It’s not difficult to get to the Moscow Kremlin. Today it is open to all comers. Every day, hundreds of tourists can visit the Kremlin. Everyone who visited here probably walked through the Tainitsky Garden, admiring the beauty of the ensemble of Cathedral Square. Ancient temples amaze with their grandeur : Arkhangelsk, Annunciation, Assumption. One of the main attractions, of course, is the Armory. Well, those who were lucky enough to visit the Diamond Fund, to see the royal regalia of amazing beauty, can only be envied.
The beginning of the story
Perhaps everyone will at least take a little interest in Moscow history before getting into the Kremlin. Moscow is an ancient city with many unique buildings, monuments, complexes, the main one being the Kremlin. It is located on Borovitsky Hill, on the left coast of the Moskva River, where it merges with the Neglinnaya River. Once upon a time, Borovitsky hill was completely covered with dense forests, hence its name came from. The Moscow Kremlin is considered the ancestor of the birth of the city. It was here that in the XII century the first buildings were erected, a settlement arose, which became the ancestor of present-day Moscow. The Vyatichi settlement stretched along the entire Borovitsky hill, occupied a considerable area, was protected by a ring fortification.
Description of the Moscow Kremlin
Now the Moscow Kremlin is an amazing and memorable architectural ensemble of the XV-XIX centuries. This place attracts many visitors, as getting into the Kremlin is quite easy. In its form, the architectural ensemble resembles an irregular triangle, the southern side of which overlooks the Moscow River. The entire territory of the Kremlin is protected by a high brick wall. The twenty towers located here are made in various architectural styles.
How to get to the Moscow Kremlin? The main entrance is the Spassky Gate, they are located from the east, look at Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral. The Spasskaya Tower was originally built in the 15th century, only later, namely in 1625, it received its tent-like completed look, and then the famous clock was installed. It should only be noted that modern watches have been operating since 1851. The south-west of the Kremlin is known for its Borovitsky Gate, it was through them in the distant 1812 that Napoleon and his troops managed to break into the city. How to get to the Kremlin from the west? The Trinity Gate opens here. In the tower of the same name, valuable archives of the imperial family were once stored. St. Nicholas Gate (exit from them to the northern tip of Red Square) is used to enter state institutions.
Kremlin Palace
On the territory of the Kremlin are state institutions, numerous palaces and temples. The largest building is the Grand Kremlin Palace. It was built for eleven years (1838-1849). It looks at the building on the Moscow River. In the east wing there is an old building: the Faceted Chamber (XV century), in the north - the Terem Palace (XVI-XVII century). Inside the Kremlin Palace there are many beautiful rooms and halls, all official receptions are held here.
The largest museum of the capital is the Armory, it is located in the western palace wing. The exhibits of the rarest beauty appear here: silver, gold items, armor, weapons, rich clothes, royal regalia, carriages, various historical values. Before visiting the Moscow Kremlin, everyone probably plans an excursion to the Armory.
Temples of the Kremlin
The main places of worship of the Kremlin are the cathedrals: Assumption, Annunciation and Arkhangelsk. The Assumption Cathedral is easily guessed by five domes. The building was built in the middle of the 15th century, it was plundered many times, burned, but, like a phoenix, the temple was reborn and always acquired its original form. All coronations of Russian tsars, starting from the 16th century, took place in this cathedral.
The Archangel Cathedral was built at the very beginning of the 16th century (1505-1508). The last time the temple was restored in the distant 1921, almost a hundred years have passed. The Archangel Cathedral was the tomb of the representatives of the great dynasties: the ancient Rurikovich, the first Romanovs.
Directly opposite Arkhangelsk is the Annunciation Cathedral, which is crowned by nine gilded domes. This temple was considered by the Russian tsars as a house church; it was opened in 1489. In the XVI century it was completely rebuilt and has since been restored several times.
The bell tower "Ivan the Great"
Before getting into the Kremlin, from far away everyone notices the famous bell tower of Ivan the Great, it can be attributed to one of the main attractions of the Kremlin. Today it is difficult for a modern person to imagine that once this structure was the highest in all of Russia. The bell tower was built under Boris Godunov in 1600, it was reconstructed in 1813. The unique structure has five tiers, the total height is 81 meters. The bell tower is crowned with a gilded dome and a cross. Now the complex includes two churches with separate belfries, 24 domes are installed.
