Address: Russia, Moscow
Start of construction: 1482
Completion of construction: 1495
Number of towers: 20
Wall length: 2500 m.
Main attractions: Spasskaya Tower, Assumption Cathedral, Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, Annunciation Cathedral, Archangel Cathedral, Faceted Chamber, Terem Palace, Arsenal, Armory Chamber, Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell
Coordinates: 55°45"03.0"N 37°36"59.3"E
Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation
In the very heart of Moscow, on Borovitsky Hill, the majestic Kremlin ensemble rises. It has long become a symbol not only of the capital, but of all of Russia. History itself decreed that an ordinary village of Krivichi, located in the middle of the forest, eventually turned into the capital of a mighty Russian state.
The Kremlin from a bird's eye view
Kremlin or Detinets in ancient Rus' called the central, fortified part of the city with a fortress wall, loopholes and towers. The first Moscow Kremlin, built in 1156 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, was a wooden fortress surrounded by a moat and rampart. During the reign of Ivan I, nicknamed Kalita (money bag), oak walls and towers were erected in Moscow and the first stone building was laid - the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady.
View of the Kremlin walls from the Kremlin embankment
In 1367 Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy surrounded the Kremlin with a powerful fortress wall made of white limestone. Since then, the capital has received the nickname “White Stone Moscow”. Large-scale construction began under Ivan III, who united a significant part of the Russian lands around Moscow and built a residence worthy of the “Sovereign of All Rus'” in the Kremlin.
Ivan III invited architects from Milan to build fortifications. It was in 1485 - 1495 that the walls and towers of the Kremlin that still exist today were built. The top of the walls is crowned with 1045 battlements in the shape of a “swallowtail” - they have the same appearance as the battlements of Italian castles. At the turn of the 15th - 16th centuries, the Moscow Kremlin turned into an impregnable massive fortress, lined with red brick.
View of the Kremlin from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge
In 1516, a ditch was dug along the fortifications overlooking Red Square. After the Time of Troubles, the towers were decorated with tents, giving the Kremlin a modern look.
The miraculous return of the shrine of the Moscow Kremlin
The main one of the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin is rightfully considered Spasskaya, created by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The Spassky Gate has long been the main entrance to the Kremlin, and the chimes placed in the tower's tent are known as the main clock of the country. The top of the tower is crowned with a luminous ruby star, but after the collapse of the USSR there are increasingly calls to remove the star and erect a double-headed eagle in its place. The tower got its name from the icon of the Savior of Smolensk over the gate.
View of the Kremlin from the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge
The icon was revered by saints, so men, passing through the gate, in front of the image of the Savior had to take off their headdress. Legend has it that when Napoleon was passing through the Spassky Gate, a gust of wind tore the cocked hat off his head. But the bad omens did not end there: the French tried to steal the gilded robe that adorned the image of the Savior of Smolensk, but the ladder attached to the gate overturned, and the shrine remained unharmed.
During the years of Soviet power, the icon was removed from the tower. For more than 70 years, the shrine was considered lost, until in 2010, restorers discovered a metal mesh hiding the image of Christ under a layer of plaster. On August 28, 2010, on the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Patriarch Kirill solemnly consecrated the newly found icon above the gates of the Spasskaya Tower.
Beklemishevskaya Tower
Legends and myths of the Kremlin
From time immemorial, the Moscow Kremlin was not only a symbol of the unlimited power of the sovereign, but also a place about which legends were written. For long history so many legends have been created about the Kremlin temples and towers that would be enough for a whole book.
The most famous legends tell about secret dungeons and underground passages. It is believed that they were invented by Italian architects who designed and built the Kremlin walls and towers. Many underground rooms have been preserved under the former Chudov Monastery, which until the 1930s was located in the eastern part of the Kremlin Hill. These are passages, interiors of temples and long galleries. Today, some of them are flooded with groundwater.
Eternal flame at the walls of the Kremlin
There are rumors among Muscovites that previously branched underground passages led outside from each of the Kremlin towers. The same secret passages connected all the royal palaces. When builders began digging a large foundation pit for the State Kremlin Palace in the 1960s, they discovered three underground passages dating back to the 16th century. The dungeons were so wide that you could drive a cart through them.
Underground passages were found during every major reconstruction. Most often, voids, gaps and labyrinths were walled up or simply filled with concrete for safety reasons.
