with a sketch, getting to know each other.

Lesson notes in senior group on fine arts “Autumn Trees” Program content: -educational objectives: continue.

Open combined lesson on folk art and fine arts at school of type 8 “Miracles from a box” Topic: Miracles from a box Form: Lesson - travel Equipment: 1. Exhibition of Easter eggs, drawings 2. Tape recorder 3. Musical instruments.

Lesson plan for fine arts: “Ornament in stripes” Lesson outline in fine arts Type of activity: image on a plane. Educational problem: composition. Lesson topic:.

In the historical center of the capital is the most recognizable architectural structure of Russia - the Moscow Kremlin. Main feature 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 served several times as a model for similar fortresses that appeared in other Russian cities - Kazan, Tula, Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod etc. Within the walls of the Kremlin there are numerous religious and secular buildings - cathedrals, palaces and administrative buildings different eras. The Kremlin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990. Together with the adjacent Red Square, which is included in this list, the Kremlin is generally 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 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 ruined 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 errors in construction. A new attempt at revival was made by Grand Duke Ivan III. It was in this cathedral that prayer services were held before important campaigns, kings were crowned and patriarchs were elevated to the rank of patriarchs.

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

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

Cathedral opening hours: 10:00 to 17:00 (closed on 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 richly carved decorative frames, as well as a tiled roof.
  

  

  

• – building of the 17th century, preserved rare architectural features civil architecture of that time. The museum displays jewelry, exquisite tableware, paintings, and royal hunting items. 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:

Towers of the Moscow Kremlin

The length of the walls is 2235 meters, their maximum height is 19 meters, and their 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 80 meters high.

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 from 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 first heard the chimes, which announced a new hour. Since then, many events have happened: 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 (height 81 meters) is the most tall building in the Kremlin ensemble. It was built between 1505 and 1508 and still serves its function for three cathedrals that do not have their own bell towers - Arkhangelsk, Assumption and Annunciation.

Nearby is the small church of St. John, hence the name of the bell tower and the square. It existed until the beginning of the 16th century, then it collapsed and has since become significantly dilapidated.

The Chamber of Facets 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 not open to tours.

Armory Chamber and Diamond Fund

The chamber was built by order of Peter I to store weapons obtained in wars. 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 Chamber is a museum, which can be visited any day of the week from 10:00 to 18:00, except Thursday. Ticket price for adults is 700 rubles, for children – free.

Here are not only exhibits of the weapons industry, but also the Diamond Fund. The permanent exhibition of the State Diamond Fund first opened in the Moscow Kremlin in 1967. Unique jewelry and precious stones are especially valuable here; most of them were confiscated after the October Revolution. Opening hours are from 10:00 to 17:20 on any day except Thursday. For a ticket for adults you will have to pay 500 rubles, for children it costs 100 rubles.

The two diamonds on display deserve special attention, as they belong to the most famous examples of this gemstone 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 at the end of the 19th century. To see the White Kremlin, look for works by 18th or 19th century artists such as Pyotr Vereshchagin or Alexey Savrasov.
3. Red Square has nothing to do with the color red. The name comes from the Old Russian word "red", meaning beautiful, and is in no way related to the color of the buildings, which we now know were white until the end of the 19th century.
4. The stars of the Moscow Kremlin were eagles. During Tsarist Russia, the four Kremlin towers were topped 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. The 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 Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Assumption Cathedral, the Trinity Tower and the Terem Palace.
7. The Moscow Kremlin was virtually undamaged in World War II. During the war, the Kremlin was carefully camouflaged to look like a residential building block. The church domes and famous green towers were painted gray and brown respectively, fake doors and windows were attached to the Kremlin walls, and Red Square was encumbered 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 bell 6.14 meters high was made from metal casting; the Tsar Cannon, weighing 39.312 tons, was lost in 1586 and was never used in war.
9. The stars of the Kremlin always shine. Over the 80 years of its existence, the Kremlin's star lighting has only been turned 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 was 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 watches literally lies under our feet. The clock is connected to the control clock at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute via a cable.

