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From time immemorial, the palaces of Russian autocrats were distinguished by their luxury and splendor of decoration, and the abundance of gold in the decoration of the museum. The Great Kremlin Palace of the architect Konstantin Andreevich Ton, built in 1849 as the Moscow residence of Emperor Nicholas I, worthily continued this tradition. The ancient palace chambers included in its composition - Faceted from the 15th century, Golden Tsaritsyna from the 16th century, Terema from the 17th century - with their figurative structure seemed to predetermine the appeal to gold in the architectural and decorative solutions of the new palace.

The Faceted Chamber (1487-1491) was formerly called the Great Golden Chamber, since the wall paintings covering the walls and vaults were made on a golden background. Sunny yellow gold leaf glows on the carved white stone portals of the chamber and the Holy Entrance, adjacent to it. The Faceted Chamber - the throne room of Russian sovereigns - was intended for official and ceremonial ceremonies. The ceremonial reception hall of the Russian queens also shone with gold. It is no coincidence that from the end of the 16th century. the name of the Golden Tsarina Chamber was established behind it.

The decoration of the “very wonderful chambers” - the Terem Palace, built for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov is luxurious. The craftsmen used almost all known materials, graphic motifs and, of course, gold. The golden lattice on the Verkhospasskaya site, the Golden porch on the front stone courtyard, the golden “grass” patterns and heraldic coat of arms on the walls of the royal office in the towers, the gold of carved wooden iconostases in the tower churches and the radiant shine of 11 golden domes with beautiful openwork crosses.

Ancient royal palaces always represented a complex of various multifaceted buildings. Following tradition, K. Thon created a new architectural ensemble as well as a group of buildings - compact and convenient. The key link in connecting the surviving old chambers with the new palace was the Vladimir Hall, erected on the site of the open Boyar site.

The Grand Kremlin Palace fully lives up to its name. It has about 700 different rooms. The length of the main, southern facade, facing the Moscow River, is 125 m, the height of the building is 40 m. On the second floor of the palace there are the main ceremonial halls, dedicated to the most important order awards of Russia and given their names in their honor - Andreevsky, Alexandrovsky, Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Ekaterininsky. The decor of each room uses images of the order’s sign, its star with its motto, and takes into account the colors of the order’s ribbons.

St. Andrew's Hall is the main throne room of the palace. Before the eyes of those entering, it appeared dazzlingly luxurious, replete with sophisticated stucco molding and gold, in the shimmer of polished white artificial marble, in the azure backgrounds (blue is the color of the order ribbon), in the solemn elegance of the decor of coats of arms and order emblems. The fate of the hall is dramatic. In 1932-1934. it, together with the neighboring Alexander Hall, dedicated to the Order of Alexander Nevsky, was completely rebuilt and transformed into a single meeting room of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. As a result, the halls lost their architectural and decorative decoration.

In 1999, the St. Andrew's and Alexander Halls were recreated according to drawings, measurements, sketches and watercolors of the 19th century. and regained their original appearance. Now you can fully follow the description of these magnificent halls from the book by Sergei Petrovich Bartenev “The Grand Kremlin Palace. Index to its review” 1911: “The Alexander Hall with pink marble walls, all sparkling with gold, was built in honor of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky ... In the golden bas-reliefs of the dome and arches there are signs of the order; in the corners of the dome and above the doors there are state eagles with an imperial crown. Between the twisted gilded columns there are the coats of arms of the provinces and regions of Russia. On the sides of the doors and between the windows there are gilded fittings consisting of ancient ones. weapons of the Slavs... the shimmer of gilding in the ornaments and everywhere create “an almost barbaric abundance of brilliance.”

The antechamber of the Grand Kremlin Palace, to which the main staircase leads, precedes the entrance to the largest hall, “Georgievsky.” It is dedicated to the highest military award of pre-revolutionary Russia, the Order of St. George, established by Catherine II in 1769. The architectural appearance and decorative design of the hall reflect the idea of glorifying military heroism and feat. The enormous dimensions (17.5x61x20.5 m), the noble whiteness of the walls and vault, and the gold of the lamps create an atmosphere of solemn grandeur. The memorial character of the hall is emphasized by the repeated repetition of images of the St. George Cross and a star with the motto “For Service and Bravery”, the names of distinguished military units and the names of St. George cavaliers carved in gold.

The unique originality of the front hall is given by marble sculptures placed above the twisted columns along the long walls. These statues allegorically depict the lands and kingdoms that became part of Russia from the 15th to the 19th centuries. They were created by the famous Russian sculptor Ivan Petrovich Vitali.

The abundance of molded, carved and sculptural decorations, the wealth of gilded bronze in amazing chandeliers and large mantel clocks, the multicolored precious inlaid parquet flooring, made according to the design of academician Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev from more than 20 rare types of wood, enhance the impression of solemnity and grandeur.

Next to Georgievsky there is a relatively small Vladimirsky Hall. Square (16x16 m), with cut corners, it is covered with a 16-sided dome, densely decorated with gilded ornamental stucco, floral patterns, and order insignia (a cross and a star with the motto “Benefit. Honor. Glory”). The dome of the Vladimir Hall is also interesting as an example of a successful design solution. To lighten the weight and improve the acoustic properties, it is made of hollow ceramic pots. This technique was known to Russian architects back in the 12th century.

The Catherine Hall of the palace is named after the Order of St. Catherine, established by Peter I in 1714. The only women's order in the statute of Russian awards was in the form of a cross with an oval gold medallion and an enamel image of St. Catherine. The walls of the hall are covered with light silver moire and decorated with large decorative medallions of the order. The rich carved ornament of the richly gilded doors also includes order insignia. The Catherine Hall was the throne room of the empresses. Behind it are the rooms of the Front half of the palace.