Spasskaya Tower
One of the secrets of the Moscow Kremlin is also connected with its dungeons. For several centuries now, historians and archaeologists have been struggling with the mystery of the disappearance of the library of Ivan IV the Terrible, which is also called Liberia. The Russian sovereign inherited a unique collection of ancient books and manuscripts from his grandmother Sophia Paleologus, who received these books as a dowry.
In historical documents there is an inventory of the library, consisting of 800 volumes, but the collection itself disappeared without a trace. Some researchers are convinced that it burned down in a fire or disappeared during the Time of Troubles. But many are sure that the library is intact and hidden in one of the Kremlin dungeons.
View of the Assumption, Annunciation Cathedrals and Cathedral Square
The discovery of books in storage facilities located underground was not an accident. When Sophia Paleolog arrived in the city in 1472, she saw the terrible consequences of the fire that raged in Moscow two years earlier. Realizing that the library she brought could easily perish in a fire, Sophia ordered a spacious basement, which was located under the Kremlin Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, to be equipped for storage. After this, the valuable Liberia was always kept in dungeons.
View of Cathedral Square and Ivan the Great Bell Tower
Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin - “altars of Russia”
Today the Moscow Kremlin is both the place of work of the President of the Russian Federation and a historical and cultural museum. The historical center of the Kremlin is represented by Cathedral Square with three cathedrals— Uspensky, Arkhangelsk and Blagoveshchensky. An old proverb says: “The Kremlin rises above Moscow, and above the Kremlin there is only the sky.” That is why all the people honored the tsar’s decrees, which he proclaimed in the Assumption Cathedral.
This temple can rightfully be called the “altar of Russia.” In the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, kings were crowned kings, the next head of the Russian church was elected, and in the tombs of the temple the relics of Moscow saints found eternal rest. Archangel Cathedral, from 1340 until XVIII century, served as a tomb for Moscow princes and kings.
Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin
Under its arches, tombstones are placed in strict order on white stone slabs. The Annunciation Cathedral was the personal house of prayer for the Moscow princes: here they were baptized, confessed, and got married. According to legend, the grand ducal treasury was kept in the basement of this temple. The Cathedral Square is surrounded by the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Faceted and Patriarchal Chambers. Meetings of the Boyar Duma and Zemsky Sobors, and the office of the Holy Synod was located in the Patriarchal Palace.
Sights of the Moscow Kremlin
The younger buildings of the Kremlin include the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in mid-19th century by order of Emperor Nicholas I. Today, within its walls is the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia.
The materials of the section are prepared by the editors of “Around the World” together with the World Heritage Center, Paris.
An act of high international recognition of the historical and artistic value of the architectural masterpieces of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square was their inclusion in 1990 in the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage Monuments.
The Moscow Kremlin is a symbol of Moscow, a symbol of Russia... History itself decreed that what was once an ordinary Slavic settlement, located in the wilderness of the Vladimir Principality, eventually turned into the capital of the largest state...
The first documentary evidence of Moscow dates back to 1147, the time of the reign of Vladimir Monomakh’s son Yuri Dolgoruky.
Under Prince Dmitry Donskoy, the white stone walls and towers of the Kremlin were erected. In 1485 1495 the Kremlin was thoroughly rebuilt. It was during these years that it became red brick, acquired its current appearance and reached its modern size.
The Kremlin covers an area of almost 28 hectares. Along the entire perimeter of the Kremlin there are 18 towers built into the fortress walls, one remote tower (Kutafya) and one small wall tower (Tsarskaya). The most famous among others is the Spasskaya Tower, which has long been the main gate of the Kremlin, has 10 floors and a height of 71 meters. The Kremlin chimes are located in the hipped roof of the Spasskaya Tower.
On the territory of the Kremlin there are also such unique cultural sites like the Grand Kremlin Palace. Senate, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Assumption, Annunciation, Archangel Cathedrals...
The Armory Chamber, located at the Borovitsky Gate, is the oldest Russian treasury museum. There are more than 4,000 exhibits on display here, including royal thrones. And nearby stands the Tsar Cannon, a masterpiece of Russian weaponry, its weight is 40 tons, its length is more than 5 meters. The Tsar Bell is the largest in the world. Its height is 6 meters and it weighs 200 tons.