The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of Moscow, the main socio-political, historical and artistic complex of the city, the official residence of the president Russian Federation. The first settlements on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin date back to the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC). A Finno-Ugric settlement dating back to the early Iron Age (second half of the 1st millennium BC) was found near the modern Archangel Cathedral.

Below you will see a gorgeous reconstruction in the form of excellent photos that show what the Kremlin looked like 300 and 200 years ago. Before that, let’s take a very brief look at history. Well, the most curious ones will also find a dock. film "The Unknown Kremlin".
In ancient times, at the confluence of the Neglinnaya River and the Moscow River on Cape Borovitsky, the first settlement of the future Moscow appeared. In 1147, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky gave his feast here. This chronicle mention went down in history as the year of the founding of our capital.


Already at that time, the settlement was surrounded by a rampart and wooden walls. In this place, Yuri Dolgoruky built a fortress in 1156, which became the famous Moscow Kremlin.
Fires in Moscow at that time were not uncommon. In 1337, almost the entire city burned down, so by 1340 the Kremlin was surrounded by new oak walls.
Another fire in 1354 again destroys the Kremlin. A repeat event occurs after another 10 years. The city's rulers were in dire need of solving this problem.
Dmitry Ivanovich decides to surround the Kremlin with stone fortifications. Heavy work began on the delivery of limestone, and since 1368 white stone walls have risen in the city.


The modern appearance of the Kremlin took shape in 1485-1495 on the initiative of Ivan III. A huge number of the best architects of “all Rus'” were involved in the construction. Also, Italian masters in the field of construction of defensive structures were involved in the construction of the walls and towers of the fortress. The Italians at that time were building Moscow everywhere, but still the original Russian plans were not killed, foreign influence came to naught.
The first Taynitskaya Tower in the Kremlin was built in 1485 by Anton Fryazin. Here, secret passages to the river and a well were provided, providing the defenders of the fortress with water.

In 1487, the southeastern corner was occupied by Beklemishevskaya Round Tower Marco Fryazin. A little later, all the other Kremlin towers were built.

Clock of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin
The people revered the main gate of the Frolov Tower. People did not pass through them on horseback or with their heads covered. Later, the Frolovskaya Tower was renamed the Spasskaya Tower because of the icons of the Savior of Smolensk and the Savior Not Made by Hands placed here. According to documents, the main clock of the state in this tower appeared back in 1491.
In 1625 the clock was replaced with a new one. The master was Khristofor Golovey, and Kirill Samoilov cast 30 bells for them.
The next update of the clock took place under Peter I. With the transition to a single daily count of time, a Dutch clock with 12 divisions was installed on the Spasskaya Tower. But after the fire of 1737, they also had to step down from their honorary post.
The clock of our time was installed in 1852 by the Butenop brothers.




February revolution at the walls of the Kremlin

Ruby stars of the Moscow Kremlin
In 1935, stars made of stainless steel lined with red gilded copper were installed on the tops of the Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya and Troitskaya towers. In the center of the stars is a 2-meter hammer and sickle emblem, decorated with precious stones. To install the stars, we even had to rebuild the towers a little. One way or another, within two years the stones on the stars faded, and in 1937 a decision was made to install ruby ​​stars.
The Moscow Kremlin is a symbol of the Russian Federation, revered by its entire population and attracts foreign tourists who want to plunge into the history of our great country.

Scheme of the Moscow Kremlin

Disguise during the Great Patriotic War

Photo: mos-kreml.ru
And for the most curious, as promised, a video about the Kremlin:

The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction of the Russian capital, having great historical, architectural and socio-political value.

The Kremlin is located in the very center of the city on the high Borovitsky Hill near the Moscow River. On one side is Red Square, on the other - Alexander Garden.

Read about how to get to the Moscow Kremlin, which Kremlin attractions to see first, how to buy entrance tickets, opening hours, excursions and much more in this article.

