When was the Moscow Kremlin built? In what year was the Moscow Kremlin built? “The earth, as you know, begins from the Kremlin.

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.

Earthquake of 1446 and fires again damaged the Kremlin walls. The consequence of this was a new restructuring of the Kremlin during the reign of Ivan III. Italian craftsmen, recognized specialists in fortification, were invited for construction, who used the then advanced achievements of Italian and Russian military engineering during construction.

But they were no longer building just a fortress, they were building a holy city.

On each side of the Kremlin, seven towers of red burnt brick were erected. The architects' idea was that Cathedral Square would become the center of the Kremlin. There are beautiful cathedrals on it: , and , (the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, as well as the Annunciation Cathedral, were built by Russian craftsmen in the best traditions of Russian church architecture).

The new walls of the Moscow Kremlin turned out to be so strong that for five centuries no one has ever been able to take possession of them. In the underground part, under the entire territory, under each of the towers, they created a complex system of labyrinths and secret passages. They were discovered by archaeologist N.S. Shcherbatov in 1894, but in the twenties of the last century photographs and drawings disappeared.

In addition to the described fortifications, the inaccessibility of the fortress was ensured by the high slopes of Borovitsky Hill and water boundaries. A canal dug along the north-eastern wall of the Kremlin in the 16th century turned the Kremlin into an island.

The Kremlin walls formed an irregular triangle in plan, the area of ​​which was 28 hectares. They were built from brick, but inside them there is white stone from old walls built by Dmitry Donskoy. For strength, the structures are filled with lime. For construction, half-pound brick, shaped like a loaf of bread, was used (in those days, the use of brick for construction was an innovation in Rus').

The height of the walls of the Moscow Kremlin ranges from five to nineteen meters, depending on the terrain. They have an upper continuous course along the entire perimeter. Its width is two meters. From the outside, the passage is protected by teeth, so it is not visible.

Battlements are a characteristic Italian fortification element. There are 1045 battlements on the walls, called “swallowtails” for their inherent shape. The thickness of the teeth is 65-70 cm, the height is about 2.5 m. Each tooth is built from six hundred half-pound bricks, and almost each has a loophole.

There are 19 towers built into the wall array. Together with the remote tower, there are only 20 of them in the Moscow Kremlin.

The corner towers of the Kremlin have a polyhedral or round shape, the rest are quadrangular. The towers acquired their modern appearance in the 17th century, when they were built with hipped and tiered tops. As a result of all the reconstruction, the Kremlin acquired the appearance of a fortress - impregnable and formidable.

History says that in ancient times the Moscow Kremlin was built up with courtyards of boyars and residential buildings. Only in its center, on Cathedral Square, were cathedrals and the Grand Duke's palace, which later became the royal palace, located. The Faceted Chamber, which was the throne room, has survived to this day. The main tower-bell tower “Ivan the Great” dominated all the buildings, figuratively expressing the greatness of the Russian state with its architecture.

The central religious building of the Moscow Kremlin, Moscow and the entire state was the brilliant work of the Italian architect Fioravanti. The architectural appearance of the cathedral shows the influence of early works of Russian masters.

The traditional architecture of five-domed Russian cathedrals was continued, which became the tomb of the Tsars. The Church of the Deposition of the Robe and the Annunciation Cathedral, created by Russian craftsmen, are beautiful.

The architecture of the Kremlin changed significantly in the 17th century. It becomes more decorative and elegant. The Kremlin walls are being repaired, a tent-roofed triumphal superstructure is being erected. Somewhat later, in 35-36 of the same century, a stone residential part was built - Terema, otherwise called. The repository of antiquities and art workshops are combined into the royal one.

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 a building is laid. It was built from 1702 to 1736. From 1776 to 1788, a building with a spectacular round hall covered with a dome was built in the Kremlin.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the idea of ​​erection 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 Nicholas Palace, almost all the cathedrals, and the Spasskaya Tower were damaged.

In 1918, V.I. moved to the Kremlin. Lenin and the entire government of Soviet Russia, as the capital is moved 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 in declaring 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. Catherine's Church was converted 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 the entire eastern part of the Moscow Kremlin turned into ruins. 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 a historical place that 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.