The Kremlin is always crowded. Visitors admire the timeless beauty of architectural masterpieces that embody the history and culture of Russia.
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Kutafya Tower (entrance to the Kremlin) |
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Church of the Twelve Apostles |
For many centuries the Kremlin has stood on the high Borovitsky Hill, right next to the Moscow River. It would seem that all its secrets should have long been known to people who are busy studying this unique monument, which today has received the status of a State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. And yet, almost every day brings new discoveries to archaeologists, art historians, architects, and restorers. Here are some of them.
Recently, unique items from the princely treasury dating back to the 12th century were found in the Kremlin. They lay under a five-meter layer of earth in a wooden chest with copper handles. They were probably hidden in the terrible days of winter 1237, when small Moscow was besieged by the hordes of Batu Khan for three days. At that time, Vladimir Yuryevich, the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest, reigned, the head of one of the largest states in Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries, the vast Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Apparently, Vladimir was given a share of the family treasures when he went to reign in Moscow.
The items included in the treasure are magnificent and varied. These are kolta large pendants in the form of six-pointed stars, covered with the smallest grains, temple rings with openwork beads, medallions with images of archangels and flourishing crosses, gilded sewn-on plaques for decorating clothes... As well as a gold ring of oriental work with an Arabic inscription: “Glory and success, and power, and happiness, and adornment to the owner of this.” This is the second gold item found in history archaeological excavations in the Kremlin. Among the neck decorations were hollow pendants in the shape of beetles, ornamented with hemispheres, grains and filigree wire. Similar ones were found in Sweden; they date back to the Viking Age and the 11th century. This is the first time such pendants have been discovered in Rus'. How did they end up in the Moscow Kremlin?! There are many mysteries.
Historians have long been interested in the question: why among the Kremlin churches there was a temple of Kozma and Demyan - patrons of blacksmiths. During excavations nearby, in the Kremlin itself, they found numerous evidence of metal working, the remains of a 15th century forge that burned down in a fire, pieces of crucibles, and fragments of crucibles.
The Kremlin citadel, like the best medieval fortresses in Europe, was rich in above-ground and underground hiding places. There were passages for forays and secret water intake, for communications between Kremlin buildings; there were underground torture chambers, for storing treasury and weapons, and prison chambers. They were protected from undermining by rumors, that is, by cameras with auditory tubes built into the walls and vaults, intended for listening. The underground galleries laid in front of the fortress wall were also called rumors; they were used during sieges to prevent the enemy from undermining.
Underground passages also led to the reception hall of the Russian empresses. An eyewitness of the 16th century, the Greek bishop Arseny Elassonsky wrote about the queen’s chamber: “The entire spherical temple shone with the purest gold, and by the cunning design of the artist, quiet words echoed loudly in it. (When examining the chamber, well-preserved pots were discovered on the vault, placed close to each other, fastened with brick chips on lime.) Ancient craftsmen often used hollow ceramic pots in the masonry of temple walls to amplify the sound in the room.
The vault was covered in gold and decorated with precious images. On the walls there is an amazing mural depicting the deeds of saints.”
Today, the throne room of the Russian queens corresponds to the bishop’s picturesque story about it: the restoration of the unique monument, begun in the 80s, has been completed.
The fate of the necropolis of the Ascension Cathedral is interesting. Female royalty and grand duchesses were usually buried there. Despite repeated attempts to fill up or destroy the necropolis, it was possible to save it and move everything to the Basement Chamber of the Archangel Cathedral. IN recent years Active study of the burials began, and discoveries were not long in coming.
Using the remains of Sophia Paleolog, forensic experts were able to reconstruct her sculptural portrait. Now we can see: Sophia Paleologus, the second wife of Ivan III, a Byzantine princess who came to Russia in 1472, was a woman of unusual beauty, with chiseled features, wavy hair, which Ivan the Terrible bears a striking resemblance to. And this is not surprising, because she was his own grandmother. Now the portrait of Ivan the Terrible’s mother is being painstakingly recreated. At the same time, Kremlin museum workers began a truly “forensic investigation” who famous women was he poisoned? Through complex studies of the preserved remains, they identified: Anastasia Romanova, the first wife of Ivan the Terrible, one of the victims of such an act.
The Kremlin continues to work on the revival of ancient symbols and emblems, carefully preserved in the historical memory of the people.
