A brief history of the Moscow Kremlin. Moscow Kremlin: towers and cathedrals. History and architecture of the Kremlin

The main symbol of Russia, a building of such status, significance, and outstanding that only such world-famous historical architectural objects as the Egyptian pyramids or the Tower of London can compare with it...

Appolinary Vasnetsov. The rise of the Kremlin at the end of the 17th century

The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of the Russian capital, the heart of the city, the official residence of the country's leader, one of the world's largest complexes with unique architecture, a treasury of historical relics and a spiritual center.

The importance the Kremlin has acquired in our country is evidenced by the fact that the very concept of “Kremlin” is associated with the Moscow complex. Meanwhile, Kolomna, Syzran, Nizhny Novgorod, Smolensk, Astrakhan and other cities not only in Russia, but also in Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus have their own kremlins.

According to the definition given in " explanatory dictionary"Vladimir Dahl, “krem” is a large and strong timber timber, and “kremlevnik” is coniferous forest, growing in a moss swamp. And the “Kremlin” is a city surrounded by a fortress wall, with towers and loopholes. Thus, the name of these structures comes from the type of wood that was used in their construction. Unfortunately, not a single wooden Kremlin has survived on the territory of Russia, except for the guard towers in the Trans-Urals, but the stone structures, which until the 14th century were called detinets and performed a protective function, remain, and the Moscow Kremlin is, of course, the most famous of them.

The main symbol of Russia is located on Borovitsky Hill, on the higher left bank of the Moscow River, in the place where the Neglinnaya River flows into it. If we consider the complex from above, the Kremlin is a triangle irregular shape, with a total area of ​​27.7 hectares, surrounded by a massive wall with towers.

First detailed plan Moscow Kremlin, 1601

The architectural complex of the Moscow Kremlin includes 4 palaces and 4 cathedrals, the southern wall faces the Moscow River, the eastern wall faces Red Square, and the northwestern wall faces the Alexander Garden. Currently the Kremlin is independent administrative unit part of Moscow and is included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.

Plan of the Moscow Kremlin, presented on its official website

Listing all the events that took place during the more than 900-year history of the Moscow Kremlin is not an easy task. Interestingly, the first human settlements on Borovitsky Hill are dated by archaeologists to the 2nd millennium BC. At that time, the construction site of the future Kremlin was completely covered with dense forests, which is where the name of the hill came from - Borovitsky.

Other archaeological finds found on the territory of the Kremlin date back to the period of the 8th-3rd centuries BC; scientists suggest that already then the first wooden fortifications were erected on the site where the Kremlin Cathedral Square is now located. You can see objects related to the life of the ancient inhabitants of the Kremlin Mountain in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral, where the exhibition “Archaeology of the Moscow Kremlin” is held.

From the 12th century until the first half of the 13th century, a border fortress was located on the site of the Moscow Kremlin, which became the beginning of the history of Moscow. Archaeologists managed to discover an ancient cemetery of the 12th century, which was located on the site of the Assumption Cathedral; presumably, there was a wooden church nearby.

Border fortress on the site of the Moscow Kremlin, watercolor by G.V. Borisevich

The founder of Moscow, the Vladimir-Suzdal prince Yuri Dolgoruky, founded a fortress at the mouth of the Neglinnaya River, slightly higher than the Yauza River. The new fortress united 2 fortified centers located on Borovitsky Hill into a single whole. The fortress, which stood on the site of the future Kremlin, occupied an irregular triangle between the current Trinity, Borovitsky and Tainitsky gates.

Monument to Yuri Dolgoruky in Moscow

During this period, Moscow and the Kremlin experienced numerous internecine wars between Russian princes; severe fire and plunder overtook the city during the invasion of Batu Khan, so that the wooden structures of the old Kremlin were seriously damaged.

The first “high-ranking person” to settle in the Moscow Kremlin was Prince Daniil - younger son Prince Alexander Nevsky from Vladimir, then Moscow was ruled by the son of Moscow Prince Daniel, Ivan Kalita, who did a lot to ensure that the city became one of the largest and strongest in Rus'. Ivan Kalita was also involved in the arrangement of his residence, which it was under him that in 1331 received its current name - the Moscow Kremlin and became a separate, main part of the city.

In 1326-1327, the Assumption Cathedral was erected - already at that time it became the main temple of the principality, and in 1329 the construction of the church and bell tower of St. John the Climacus was completed. The following year, the domes of the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor rose in the Kremlin, and in 1333 the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael was built, in which Ivan Kalita himself, his children and grandchildren were then buried. These first not wooden, but white stone churches in Moscow later determined the spatial composition of the center of the Kremlin, and in its main features it remains the same today.

By the way, it was under Ivan Kalita, in the first half of the 14th century, that the treasury of the Moscow princes began to take shape, the storage place of which was, of course, the Kremlin. One of the main items in the treasury was the “golden cap” - scientists identify it with the famous Monomakh cap, which served as the crown of all Moscow rulers.

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan Kalita, painting by A.M. Vasnetsova

In 1365, after another fire, Prince Dmitry (in 1380, after the victory over Mamai, he received the nickname Donskoy), who ruled in Moscow at that time, decided to build towers and fortifications from stone, for which they brought stones to Borovitsky Hill in the winter of 1367 limestone sleigh. In the spring of the same year, construction began on the first white-stone fortress in North-Eastern Rus'.

The cult center of the Kremlin became Cathedral Square, on which the wooden princely chambers, the white-stone Annunciation Cathedral were located, in the eastern part of the Kremlin, Metropolitan Alexei founded the Chudov Monastery, and the residence of the metropolitan himself was located in the Kremlin.

In 1404, on a special tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the Athonite Serb monk Lazar installed a special city clock, which became the first on the territory of Rus'.

In the second half of the 15th century, a grandiose reconstruction of the Moscow Kremlin began, after which it acquired modern features familiar to every Russian. Princes Ivan the Third, who married Sophia Palaeologus, a Byzantine princess, was able to complete the unification of the principalities of Rus' and Moscow acquired a new status - the capital large state. Naturally, the residence of the head of such a vast country needed remodeling and expansion.

In 1475-1479, the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti erected a new Assumption Cathedral, which was the main temple of the Moscow principality under Ivan Kalita, and now has received the status of the main cathedral of the Russian state.