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Moscow Kremlin- a large fortress located on Borovitsky Hill in the Russian capital - Moscow. Since ancient times it has been the city-forming, historical, political and religious center of the city. Today the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation is located here. In 1991, a historical and cultural museum-reserve was formed on the basis of the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin. Now the Kremlin is the main center of attraction for tourists visiting the Moscow capital.

It was built in the 15th century. In 1156, the first fortifications with a total length of about 850 meters and an area of ​​about 3 hectares were built on the territory of the modern Kremlin.

The Moscow Kremlin is younger than the Tula, Pskov, Novgorod and Kazan Kremlin.

The length of the walls, the Kremlin occupies 2500 meters. The Moscow fortress is the longest in Russia. The next contender is the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, which is as much as 500 meters shorter.

There are 20 towers along the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. 3 towers standing in the corners of the triangle have a circular cross-section, the rest are square. The tallest tower is Troitskaya, it has a height of 79.3 m. The next competitor of the Moscow Kremlin has three smaller towers and is located in Kolomna.

According to its meaning...

The Assumption Cathedral, located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, was the main temple of the country.

The Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin is the oldest treasury museum, one of the richest collections in the country.

Brief history of the Kremlin

The history of the first wooden buildings of the Moscow Kremlin goes back to the distant year 1156. Around the small fortress, which served as a shelter from enemies, there were many villages and villages. In 1238, Moscow was subjected to a terrible attack by the hordes of Khan Batu and was burned to the ground. In the 14th century, Moscow, having been resurrected from the ashes more than once, began to be actively built up with stone. In 1368, at the direction of the young Prince Dmitry Donskoy, the white stone walls and towers of the Kremlin were erected. Simultaneously with the stone fortification, the territory of the Kremlin was expanded. The Moscow Kremlin stood in this form for more than 100 years, subject to numerous attacks from enemies. In 1495, the Moscow Kremlin received new brick towers and walls, new fortifications and even larger territory. As a result, from the point of view of military engineering, the Moscow Kremlin was an outstanding structure that met all the requirements of world defensive technology of that time.

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, Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, 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

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 existing walls and towers of the Kremlin 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 Bolshoy 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 Kremlin walls

There are rumors among Muscovites that previously branched underground passages led outside from each of the Kremlin towers. 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.

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, Arkhangelsk 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, 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.

The Moscow Kremlin, which we can admire today, was built by Italians from red brick in 1485–1495 by order of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III Vasilyevich. It was not plastered or painted, so the original color of the walls and towers was red.

Fortresses with similar architecture can be found in Europe, for example in Verona and Milan. The most characteristic element, the battlements on the wall in the form of a swallowtail or the letter M, was considered a symbol of imperial power. The pope's opponents, the Ghibellines, had it in their fortresses. The Guelphs, who recognized papal authority above secular ones, built castles with rectangular battlements, so in those days it was possible to distinguish the owner’s belonging to one or another clan.

In medieval Italy, the question of which power is more important - secular or spiritual - was very relevant. In the literal sense, many copies were broken. Since the Milanese architects carried out the order of a representative of secular power, they considered that the imperial sign would be closer to the Russian ruler.

Moscow white stone

It is quite possible that the phrase “white stone Moscow” appeared back in the 14th century under Dmitry Donskoy, when the most important sections of the wall and tower of the originally wooden fortress were replaced with stone ones. White stone fortifications twice saved the city from enemy invasion. In the 15th century, these walls were dismantled or used as foundations during the construction of the brick fortifications that we see today.

In the 18th century, following the fashion trends of the time, the color of the walls and towers was changed, and the brick was whitewashed. This happened not only in Moscow, almost all fortresses in Russian cities were painted white. Napoleon in 1812 saw the Kremlin white. After the fires it was repaired and painted white again.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Moscow Kremlin remained formally white, that is, it was whitewashed for various events, but most of the time its walls looked shabby, covered with a “noble urban patina.” Even after the events of 1917, he remained white; this did not bother the Bolsheviks at all.

When did the Kremlin turn red?

In June 1941, it was decided to disguise the Kremlin as residential areas. Windows of houses were painted on the walls, the mausoleum was covered with a plywood cap in the form of an ordinary city building. By the way, everything was done efficiently - German air raids did not cause any damage.
For the 800th anniversary of Moscow, in 1947, the Kremlin was restored, and the walls and towers, by order of Joseph Stalin, were painted red, which harmonized well with the spirit of that era. Since then, the color of the walls of the Moscow Kremlin has been maintained red, periodically tinted to make it look elegant.