The formal living room is a luxuriously furnished room with a high vaulted ceiling painted with floral designs. The walls are covered with green and gold patterned brocade. Upholstered gilded furniture is covered with the same brocade. A porcelain flower bed floor lamp (for 66 arms) with vases for fresh flowers and two candelabra in Japanese and Chinese styles play an important role in the decoration of the living room. They were made at the famous Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg. The undoubted attraction of the Main Living Room are the tall mirrored doors made of rosewood, skillfully inlaid with bronze, tortoiseshell, and mother-of-pearl.

The front half is closed by the front bedroom. It is designed as a classic palace bedroom with the obligatory alcove, highlighted by two monolithic columns of gray-green marble with gilded Corinthian capitals. The walls of the room are divided by pilasters, trimmed with the same marble. The simple-shaped fireplace is lined with jasper of a deep dark green color with a rare smoky blue tint. Like all palace fireplaces, it is decorated with elegant gilded bronze candelabra and a clock.

The personal apartments of the imperial family - the Own Half - are no less rich than the ceremonial premises. Living rooms are located on the ground floor. They are stretched along the main facade and form a strict palace suite with windows facing the south. There are seven rooms: Dining Room, Reception (Living Room) of the Empress, Study of the Empress, Boudoir, Bedroom, Study and Reception of the Emperor. The large, high-ceilinged rooms are furnished with custom-made furniture and decorated with magnificent gilded bronze, crystal and porcelain.

The interiors of the Own Half clearly reflect a characteristic feature of the architecture of the Grand Kremlin Palace - its stylistic diversity. The cool stylization of the Dining Room with polished light marble walls, marble crater vases, sculpture and floor lamps in imitation of ancient Roman ones contrasts with the coziness inherent in the Living Room. Soft combinations of white, pink and blue with gold, complicated wavy contours of gilded furniture, elegance and liveliness of stucco and painted floral patterns on the vaults and ceiling, fragile grace of the porcelain filling the room - flower vases, floor lamps, candelabra - are characteristic elements of the Rococo style. An incredibly beautiful chandelier with numerous porcelain flowers, sculpted by hand: with their shape and color, they seem to challenge nature itself.

Behind the Cabinet is the Boudoir. There was no attempt to follow any historical style in its design. The room was furnished and decorated in the spirit of its time. The upholstery of the walls and cozy “quilted” comfortable furniture is dominated by a subtle color combination of pink with light gray-green and silver-ash. The main decoration of the Boudoir is the fireplace, lined with bright Ural malachite. Small plates of malachite are so skillfully matched in color and pattern that the fireplace seems carved from a monolith. Famous Russian stone-cutters created a special style of mosaic work with malachite, successfully overcoming the difficulties of finishing any rounded surfaces and bent profiles.

Its own half of the Grand Kremlin Palace is a wonderful museum of Russian palace residential interior, which has preserved its appearance almost unchanged since the 40s. XIX century The originality of this interior lies in the combination of traditional and new, in the desire to balance the beautiful and the useful. Although it is obvious that the high concept of beauty is sometimes replaced by a more earthly concept of luxury and wealth.

Notes

“The chamber was covered with pure gold, decorated with many sculptures of birds and animals made of precious metals. The chamber was illuminated by a chandelier in the form of a lion holding in its mouth... a snake with gold lamps suspended from it.”

Arseny Elassonsky about the Tsarina's Chamber

"...I was received by the king and kissed his hand. He sat on a dais on a beautiful throne, having a richly decorated crown on his head and a golden staff in his hand; he was dressed in golden clothes, decorated with precious stones... Then they sat around the king his nobles, richly dressed in gold and precious stones."

Anthony Jenkinson, representative of the Moscow Company society,
about the reception with Tsar Ivan the Terrible (1557)

Russian orders were almost always made of gold. The first Russian order - St. Andrew the First-Called - was established in 1698 by Peter I. Until 1917, it remained the highest award and was restored in 1998 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation. In terms of seniority, it was followed by the Order of St. Prince Vladimir, 1st degree (established by Catherine II in 1782) and the Order of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky (legitimized by Catherine I in 1725). The orders were made by masters of the Moscow Armory Chamber, and later by jewelers of St. Petersburg.

The most revered Russian award was the military order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, 4 degrees. It was given only to officers for special merits in wartime, and even the lowest, 4th degree, granted the recipient the rights of hereditary nobility and elevated him to a privileged class. Only Field Marshals M.B. Barclay de Tolly, M.I. Kutuzov, I.F. Paskevich and I.I. Dibich were full holders of the order. To reward lower ranks, the manifesto of February 13, 1807 introduced the Insignia of the Military Order and the Medal “For Bravery,” which from 1913 began to be called the St. George Cross and the St. George Medal. They were minted from silver and only for a short time - crosses of the 1st and 2nd degrees and medals - from gold.

The reason for the establishment of the Order of St. Catherine was the unsuccessful Prut campaign of Peter I against the Turks. The tsar was saved from imminent captivity by diplomatic negotiations and the jewelry of his wife Catherine I, which was used to bribe the Turkish commander-in-chief.

All textiles for the palace were made at the Moscow factory of G. Sapozhnikov. These fabrics were considered the best not only in Russia, but were also valued abroad. Porcelain was supplied by the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg, and furniture was supplied mainly by St. Petersburg firms Gumbs and Tours.

ROYAL CHAMBERS

In Rus', rich royal and boyar mansions were called chambers, and this name stuck for a long time and was firmly established in the 16th century. not only behind the royal chambers, but also behind the royal production workshops.

In the Terem Royal Palace the names remained forever: the Faceted Chamber and the Golden Chamber, and the small royal chamber rooms were often, judging by the chronicle materials, called the sovereign's chambers.

These unique ancient Russian buildings miraculously survived centuries and have survived to this day, that is, until the 3rd millennium.

During the time of Ivan IV, receptions of foreign ambassadors took place in the Faceted Chamber.