The image of St. George the Victorious... It was he who was considered by the Vladimir and then Moscow princes as their patron and intercessor. Saint George the Warrior was revered as the heavenly patron of the founder of Moscow, Yuri Dolgoruky. A sculptural image of St. George the Victorious by sculptor Vasily Ermolin adorned the façade of the Kremlin’s Spasskaya Tower. In the 30s of our century it was barbarically defeated. And only today it has been restored.
Once again, solemn services are held in the Kremlin cathedrals. Finally we heard the discordant sounds of the Kremlin bells...
Previously, in Moscow, many recognized them by their voices, and the Assumption Bell in the Kremlin invariably played the lead singer during all ringings, celebratory and funeral. Today all 22 Kremlin bells sounded again. Some of them were donated by private individuals in the past, as evidenced by the inscriptions. These are relatively small bells, because casting was an expensive affair due to the high price of copper, and the craftsmen charged a lot for the work.
Much remains to be discovered by the workers of the Kremlin Museum-Reserve. Discover, explore and restore.
So that everyone who comes here can exclaim after Lermontov: “...What can be compared with this Kremlin, which, surrounded by battlements, flaunting the golden domes of cathedrals, reclines on high mountain, like a sovereign crown on the brow of a formidable ruler?..
Neither the Kremlin, nor its battlements, nor its dark passages, nor its magnificent palaces can be described. You have to see, see... you have to feel everything they say to your heart and imagination!”
Tatyana Panova, head of the archaeological department of the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Moscow Kremlin" / photo by Yuri Maslyaev
Ilyinskaya Polina.
We went on an excursion to the Kremlin. The Kremlin is located on Borovitsky Hill. In ancient times, there was a pine forest on the hill, which is why it was called Borovitsky. Its inhabitants surrounded themselves with a palisade to hide from robbers. In 1156, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky formed a real fortress. Previously, the Kremlin was made of wood and therefore often burned. From above, the Kremlin territory looked like a large triangle. At the site of the Alexandria Garden, the Neglinnaya River flowed and flowed into the Moscow River. Now the Neglinnaya River is enclosed in pipes. Moscow expanded in 1326. For fourteen years, Ivan Kalita built and expanded the Kremlin. Stone cathedrals were erected - Assumption and Arkhangelsk. Built high tower. Princely mansions were built. In 1367, Kalita's grandson, Prince Dmitry, ordered the construction of the Kremlin walls from stone. The townspeople really liked the walls and towers of the Kremlin. Since then, Moscow has been called “white stone”. Under Ivan III, the Kremlin walls that we see now were built. They are more than five hundred years old, they were built by Italian craftsmen.
Marusya Kozlova
My class and I went to the Moscow Kremlin. The Kremlin was founded by Russian prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Many years ago, the Kremlin was made of wood, and therefore often burned. One spark could lead to a larger fire. But in 1367, construction of the Kremlin made of stone began to provide residents with security.
To this day, many ancient cathedrals, towers, and statues have been preserved in the Kremlin. For example, the Tsar Cannon, which is cast from pure bronze and weighs forty tons, and the cannonballs weigh 1 ton. It will take 200 horses to move it. But it was never put into action, just like the Tsar Bell. Tsar Bell weighs 200 tons and depicts the Russian Empress. It is covered in scratches; a piece larger than a person even fell off the bell.
Nefedov Danya
Residents of the Kremlin
In ancient times, only Muscovites-artisans lived in the Kremlin. And then only the boyars and kings remained to live. The boyars had large courtyards. The courtyards are an entire estate with warehouses, churches, baths, bakeries, and so on. Gradually, all the possessions of the boyars began to pass to the tsar. He either bought or took away these properties. The tsar executed undesirable boyars or expelled them from the Kremlin. In the 15th century, the Kremlin had a lot of houses and narrow streets. The streets were dirty, and only royal palace wooden floorings were laid. The king had the richest mansions; they consisted of three floors. There were people living on every floor. Servants and soldiers lived on the ground floor; the first floor was called the basement. And on the second floor there were upper rooms, and already on the third floor the king lived. Each member royal family They built a separate hut, then all these huts were connected by passages and churches. It was possible to get lost in these passages. The queen and princesses lived in their own half. If the king wanted to convey something to the queen, then his servant called the court noblewoman and conveyed the news from the king.
Lopatin Alyosha
Walls and towers of the Kremlin.