How to get to the Kremlin: st. metro station Aleksandrovsky Sad, Borovitskaya, Teatralnaya.

The first settlements on the territory of the Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin is located on Borovitsky Hill, which rises 25 meters above the adjacent territory, on the left bank of the Moscow River, at its confluence with the Neglinnaya River. In the old days, Borovitsky Hill was covered with forest, hence its name. The Kremlin in Moscow can be called both the progenitor and witness to the emergence of the city itself - it was on its territory that the first urban buildings were located.

Scientists date the first traces of human presence on Borovitsky Hill to the end of the second millennium BC, and the next ones to the 8th-3rd centuries BC. The settlement of this time supposedly had defensive fortifications, in particular, they could have served as two ravines, one of which stretched to the Neglinnaya River in the area of ​​the Trinity Gate, and the second cut through the southern slope between the Petrovskaya Tower and the 2nd Nameless Tower of the Kremlin.

Several centuries later, at the beginning of the 12th century, a settlement arose again on Borovitsky Hill, and it became the ancestor of the city of Moscow. The Vyatichi settlement occupied a large area and spread along Borovitsky Hill. Thus, two villages arose on the hill, each of which was protected by a ring fortification.

The Kremlin during the period of Ancient Rus'

During this period, the Old Russian state consisted of several separate principalities. The most influential and extensive was the Rostov-Suzdal principality, the capital of which was Vladimir from the second half of the 12th century. It was in the neighborhood of the western borders of this principality that the current city of Moscow began to exist.

The Ipatiev Chronicle says that in 1147, Prince of Suzdal Yuri Dolgoruky invited Prince of Novgorod-Seversk Svyatoslav, who was his ally, to Moscow. This was the first documentary mention of Moscow; this date is considered the date of birth of Moscow as a city.

And according to the Tver Chronicle, the same prince Yuri Dolgoruky in 1156 founded a new fortress called Moscow at the mouth of the Neglinnaya River, slightly higher than the Yauza River. This fortress united two old defensive rings into one fortification; it occupied the territory between the current Borovitsky, Tainitsky and Trinity gates.

The length of the fortifications was 1200 meters; in addition, the fortress was protected by an earthen rampart and a moat. In addition, the fortress walls were quite well fortified at the base, both inside and outside. Along the foot of the walls there were several rows of logs, fastened with peculiar brackets - transverse short logs with hook branches that held the structure.

In the 13th century, Moscow, like many Russian cities, was subjected to destructive raids by the hordes of Batu Khan, but, nevertheless, after some time it began to revive. At this time, the first princely dynasty appeared in Moscow, founded by the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky, Daniil. The Tatar-Mongol yoke, despite its destructive consequences, could not completely destroy the Russian state. Russian princes continued to rule Russian lands, but to do this they had to receive special labels (letters) from the Horde for the right to own their territories. In 1319, Yuri Danilovich, the eldest son of Prince Daniel, received such a label for the great reign in Novgorod from the khan. He moved to Novgorod, and left Moscow to his brother Ivan.

Having received this important letter, Ivan Kalita did not move, according to tradition, to Vladimir, but remained in Moscow - this is what played an important role in the further fate of Moscow and the Moscow Kremlin. Following the Grand Duke, the head of the Russian church, Metropolitan Peter, also moved to Moscow.

Transformation of the Kremlin into the residence of the great Russian princes

From that moment on, the Kremlin ceased to be a defensive and fortification structure, but became the residence of the Grand Duke and Metropolitan. If earlier the territory of the Kremlin was built up only with wooden structures, now they began to erect buildings made of white stone here. In particular, the Assumption Cathedral was built on Borovitsky Hill at its highest point, which became the main temple of the Moscow principality. In 1329, the Church of St. John the Climacus with a bell tower appeared, and in 1333 the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael was built. These first stone buildings determined the architectural concept of the Kremlin in Moscow, which has been preserved in its general form to this day. During the reign of Ivan Kalita, Moscow was actively growing, and the Kremlin territory began to play the role of a separate central part of the city. This name itself, the Kremlin, appeared for the first time in the Resurrection Chronicle of 1331, and it means the central fortified part of the city.