Under Ivan the Terrible, a special ambassadorial ceremony was established, which, with minor changes, existed in Russia until the end of the 17th century. The English envoy Chancellor wrote the following about this ceremony: “... the king sat on an elevated throne in a golden diadem and the richest porphyry, burning with gold. In his right hand he held a golden scepter studded with precious stones. The king was surrounded by nobles in the richest clothes... Such a blaze of splendor could blind anyone.”

The ambassador of the German Emperor Hans Cobenzel, who visited Moscow in 1576, gives a vivid description of the luxurious clothes of the Russian Tsar: “... he was wearing a royal robe and a diadem... which cannot be compared with the crowns of kings... Spanish and French or the Grand Duke of Tuscany... and even the crown of Caesar himself and the crown of the Hungarian and Bohemian cannot compare with it ... "

Next to the Faceted Chamber, another ancient palace chamber has been preserved.

It was first mentioned in documents at the end of the 16th century. and is called the Golden Chamber of Tsarina Irina, the wife of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. It is not as majestic and spacious as the Chamber of Facets: its area is smaller and the ceilings are lower.

The Golden Tsarina's Chamber at the end of the 16th century. was decorated with magnificent subject painting. The first description of the interior of the chamber was given by Bishop Arseny in 1589. Colored images in gold on the walls shone wonderfully, countless precious stones in icon frames flashed with thousands of colored sparks, and a huge Persian carpet woven in silk and gold shimmered under the feet of the guests. On the window sills, in the niches of the walls on the shelves, countless figured vessels were cast in silver.

Closely adjacent to the Golden Chamber is the Residential Chamber - a passage vestibule. In the old days, the chamber served as the premises of the palace guard of the younger rank of nobles, the so-called tenants, and therefore received the name Zhilitskaya.

An ancient stone portal and carved window casing from the 17th century. exit to the Vladimir Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Outside the Grand Palace, the Patriarchal Chambers still stand to this day.

In 1589, in connection with the establishment of the patriarchate in Rus', the courtyard of the metropolitan with its chambers became the courtyard of the patriarch, in which only the gate church in the name of the Three Saints of Moscow was erected.

In 1643, Patriarch Joseph significantly renovated the Patriarchal Court, where a whole building with chambers was rebuilt: Golden, Krestovaya (now Mirovarnaya), cell and state chambers. But already in 1655, Patriarch Nikon built the Patriarchal Chambers. The house has an original design regarding the number of floors: in some parts it has four floors, in others three or even two. The Patriarchal Synodal Library, founded when the metropolis was transferred to Moscow, i.e. in the 14th century, was also located here. The library collected many ancient books and manuscripts in Greek and Slavic languages. *

The Armory Chamber is also located outside the palace.

The Great Treasury - as the Armory Chamber was called in the old days - has for a long time kept many treasures that belonged to Russian princes and tsars. The court of the kings was famous for its wealth, both inherited and acquired through the conquest of various regions. And although many objects and valuables disappeared during fires and enemy invasions, the treasury increased due to the receipt of gifts from foreign sovereigns.

Precious items could no longer be placed in the Great Treasury, and they were stored in the Bronny and Konyushenny orders and in the Reserve Palace.

Under Peter I, the management of the Armory Chamber was subordinated to the Senate. Under Alexander I, in 1806, a special building was erected for this chamber by the architect Egotov, but it was without ovens, where the most valuable exhibits could not be properly preserved. In 1849, Emperor Nicholas I ordered the construction of a new building. The building of the Armory Chamber was built by the architect Beauvais in a very short time, and already in 1851 the chamber became a state museum - a repository.

This is a one-of-a-kind museum, rich in rare objects not only of ancient Russian, but also of Western and Eastern art. For centuries, the museum kept the royal regalia with which all Russian tsars and emperors were crowned for three centuries.

Since the Middle Ages, the name “Chamber” has been firmly attached not only to the royal chambers, but also to the royal production workshops.

There were the Golden and Silver Chambers, where skilled craftsmen made the rarest items for royal use.

One of the Kremlin workshops was called the Bed Chamber, and it was located in the women's half of the Terem Palace under the queen's mansion.

She was in charge of storing and manufacturing royal bed decorations and clothes for members of the royal family: fur coats, caftans, zipuns, hats, boots, etc.

In addition, about 100 skilled craftswomen, goldsmiths and seamstresses worked in Tsarina’s workshop and chambers.

They wove luxurious lace, embroidered royal clothes with gold and silver, as well as pearl trim.

So, from the end of the 14th century. The Armory Chamber becomes the treasury of Moscow princes and queens. It was mentioned in the spiritual letters of Ivan Kalita, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan III, Ivan the Terrible and many other kings...

The building of the Ambassadorial Chamber was built from stone structures in the Kremlin outside the palace in 1565, but the Ambassadorial Chamber was rebuilt several times in the 17th century. was moved to Varvarka Street - this is the only ancient building of the “Ministry” of Foreign Affairs that has survived to this day.

In the old days there was a Sytnoy Dvor in the Kremlin, which was located in the basement of the Terem Palace. The chambers that were part of it had very figurative names: Klyushnaya, Kazennaya, Vodochnaya, Svechnaya, Voskoboynaya, Medvennaya, Sytnaya, where they “lowered the beating”, poured molasses on apples, salted and soaked vegetables and fruits, prepared jams and pickles...

Here there were huge deep “drinking” cellars, camp cellars, with “March beers”. Above the Sytnaya Chamber, as we have already said, Tsarina’s workshops were located. Below the workshops were the chambers of the royal family. In one of the back rooms on the same floor in the 17th century. The king's personal bathhouse, a soapbox, was set up. Water was supplied to the soap box by a water-lifting machine installed in the Kremlin tower closest to the Moscow River, which has since long been called Vodovzvodnaya.

Thus, by the beginning of the 17th century. The Kremlin was significantly built up with royal and state chambers.

Among them we must also include a considerable number of stone boyar and saintly chambers, which were built continuously during the 16th century. and especially intensely towards the end of it, introducing more and more new motives into construction practice.