The current towers and walls of the Kremlin are more than five hundred years old. They were built under Ivan III. The white stone walls of the Kremlin were badly damaged and were covered in wooden patches. The cathedrals had to be propped up with logs. The Kremlin has 20 towers, 6 of which are travel towers. Small archery towers were placed in front of them. One of these towers is Kutafya. If you look at the Kremlin from above, it looks like a polygon. One of the main towers of the Kremlin is the Spasskaya Tower. There is a clock hanging on it. In the Trinity Tower there is a remote control that controls the Kremlin stars. On some “corners” of the Kremlin, round towers with overhanging loopholes were erected to shoot in all directions. The Kremlin walls are so wide that a carriage can drive along them. Each tower has its own name: Troitskaya, Spasskaya, Nikolskaya...
Masha Busurina
Tsar Bell.
There is the Tsar Bell in the Kremlin on Ivanovskaya Square. This bell was named so because it is the largest bell in the world. It weighs 200 tons. It was cast in 1733. Making the Tsar Bell was not easy. They dug a large hole in the square and first made a bell out of clay, and then poured bronze on top of it. One day, during another fire, burning logs fell into the pit with the Tsar Bell. Fearing that the bell would melt, people began to cool it with water. The bell cracked ten times and a piece weighing 11.5 tons broke off. Only a hundred years later the bell was raised from the pit. This bell has never rung. The bells could be “executed” for being rung during riots. Their tongues were torn out.
Egerev Yaroslav
Archangel Cathedral.
On the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin there is the Archangel Cathedral, it is dedicated to Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of Russian princes. The Archangel Cathedral was built by Aleviz Novy in 1505-1508 on the site of an old temple from the time of Ivan Kalita. Russian princes and tsars were buried in the Archangel Cathedral. The ashes of Ivan Kalita were brought there first. Ivan the Terrible and his sons are also buried there, but he did not want to rest like everyone else. He ordered himself and his sons to be buried behind the iconostasis in the altar.
Assumption Cathedral.
When the old cathedral of Ivan Kalita began to fall apart, Ivan III ordered the construction of a new cathedral. He entrusted the construction of the new one to the architect Aristotle Fiovanti. The new cathedral was completed in 1476, it was intended for coronation. There were two gates in the Assumption Cathedral. The first gate led to Cathedral Square, through which the king entered. The second gate led to the Patriarchal Palace, through which the patriarch entered.
Umansky Misha
Kremlin security.
Previously, there were many crows in the Kremlin, which greatly annoyed people. Crows croaked loudly, landed on the domes, and polluted the Kremlin. At first they wanted to scare them away by placing dogs in the squares that barked loudly and scared away the crows. But the crows were not afraid of the dog's barking and nothing happened. Then the Kremlin decided to have birds of prey: eagles, falcons, gyrfalcons and other birds of prey. Birds of prey scared away the crows, and soon there were fewer crows, and when they did fly to the Kremlin, they flew away almost immediately. Birds of prey were trained in a special fenced area of land where entry was prohibited. Already trained birds were kept free, and when there were no crows, the birds sat calmly on horizontal iron sticks protruding from the ground. There were few trees and bushes, but there were enough for the birds, because there were not many birds either, and there was a trainer for each bird.
Igor Kruglov
The most important building in the Kremlin is the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. This is the center of the Kremlin. It unites all temples, cathedrals and churches. This bell tower was once considered the tallest building in Moscow. If the city was in any danger, people climbed the bell tower and started ringing the bells. The bell tower consisted of several octagonal tiers. Its height was eighty-one meters, the thickness of its walls in the first tier was 4 meters, in the second - two and a half meters. Because of this, Napoleon was able to blow up only the belfry, which stood next to the bell tower; the bell tower itself survived. Her bath could be seen thirty miles away. During major holidays, this bell tower began to ring first, then the bells of other churches picked up the ringing. Throughout the bell tower and belfry. There are a total of 21 bells on the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The largest of them weighs 70 tons.
Liza Zhumaeva
The Tsar is a cannon.