Before his death, Prince Ivan Kalita drew up a spiritual letter in which he bequeathed all Moscow lands and symbols of the power of Rus' (golden chains and belts, as well as precious dishes, princely clothes) to his sons. Among the bequeathed treasures was a royal hat, perhaps it is now known as the Monomakh Cap. This will laid the foundation for the princely treasury in the Kremlin.

After the wooden buildings of the Kremlin were once again damaged by fire in 1365, the young Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy ordered the construction of stone fortifications on Borovitsky Hill. For this purpose, during the winter of 1367, limestone was brought to Moscow from the village of Myachkovo, located 30 versts from the city. In the spring, construction began, as a result of which a white-stone fortress rose in the center of Moscow - the first in the territory of North-Eastern Rus'. At the same time, the territory of the Kremlin was increased due to the hill and its hem. By the end of the 15th century, the architecture of the Kremlin acquired features characteristic of a capital city, and Moscow began to be perceived as a successor city to the ancient Russian cities: Kyiv and Vladimir.

When the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, was captured by the Turks in 1453, the role of the Orthodox capital passed to Moscow. In 1472, the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, Sophia Paleologus, married the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III. Since then, the coat of arms of Byzantium - the double-headed eagle - became the coat of arms of Rus', and Moscow and the Moscow prince acquired great authority in the eyes of European rulers. Thus, Ivan III began to be perceived as the successor of the Byzantine dynasties.

Moscow had to be brought into line with the new status, and Ivan III invited famous Russian master builders, as well as architects from Italy, to the capital in order to begin rebuilding the Kremlin - the residence of the sovereign of all Rus'. Grandiose construction began on the territory of the Kremlin.

Formation of the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin

In the period 1475-1479. under the leadership of the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti, a new Assumption Cathedral was built, which was considered the most important temple of the Russian state. Opposite the cathedral, at the other end of the square, the Italian Aleviz the New built the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael - a temple-tomb. In the western part of the Kremlin, the palace of the Grand Duke of Moscow was built, which included the Embankment Chamber, the Middle Golden Chamber, and the Great Faceted Chamber.

Somewhat later, in 1485-1489. On the southwestern side of the hill, the Annunciation Cathedral was built, and next to it was the Church of the Deposition of the Robe. These temples were built by an artel of Pskov craftsmen. Between the Arkhangelsk and Annunciation Cathedrals is located the State Court - the main princely treasury.

The formation of the architectural ensemble of Cathedral Square was completed with the construction of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The bell tower was built a little later, in 1505-1508.

According to tradition, all new churches were built on the site of their ancient predecessors, the very first churches that grew here during the times of Ivan Kalita and Dmitry Donskoy. The temples bore the same names; all relics and burials from the old temples were carefully transferred to them. The icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, the most revered Russian shrine at that time, was transported to the Assumption Cathedral from Vladimir.

The finishing touch to the Kremlin's reconstruction was the construction of new walls and towers. The renovation and reconstruction of the Kremlin towers was carried out in several stages. The first to be built was the Taynitskaya Tower, which had a secret passage to the Moscow River; its architect was the Italian Anton Fryazin. Marco Fryazin, another Italian, became the author of the Beklemishevskaya tower (now Moskvoretskaya). Next they built the Sviblova Tower, which also had a secret passage to the river. In 1633, a machine for raising water was installed in the Sviblova Tower, and the tower was renamed Vodovzvodnaya. The Annunciation Tower was built in 1488. After it, the 1st and 2nd Nameless Towers, Petrovskaya, Borovitskaya, Konstantino-Eleninskaya and Alarm Towers were erected. In order to more reliably strengthen the eastern part of the Kremlin, the Spasskaya Tower was built. This tower has a characteristic, memorable silhouette and serves as the calling card of the Moscow Kremlin. The tower was named after two icons: the Savior of Smolensk and the Savior Not Made by Hands. The Spassky entrance to the Kremlin was considered a holy gate. At the same time, the Nikolskaya Tower was built. Between Spasskaya and Nikolskaya, another one grew - a blank tower, which later became known as the Senate. By the end of the 15th century, the Corner and Middle Arsenal towers were built, as well as the tallest tower in the Kremlin - Trinity. In order to secure the approaches to the Trinity Tower. The Kutafya Tower is being built, and along the Neglinnaya River - the Commandant and Armory towers. The very last tower in the Kremlin appeared in 1680 - this is the Tsar's Tower.