Assumption Cathedral on a postcard from the early 20th century

Another Italian architect, Aleviz Novy, was involved in the construction of the grand-ducal temple-tomb - the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael. On the western side of the square, the palace of the Great Moscow Prince Ivan the Third was erected, which included the Middle Golden Chamber, the Embankment Chamber and the Great Faceted Chamber, that is, a whole complex of ceremonial buildings. Unfortunately, not all of them have survived to this day.

Moscow Kremlin at the end of the 15th century, painting by A.M. Vasnetsova

After Italian craftsmen erected new towers and walls of the Kremlin, many foreign guests began to call the structure a castle, the similarity of which is given to the complex by the battlements on the walls. The Moscow Kremlin was compared with the Scaliger Castle in Verona and the famous Sforza Castle in Milan. However, unlike these buildings, the Kremlin became not only the residence of the country’s ruler, but also the center of cultural and religious life of the entire state; the most famous churches of Rus', the residence of the metropolitan and monasteries are located here.

Of course, the history of the Moscow Kremlin is inextricably linked with the history of the princes, kings and emperors who ruled the Moscow principality, then the kingdom, and then the Russian Empire. Thus, Tsar Ivan the Fourth (better known as Grozny), who ascended the throne in 1547, also did a lot to form the Kremlin ensemble. During his reign, the Church of the Annunciation was reconstructed, and orders were located on Ivanovskaya Square, including the Ambassadorial Order, which was in charge of receiving foreign guests. Even then, the Armory Chamber existed; the royal stables, the Sleeping Chamber, storage rooms and workshops were also located on the territory of the Kremlin.

In 1652-1656, Patriarch Nikon was involved in the reconstruction of the patriarchal palace in the Kremlin; the treasures of the Patriarchal sacristy were kept in this building, and church councils met in the Cross Chamber and feasts were held for noble guests.

Only in 1712, after Peter the Great decided to move the capital to the newly built St. Petersburg, the Moscow Kremlin lost its status as the permanent and only residence of the rulers of the state; in addition, the beginning of the 18th century was marked for Moscow by a new destructive fire. When restoring the damaged parts of the Kremlin, it was decided to build an Arsenal between the Sobakina and Trinity towers.

In 1749-1753, the old chambers of the Sovereign's court from the 15th century were dismantled, and on their foundations the famous architect F.-B. Rastrelli erected a new stone Winter Palace in the Baroque style. The building faced the Moscow River on one side and Cathedral Square on the other.

In 1756-1764, architect D.V. Ukhtomsky erected a new building for the Armory Chamber gallery between the Archangel and Annunciation Cathedrals, but then, during the planning of a large-scale reconstruction of the Kremlin, this building was demolished. V.I. Bazhenov’s plan to build a new palace was never realized, however, in preparation for the start of this project The Kremlin has lost many ancient buildings.

In 1776-1787, the architect M. F. Kazakov, by decree of Catherine the Second, built the Senate building, which stood opposite the Arsenal, and only then Senate square has acquired its completed form.

In 1810, by decree of Emperor Alexander the First, the Armory Chamber was erected to the architect I.V. Egotov managed to fit the new building into the Kremlin ensemble; as a result of the construction, a new Kremlin square appeared - Troitskaya, formed between the new museum building, the Arsenal and the Trinity Tower.

The Kremlin was seriously damaged during Napoleon's invasion; after the fire of 1812, many of the complex's blown up and burned buildings had to be restored.

In 1838-1851, in the Moscow Kremlin, according to the decree of Emperor Nicholas I, a new palace complex was built in the “national Russian style”. It included the Apartment building, the Grand Kremlin Palace, erected on the site of the Winter Palace, and a more solemn museum building - the Moscow Armory Chamber. Architect Konstantin Ton carried out construction strictly within the boundaries of the ancient Sovereign's courtyard, took into account all the historically established features, and managed to combine new buildings and architectural monuments of the 15th-17th centuries in one composition. At the same time, the reconstruction of old churches was carried out. New buildings formed a new square in the Moscow Kremlin - Imperial or Palace Square.

Already at the beginning of the 20th century, the Moscow Kremlin was considered a monument of history and architecture. Nicholas II intended to turn the Amusement Palace into a museum dedicated to the Patriotic War of 1812, but 1917 crossed out all the emperor’s plans.

As you know, after the coup, the Bolshevik government moved from St. Petersburg to the Kremlin and until 1953, that is, until the death of Stalin, who occupied an office and apartment in the Kremlin, the complex was closed to free visits by ordinary tourists and Muscovites.

In 1935, the Kremlin lost its double-headed eagles, and in 1937, luminous ruby ​​stars were installed in their place on the Spasskaya, Borovitskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya towers.

On the site of the demolished Ascension and Chudov monasteries, a Military School building was erected, which greatly changed appearance architectural complex.

Interestingly, during the Great Patriotic War the Kremlin was virtually undamaged, despite the massive bombings that hit Moscow in 1941 and 1942. The authorities evacuated the treasures of the Armory Chamber, and in the event of the surrender of the capital to German troops, a plan was envisaged for mining the main buildings of the complex.

In 1955, the Moscow Kremlin reopened its doors to ordinary visitors, and the Museum of Applied Art and Life of Russia of the 17th Century, located in the Patriarchal Palace, began its work. The last large-scale construction on the territory of the Kremlin was the construction of the Palace of Congresses in 1961, which modern architects and ordinary Muscovites many call “a piece of glass against the backdrop of the ancient Kremlin” and consider its construction another crime of the Soviet regime.

Like any ancient, historical building, the Moscow Kremlin has its secrets, legends associated with it and often quite dark secrets.

Most of these legends are connected specifically with the Kremlin dungeons. Since their accurate map was lost a very long time ago (possibly destroyed by the builders themselves), many underground passages, corridors and tunnels of the Moscow Kremlin have not yet been fully studied.

For example, the search for the famous library of Ivan the Terrible has been resumed several times, but the vast repository of books and documents from that time has still not been found. Scientists argue whether the legendary library actually existed, burned down during one of the fires that repeatedly raged on the territory of the complex, or was hidden so well that modern archaeologists are not able to find it in the huge square of the Moscow Kremlin.

Most likely, until the 18th century, all the towers and walls of the Kremlin were literally “pierced” with numerous secret passages and tunnels.

It was during the search for Liberia (as the library of Ivan the Terrible is usually called) that archaeologist Shcherbatov in 1894 stumbled upon a mysterious underground structure located under the first floor of the Alarm Tower. Trying to examine the found tunnel, the archaeologist came to a dead end, but then discovered the same tunnel leading from the Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower.