It is interesting to note that all the royal chambers were located on basements and connected to each other through open passages - terraces with open staircases at each, overlooking Cathedral Square.

The Tsar had the opportunity, bypassing Cathedral Square, to go from the Terem Palace to the Church of the Deposition of the Robe and to the courtyard of the Patriarch; there was also a passage from the palace to the Annunciation Cathedral.

All these royal chambers constituted a single magnificent architectural ensemble of Ancient Rus'.

From the book Europe in the Age of Imperialism 1871-1919. author Tarle Evgeniy Viktorovich

4. Reform of the House of Lords There were 606 members in the House of Lords in 1909, when this violent conflict with the government arose, of which less than 90 were on the side of the liberal cabinet, the rest were conservatives. Moreover, among the conservatives it was most abundantly represented

From the book The Spanish Inquisition by Holt Victoria

7. Victims of the Holy Chamber People suspected of heresy were taken to a special cell in the building of the Inquisition. This building was officially called “Casa Santa”, i.e. the Holy Chamber. Two pieces of evidence were enough to convict them, unless they were too contradictory.

From the book Mysteries of Old Persia author

From the book Army of Alexander the Great author Sekunda Nick

"The King's Children" Even in the time of Philip, the children of the Macedonian nobility were sent to the king's court and made "the king's children" (basilikoi paides). At court, these teenagers continued their education while serving as hostages to the loyalty of their relatives. If any of the Macedonians

From the book Potion for the Emperor. English espionage in Russia in the 16th century author Taimasova Lyudmila Yulianovna

Tsar's doctors The practice of inviting foreign doctors to serve at the Grand Duke's court was introduced during the reign of Ivan III. Chronicles report the German Anton and the Venetian Jew Leon. Grand Duke Vasily III entrusted his health to Nicholas who came from Rome

author Olmsted Albert

Royal Archives To our surprise, not a single tablet from the archives of Persepolis is written in the Persian cuneiform script used in composing royal inscriptions. From this unusual fact we can only conclude that Persian writing was artificial.

From the book History of the Persian Empire author Olmsted Albert

Royal inscriptions The construction of a magnificent apadana was completed in Susa. Darius now proposed to build another apadana in his new capital, this time in more durable stone, which would allow true Persian art to be developed to a greater extent. On

From the book Mysteries of Old Persia author Nepomnyashchiy Nikolai Nikolaevich

Royal Tombs Closely connected with Persepolis is Naqsh-i Rustam, an area whose ancient Persian name is unknown. Here, in the rock, at a distance of 9 km from Persepolis, the tombs of four kings from the Achaemenid dynasty are carved. If you are facing the rock, they are located on the left

From the book Egypt of Ramesses by Monte Pierre

V. Royal rewards One courtier defined Pharaoh this way: “He is the one who multiplies goodness, who knows how to give. He is a god, the king of the gods. He knows everyone who knows him. He rewards those who serve him. He protects his supporters. This is Ra, whose visible body is the solar disk and who

From the book Daily Life of Moscow Sovereigns in the 17th Century author Chernaya Lyudmila Alekseevna

From the book St. Petersburg excursion. Recommendations for conducting excursions author Shishkov Sergey Ivanovich

Wedding chambers Name of the object. Second Winter Palace of Peter I. Route. Walk along the Winter Canal embankment towards the Neva. Stop at the site. Stop in the middle of the embankment. Display elements. Show the side facade of house No. 33 from the Winter side

From the book Gogol in Moscow author Moleva Nina Mikhailovna

Chambers on Mamstrukovaya Street Mamstruk is the popular name of the first chief of the oprichnina, brother of the second wife of Ivan the Terrible, “from Cherkassy girl” Marya Temryukovna. One of the oldest Moscow boyar courtyards, preserved to this day in its original parameters and basic

From the book Treasures and Relics of the Romanov Era author Nikolaev Nikolay Nikolaevich

3. Treasures of the Armory Chamber The Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin is the oldest museum in our country. It is located near the Borovitsky Gate, on the site of the former Zhitny and Konyushenny courtyards. Creation of the Armory Chamber as a treasury of the Moscow Grand Dukes

From the book Daily Life of Moscow Sovereigns in the 17th Century author Chernaya Lyudmila Alekseevna

“Seeing the Tsar's Eyes” One of the fundamental parts of the sovereign's rank was the reception of foreign embassies. Personifying the power, the sovereign met with representatives of other rulers. There was no way to lose face at this point. The smallest details should

From the book From the Neolithic to Glavlit author Blum Arlen Viktorovich

P. P. Potemkin “He was a prosecutor from the chamber...” He was a prosecutor from the chamber, She is the native seal. She dreamed of freedom, And he dreamed of catching a cross. And she turned pale with grief, The satyr’s enthusiasm faded... And she constantly dreams: “One Hundred and Third”, arrest,

From the book Holy Rus' author Talberg Nikolay Dmitrievich

Royal Chambers in Moscow Name day of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible. Honored by the Tsar and Metropolitan Macarius, Basil the Blessed, a holy fool for Christ's sake, is invited to the table. They treat him to drink, and he throws the contents of the cup out of the window three times, thereby provoking the wrath of Ivan the Terrible.