Externally, the Kremlin fence began to resemble the Sforza Castle in Milan or the Scaliger Castle in Verona. Unlike these European castles, the Moscow Kremlin was intended not only to protect its masters and rulers. The Kremlin in Moscow, fortified in accordance with the latest achievements of fortification science of that time, was both a fortress that protected all residents of Moscow, and the spiritual center of the city and all of Rus'. Thus, the Kremlin began to be perceived by all Russian people as the center of state holiness. After all, it is on its territory that the most revered monasteries, temples, and Orthodox shrines are located.

The Kremlin during the reign of Ivan the Terrible

In the Assumption Cathedral, in 1547, the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan IV (the Terrible) was proclaimed the first Russian autocrat. Metropolitan Macarius, the head of the Russian church, placed the Monomakh cap on his head and officially declared him tsar. After this event, ceremonial moments in the life of the ruler of the Russian state began to acquire special significance. In order to give more authority to the Moscow kingdom and justify its chosenness, they began to canonize various Russian historical figures and ascetics in large numbers, which gave rise to the idea of ​​decorating the walls of cathedrals in the Kremlin with monumental paintings.

After the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates were conquered as a result of military campaigns, the authority of the Russian state and its ruler increased even more. The construction of the Cathedral of the Intercession of Our Lady, also known as St. Basil's Cathedral, was dedicated to these significant events. The cathedral was built during 1555-1562. outside the Kremlin - this emphasized its special significance. It was in this place, not far from the Spassky Gate, that a new center of Moscow public life gradually took shape - Red Square.

The return of the ancient Russian city of Polotsk during the Livonian War gave impetus to a number of architectural transformations on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. Ivan the Terrible gave the order to rebuild the Church of the Annunciation, which was his home church. In 1563-1566. four small churches (chapels) were built above the galleries of the Cathedral of the Annunciation.

Also, the period of Ivan the Terrible's reign was marked by the appearance of orders - governing bodies - in the Kremlin. The buildings of the orders were located in the Kremlin on Ivanovskaya Square, which turned into the business and administrative center of Moscow at that time. The most important and important of the orders was considered the Ambassador's, who monitored the observance of ambassadorial ceremonies and was also in charge of foreign policy issues of the Russian state.

Transformations of the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin during the formation of the Romanov dynasty

At the end of the 19th century, or more precisely, in 1586, during the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, the legendary Tsar Cannon was cast in bronze at the Cannon Yard, which is the largest howitzer ever cast, and which for this reason in our time was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Visitors to the Kremlin today can admire this monument of artillery foundry craftsmanship.

The following changes in the architecture of the Kremlin were made during the short reign of Boris Godunov, as evidenced by the earliest plans of Moscow and the Kremlin, for example, the document "Kremlinagrad", dating from 1600.

As a result of the Great Troubles, which occurred after the death of Boris Godunov, a long struggle for power began, which led to the enslavement of Moscow by the Poles. When in 1612 the people's militia under the leadership of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and the merchant Kuzma Minin liberated Moscow, a sad picture appeared before the liberators who entered the Kremlin: wooden buildings were dismantled or burned, the treasury was looted, churches were emptied and desecrated.

Already at the beginning of 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected young Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, who at that time was 16 years old, to the throne. It was he who became the founder of the new royal dynasty, which ruled Russia for three hundred years. This event somewhat later also influenced the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin. In 1635-1636. Russian architects Bazhen Ogurtsov, Antip Konstantinov, Trefil Sharutin and Larion Ushakov built the Terem Palace for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, which became a new decoration of the Kremlin.

Many significant events in the life of the capital, as well as changes in rulers and people close to them, entailed changes in the appearance of the Kremlin. Thus, during the reign of Alexei Nikolaevich, the son of Mikhail Romanov, Patriarch Nikon, in 1652-1656, rebuilt the patriarchal palace, which was located on the territory of the Kremlin. The reconstruction of the palace was carried out by Russian masters Ivan Semenov and Alexey Korolkov. As a result of the transformations, a luxurious Cross Chamber appeared in the palace.

Due to the growth and complexity of the apparatus of state power during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, a new building of orders was built. It was two-story, began at the Archangel Cathedral and reached almost to the Spasskaya Tower. During these same years, new buildings of the Chudov Monastery grew on the opposite side of Ivanovskaya Square, harmoniously complementing the appearance of the Kremlin from the side of the Moscow River.