Archaeologist Shcherbatov also found a secret passage connecting the Nikolskaya Tower with the Corner Arsenal, but in 1920 all information, photographs taken by the scientist and reports on the passages found were classified by the Bolsheviks and became a state secret. It is quite possible that the new authorities decided to use the Kremlin’s secret passages for their own purposes.

According to scientists, since the Moscow Kremlin was built according to all the rules of fortification of the Middle Ages and was primarily a fortress designed to protect citizens from enemy attacks, the Italian architect Fioravanti also built places for lower battles and “rumors” - secret corners from which one can it was secretly to observe (and eavesdrop) on the enemy. Most likely (it is now quite difficult to collect evidence), until the 18th century all the towers and walls of the Kremlin were literally “pierced” by numerous secret passages and tunnels, but then, as unnecessary, most of them were simply walled up and filled up.

By the way, the very name of the Taynitskaya Tower clearly indicates that there was a hiding place under it; there are references to the construction of secret passages in chronicles that recorded the process of constructing towers in the 15th century.

Tainitskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin

There were also rumors about the dungeons of the Beklemishevskaya Tower, which, by the way, enjoys the most notorious reputation - it was here that the torture chamber was located, created on the orders of Ivan the Terrible. In the 19th century, Archpriest Lebedev, who served in the Kremlin for more than 45 years, counted 9 failures that formed on the vaults of various underground structures. It is known about a secret passage leading from Tainitskaya to the Spasskaya Tower, another secret road leads from Troitskaya to the Nikolskaya Tower and further to Kitay-Gorod.

And Ignatius Stelletsky, a famous historian and specialist in “dungeon archeology”, the founder of the digger movement in Moscow, intended to go from the Beklemishevskaya Tower to the Moscow River, and from the Spasskaya Tower through a secret underground passage directly to St. Basil’s Cathedral, and then along the existing one near the temple descent into a large tunnel under Red Square.

The remains of underground passages were found in various parts of the Moscow Kremlin many times, during almost every reconstruction, but most often such dead ends, gaps or vaults were simply walled up or even filled with concrete.

On the eve of his coronation, Emperor Nicholas II himself saw the ghost of Ivan the Terrible, which he reported to his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.

The Moscow Kremlin, of course, has its own ghosts. Thus, in the Commandant's Tower they saw a disheveled, pale woman with a revolver in her hand, who was allegedly recognized as Fanny Kaplan, who was shot by the then Kremlin commandant.

For several centuries now lower tiers In the bell tower of Ivan the Terrible one encounters the ghost of this Russian tyrant. By the way, the ghost of Ivan the Terrible also has a crowned witness - on the eve of his coronation, Emperor Nicholas II himself saw him, which he informed his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.

Sometimes the ghost of the Pretender, the False Dmitry executed here, flashes over the battlements of the Moscow Kremlin. The Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower also enjoys a bad reputation - there was also a torture chamber here in the 17th century and a case was recorded of drops of blood appearing on the stonework, which then disappeared on their own.

Another ghostly inhabitant of the Moscow Kremlin is, of course, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, who was seen both in his office and in former apartment. Stalin’s famous comrade-in-arms, head of the NKVD Yezhov, also “visited” his former office... But Joseph Vissarionovich himself was never noted for appearing in the Kremlin after March 5, 1953.

It is not surprising that such an ancient structure, replete with burials, secrets and secret rooms, arouses the interest of not only archaeologists, scientists and historians, but also mystics.

Data

If we talk about the Moscow Kremlin only from the point of view of a large-scale complex of buildings, it is impossible not to mention all of its structures.

So, the architectural complex of the Moscow Kremlin includes 20 towers: Tainitskaya, Beklemishevskaya, Blagoveshchenskaya, Vodovzvodnaya, Petrovskaya Tower, Borovitskaya, First Nameless, Second Nameless, Konstantino-Eleninskaya, Nikolskaya, Spasskaya, Corner Arsenalnaya, Nabatnaya, Senateskaya, Middle Arsenalnaya, Armory, Komendantskaya, Troitskaya, Tsarskaya and Kutafya.

Each of the towers has its own history, purpose and special architectural image. The most famous of them is, of course, the Spasskaya Tower with its famous watch, which appeared on the tower erected in 1491 in 1625 according to the design of Christopher Galovey and subsequently were repeatedly changed and improved.

Modern Kremlin chimes were made in 1852 by Russian watchmakers, the Budenop brothers. In 1917, the clock was damaged by a shell, and after repairs in 1918, the Internationale began playing. The last restoration of the chimes was carried out in 1999.

The Kremlin complex also includes five squares: Troitskaya, Dvortsovaya, Senate, Ivanovskaya and Sobornaya.

Located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin and 18 buildings: Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on the Senya, Church of the Deposition of the Robe, Assumption Cathedral, Annunciation Cathedral, Archangel Cathedral, Chamber of Facets, Ivan the Great Bell Tower Ensemble, Terem Palace, Golden Tsarina Chamber, Verkhospassky Cathedral and Terem churches, Arsenal, The Patriarchal Chambers with the Church of the Twelve Apostles, the Senate, the Amusement Palace, the Grand Kremlin Palace, the State Kremlin Palace, the Armory Chamber and the Military School named after the All-Russian Central Executive Committee.

It is impossible not to mention such significant Kremlin objects that attract millions of tourists as the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell.

The Tsar Bell is truly the largest bell in the world, created back in 1733-1735 by order of Anna Ioanovna, and installed in the Kremlin as a monument to foundry craftsmanship. And the Tsar Cannon, with its caliber of 890 millimeters, is still the largest artillery piece on the planet. The cannon, weighing 40 tons, never had to fire a single shot, but it became an excellent decoration of the museum composition of the Moscow Kremlin.

And the Moscow Kremlin itself is rightfully considered the largest architectural and historical complex in Europe that has been preserved, is operational and is currently in use.

Currently, on the territory of the Kremlin there is the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Moscow Kremlin", numerous exhibitions, exhibits and relics of which are available to everyone who wants to see with their own eyes all the beauty and charm of the ancient building.

Not long ago, Vladimir Kozhin, manager of presidential affairs Russian Federation, said that even after the expansion of Moscow and the relocation of all departments and ministries to new locations, the presidential administration and the head of state himself will still remain in the Kremlin. Apparently, the country's leadership understands perfectly well that best place for receiving foreign guests and governing the state is difficult to find. And there is no way to break centuries-old traditions...

