The Moscow Kremlin can rightly be called the main attraction of the capital of Russia. Everyone will be able to get to it quickly and easily. There are metro stations, at the exit of which you can pretty soon reach the Moscow Kremlin building. We think it's worth listing them.
Where do I need to get out of the subway to get to the Kremlin?
Station "Alexander Garden"
Leaving at this stop, you will, as you probably already guessed, get into the famous Alexander Garden. Here you can see the Kutafya Tower, where tickets are sold to the territory of the Kremlin itself and to the Armory. Nearby there are many souvenir shops where you can buy souvenirs and gifts to friends.
Station "Library named after Lenin"
You can nearby admire the Kutafya tower, which will be located very close by - you just have to go to the other side.
Station "Revolution Square" and "Kitay-Gorod"
They will lead you straight to Red Square, only from different sides. In the first case, you will leave from the side of the Historical Museum, and in the second - from the Intercession Cathedral.
Station "Okhotny Ryad"
Having left at the station "Okhotny Ryad", it will also be possible to stroll through the famous trading floors. You just need to prepare in advance for the fact that prices will be very "unusual" for a simple layman ...
What about the prices?
What prices await a person who decides to visit the Kremlin museum? It is worth noting immediately that such a pleasure is not cheap. A walk around the Armory, which will last about an hour and a half, will cost about 700 rubles. A visit to the Diamond Fund will cost 500 rubles. If you just want to walk around the territory and look at the cathedrals, you will need to pay 350 rubles. An excursion without visiting the cathedrals will cost 200 rubles. But most likely, there will be people who are interested in: why was the Moscow Kremlin built?
What is included in the attraction?
The name "Kremlin" means not only walls and towers, as some people might think, but also everything that is inside it. Behind the wall you can see magnificent cathedrals, famous squares, museums and palaces. In addition, recently in the summer on Saturdays at 12 noon you can see the ceremonial change of the guard of the Kremlin regiment, which will demonstrate military skills.
And now let's talk about the history of the famous architectural complex of the capital and answer the question of why the Moscow Kremlin was built.
A bit of construction history
It must be understood that the word "Kremlin" is quite ancient. It meant that part of the city center that was fortified. In other words, the Kremlin is a fortress. In antiquity, times were not considered calm. So why was the Moscow Kremlin built? There were situations when cities had to fend off unexpected attacks by countless enemy troops. Since that time, the tradition has begun to gather absolutely all the inhabitants of the city under the protection of the Kremlin. Regardless of age, absolutely all people hid behind powerful and high walls. Those who were able to hold weapons in their hands defended themselves, taking up positions on the walls of the structure.
Hill fortress appearances
The history of the Moscow Kremlin began its reckoning about 4 thousand years ago. This fact has been established by archaeologists. They were guided by fragments of clay pots, stone axes and flint arrowheads that they found. All these things were once used by ancient settlers.
The place where it was decided to begin construction of the Moscow Kremlin was not chosen by chance. The construction took place on a fairly high hill around which rivers flowed - the Moscow River and Neglinnaya. Due to its high location, the fortress was able to pre-see enemies from a great distance and prepare for defense. In addition, the rivers acted as a natural barrier to enemy troops.
The Kremlin was wooden ?!
The history of the Moscow Kremlin began with the construction of a wooden structure. Around him, the settlers created a rampart from the earth, thus increasing the reliability of the fortress. The remains of all these old fortifications were found during construction work, which took place already in modern conditions.
Not so long ago it became known that the first walls were erected back in 1156. The order for the construction of the fortress was given by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. How do we know that? From the monuments of written culture - ancient chronicles. At the very beginning of the XIV century, Ivan Kalita ascended the throne. Such a nickname was given to him for the myriad wealth that he always carried with him in a small bag - a wicket.
The prince decided to continue not only the construction of the Moscow Kremlin, but also begin decorating and strengthening the walls to increase the reliability of the whole city. He gave the order to create completely new walls. After some time, the fortress was built from oak logs of such a thickness that it was impossible to clasp their hands.
Stone reinforcement
The history of the construction of the Moscow Kremlin was replenished with new data with the advent of the next ruler. Dmitry Donskoy completely redid the walls. It was during his reign that they became stone. Masons from all over the city were assembled. In 1367, work began on the construction of new walls of the Kremlin. The workers worked without interruption, and after some time a powerful fortification made entirely of stone appeared on Borovitsky Hill . The wall thickness reached two, and in some places even three meters. During the construction, limestone was used, the extraction of which took place near the city. The Kremlin so impressed everyone with its white walls that they called Moscow white stone.