Architectural transformations of the Kremlin in the 18th century

At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Moscow Kremlin experienced its period of greatest prosperity. But in the very first year of the new century, the Kremlin suffered from a large fire, and instead of the burned out part (the gap between the Trinity and Dog Towers), by order of Tsar Peter I, the construction of the Arsenal (Tseichhaus) was started and the walls of the Kremlin were strengthened. These transformations were carried out due to the fact that the Northern War was going on and Charles XII was going to attack Moscow. The Arsenal was finally completed in 1736 under Empress Anna Ioannovna.

After the capital of Russia was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg in 1712 by decree of Tsar Peter the Great, the Assumption Cathedral still continued to be the main temple of the state. It was in the Assumption Church that the highest state power was consecrated, but for the way of life that modern conditions dictated, the Kremlin was no longer suitable, and they began to rebuild it. The ancient boyar chambers and monasteries began to be replaced with new palaces.

Among others, the chambers of the Sovereign's Court, built in the 15th century, were dismantled, and in their place, according to the design of the architect Rastrelli, the stone Winter Palace in the Baroque style was built. One side of the palace overlooked the Moscow River, and the other looked at Cathedral Square.

Another outstanding monument of Russian foundry art, which is still located on the territory of the Kremlin, is the Tsar Bell. This giant bell was cast at the Cannon Yard in 1733-1735 by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna. The bell never had to serve its intended purpose. During the Trinity fire, which engulfed the Kremlin in 1737, when extinguishing the wooden structures in which the bell was located, water got on it, and a significant fragment broke off from it due to the temperature difference (the weight of the fragment was 11.5 tons, and the total mass of the bell was approximately 200 tons). For about a hundred years, the bell remained in the foundry pit, and in 1836 it was raised and installed on a pedestal.

The development of the Kremlin was not always rational and justified. In 1756-1764. on the site where the ancient State Court was once located (between the Annunciation and Archangel Cathedrals), according to the design of the architect Ukhtomsky, the building of the Armory Chamber gallery was built, in which the treasures of the royal treasury were supposed to be stored. But a few years later, it was planned to carry out a large-scale reconstruction of the Kremlin according to Bazhenov’s design, and the building of the Armory Chamber, along with many ancient buildings, was demolished. As a result of this, the southeastern part of Borovitsky Hill was exposed, which was no longer built up.

Architect M. F. Kazakov played an important role in changing the appearance of the Moscow Kremlin. Under his leadership, the Bishop's House was built. In addition, according to Kazakov’s idea, all transformations were to carefully preserve historical monuments. One of Kazakov’s famous architectural creations is the Senate building, erected in 1776-1787. It was inscribed in the space between the Chudov Monastery and Nikolskaya Street. The Senate building was built in the form of an isosceles triangle, inside of which there was a courtyard. The building was located opposite the Arsenal and completed the architectural ensemble of Senate Square.

In 1806, Alexander I issued a decree “On the rules for managing and preserving in order and integrity the antiquities located in the Workshop and the Armory,” and on the site of the Tsareborisov Courtyard and the Trinity Compound, it was decided to build a museum building in which all the valuables would be preserved. The design of the building was developed by the architect Egotov, construction continued from 1806 to 1810. As a result of the project, not only a new building appeared in the Kremlin, but also a small square between the Trinity Tower and the Arsenal, which was called Trinity.

The Kremlin during the Patriotic War of 1812 and beyond

The Patriotic War of 1812 disrupted plans for further restructuring of the Kremlin. During the stay of Napoleonic army in Moscow, the Kremlin, like the whole of Moscow, suffered greatly from fires and looting. The Vodovzvodnaya, 1st Bezymyannaya, and Petrovskaya towers were blown up, the tent of the Borovitskaya Tower was in a dilapidated state, and almost nothing remained of the Nikolskaya Tower.

Destroyed but unconquered Moscow stirred up the most sincere patriotic feelings in people, which were embodied in the desire to revive the city in its former beauty and grandeur. The most famous architects of Russia began to restore the Kremlin. The blown-up towers and walls of the Kremlin, the Arsenal, the Assumption Bell Tower and many other buildings were rebuilt.