Anna Sedykh, rmnt.ru

A Finno-Ugric settlement dating back to the early Iron Age (second half of the 1st millennium BC) was found near the modern one.

XI – XIV centuries.

Initially, the Kremlin served as a fortification for the Krivichi village, which arose on a cape at the confluence with the Moscow River. The first chronicle mention of Moscow dates back to 1147.

In 1156, the first fortifications with a total length of about 850 m and an area of ​​about 3 hectares were built on the territory of the modern Kremlin. The fortification was surrounded by a ditch 16-18 m wide and at least 5 m deep. The earthen rampart was about 14.5 m wide and 7 m high. For those times it was a typical average Russian fortress. The shaft was reinforced with oak beams, fastened together in the Polish manner.

In 1238, during the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the Kremlin was destroyed. Since 1264 it was the residence of Moscow appanage princes. In 1339, oak walls and towers were built.

The Kremlin housed the oldest Moscow church - the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor, or the Cathedral of the Transfiguration "that is on Bor", built in 1330, for the millennium of Constantinople - “New Rome”. The temple was destroyed in 1933. Moscow princes and princesses were buried here, until the role of the tomb passed to the Archangel Cathedral for men and the Ascension Monastery (also destroyed) for women. After the establishment of the Novospassky Monastery at the end of the 15th century. The Cathedral of the Savior on Bor received the status of a court temple. As a result of the construction of the Kremlin Palace in the period 1830–40. The Church of the Savior turned out to be inscribed in the inner courtyard of the Palace.

Another ancient building was the Chudov Monastery, founded by Metropolitan Alexy in 1365, located in the eastern part of the Kremlin territory, adjacent to the Ascension Monastery. It received its name from the Church of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael in Khoneh, which later became the tomb of Metropolitan Alexy.

In 1483, the Alexievskaya Church was built on the territory of the monastery. By order of the Chudov Archimandrite Gennady, the relics of Metropolitan Alexy were transferred to it. In 1501–03 The ancient Church of the Archangel Michael was replaced by a temple built by Italian craftsmen. At the beginning of the 20th century. In the basement of the Alexievskaya Church, a tomb was built where the remains of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who died in the Kremlin in 1905 at the hands of terrorists, were buried. The crypt of the Grand Duke was located under the floor, exactly under the shrine of St. Alexis. In 1929, all the buildings of the Chudov Monastery were demolished.

XIV-XVII centuries

In 1367, under Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy, the wooden walls of the Kremlin were replaced by walls and towers made from local white stone(according to archeology, the towers and the most important parts of the wall were made of stone, from where there was the greatest danger of an assault). From this period, the name “White Stone Moscow” is often found in chronicles.

Alas, the strength of the material turned out to be insufficient and the structures “floated”. During the restoration of the Kremlin walls and towers in 1946–1950. and in 1974–1978. Inside their brickwork, in the lower parts and foundations, white stone blocks were discovered, used as backfill. It is possible that these are the remains of the white stone walls of the Kremlin from the time of Dmitry Donskoy.

In the second half of the 15th century, under Ivan III the Great, the Moscow Kremlin was rebuilt under the leadership of Italian architects, in particular Pietro Antonio Solari (see: Castello Sforzesco). The construction of the Kremlin, carried out on a huge scale, used the achievements of both Russian and Italian military engineering.

Burnt brick was chosen as the main material for construction. Many buildings, including churches, were designed and erected by Italian craftsmen.

According to the architects' plans, the center of the Kremlin became Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral (1475–79), the Annunciation Cathedral (1484–89), the Faceted Chamber (1487–91), and the Archangel Cathedral (1505–08) located on it - (the tomb of Russian princes and tsars ) and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. Unlike the main buildings of the Kremlin, the Annunciation Cathedral and the Church of the Deposition of the Robe (1484–86), built by Russian craftsmen, are much more closely associated with old Russian traditions.

In 1485–95 The Kremlin fortifications are being rebuilt. For example, the “Port Wash Gate” was laid on the side of the Moscow River. In 1508–16 On the site of modern Red Square, a ditch was dug, into which water came from the Neglinnaya River. The Kremlin becomes an impregnable fortress, surrounded by water on all sides.

In 1610-12 The Kremlin was occupied by the Polish-Lithuanian garrison of A. Gonsevsky. In the XVI–XIX centuries. Active construction of secular buildings is underway, and the Kremlin ensemble receives its logical conclusion. In 1635–36 The Terem Palace is being built adjacent to. In the 17th century, the Kremlin towers received tiered and hipped roofs, acquiring a modern appearance.

XVIII - early XX centuries.

By 1702–1736 includes the construction of the Arsenal building (architects D. Ivanov, H. Conrad with the participation of M. I. Choglokov). Under Elizabeth Petrovna in the 1743–1750s, the ancient Dining Room, Reply and Golden Chambers of the palace were dismantled and replaced with a small, richly decorated building designed by V.V. Rastrelli, built under the supervision of D.V. Ukhtomsky. At the same time, Ukhtomsky built the Armory Chamber nearby and was engaged in the restructuring of the Orders.

In 1768, for the construction of the Kremlin Palace according to the design of V. I. Bazhenov, a special state organization- Expedition of the Kremlin building. It was dismantled for the construction of the palace. South part the Kremlin wall along with the Tainitskaya and Nameless towers. However, in 1775, construction of the palace was canceled, the official reason for which was given as the collapse of the Archangel Cathedral.

In 1776–87 The Senate building was built (architect Matvey Kazakov).

Napoleon in the Kremlin

In 1812, Moscow and the Kremlin were captured by Napoleon's army. French army entered the Kremlin on September 2, 1812, and Napoleon himself on September 3. However, the very next day he fled from the Kremlin along a secret passage under the threat of spreading fire.

Retreating, Napoleon ordered the Kremlin buildings to be mined and blown up. Although most of the charges did not explode, the damage was significant. The Petrovskaya and First Nameless Towers were blown up, the Corner Arsenal Tower was seriously damaged, and the extensions to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower were also damaged.

It took 20 years to restore the destruction, from 1815 to 1836. During the same period, but already in the “peaceful” years, the Kolymazhnye Gate (15th century) and the Nikita Gostynsky Cathedral were dismantled. In 1836, the architect O. Montferrand installed the Tsar Bell, which fell in the fire of 1737 and lay in a hole all this time, on a special pedestal.