Prince Dmitry was known as a rather brave man. He fought only in the forefront, and it was he who led the army against the Mongol yoke. In 1380, the army under his leadership in a crushing battle won a victory on the Kulikovo field near the Don river. It was after the momentous battle of the prince that they began to call Donskoy.
The white stone wall was unshakable for a long period of time
The Kremlin with white walls stood for about 100 years. During this period of time, quite a lot has changed. Russian lands finally united in a fairly strong state, and Moscow became the capital. All these changes occurred during the reign of Prince Ivan III. From that moment they began to call him Great. Historians called him "the collector of Russian land."
It was Ivan III that the best masters were called upon. In addition, he invited the best architects from Italy - Aristotle Fioravanti, Anthony Solario and other equally well-known experts in their field. Under the guidance of invited masters, the history of the Moscow Kremlin began to replenish with new events. To prevent the city from being left without a fortress during the construction, the Kremlin was built in parts: first, a certain section of the white stone wall was dismantled, and then a new brick structure was built in its place. Clay, which was used during construction work, was taken near the capital. The brick went through the firing procedure before laying, as a result of which it hardened.
For those years while construction was underway, Italian masters have ceased to be perceived as strangers. Their names were even redone in Russian fashion. For example, Antonio became Anton Fryazin. Such a surname was given to him only because the Italian lands were called Fryzhsky by our ancestors. Naturally, those who came from this land were nicknamed Fryazin.
The construction of new facilities
The construction of the new Kremlin lasted about 10 years. The fortress was protected by rivers from two sides. At the very beginning of the XVI century, a fairly wide ditch was dug from the third side, which connected two rivers with each other. Currently, the Kremlin is completely protected from all sides by water barriers.
What is the story of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin capable of telling? Similar structures were erected one after another. They were immediately equipped with diversion archers in order to increase defense capability. In addition to updating the walls of the fortress, the masters immediately rebuilt such famous cathedrals as the Annunciation, Arkhangelsk, Assumption.
Speeding up the construction of the Kremlin
After the throne was occupied by the Romanovs, the construction of new walls of the fortress began at a new, more intensified pace. The craftsmen designed the Filaret's belfry next to the bell tower of Ivan the Great. Also there were such constructions of the Moscow Kremlin as the Teremnaya and the Comic palaces, the cathedrals of the Twelve Apostles and the Patriarchal Chambers. During the reign of Peter I, the Arsenal building was erected. But at the moment when it was decided to move the capital to St. Petersburg, the construction of new structures stopped.
When Catherine II ascended the throne, some buildings of the Moscow Kremlin were demolished, as well as one of the parts of the southern wall. This was done in order to be able to build a new palace. But work after some time was canceled. Most likely, the reason for this was the lack of funds. But there is also an unofficial version. It concerns the negative attitude of people to works of this type. In the period from 1776 to 1787, the Senate building was erected.
I couldn’t do without damage
The description of the Moscow Kremlin also has negative data. Huge damage to the entire structure caused the invasion of Napoleon. At this time, numerous churches were looted and desecrated by enemy troops. During the retreat, the wall, towers and buildings were partially destroyed. After the war, restoration work began, and by 1917 about 31 churches were rebuilt in the Kremlin.
During the October Revolution, the Kremlin was bombarded. The year 1918 was marked by the transfer of the government of the RSFSR to the Senate building. During the reign of Soviet power in the Kremlin, the Palace of Congresses was erected . In addition, stars were installed on the towers, and Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell were placed on a pedestal. During this period, the restoration of both individual walls and all structures of the Kremlin was carried out.
Powerful and magnificent property of Russia
Now you understand why the Moscow Kremlin was built? Naturally, over time, it began to be perceived not from a position of strengthening, but as a landmark of the whole country.
The construction process of the Moscow Kremlin lasted for about eight centuries, and we can say that during this time quite a lot of significant events took place. Not all of them favorably affected the fortress. However, the Kremlin was able to withstand all the hardships. He continues to amaze people from all over the world with his greatness. The power and beauty of this building cannot be described in any words, and it is not for nothing that the Kremlin was included in the UNESCO heritage list.
The history of the Kremlin is very closely intertwined with important events in the life of the state. With the growth of this construction, the growth of the city, and then the entire state, took place. The life of the Kremlin is firmly connected with political upheavals: it is in it that the highest authorities are located and the most important decisions of a historical nature are made. The construction is one of the most beautiful monuments of Russian culture, which has lost a lot in the history of its formation, but also gained a lot. This did not prevent him from becoming a real attraction.
In the article, we made an attempt to explain who built the Moscow Kremlin, and what role this building has played and is playing to this day in the history of the Russian state.