WARD, s, and.[latin. palatium]. 1. only plural Palace, magnificent building, original, ancient, stone (obsolete). Everyone on that island is rich, there are no pictures, there are chambers everywhere. Pushkin. Boyar chambers. Magnificently constructed chambers where they indulge in feasts and extravagance... Griboyedov. From the labors of the righteous one cannot make stone chambers. Proverb. 2. A large room, luxuriously decorated or intended for some purpose. special purposes (obsolete). Armory p. Granovitaya p. Tsar Saltan sits in the chamber on the throne and wearing a crown. Pushkin. 3. The room where patients lie in medical institutions. 4. The name of the highest legislative institutions, of which the Supreme Soviet of the USSR consists (new). The Supreme Soviet of the USSR consists of two chambers: the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities. Constitution of the USSR. Both chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR: the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities have equal rights. Constitution of the USSR. 5. The name of representative institutions in a number of bourgeois countries (political). Lower p.(assembly of representatives, which is the first legislative authority in these countries; parliament). Upper p.(estate-representative assembly, the highest legislative authority in relation to the lower house). The lower and upper houses in bourgeois countries are not equal. P. deputies(lower house of France). P. commons(lower house of England). P. Lords(upper house of England). 6. The name of certain government institutions (official and historical). P. weights and measures. Knizhnaya p.(an institution maintaining a bibliography of printed materials). Torgovaya village Kazhennaya village(see official). Judicial paragraph(an institution that was the highest court for district courts; pre-revolutionary). ◊

Uma ward who(colloquial) - very smart.

Chambers of the Romanov boyars in Zaryadye, Moscow melanyja wrote in March 10th, 2010

A visit to the chambers of the Romanov boyars took place during a walk around Kitay-Gorod

The stone chambers were built in the mid-16th century in the courtyard of Nikita Romanovich Yuryev, who in the 1540s. married Varvara Dmitrievna Khovrina (d. 1555) and received an estate at this time.
Nikita Romanovich - brother of the first wife of Tsar Ivan IV Anastasia, member of the Boyar Duma (1562), participant in the Kazan Campaign and the Livonian War, was part of the zemstvo government, participated in international negotiations, concluding peace with Poland, according to the will of Ivan the Terrible, one of the guardians of Tsar Fedor Ioannovich, however, fell ill that same year (was paralyzed), died in 1586 at the age of approximately 58, having taken monastic vows with the name Nifont.
From his second marriage to Princess Evdokia Alexandrovna Gorbatova-Shuiskaya (from 1555, d. 1581) he had a son, Fyodor Romanov, the future Patriarch Filaret and the father of Tsar Mikhail Romanov.

After the accession of the Romanovs, their court was transferred to the Znamensky Monastery, founded by Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in 1629. in 1857, the chambers were purchased by the treasury and a museum was organized in them. The restoration project for the chambers was prepared by architect F.F. Richter took the Terem Palace in the Kremlin as a model. in 1858, Emperor Alexander II attended a prayer service on the occasion of the founding of the museum. Some elements of ancient decoration were found, but the main interior design was made by masters of the 19th century - Moscow masters of merchants Butenin and Chelnokov, Stepanov, Solovyov, Birklund. Leather wallpaper from the 17th century was donated especially for the museum by Baron Smolin. Other individuals and collectors also contributed gifts. Interior items were purchased from monasteries, the personal belongings of the kings were allocated by the Armory Chamber.

The Museum of Boyar Life and the Romanov Dynasty was opened in 1859, the first caretaker was M. Kholin. Special celebrations took place in 1913 in honor of the 300th anniversary of the dynasty.
Since 1918, the museum has been under the jurisdiction of the People's Commissariat for Education; since 1923, the museum has reopened as the house of a 17th-century boyar. Personal belongings of the Romanovs were removed from the museum, the exhibition was reduced, the decoration was redone, but new items from private collections appeared. since 1926, thematic exhibitions (anti-religious, or “serf-boyar”) were organized on the top floor; in the 1930s. the exhibition was further reduced because “an emotional display of the culture of life of the ruling class can be harmful,” at the same time, the museum’s work was aimed at attracting foreign tourists.
During the war, the building was used by third parties; restoration was carried out only in 1951.
In connection with the construction of the Russia Hotel, the chambers were planned to be moved, but fortunately, this did not happen. In 1984-91. Scientific restoration was carried out taking into account the work of F.F. Richter, which has already been recognized as the first experience of scientific restoration in Russia. During the latest work (led by A. Veksler and A. Uspenskaya), many details of the 16th-17th centuries were restored, and valuable exhibits, including books, were transferred from the funds of the Historical Museum. At the same time, some premises were lost.

The exhibition begins with a model of the chambers and some information about the museum

Basement with 16th century masonry

“White Basement”, where the belongings of the owners of the chambers were stored

we go up to the middle floor

"Cross Chamber" - living room, the interior was recreated in the 19th century, but partially the decoration and objects are from the 17th century

cabinet of the late 17th century and a portrait of boyar T.N. Streshnev, a relative of the Romanovs

library, books published in the 17th century

stove tiles

boyar's office

copy of the Council Code of 1649

tiles

"eldest sons" room

also small exhibitions of household items in the hallways

On the top floor there is a room for the mistress of the house, combined with a nursery.

Svetelka - girls' room

Handicrafts and samples of medieval fabrics

Loom

In the 19th century, the museum also had a bedchamber, chapel, and kitchen. Now these interiors are gone, the kitchen is preserved in the museum annex (in the medieval Russian city the kitchen was separate from the living quarters).

museum yard

in the courtyard of a 17th-century tombstone from the time of the Znamensky Monastery.

Sources:
G.K. Shutskaya. E.A. Tregubova. Old house on Varvarka. Moscow, State Historical Museum, 2007
Biography of Nikita Yuryev

Church of the Intercession

According to archaeological discoveries of the 1990s, the Trinity Tent Church (now the Intercession Church) was erected in the 1510s, earlier than the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye (1529-1532), in Alexandrova Sloboda, which served as the palace temple of Grand Duke Vasily III. The church previously dated back to the 1570s.
Trinity Church is the first stone tented ancient Russian temple.

Trinity Church at the Sovereign's Courtyard in Alexandrova Sloboda. The first stone tented temple.

The Trinity Church corresponds to the type of tent-roofed church, close to the traditional one, with three apses, with a quadrangle completed by a horizontal thrust, with kokoshniks moved to the edge of the octagon.

The ancient core of the Trinity Church consists of the church itself, a double (with two rooms) white-stone basement and an altar chamber. Under the basement there are two deep cellars. Given the general extension of the building in the eastern direction, all its premises located on three floors, starting with the cellars, have a transverse orientation and a slightly elongated plan. The main façade of the building is southern, once facing the center of the palace of Vasily III (possibly towards the throne room).