Grand Kremlin Palace

In the middle of the 18th century. The idea arose to build the Grand Kremlin Palace, located on the southern slope of the Kremlin (Borovitsky) hill along the river. IN different time its projects were developed by architects V. I. Bazhenov, M. F. Kazakov, N. A. Lvov, V. P. Stasov. But only to the project of K. A. Ton in 1839–49. was destined to come true. According to his own project in 1844–51. the building was built. In the second half of the 19th century. no significant reconstructions were made in the Kremlin, with the exception of the restoration by N.A. Shokhin of the Amusement Palace, which returned the building to its 17th-century appearance.

Kremlin monuments

In 1893–98 on the south-eastern side of the slope of the Kremlin hill on folk remedies a monument to Alexander II was built (design by sculptor A. M. Opekushin, artist V. V. Zhukovsky and architect N. V. Sultanov).

In 1908, between the Senate and Arsenal buildings near the Nikolskaya Tower, a cross-monument was erected at the site of the death of Prince Sergei Alexandrovich.

Access to the territory of the Moscow Kremlin was free for everyone. It was customary to enter through the Spassky Gate, bowing to the icon of the Savior. The emperor and his family rarely visited his Moscow residence, therefore, having taken a free ticket at the palace office, the visitor had the right to walk through all the Kremlin palaces.

Armed uprising of 1917

During the armed uprising in October-November 1917, the Kremlin, on whose territory there were detachments of cadets, was seriously damaged by artillery shelling carried out by the revolutionary troops.

The walls, the Spasskaya Tower and the Spassky Clock, the Nikolskaya Tower, the Beklemishevskaya Tower, and almost all the churches on the territory of the Kremlin were severely damaged. big damage received the Small Nicholas Palace.

With the advent of Soviet power, the capital was moved to Moscow and the Kremlin again became a political center. In March 1918, the Soviet government headed by V.I. Lenin moved to the Kremlin. Palaces and cavalry corps became its residence and place of residence for Soviet leaders. Soon, free access to the Kremlin territory for ordinary Muscovites is prohibited. Temples are closed and the Kremlin bells fall silent for a long time.

According to historian V.F. Kozlov, at a meeting of the Moscow Council, the people's commissars were offered three options for placement: the Noble Women's Institute, the Reserve Palace at the Red Gate and the Kremlin. At a meeting of the Council of People's Commissars there were objections to the latter, since the territory of the Moscow Kremlin is a favorite place for Muscovites to walk and if the government is located there, free access will be limited, or even stopped altogether, the closure of the Kremlin cathedrals will cause discontent among believers and the population, and it is not appropriate for the government Soviet republic to be located in the residence of the tsars, however, the chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee Ya. Sverdlov stopped all debate:

“Undoubtedly, the bourgeoisie and the philistines will raise a howl - the Bolsheviks, they say, are desecrating holy places, but this should least of all worry us. The interests of the proletarian revolution are higher than prejudices.”

The Petrograd Collegium for the Protection of Antique Monuments and Art Treasures sent a desperate appeal to the government with a call to leave the Kremlin, since “... the occupation of the Kremlin by the government creates a monstrous threat to the integrity of the greatest monuments in terms of their global and exceptional significance.” This appeal (published in 1997 by T. A. Tutova, an employee of the Kremlin museums) was not even considered.

Destruction

During the years of Soviet power, the architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin suffered more than in its entire history. On the plans of the Kremlin at the beginning of the 20th century, one can distinguish 54 structures that stood inside Kremlin walls. More than half of them - 28 buildings - no longer exist. In 1918, with the personal participation of Lenin, the monument to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich was demolished. In the same year, the monument to Alexander II was destroyed. In the mid-1920s, the chapels at the gate icons near the Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Borovitskaya towers were demolished.

In 1922, during the campaign to “seizure church valuables” from the Kremlin cathedrals, more than 300 pounds of silver, more than 2 pounds of gold, thousands precious stones, and even the shrine of Patriarch Hermogenes from the Assumption Cathedral. The Grand Kremlin Palace began to be adapted to host congresses of Soviets and congresses of the Third International, a kitchen was placed in the Golden Chamber, and a public dining room was installed in the Granovita. The Small Nikolaevsky Palace was turning into a club for workers of Soviet institutions, it was decided to build a gym in the Catherine Church of the Ascension Monastery, and a Kremlin hospital in Chudovoy.

At the end of the 1920s, a large series of demolition of ancient Kremlin buildings began. The author of a fundamental study about the Moscow churches “Forty Sorokov”, Pyotr Palamarchuk, calculated that on the eve of 1917 there were 31 churches with 51 altars in the Moscow Kremlin. On September 17, 1928, the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee adopted a resolution defining the timing of the demolition of church buildings and ancient structures of the Moscow Kremlin. Information about the upcoming destruction of monuments reached the Main Science of the People's Commissariat for Education only in mid-June 1929. By that time, the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena had already been demolished.

The head of the People's Commissariat of Education, A.V. Lunacharsky, sent a letter to the Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, M.I. Kalinin, condemning the planned demolition and the implementation of such a decision, bypassing representatives of the scientific community. At a meeting of the Politburo, this letter was called “anti-communist and obscene in tone.”

In 1929–30 Two ancient Kremlin monasteries, Chudov and Voznesensky, were completely demolished, with all the temples, churches, chapels, necropolises, service buildings, as well as the Small Nicholas Palace adjacent to the Chudov Monastery, where the headquarters of the defending cadets was located. Thus all East End Until 1932, the Kremlin from Ivanovskaya Square to the Senate Palace was completely ruins.

At the end of 1932, on the site of the destroyed monuments, a military school building was built. All-Russian Central Executive Committee in neoclassical style. In 1933, the Church of the Annunciation in Zhitny Dvor, attached to the Annunciation Tower in the 18th century, was demolished.

In the same year, the oldest temple in Moscow, the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor, located in the courtyard of the Grand Kremlin Palace, was destroyed. In 1934, a 5-story service building was built in its place. Not even the foundations of the temple remain, with the exception of fragments of the foundation of the western vestibule, which was discovered in 1997. In total, during the years of Soviet power, 17 churches with 25 altars were destroyed.