History of the Moscow Kremlin

First on the territory modern Kremlin Finno-Ugric tribes settled in the Bronze Age. In the 10th century, Borovitsky Hill, located at the intersection of important trade routes, was occupied by the Vyatichi, and in 1156, by the will of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, a typical Russian fortress was built here with defensive fortifications - earthen ramparts with palisades, surrounded by a deep ditch.

Until the mid-14th century, the Moscow Kremlin was made of wood. Under Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy, its walls and towers were replaced with white stone ones, which served until the end of the 15th century.

Under the leadership of Italian masters, new buildings were built in 1485-1516. powerful fortifications made of baked brick - towers and battlements with a thickness of three to six and a half meters, which we have the opportunity to admire today.

Architectural ensemble

The architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin consists of the golden-domed Annunciation, Archangel and Assumption Cathedrals, the Patriarchal Chambers, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the Faceted Chamber, and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. In the 17th century, the Terem Palace was built, around the same time the Kremlin towers acquired modern look. In the 18th century, the Arsenal, the Senate, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory appeared.

Unfortunately, not preserved ancient cathedral Savior on Bor, built in 1330 and destroyed in 1933, Chudov Monastery, founded in 1365 and demolished in 1929, Ascension Monastery, Small Nicholas Palace and many other buildings. In total, during the years of Soviet power, out of 54 Kremlin buildings, only 26 remained “alive”.

However, in 1990 the Kremlin was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

Photo - tour of the territory

The entrance to the territory is through the Kutafya tower, crowned with a beautiful openwork “crown”.

Before entering the Kremlin, you must buy tickets in the dark glass pavilion, which is located nearby in the Alexander Garden, go through a metal detector and have your personal belongings searched. Large bags, suitcases and backpacks will have to be checked into a storage room.

The Kutafya Tower, previously surrounded by a river and a ditch, protected the approaches to the Trinity Tower.

Having crossed the Trinity Bridge, we will look at the multi-tiered Trinity Tower from the other side. Its height is 80 meters, it is the tallest tower of the Kremlin.

On the right in the photo is the Arsenal, built by order of Peter the Great. It was assumed that the building would be used as a military warehouse and trophy storage. Nowadays, the administrative services of the Kremlin Commandant's Office and the barracks of the Presidential Regiment are stationed here.

On the left is the State Kremlin Palace (formerly the Palace of Congresses), built in 1961. The country's main New Year's Eve party is held here, as well as concerts and ballet performances.

Historical guns are located near the walls of the Arsenal - collections of ancient Russian and foreign cannons, military trophies of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Now let's go to Senate Square.

The Senate building, designed by architect M.F. Kazakova, has the shape of a triangle. IN Soviet years here was V.I.’s office and apartment. Lenin, work rooms of I.V. Stalin, L.I. Brezhnev, M.S. Gorbachev. Nowadays, the Senate is the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

View from approximately the same point in the other direction - to Trinity Square and the Kremlin cathedrals.

The Tsar Cannon, which is a must-see, stands near Trinity Square and the Patriarchal Chambers with the Church of the Twelve Apostles.

The powerful weapon was made in 1586. This is the largest cannon in the world, an outstanding example of Russian weapons art. Its caliber is 890 mm, weight is 40 tons.

At the foot of the bell tower there is another giant - the Tsar Bell, cast in the 18th century. Its weight is 202 tons, diameter is 6.6 meters. The Tsar Bell was cast right there, on the territory of Ivanovskaya Square. A piece of the bell broke off during a big fire in the Kremlin.

On the southern side, Ivanovskaya Square is adjacent to the Big Kremlin Square and Tainitsky Garden.

Unfortunately, you cannot walk around the entire garden - this is a sensitive facility. But you can still see some interesting things: for example, an aviary for peregrine falcons, goshawks and an eagle owl, which are kept specifically to chase crows and pigeons. Or here - Helipad for the President and Prime Minister, equipped not so long ago.

View from the park to the ensemble of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The Kremlin bell tower became the tallest building in Moscow under Boris Godunov, who ordered it to be built in 1600 to a height of 81 m. You can go up to summer time by purchasing a separate ticket.