The church and the chamber are a bizarre combination of two interpenetrating volumes of different heights and different configurations (the church is “top with a tent”, the chamber is of “low-lying” architecture). The somewhat “compressed” church quadrangle is placed on a high white stone plinth and topped with a white stone uncreped cornice of the original profile. The quadrangle and the tent are inlaid with brick recessed arks.

The Trinity Church is built of large brick and white stone on oak sedimentary and metal intra-wall and opening ties, on high-quality lime mortar. The masonry is mixed, from tier to tier the volume of white stone gradually decreases. In the third, church, tier, only the state chamber and three altar apses were laid out entirely of white stone (except for the vaults). In the decoration of the church and the chapel, brick already predominates. Only the plinths, blades and portals (not completely), the structural “covering” elements of the cornices and kokoshniks are made of white stone, and up to half the height of the walls in the interior are lined. Otherwise, the upper parts of the building are almost entirely brick.

The basically white stone, “flat” portals of the temple belong to the hand of a foreign artist. The southern and northern portals, as well as the portal of the aisle of Theodore Stratelates, are gabled; western - with a semi-circular top.
The tent is painted from the inside - this is the only, unique case of thematic painting of a temple tent. The frescoes depict Russian saints - princes and martyrs - and Old Testament paintings.

Painting the tent of the Church of the Intercession

Spacious, huge two-story stone royal chambers were closely adjacent to the temple, forming together with it a single complex with a dominant feature - a tented church. They were built around the same time as the oldest part of the temple. The chambers were divided into spacious rooms with vaults that did not communicate with each other - each had a separate entrance. Only two chambers in the eastern part of the lower tier have survived, but even from them one can judge the luxury and splendor of the entire building. Giant basements up to 3.5 meters high were dug under the chambers.

On the top floor there was a large chamber, apparently used for official receptions and celebrations. It was dismantled during the reconstruction of the temple - now part of its place is occupied by the refectory of the Church of the Intercession. Ancient engravings preserved views of the interiors of the chambers, in particular, the large state chamber where the throne of Ivan the Terrible stood.

According to historical and architectural studies of the 2000s, the architect of the Trinity Church was Aleviz Novy. The Italian architect built his churches in Rus' in the way he understood Russian architecture, and applied those general volumetric, compositional and decorative solutions that he saw around him, without abandoning his own creative search and the basic techniques of the Renaissance. In this regard, we can assume that the stone tent erected by Aleviz over the pump of the Trinity Church in Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda was built under the impression of the general height and “lancet” of Russian churches, including wooden ones. The latter, thanks to their huge number, shaped the general appearance of ancient Russian temple architecture to no less (if not more) extent than the few stone churches, especially since construction took place not in “white-stone” Moscow, but in the province - Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. The use of a tent instead of a dome in the Trinity Church may have been a deliberate introduction of “wood-making” motifs into stone architecture by Aleviz Novy in order to organically link the stone churches of Alexander Sloboda and the predominantly wooden (albeit with numerous stone chambers) palace of Vasily III into a single architectural ensemble. .

On December 3, 1564, Ivan the Terrible from Moscow went on a pilgrimage. By December 21, the royal cortege arrived at the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. After prayers and the traditional service, Ivan IV went not to Moscow, but to Alexandrov Sloboda.

During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the history of Russia was made at the Sovereign Court of Alexandrovskaya Sloboda for almost 20 years. In the struggle to strengthen statehood, Tsar Ivan IV resorted to the most extreme measures, which resulted in terror, and in 1565 he singled out a “special inheritance” from the entire state - the oprichnina, on which he established a special order. Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda became the center of the “special state” and, in fact, the capital of Russia. The Oprichnina Duma met here, the most important trade agreements were concluded, diplomatic receptions took place, and magnificent royal weddings took place.

Nevrev N.V. Oprichniki

The center of the city is Sovetskaya Square (popularly called simply Square), on which during the oprichnina the Ambassadorial Court of Ivan the Terrible, an ancient bazaar, and an official hut were located.

V. Zhuchenkov. Oprichniki. 1960s

“John IV was also called upon to become a Rodomysl. The terrible transphysical fate of Ivan the Terrible is rooted in the fact that certain properties of his nature made him easily accessible to unconscious spiritual substitutions, and unlimited power unbridled his emotions, corrupted his will, shattered his mind, caused irreparable damage to his etheric body and transformed the bends of his individual path, or rather the fall, into a chain of misfortunes for the super-people and into a catastrophe for the state.

To trace and reveal the inner side of this process, metahistorical and psychological, is the task of a special monograph. But anyone, even a non-specialist, who is interested in this topic, can easily trace how in John the influences of the demiurge of the superpeople and the militant demon of the great power were combined, now merging, now entering into conflict; how in 1564, during his strange flight from Moscow, first to Trinity, then to the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda, the Witzraor completely subordinated his personality to his tasks, and the terrible metamorphosis that took place in the creativity of the state, the state of mind and even in the appearance of the tsar, shocked his entourage . The oprichnina was established - that core of absolute tyranny, which, according to its creator, was supposed to organize in itself and around itself a young noble class, an obedient instrument of the new statehood. There can hardly be any doubt that the oprichnina was thought of as only the first stage on the path to transforming the entire country into a zone of absolute tyranny, at least at the cost of the extermination of entire classes and that rapid and terrifying decline in the general creative and moral level that accompanies any tyrannical social order.

This is how the strengthening of that structure in the demonic world, which is an inverted likeness of the Heavenly Kremlin and its transphysical pole, was reflected in our three-dimensional world; and which first shook itself in the mirror of history as a demonic caricature of the monastery - the Alexander Settlement, and then began to distort the Moscow Kremlin, desecrating it with dungeons, prisons, scaffoldings and godless orgies. It was the black citadel that was being built and strengthened in Drukkarg, it was the great igvas who created the blueprint of the Future, it was the raruggs who went on a rampage, tormented by the thirst for blood and spurred on by impunity; it was the unbridled forces of that underworld country, which was called upon to become, several centuries later, the focus of planetary forces seeking to wrest the entire circle of humanity from the influence of the World Salvaterra...