In addition to the destruction of monuments, some buildings were altered. At the Faceted Chamber, the “Red Porch”, the main staircase along which Russian tsars and emperors walked to their coronation in the Assumption Cathedral (restored in 1994), was broken.

Before the revolution, the facade of the Grand Kremlin Palace contained 5 white stone bas-reliefs in the form of the coat of arms of Russia - a double-headed eagle - and several more small bas-reliefs in the form of coats of arms of historical possessions Russian Empire(Moscow, Kazan, Astrakhan, etc.). After the revolution, they were cut down, the place of the central double-headed eagle was taken by a bas-relief in the form of the coat of arms of the USSR, and around were the letters: “S” and “S” on the left and “S” and “P” on the right. During the restoration of the Grand Kremlin Palace in 1994, all historical bas-reliefs on the facade were recreated.

In 1935, the double-headed eagles that crowned the main passage towers of the Kremlin: Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya were replaced with ones made of gilded copper, covered with Ural gems. In 1937, semi-precious stars were replaced with ruby ​​glass stars. The ruby ​​star was first installed on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower.

The Great Patriotic War

During the Great Patriotic War The Kremlin was camouflaged to avoid its destruction. Streets and facades of other buildings were depicted on the walls, green roofs were repainted, stars were removed or covered up.

The mausoleum was hidden under a two-story fake building. The work was supervised by architect Boris Mikhailovich Iofan. State Security Major N.S. On July 29, Shpigov flew over Moscow on a Douglas plane and confirmed that the buildings of Moscow, including the Kremlin ensemble, were well camouflaged.

The Germans could not carry out targeted bombing of the Kremlin, since the Kremlin had visually disappeared. During the war, only a few bombs fell on the territory of the Kremlin, which did not cause serious destruction.

Opening of the Kremlin

Since 1955, the Kremlin has been partially open to the public, becoming a museum under open air. From the same year, a ban on living on the territory of the Kremlin was introduced (the last residents left in 1961).

During restoration work in the late 1960s and early 1970s, clay tiles on the Kremlin towers were replaced in many places with metal sheets painted to resemble tiles. In addition, in connection with the construction of the “Tomb” memorial Unknown Soldier» part of the surface layer of the wall between the Corner and Middle Arsenal towers was hewn down to a depth of 1 m and then laid out again to create a surface monotonous in color and texture, designed to serve as the background for the memorial.

The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction of the city. Getting there is quite easy. There are several metro stations, from which you can walk to the Kremlin. The Alexandrovsky Sad station will take you, as you can easily guess, straight to the Alexandrovsky Garden. The Kutafya Tower will already be visible there, where they sell tickets to the Kremlin and to the Armory Chamber. You can also go to the metro station. Library named after IN AND. Lenin. In this case, the Kutafya Tower will be visible across the road. The stations Ploshchad Revolyutsii and Kitai-Gorod will take you to Red Square, but from different sides. The first is from the side of the State Historical Museum, the second is from the side. You can also get off at Okhotny Ryad - if you want to stroll along the shopping row of the same name. Just be prepared for unusual prices)).

About prices for the Kremlin museums. A visit to the Kremlin is not a cheap pleasure. An hour and a half visit to – will cost 700 rubles, – 500 rubles, a walk around with inspection – 500 rubles. For more information about museums and some nuances about visiting them that you should know, see the links.

The Kremlin is called not only the walls with towers, as some people think, but also everything that is located inside it. Outside the walls on the ground of the Moscow Kremlin there are cathedrals and squares, palaces and museums. This summer on Cathedral Square every Saturday at 12:00 the Kremlin Regiment shows its skills. If I manage to escape to the Kremlin, I will write about it.

History of the Moscow Kremlin.

The word “Kremlin” is very ancient. The Kremlin or Detinets in Rus' was the name given to the fortified part in the center of the city, in other words, a fortress. In the old days, times were different. It happened that Russian cities were attacked by countless enemy forces. That’s when the city’s residents gathered under the protection of their Kremlin. The old and young took refuge behind its powerful walls, and those who could hold weapons in their hands defended themselves from enemies from the walls of the Kremlin.

The first settlement on the site of the Kremlin arose approximately 4,000 years ago. Archaeologists have established this. Shards of clay pots, stone axes and flint arrowheads were found here. These things were once used by ancient settlers.

The location for the construction of the Kremlin was not chosen by chance. The Kremlin was built on high hill, surrounded on two sides by rivers: the Moscow River and the Neglinnaya. The high location of the Kremlin made it possible to spot enemies from a greater distance, and the rivers served as a natural barrier in their path.

Initially the Kremlin was wooden. An earthen rampart was built around its walls for greater reliability. The remains of these fortifications were discovered during construction work already in our time.

It is known that the first wooden walls on the site of the Kremlin were built in 1156 by order of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. This data was preserved in ancient chronicles. At the beginning of the 14th century, Ivan Kalita began to rule the city. Kalita in ancient Rus' called a money bag. The prince was so nicknamed because he accumulated great wealth and always carried a small bag of money with him. Prince Kalita decided to decorate and strengthen his city. He ordered the construction of new walls for the Kremlin. They were cut down from strong oak trunks, so thick that you couldn’t wrap your arms around them.

Under the next ruler of Moscow, Dmitry Donskoy, the Kremlin had other walls built - stone ones. Stone craftsmen from all over the area were gathered to Moscow. And in 1367 they got to work. People worked without interruption, and soon Borovitsky Hill was surrounded by a powerful stone wall, 2 or even 3 meters thick. It was built from limestone, which was mined in quarries near Moscow near the village of Myachkovo. The Kremlin so impressed its contemporaries with the beauty of its white walls that from then on Moscow began to be called white-stone.

Prince Dmitry was a very brave man. He always fought in the forefront and it was he who led the fight against the conquerors from the Golden Horde. In 1380, his army completely defeated the army of Khan Mamai on the Kulikovo field, not far from the Don River. This battle was nicknamed Kulikovskaya, and the prince has since received the nickname Donskoy.

The white stone Kremlin stood for more than 100 years. During this time, a lot has changed. Russian lands united into one strong state. Moscow became its capital. This happened under the Moscow Prince Ivan III. From that time on, he began to be called the Grand Duke of All Rus', and historians call him “the collector of the Russian land.”