In the Kremlin on Ivanovskaya Square there is a Tsar Cannon. The Tsar Cannon was made by Andrei Chokhov in 1586. He decided to make the largest cannon in the world. It was cast in the Cannon Yard. The Tsar Cannon weighs about 40 tons, its length is 5.34 m, and its caliber is 890 mm. Next to the Tsar Cannon lie huge round cannonballs. The kernels were decorative and empty inside. One core weighs 1 ton. The Tsar Cannon never fired. The Tsar Cannon was actually supposed to fire grapeshot from small stones and pieces of iron. In 1835, a decorative carriage was cast for the Tsar Cannon, decorated with reliefs on a military theme. On the front of the carriage is a lion's head.
The Kremlin walls and towers were mainly erected in ten years: from 1485 to 1495, and the elegant stone tents added in the 17th century gave the austere towers slenderness and beauty. The Kremlin walls, 2 kilometers 316 meters long, form an irregular triangle in plan, with an area of approximately 28 hectares. The walls were built taking into account the terrain. In some places they reach a height of 5 meters, and in others - 17 meters. Their thickness is from 3 to 5 meters. There are 20 towers in the Moscow Kremlin. The most beautiful and tallest - Spasskaya - was built in 1491.
MOSCOW KREMLIN The earth, as is known, begins from the Kremlin. The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest architectural ensemble of the capital of Russia, the greatest monument of Russian national culture. It contains the most valuable examples of ancient Russian architecture, painting and decorative art.
Twenty formidable towers stood for five centuries. They are not afraid of any enemy, They are not afraid of any enemy, no matter how many enemies there are! No matter how many enemies there are! These walls have been preserved, These walls have been preserved, They still stand - They still stand - Inaccessible, unchangeable, Inaccessible, unchangeable, Just like five centuries ago! Just like five centuries ago!
The ancient Cathedral Square in the Kremlin contains the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the Faceted Chamber, the Assumption, Annunciation and Archangel Cathedrals. Adjacent to the Palace of Facets is the Golden Tsarina Chamber and the Terem Palace. At the entrance to the Kremlin, at the Borovitsky Gate, there is the building of the State Armory Chamber. The architectural ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace includes all ancient civil buildings. The remarkable examples of Russian foundry art - the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell - evoke admiration.
BELL TOWER OF IVAN THE GREAT In the center of the Kremlin rises a majestic, multi-tiered, golden-domed tower, known as Ivan the Great. The tower is a brilliant work of ancient Russian architecture, a miracle of construction technology of its time. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was built in 1600, and its upper tier was added in 1600, as evidenced by the inscription under the dome, written in gilded letters. At one time, the Moscow Kremlin was a first-class fortress, and this bell tower played the role of a watchtower and signal tower, from which the surrounding area within a radius of kilometers was perfectly visible. If they noticed the enemy approaching Moscow, the alarmed Kremlin bells were rung, and the people gathered to defend their native land. Over the years, the architect Petrok Maly added a belfry to the bell tower of Ivan the Great, and in the 17th century the so-called Filaretov extension was built on the north side. The belfry contains bells that are of great interest as monuments of Russian foundry art. In the central doorway hangs the Assumption Bell, weighing about 70 tons. In 1812, during the retreat of Napoleon's army from Moscow, the belfry and annex were blown up. The pillar of Ivan the Great cracked, but survived, which testifies to the exceptional strength of the pillar and the high skill of its builders.
ARKHANGELSK CATHEDRAL OF THE MOSCOW KREMLIN The cathedral was built in the years by the architect Aleviz Novy on the site of an ancient white-stone cathedral built in 1333. The Arkhangelsk Cathedral is the tomb of the great Russian princes and tsars, starting from the 14th century until Peter I. The collector of Russian lands Ivan Kalita is buried here, there is the tomb of the great Russian commander, hero of the Battle of Kulikovo Dmitry Donskoy, the tomb of the Moscow prince Ivan III, Ivan the Terrible, his sons.
ARMORY CHAMBER At the entrance to the Kremlin, at the Borovitsky Gate, there is the building of the State Armory Chamber, built specifically for the museum in 1851 by architect K.A. In tone. The world's only collection of fabrics and clothing from the 14th to 19th centuries with magnificent embroidery in gold, silver and pearls, made by skilled Russian craftswomen, is exhibited here. An interesting collection of ceremonial horse trappings and carriages of the 15th - 19th centuries, the work of Russian and foreign masters. Among the richest collection of royal regalia, ancient thrones lined with gold and ivory and decorated with precious stones, scepters, orbs, crowns and the famous Monomakh cap.