Thus, John IV is the clearest example of a not so rare type of tyrant in history, that is, a person called to extensive cultural and state activities by the demiurge of the super-people, who brilliantly entered this field and fell into the abyss of infraphysical layers from that steep slope on which her demon of statehood exalted. The activities of Ivan the Terrible prepared the era of the Great Time of Troubles - the only one of its kind. Her chronicles are illuminated by fantastic reflections of mass visions, supernatural interventions, and demonic invasions. If metahistorical contemplation has prepared us to understand such evidence as an expression of the mass mental experience of the superpeople, we will begin to read these historical events as if they were a code for the dark poem of the general clash of hierarchies at the beginning of the 17th century.
Daniil Andreev

Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda was not only the center of the political and economic life of Russia, but also its national culture. Under Ivan the Terrible, the Sovereign's Court was rebuilt, and structures that had no equal were created. By personal order of the Tsar, ancient temples are decorated with rare beautiful paintings glorifying the Moscow sovereigns and God's Chosen Russia.
Here the Tsar and his family stayed during the “Pestil” - a plague that swept through Moscow in 1568.
The best forces from the famous cultural centers of the country are attracted here - scribes, artists, printers, singers.

In 1569, the first printing house in Russia was transported here from Moscow. The disciples of the pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov, Andronik Timofeev (Nevezha) and Nikifor Tarasiev, printed the Psalter in it in 1578, repeating the first Russian textbook “Teaching Psalter” published in 1568 in Moscow. Subsequently, the printing house printed not only books, but also leaflets against Stefan Batory, which were distributed in “many German cities.”

“In memory of the first provincial printing house in Russia and the Moscow printer Andronik Nevezh. The stone was laid in the year of the 480th anniversary of the Alexander Kremlin.”

Famous composer of the 16th century. Fyodor Christian creates a school of ancient Russian singing at court.

One of the major cultural phenomena of the 16th century, the grandiose Front Chronicle, is also associated with Sloboda.

Palace chambers, cellars of the 16th century of Tsar Ivan the Terrible

The buildings of the royal residence in Alexandrovskaya Sloboda were clearly divided into three parts: living quarters, utility rooms and front rooms, intended for ceremonial gatherings and festive tables.

Cellars

Legends attribute untold riches to the underground storerooms of the Intercession Church and chambers. It is alleged that it was here that the mysteriously disappeared rich library of Ivan the Terrible was kept, which he inherited from his grandmother, Sophia Paleologue, and which contained many Greek books brought from her homeland.

In the 70s of the 16th century, the white-stone palaces of Alexandrova Sloboda hosted solemn events called in Rus' “sovereign joy” - royal weddings. The Sovereign of All Rus', Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, married here with his third chosen one, Martha Sobakina, in 1571, and in 1575, with Anna Vasilchikova, who became the tsar’s fifth wife.

Here in November 1571, the wedding of Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich with Avdotya Saburova (canonized) took place. The basement where the room for the newlyweds was located - the “bed hay room”. The eastern basement of the Church of the Intercession, made by Italian craftsmen of the early 4th century, with luxurious decorative decoration: a tray vault, elegant profiled imposts, a carved white stone rosette in the center of the vault, could serve as a wedding “bedroom”, especially since it was located under the sovereign’s home church.

"Bed sennik"

The royal marriage in Russia was given great importance as an event of national importance, because the queen was supposed to give birth to an heir to the throne, the future king. The bride was mainly valued for her beauty and health. In the 16th century, careful preparations were made for the royal wedding ceremony. This was preceded by correspondence about the choice of a bride.

After the wedding in the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Tsar and Tsarina walked to the festive table, seating all the guests “according to the list.” At the appointed time, the young people went “to bed.”
The bed chamber, usually cold, was arranged for one night, and its entire arrangement was imbued with the spirit of pagan ritual and Christian symbolism. From the inside, along the walls, the hay barn was lined with fabric, the floor was covered with carpets, and there were arrows stuck in the corners, on which each sable and roll of bread were hung. There were crosses hanging above the doors and above the windows, both inside and outside, and icons on the walls. The central place in the hay barn was occupied by a high carved bed under a canopy. The bed was made on 27 rye sheaves “according to custom” - as a symbol of fertility. A carpet was laid on the sheaves, and featherbeds covered with a satin sheet were placed on the carpet. At the heads lay a headboard and two pillows in silk “worm” (red) pillowcases. At my feet lay a warm fur blanket and carpet. A tub of millet was placed near the bed, which symbolized the abundance that was desired for the bride and groom. Two huge candles with hoops were placed in the tub (the weight of the candle ranged from 1 to 3 pounds. They were supposed to burn all night and protect the young from damage. Then the candles were connected and placed in the church.

The furniture in the hay barn included chairs for the king and queen, benches along the walls, and a table at which the young people ate. On a platter on the table lay a “kika” - a married woman’s headdress. The next morning, the newlyweds traditionally went to the bathhouse, and when they returned, they ate porridge from pots served by the friend and the matchmaker.

Yu. Pekurovsky. The Tsar and the Tsar's Bride. 2003

The weddings of Ivan IV and Tsarevich Ivan in Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda confirm the high political status that Sloboda occupied during the stay of the first Russian Tsar Ivan IV. Events of such importance, significance and solemnity took place in the 16th century only in the capital of the state - Moscow.