From April to October, on Saturdays at 12-00, the cavalry and foot parade of the Presidential Regiment takes place on Cathedral Square. Viewing the ceremony is included in the price of a single ticket to visit the Kremlin and the cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square.

The Assumption Cathedral, built according to the design of the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti, was the main temple of Russia for four centuries - Ivan the Terrible and other tsars were crowned here, and emperors were crowned. Many patriarchs and metropolitans are buried in the Assumption Cathedral.

In the photo - the Archangel Cathedral, erected in 1505-1508 in honor of the Archangel Michael by the Venetian Aleviz Novy.

Entrance to the Archangel Cathedral. In the temple-royal tomb there are 54 burials of saints, princes, kings and their wives, including the holy Tsarevich Dmitry of Uglich, Moscow princes Vasily the Dark, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan Kalita, Tsars Ivan the Terrible and Alexei Mikhailovich.

The Annunciation Cathedral is one of the oldest on the Kremlin territory, built by Pskov craftsmen in 1484-1489. The small-sized temple was used as a home church for Russian sovereigns.

In the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral there is an interesting exhibition “Treasures and Antiquities of the Moscow Kremlin”.

The Faceted Chamber, one of the oldest civil buildings in Moscow, in tsarist times served as the main ceremonial reception hall, a place for meetings of the Boyar Duma, and meetings of the Zemsky Sobor. Now this is the executive hall of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

The chamber is called faceted because it is lined with blocks having 4 sides.

In the corner of Cathedral Square are the Verkhospassky Cathedral - part of the ancient Terem Palace, the eastern facade of the Golden Tsarina Chamber and the Church of the Deposition of the Robe - the home church of Moscow metropolitans and patriarchs.

From Cathedral Square we move to the Great Kremlin Palace, built in the 19th century. The palace ensemble includes about 700 rooms, including St. George's, Vladimir, St. Andrew's, Alexander and Catherine Halls, the Golden Tsarina Chamber, the Malachite Foyer, the Study and Bedroom of the Emperors, nine churches and the Terem Palace.

Since the Grand Kremlin Palace is the ceremonial residence of the President of the Russian Federation, you can only get there as part of a group from an organization upon a preliminary application submitted a month in advance.

Next to the BKD is the Armory Chamber, a museum with untold riches: ancient gold and silver jewelry and other items, weapons, armor, state regalia, and a collection of carriages. Here you can see Monomakh's hat, scepters, orbs, thrones, coronation dresses and ceremonial royal clothes.

The same building houses the Diamond Fund - the national treasury of Russia, a repository of precious stones and nuggets, ceremonial jewelry of Russian tsars and emperors. This is where the Great Imperial Crown, made on the occasion of the coronation of Catherine II, is located. The crown is decorated with 5,000 diamonds, 75 large pearls and a very large rare dark red gem spinel.

View from the Armory to the Vodovzvodnaya, Borovitskaya towers and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The amusing palace - the chambers of boyar Miloslavsky is better visible from the Alexander Garden, it is located near the Kremlin wall between Troitskaya and Commandant's towers. In 1672, fun events were held here - performances for the amusement of the kings, which gave the name to the palace. Under Peter the Great, the Police Department was located in the Poteshny Palace, and today the services of the Commandant’s Office were located.

How to get to the Kremlin

On public transport: the nearest metro stations are the Lenin Library, Aleksandrovsky Garden, Borovitskaya and Arbatskaya of the blue Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line. The Kremlin is also easily accessible on foot from many central stations: Okhotny Ryad, Revolution Square, Teatralnaya and others.