Ivan III gathered the best Russian masters and invited Aristotle Fearovanti, Antonio Solario and others from distant Italy famous architects. And now, under the leadership of Italian architects, new construction began on Borovitsky Hill. In order not to leave the city without a fortress, the builders erected a new Kremlin in parts: they dismantled a section of the old white stone wall and quickly built a new one in its place - out of brick. There was quite a lot of clay suitable for its production in the vicinity of Moscow. However, clay is a soft material. To make the brick hard, it was fired in special kilns.

Over the years of construction, Russian masters stopped treating Italian architects as strangers, and even changed their names in the Russian way. So Antonio became Anton, and the complex Italian surname was replaced by the nickname Fryazin. Our ancestors called the overseas lands Fryazhsky, and those who came from there were called Fryazin.

Built new Kremlin 10 years. The fortress was defended on both sides by rivers, and at the beginning of the 16th century. A wide ditch was dug on the third side of the Kremlin. He connected two rivers. Now the Kremlin was protected on all sides by water barriers. they were erected one after another, equipped with diversion archers for greater defensive capability. Along with the renovation of the fortress walls, the construction of such famous ones as Uspensky, Arkhangelsky and Blagoveshchensky took place.

After the crowning of the Romanov kingdom, the construction of the Kremlin began at an accelerated pace. The Filaret belfry was built next to the bell tower of Ivan the Great, Teremnaya, Poteshny Palaces, Patriarchal Chambers and the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. Under Peter I, the Arsenal building was erected. But after the capital was moved to St. Petersburg, they stopped building new buildings.

During the reign of Catherine II, a number of ancient buildings and part of the southern wall were demolished for the construction of a new palace. But soon the work was canceled, according to official version due to lack of funding, unofficially due to negative public opinion. In 1776-87. The Senate building was built

During Napoleon's invasion, the Kremlin suffered enormous damage. Churches were desecrated and looted, and part of the walls, towers and buildings were blown up during the retreat. In 1816-19. Restoration work was carried out in the Kremlin. By 1917 There were 31 churches in the Kremlin.

During October revolution The Kremlin is being bombed. In 1918, the government of the RSFSR moved to the Senate building. Under Soviet rule, the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was built on the territory of the Kremlin, stars were installed on the towers, they were placed on pedestals, and the walls and structures of the Kremlin were repeatedly restored.

The Moscow Kremlin is a wonderful architectural ensemble of the 15th-19th centuries. In shape it is an irregular triangle, the southern side of which faces the Moscow River. It is surrounded by a brick wall with 20 towers of different architecture.

Towers and gates of the Kremlin

The main entrance to the Kremlin - Spassky Gate - is located on the eastern side, facing Red Square, opposite St. Basil's Cathedral. The Spasskaya Tower was built in the 15th century. In 1625, its tent-roofed end was built, on which a clock was installed. Modern clocks have been in operation since 1851. On the southwestern side of the Kremlin, near the river, there is the Borovitsky Gate, through which Napoleon entered the Kremlin in 1812. From the west, from the Alexander Garden, the Trinity Gate leads to the Kremlin; valuable imperial archives were previously kept in the tower of the same name. In the northern part of the Kremlin there are Nikolsky Gates, facing the northern end of Red Square. They are used to pass through government agencies. The oldest of the towers of the Kremlin wall are Beklemishevskaya, erected in 1487-1488, and Vodovzvodnaya, in which mechanisms for feeding river water to the Kremlin and posad.

Palaces and chambers of the Kremlin

The Kremlin houses government institutions, ancient palaces and temples. One of the largest buildings is the Grand Kremlin Palace facing the river (1838-1849). The oldest buildings in the Kremlin include the Chamber of Facets, built in the 15th century, and the Terem Palace, built in the 16th-17th centuries. The interior of the Grand Kremlin Palace consists of many halls and rooms, some of which are used for official receptions.

The Faceted Chamber, located in the eastern wing of the Grand Kremlin Palace, was built by Italian architects in 1487-1491 and was intended for banquets and royal receptions. The Terem Palace, in the northern wing of the Grand Kremlin Palace, was built in 1635-1636 by Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich for his sons, and later served as the residence of Tsars Alexei Mikhailovich and Fyodor Alekseevich. The western wing of the palace is occupied by the Armory Chamber (1844-1851). This is one of the largest Moscow museums, which contains gold and silver items, clothing, armor, weapons, gifts, royal regalia, carriages and other valuables of historical interest.

The former building of the Judicial Institutions, originally the Senate, erected in 1776-1790 and reconstructed twice in the 19th century, was occupied by the government of the USSR. Currently it is the residence of the President of Russia. Before the 1917 revolution, the building was crowned with a crown, which was replaced by a red Soviet flag, which was replaced in 1991 by the Russian tricolor.

Kremlin cathedrals

Among the numerous religious buildings of the Kremlin, the Assumption Cathedral, the Archangel Cathedral and the Annunciation Cathedral stand out. The Assumption Cathedral with five gilded domes was built in 1475-1479, was repeatedly looted and burned, but was invariably restored to its original form from the 16th century. became the place of coronation of kings. Archangel Cathedral, also with five domes, built on the site of a 14th century temple. in 1505-1508 and last restored in 1921, it was the tomb of the great princes and kings of the Rurik dynasty and the first Romanovs. Opposite the Archangel Cathedral is the Annunciation Cathedral with nine gilded domes, the home church of the Russian tsars. It was built in 1481-1489, rebuilt in the 16th century. and was subsequently restored several times.

Ivan the Great belltower

The Kremlin's attractions also include the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (1505-1508), for a long time which was the tallest bell tower in Rus', and the Tsar Bell installed in front of it. The bell tower was built in 1600 at the behest of Tsar Boris Godunov as part of public works to help the hungry. The tower was reconstructed in 1813. The bell tower has five tiers and reaches a height of 81 m. It is topped with a gilded dome with a cross; currently there are 24 bells installed on it. Two belfries are adjacent to the bell tower; the complex contains two churches, one of which formerly housed the patriarchal sacristy.

The Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world. Its weight is about 200 tons. It was cast in 1735 using the material of the bell that was damaged in the fire of 1701, but it itself was damaged by fire and only in 1836 was it erected on its current pedestal. The Tsar Cannon was cast in 1586 and was considered the largest of its time.