On the site of the Winter Palace, by order of Emperor Nicholas I in 1838-1851. A palace complex in the “Russian style” was built on the territory of the Kremlin. The complex included the Grand Kremlin Palace, the new building of the Armory Chamber, and Apartments. The construction was headed by architect K.A. A tone that managed to organically combine new buildings and preserved ancient architectural monuments. For the first time, restoration of architectural monuments of the 15-17 centuries was carried out. The complex of new buildings created a unique ensemble of Palace Square. The square was open from the Moskva River and smoothly turned into Borovitskaya Street.

The space of Cathedral Square has remained open since the demolition of the buildings of the orders. Troop reviews were held here in the 19th century, and the square was called the Dragoon Parade Ground. In 1989, a monument to Alexander II was inaugurated in this place, which was a complex architectural structure and played the role of a volumetric accent of this section of the Kremlin.

The Kremlin is a historical, cultural and architectural monument

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Moscow Kremlin was increasingly perceived as a historical, cultural and architectural monument. Treasures from the Armory Chamber and the Patriarchal Sacristy were often demonstrated at various all-Russian and international exhibitions; in 1912, it was decided to transfer the Arsenal to the disposal of the committee for the creation of the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812. The Armory Chamber was already a palace imperial museum in the 19th century, and its history began much earlier. The first mention of the Armory Order dates back to 1547 - then weapons were stored here. The Armory was then called the great treasury, and its current name appeared in the 1560s. The museum displays unique historical exhibits, such as Monomakh's Cap, thrones of Russian emperors, ancient precious fabrics, weapons and much more.

In 1913, all of Russia solemnly celebrated the three-hundredth anniversary of the liberation of Moscow and the three-hundredth anniversary of the House of Romanov. In honor of this double date, a grandiose exhibition of ancient monuments was organized in the Kremlin, which were collected from many parts of Russia. The exhibition was such a success that it was decided to turn the entire Kremlin into an “Acropolis of Arts and Antiquities,” but the events of the First World War and then the October Revolution of 1917 took the history of the Kremlin in a completely different direction.

In March 1918, the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic moved from Petrograd to Moscow and settled in the Kremlin, which became the seat of the highest bodies of state power and the residence of some of its leaders. In particular, in the Senate premises there was V.I.’s office-apartment. Lenin, and then I.V. Stalin. Thus, the Kremlin was closed to free visitors.

Active anti-religious propaganda propagated by the Soviet government in the 30s of the 20th century led to enormous and irreparable damage to many monasteries and churches throughout the country. The Moscow Kremlin also did not escape this sad fate. Here, in 1929, the ancient Orthodox shrines - the Chudov and Ascension Monasteries - were destroyed, and in their place a Military School building grew up.

The eagles that crowned the Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya and Trinity towers were removed in 1935. Instead of eagles, luminous ruby ​​stars ranging in size from 3 to 3.75 meters were installed on these four towers and on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower.

During the Great Patriotic War, the main valuables were removed from the Kremlin, and the architectural complex, fortunately, was practically undamaged. Already in 1955, the Moscow Kremlin was open for inspection; Soviet citizens and foreigners had the opportunity to get acquainted with the exhibits of the Armory Chamber and the ancient Kremlin churches.

In 1961, next to the Trinity Gate, in the place where the building of the first Armory Chamber once stood, the Palace of Congresses was built, which hosted large-scale government and state events, as well as congresses of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

In the period from 1970 to 1980, large-scale repair and restoration work was carried out on the territory of the Kremlin. And in 1990, the Moscow Kremlin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. All museums that were located in the Kremlin were united into the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Moscow Kremlin", which includes: the Armory Chamber, the Assumption, Archangel, and Annunciation Cathedrals, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the Museum of Applied Arts and Life of Russia of the 17th Century, as well as architectural ensemble of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower.

After the USSR ceased to exist in 1991, Moscow became the capital of Russia, and the Kremlin became the residence of the President of Russia.

For the 850th anniversary, which Moscow celebrated in 1997, the Moscow Kremlin was restored again. During the work, the Red Porch of the Faceted Chamber was restored, the Senate building was restored, and much more. Nowadays, on major Orthodox holidays, ceremonial services are held in the Kremlin cathedrals, and excursions are conducted around the Kremlin territory.

The area of ​​the Kremlin in Moscow today is 27.5 hectares, the total length of the Kremlin walls is 2,235 meters. In total, the Kremlin has 20 towers, the height of the towers is up to 80 meters. The height of the Kremlin walls varies from 5 to 15 meters, and thickness - from 3.5 to 6.5 meters.

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