Moscow Kremlin

 

The first settlements in this area are under the Bronze Age (2nd century BC). The "grad of Moscow" itself was founded in 1156 by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy and made of oak. From 1366 to 1368 Dmitry Donskoy replaced the wooden walls with whitewash.

Existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Grandpa Prince Ivan III invited talented architects from Italy to do the job.

The Kremlin had been a royal residence until the reign of Peter the Great: He had ambitions for the whole city, which is why St Petersburg was born. The Bolsheviks took power in 1917 and the northern city was stripped of its capital - which was transferred to Moscow by the Soviet government led by Vladimir Lenin. The Kremlin once again became the heart of power.

The Bolshevik uprising in Moscow in 1917 claimed many lives, and a fortified tower near St. Petersburg. Basil’s Cathedral was under intense fire. During the Soviet era 28 of the first 54 buildings in the walled city were demolished (click here to read about the ten Russian monuments lost over the years). In 1947, under Stalin's command, the walls of the castle were painted in both the color of the Revolution and the Communism, red.

In 1955 the Kremlin reopened its doors to the public (the first emperor to do so was Nicholas II). In 1961 the Kremlin museums were established and the current director of these centers is Yuri Gagarin's daughter Elena.

Since 1991, the Kremlin has been the residence of the Russian president.

Here are a few statistics to illustrate the magnitude of the complexity:

Total area: 27.7 hectares

Wall height: 2,500 m

Wall height: 5-19 m

Towers: 20

Height of the Tower: Up to 80 m

Fighting on the walls of the Kremlin: 1,073

 

 

The buildings in the Moscow Kremlin can be divided into four distinct categories:

Museums, historic buildings, and churches (ticket entry)

Grand Kremlin Palace (visit required)

State Kremlin Palace (ticket entry)

Presidential Buildings and Administration (closed to the public)

 

Over the centuries a number of churches and monks have sprung up in the Kremlin and built Cathedral Square. Today the square has six buildings, including three temples.

Each monument in the Kremlin group has a special role, but no one is more prominent than the Cathedral of the archangel Michael. It was built from 1505-08 as part of a construction campaign launched by Ivan III. Almost all Muscovite kings from Ivan Kalita to Ivan V are housed internally.

The Kremlin Regiment is a separate military unit and is superior in every way. It is responsible for protecting government officials and Kremlin officials.

Every day, hundreds of Russians and immigrants visit the Eternal Flame and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where Kremlin troops carry out their duties. The army also appoints a guard at the meetings and delegates.