On a note:

• Nearest metro stations: "Borovitskaya", "Alexandrovsky Sad", "Lenin Library", "Arbatskaya"
• Official website: www.kreml.ru
• Opening hours: From May 15 to September 30 - every day except Thursday, from 9:30 to 18:00. The ticket office is open from 9:00 to 17:00. from October 1 to May 14 - every day except Thursday, from 10:00 to 17:00. The ticket office is open from 9:30 to 16:30. Armory and Observation deck The Ivan the Great Bell Towers operate on a separate schedule.
• Tickets: sold near the Kutafya Tower in the Alexander Garden. Ticket price to Cathedral Square, to the Kremlin cathedrals: for adult visitors - 500 rubles. For Russian students and pensioners upon presentation of the relevant documents - 250 rubles. Children under 16 years old - free. Tickets to the Armory Chamber and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower are purchased separately from the general ticket.

How the meeting of the two princes went, the chronicles were not brought to us. Although it can be assumed that a military alliance was concluded, as a result of which Yuri Dolgoruky, in order to protect the western borders of the Suzdal principality, built the fortified cities of Yuryev-Polsky (1152), Dmitrov (1154) and Moscow (1156). In this case we're talking about not about the founding of Moscow, but about the construction of fortifications - wooden walls that marked the beginning of the construction of the Kremlin.

In 1156, a fortress with an eight-meter rampart and powerful for those times was built on Borovitsky Hill. wooden wall, reaching 3 m in height and 1200 m in length. The fortification existed in approximately this form until the winter of 123738, when the hordes of Batu Khan plundered and burned Moscow, and with it the Kremlin.

Over the next two and a half centuries, many trials befell Moscow and its citadel. Princely civil strife, foreign invasions, countless fires seemed destined to destroy the city. But Moscow survived, moreover, it became the center that united the Russian people in the struggle for independence.

The Kremlin is growing and strengthening along with the city. In 1339-1340 under Ivan Kalita, powerful defensive fortifications were erected, and behind them were the mansions of the Grand Duke, metropolitan chambers, and white-stone cathedrals. Moscow becomes the political and spiritual center of Rus', and the Kremlin becomes the residence of grand dukes and metropolitans.

In 1367-1368. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich (later named Dmitry Donskoy), fearing another Mongol-Tatar invasion, surrounded the fortress with white stone walls and towers, located approximately 60 m from the previous oak fortifications. The Kremlin area reaches almost modern sizes.

The Kremlin housed the oldest Moscow church - the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor, or the Cathedral of the Transfiguration "that is on Bor", built in 1330, for the millennium of Constantinople - “New Rome”. The temple was destroyed in 1933. Moscow princes and princesses were buried here, until the role of the tomb passed to the Archangel Cathedral for men and the Ascension Monastery (also destroyed) for women. After the establishment of the Novospassky Monastery at the end of the 15th century, the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor received the status of a court church. As a result of the construction of the Kremlin Palace in the 1830s and 1840s, the Church of the Savior found itself inscribed in the courtyard of the Palace.

Another ancient building was the Chudov Monastery, founded by Metropolitan Alexy in 1365, located in the eastern part of the Kremlin territory, adjacent to the Ascension Monastery. It received its name from the Church of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael in Khoneh, which later became the tomb of Metropolitan Alexy. In 1483, the Alexievskaya Church was built on the territory of the monastery. By order of Chudov Archimandrite Gennady, the relics of Metropolitan Alexy were transferred to it. In 1501-1503, the ancient Church of the Archangel Michael was replaced by a temple built by Italian craftsmen. At the beginning of the 20th century, a tomb was built in the basement of the Alexievskaya Church, where the remains of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who died in the Kremlin in 1905 at the hands of terrorists, were buried. The crypt of the Grand Duke was located under the floor, exactly under the shrine of St. Alexis. In 1929, all the buildings of the Chudov Monastery were demolished.

In the second half of the 15th century. Grand Duke All Rus' Ivan III Vasilievich launches a grandiose construction project in the capital of the young and rapidly growing power. First of all, of course, the Kremlin is being rebuilt.

The Moscow Kremlin is being rebuilt with the participation of Italian architects and is largely acquiring its own modern look. Its center was Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral (1475-79), Annunciation Cathedral (1484-89), Faceted Chamber (1487-91), Archangel Cathedral (1505-08) - (the burial vault of Russian princes and tsars) and the bell tower located on it Ivan the Great...

In 1485-95, under Ivan III, the Kremlin fortifications were rebuilt. New walls and towers, taller and thicker than the previous ones, are faced with red brick. In 1508-16, on the site of modern Red Square, a ditch was dug, into which water came from the river. Neglinnaya. The Kremlin becomes an impregnable fortress, surrounded by water on all sides...

By the end of the 15th – beginning of the 16th centuries. The Moscow Kremlin becomes the most significant fortification in Europe. Moreover, its towers, cathedrals, and civil buildings are perfect not only in their architecture, but also in their interiors and decoration.

In the XVII-XIX years, active construction of secular buildings was underway, and the Kremlin ensemble received its logical conclusion. In 1635-36, the Terem Palace was built, adjacent to the Faceted Chamber. In the 17th century, the Kremlin towers received tiered and hipped roofs, acquiring a modern appearance. The construction of the Great Arsenal Building dates back to 1702-36 (architects D. Ivanov, H. Conrad with the participation of M. I. Choglokov). In 1776-87 the Senate building (architect Matvey Kazakov).

In 1812 Moscow and the Kremlin were captured by Napoleon's army. Retreating, Napoleon ordered the Kremlin buildings to be mined and blown up. Although most of the charges did not explode, the damage was significant. The Vodozvodnaya, Petrovskaya and First Nameless Towers were blown up, the Arsenal Tower was seriously damaged, and the extensions to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower were also damaged. It took 20 years to restore the destruction, from 1815 to 1836.

In the middle of the 18th century, the idea arose to build the Great Kremlin Palace, located on the southern slope of the Kremlin hill along the river. At different times, its projects were developed by architects V. I. Bazhenov, M. F. Kazakov, A. N. Lvov, V. P. Stasov. But only the project of K. A. Thon in 1839-49 was destined to come true. According to his design, the building of the Armory Chamber was built in 1844-51.

With the advent of Soviet power, the Kremlin became one of the symbols of the new system. In 1935-1937, the double-headed eagles that crowned the main Kremlin towers Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya were replaced with stars made of ruby ​​glass with a diameter of 3-3.75 meters. In 1959-61, the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (now the State Kremlin Palace) was built.

Since 1955, the Kremlin has been open to the public, becoming an open-air museum. In 1990, the Kremlin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.