Also, on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, every tourist can see the famous Tsar Bell. Its weight is almost two hundred tons. This is the largest bell in the world.
Interesting sights of the Kremlin ensemble include the oldest towers of Beklemishevskaya and Vodovzvodnaya, they were built in the fifteenth century. The latter had special mechanisms by which water was supplied from the Moskva River to the palaces of the Kremlin and Posad.
How to visit the Kremlin in Moscow
The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction, so every guest of the capital is trying to visit here. How to get to the Kremlin? Moscow is a huge metropolis where the modern metro allows you to get to any point, including the Kremlin. To get to the ticket office, you need to get to the metro station "Arbat", "Borovitskaya", "Alexander Garden" or "Lenin Library". Leaving the subway, you need to follow the signs "Alexander Garden". There are ticket offices in the center of the garden where you can buy tickets for visiting the Moscow Kremlin. If you are thinking about how to get to the museums of the Kremlin, then you can buy tickets at the same box office. However, this can be done directly in the museums themselves.
Midsummer is considered the peak season, many foreign tourists come to the capital, so it’s not easy to get into the Armory, not everyone has enough tickets. Well, those who visited the Diamond Fund can simply be called lucky. Tickets to this place cannot be bought in advance, to get here, you need to spend a lot of time, but it's worth it.
How to visit the Kremlin Diamond Fund
Everyone who wants to see the expositions of the Diamond Fund can go on an excursion. They are held daily, except Thursday, but not on holidays. The work of the Diamond Fund is carried out in the form of sessions, for each of which a limited group of people is being recruited. For foreigners, you can order individual excursions with a guide-translator. Opening hours from 10.00 to 17.00, there is a lunch break from 13 to 14 hours. Before you visit the Moscow Kremlin and its museums, plan your time in advance.
A bit from the history of the Diamond Fund
The history of the Diamond Fund begins with the distant Petrine times. Imitating the European monarchs, Tsar Peter announced that all treasures, crowns stored in the palace are state values, they should be kept in special imperial rooms under reliable protection. All expensive regalia were issued to reigning persons only for temporary use. In 1839, a diamond room was specially created to store the crown values. In order to surprise foreigners, the Russian tsars tried their best to replenish the wealth of their court, they were purchased at public expense, only a small part was received as a gift. Nicholas I finally secured all the crown jewels as state property. Everyone who thinks about how to visit the Kremlin in Moscow, to be in the Diamond Fund, try to find out in advance some information about the exhibits that are presented there. The most significant are described below.
Great Imperial Crown
This crown was made by the court jeweler Eckart together with the famous master Posier. The crown was created specifically for the young Empress Catherine II back in 1762. 4936 diamonds were set in silver, their radiance is emphasized by large matte pearls arranged in two rows. The height of the product is 27.5 cm. All Russian emperors were subsequently crowned with this crown.
Small Imperial Crown
One of the many imperial regalia stored in the Diamond Fund. The creation of the jeweler Zeftigen. A crown was created in 1856 for the Empress Maria, who was the wife of Alexander II.
Power and Scepter of the Imperial
The regalia was created by the jeweler Eckart in 1762 for Catherine II. The imperial power is decorated with gold, diamonds, silver, diamonds. Its height is 24 cm. Already under Paul I, a large sapphire and a huge diamond of rare beauty appeared on the power. The scepter has a length of 59.5 cm, is decorated with gold, diamonds, silver, enamel, the main decoration is the Orlov diamond
Order of St. Andrew
Until 1917, it was considered the highest award of the Russian Empire, the first, if you count the time of the establishment of the Russian Order. The order consisted of a cross sign with the image of St. Andrew, an eight-pointed silver star, in the center of which is the motto: “For faith and fidelity”. The order was worn on the left side of the chest.
The best time to visit the Kremlin
Thinking about how to get to the Kremlin, it is better to plan a visit on a weekday in the morning. In summer, the Kremlin receives guests from 9.30 to 18 hours, and in winter - from 10.00 to 17 hours. Thursday is a day off. Close the Kremlin during important political events, meetings. The armory has its own schedule, sessions at 10, 12, 14-30, 16-30. The Armory is closed at 18 o’clock. The Diamond Fund is open from 10 to 17 hours with a lunch break from 13 to 14.