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend It.”
This Gospel saying most accurately conveys the centuries-old dispute surrounding the personality of the first Russian Tsar Ivan IV. In the atmosphere of the medieval Alexander Kremlin, the shadow of the great autocrat Ivan the Terrible, who lived in Alexandrova Sloboda for 17 years and turned it into the capital of the Russian state, is invisibly present. In the chambers of the Church of the Intercession, in the chambers of the great king, in the narrow passages and corridors, one can hear the tread of his steps, the blows of his staff, and his imperious voice.

Exhibition “Dining Chamber of the 16th century. in the palace buildings of Tsar Ivan IV"

The small dining room could serve for small receptions of the clergy, boyars, and foreign messengers. Here the sovereign could reward his associates with birthday cakes. The description of the internal “garbage” of the dining room has not been preserved. Known images of dining chambers in written sources made it possible to partially recreate the interior of the 16th-17th centuries.

The interior of the Dining Room of the Chamber is quite conventional. The “house outfit” of the 16th century had its own characteristics and was given great importance. The main role was played by all kinds of bedspreads, carpets, fabrics, curtains, which completely hid the walls, ceilings, floors, furniture and made the Chamber look like a box. The ceilings and walls in the stone Chambers were covered with expensive fabrics, cloth, leather, and covered with paintings. In medieval Russia there was no variety of colors. The most beloved and widespread was red and all its shades (crimson - red, worm - dark red, tausine - bluish-cherry). The floor was also covered with cloth, and on holidays - with carpets. The window was made of forged rods into which pieces of mica were inserted. They were made in the form of geometric shapes, and the edges were “lined” with cloth in the same way as a door. The furniture in the Dining Room of the Chamber was not numerous and did not differ in great variety. There were benches and tables along the walls. In the front corner, under the images, there was a table for the sovereign and an armchair. One or two tables were placed next to it for guests. The benches and tables were covered with shelves made of expensive fabrics (brocade, velvet, satin). On holidays, tables were covered with a carpet and an elegant tablecloth.

The chambers were illuminated by chandeliers - chandeliers, wall and table candlesticks.

The order or ritual of the table was strictly observed: the table was set by the butler and the housekeeper, they laid out the tablecloth and set out the salt lick, vinegar pot, and mustard pot. Each dish was tasted by the cook, the butler and the kraichy (table guard). A cup of wine was served. First, baked and cold appetizers were served, then fried ones, and then stew and fish soup.

The king sat at a separate table, and the guests were seated in accordance with the nobility of the family: the more ancient the family, the closer to the king.

The guests were served by stewards - court officials of the sovereign's court.

Bust of Ivan the Terrible

Throne of Ivan IV the Terrible. Wood, carving. Copy.

Life in the Sovereign's Court proceeded according to a strictly established “order” (routine), carried out with the help of a clock. In ancient times, in the Alexander Kremlin, a large tower clock was located in the Crucifixion Church - the bell tower. In the 17th century, a clock was installed in the bell tower of the Intercession Church. The clock had an old Russian (Byzantine) timekeeping system. The day was divided into day and night hours. The length of day and night varied throughout the year. For example, in June there are 17 daytime hours, 7 nighttime hours, in December it’s the other way around. The hand in the form of a ray of the Sun, fixed at the top of the dial, was motionless. The dial itself rotated with Church Slavonic letters indicating the numbers.

Clock face. Reconstruction according to A. Meyerberg. Gears from the 17th century. Kettlebell of the 17th century. Shaft of the 17th century

Gates and window shutters from the palace buildings of Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. XVI-XVII centuries

Crucifixion Church-bell tower

The Crucifixion Bell Tower arose as a result of the reconstruction of the pillar-shaped church of Metropolitan Alexei under Ivan the Terrible. It is characteristic that her tent was blank (the windows in the edges of the tent were made later).
The Trinity Cathedral was painted with frescoes, and in its western and southern portals the Tver and Novgorod Gates of the 16th century, brought by Tsar Ivan the Terrible from his military campaigns, were installed.

“Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan November 16, 1581” I.E. Repin

There are many versions about the death of the Tsar’s eldest son, Ivan. According to the most common version, Ivan died from a blow from an iron staff, with which the king wounded his son in the temple during a quarrel. The tragedy took place in the palaces of Alexandrovskaya Sloboda. After the death of his son, the king left the settlement forever.

Shustov N.S. Ivan the Terrible near the body of his son he killed.

After the death of his son, Ivan the Terrible was often ill, overcome by various premonitions. He died suddenly on March 18, 1584 while playing chess, and it is not entirely certain that his death was not violent.

After the Polish-Lithuanian intervention, the Trinity Church was designated among the four churches of the devastated Sovereign's court.
In 1641, the empty church was repaired and consecrated, and the “royal mansions” - the residential wooden part of the palace - were re-erected next to it.
In 1680, the Trinity Church was rebuilt into a large monastery refectory church. A two-pillar chamber with a hipped bell tower is attached to it from the west, the church tent is partitioned off with an additional octagonal domed vault, the altars are expanded, and on the south-eastern corner a new chapel of Fyodor Stratilates is built (in honor of the monastery's patron Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich) to replace the old one, near the north-eastern corner , same dedication. Upon completion of construction, the Trinity Church was reconsecrated: its altar was moved to the neighboring cathedral Church of the Intercession (now Trinity Cathedral), and the cathedral altar was moved to the Trinity Church.

Bell tower of the Trinity (Pokrovskaya) Church

State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve "Alexandrovskaya Sloboda" :
- Hospital building. "In a provincial drawing room".
- Hospital building. "Showroom".
- Assumption Church. Exhibition "Merchant's Shop".
- Assumption Church. "Showroom".
- Church of the Intercession.
- Church of the Intercession. "Palace chambers, basements".
- Crucifixion Church and bell tower. “Legends were the Alexandrovskaya Sloboda.”
- Crucifixion Church and bell tower. “Assumption Monastery XVI - XVII centuries.”
- Crucifixion Church and bell tower. "Observation deck".
- “Exhibition “In the Peasant Hut”. Alexandrovskaya Sloboda. Holy Dormition Convent
Museums of the Vladimir region.