Opening hours

The territory of the Kremlin and cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square:

• from May 16 to September 30 - daily, except Thursdays, from 9-30 to 18-00 (ticket offices are open from 9-00 to 16-30)
• from October 1 to May 15 - daily, except Thursdays, from 10-00 to 17-00 (ticket offices are open from 9-30 to 16-00)

The Armory is open for sessions from 10-00 to 18-00 every day except Thursday. Sessions start: 10-00, 12-00, 14-30, 16-30

Diamond fund - daily, except Thursdays, from 10-00 to 17-20 for sessions. Break - from 13-00 to 14-00. Session duration is 40 minutes. Ticket sales for morning sessions begin at 9:00 a.m., and for evening sessions at 1:00 p.m. Morning sessions: 10-00, 10-20, 10-40, 11-00, 11-20, 12-00, 12-20. Evening sessions: 14-00, 15-00, 15-20, 16-00, 16-20, 16-40, 17-00, 17-20.

The Diamond Fund does not work on holidays. More information about the operating hours can be found on the official website: gokhran.ru/ru/diamond-fund/contacts.phtml

It is rare, but it happens that access to the Kremlin is closed in connection with ceremonial events, meetings of heads of foreign states, receptions on the occasion of public holidays and other events.

Ticket prices

Single ticket (territory, cathedrals, exhibitions)— visit to the territory of the Kremlin, cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square, exhibition halls of the Patriarchal Chambers, the exhibition “Treasures and Antiquities of the Moscow Kremlin” in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral, an exhibition of wooden sculpture in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, exhibitions in the annex of the Archangel Cathedral:

• adults - 500 rubles
• Russian students and pensioners - 250 rubles, without the possibility of visiting museums (only the territory) - free
• children under 16 years of age, members of large families, disabled people of groups 1 and 2 and others preferential categories citizens - free
• for persons under 18 years of age, the second Tuesday of every month is free
• in Days cultural heritage single ticket is free for everyone

Single tickets are sold online on the official website of the Moscow Kreml.ru (except for free and discounted ones) and at the box office in the Alexander Garden on the day of the visit.

— the visit requires a separate ticket, the price includes an audio guide:

• adults - 700 rubles
• Russian students and pensioners - 350 rubles
• children under 16 years of age, members of large families, disabled people of groups 1 and 2 and other preferential categories of citizens - free

Entrance tickets to the Armory Chamber are sold on the day of the visit if tickets are available at the box office in the Alexander Garden and via the Internet on the official website of the Moscow Kremlin kreml.ru (except for free and discounted tickets).

Attention! Purchasing tickets online for a specific session does not guarantee that you will receive additional free or discounted tickets for the same session on the day of your museum visit. Free and discounted tickets are issued only if they are available at the box office, on a first-come, first-served basis. The museum's capacity does not allow for an unlimited number of tickets to be allocated for each session.

Diamond fund— you can buy tickets at the box office No. 4 and No. 5 in the Alexander Garden on the day of your visit to a specific session. The ticket price includes a tour.

• adults - 500 rubles
• schoolchildren, students, pensioners, members of large families - 100 rubles
• disabled children, non-working disabled people of groups 1 and 2 and other preferential categories of citizens - free

The number of tickets for each session is limited.

If you want to visit only the Armory Chamber and/or the Diamond Fund, entry is possible through the Borovitskaya Tower.

The queue at the box office and at the entrance is least in the cold season on weekdays, most of all on warm time year in good weather on weekends, especially on Saturday in the morning - because of the opportunity to watch the changing of the guard ceremony on Cathedral Square.

Excursions

The Kremlin Excursion Center offers sightseeing and thematic excursions around the territory of the Kremlin, the Armory, cathedral-museums and museum exhibitions for organized groups and individual visitors as part of a team group.

Prices for excursions around the Moscow Kremlin, the procedure for registration and payment for excursions, see the official website: kreml.ru

Free mobile guide to the Kremlin territory - izi.travel/ru/7cce-moskva-kreml/ru

Photography

Amateur photography and video shooting in cathedral-museums, the Armory Chamber and the Diamond Fund is prohibited.

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

Content:

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

Kremlin or Detinets in ancient Rus' called 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 moat 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 all the 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 and 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. Historical Center The Kremlin is represented by Cathedral Square with three cathedrals - Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation. 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, 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, How crown of sovereignty on the forehead of the formidable ruler."