In this article, we will consider the main attractions of the Moscow Kremlin. It is located on Borovitsky Hill, rising 25 meters above the adjacent territory at the confluence of the Moscow River and the Neglinnaya River. In the old days Borovitsky hill was covered with forests, thanks to which it got its name. The Moscow Kremlin can also be considered the ancestor of the current capital of Russia. After all, the first buildings of Moscow were located precisely on its territory. The sights of the Kremlin and Red Square were built at different times. Therefore, we will start the story about them from the very beginning, in chronological sequence.
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the background to the emergence of such an important place for our country as the Kremlin (Moscow). Scientists date the first traces of a person’s stay on Borovitsky Hill by the end of the 2nd millennium BC. e. At the beginning of the XII century, a settlement reappeared here, which became the ancestor of modern Moscow. Vyatichi occupied a large area along Borovitsky hill. That is, two villages appeared here, protected by ring fortifications.
The period of ancient Russia
The Old Russian state originally consisted of individual principalities. The most extensive and influential was the Rostov-Suzdal. Since the second half of the 12th century, the city of Vladimir has been its capital. Moscow bordered on this principality from the west.
In 1147, as stated in the Ipatiev Chronicle, Yuri Dolgoruky, Suzdal prince, invited his ally Svyatoslav, Novgorod-Seversky prince, to Moscow. This event was the first mention of the Russian capital in documentary sources, and this date is considered to be the beginning of the formation of the city.
In the XIII century, Moscow, like other Russian cities, suffered from Batu raids. However, after some time, the city began to revive. In Moscow during this period the first dynasty of princes appeared, founded by Daniel, the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky. The Tatar-Mongols failed to destroy the completely Russian state. The Russian princes continued to rule the lands, receiving letters (shortcuts) from the Horde for this. In 1319, the eldest son of Daniel, Yuri Danilovich, received such a label for reigning in Novgorod. And Moscow was transferred to them in the management of his brother.
Ivan Kalita, whose image is presented below, did not move, as his predecessors did according to tradition, to Vladimir. He decided to stay in Moscow. This event played a big role in the fate of the Kremlin and the whole city. Following Ivan, Peter, the Metropolitan, also moved to Moscow.
The Kremlin becomes the residence of Russian princes
Since that time, the Kremlin has ceased to be just a defensive structure. The description of the Moscow Kremlin no longer fit into this framework. He turned into the residence of the Metropolitan and Grand Duke. The territory of the Kremlin was previously built up only with wooden structures. Since that time, here began to build buildings of white stone. So, on Borovitsky Hill, at its highest point, the Assumption Cathedral was founded, which became the main temple of the Moscow principality. The Church of St. John Climacus appeared in 1329, the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael - in 1333. These first buildings made of stone determined the further architectural concept of the Moscow Kremlin, which has survived to our time. The capital under Ivan Kalita has grown greatly. The Kremlin is becoming a separate central part of the city.
It should be said that the name "Kremlin" arose for the first time in the Voskresensky annals dated 1331. It means the fortified central part of the city.
Ivan Kalita wrote a spiritual letter before his death. In it, he bequeathed the symbols of the power of Russia (princely clothes, precious utensils, gold belts and chains), as well as all Moscow lands to his sons.
Kremlin white stone
In 1365, the Kremlin’s wooden buildings were once again damaged by fire. Then Dmitry Donskoy, a young Moscow prince, decided to erect stone fortifications on Borovitsky hill. In the winter of 1367, limestone was brought to the capital from the village Myachkovo, located 30 versts from the city. Construction began in the spring. In the center of Moscow, as a result of it, a white stone fortress appeared, which became the first in North-Eastern Russia. The territory of the Kremlin at the same time was increased due to the hill, as well as its hem. By the end of the 15th century, its architecture had acquired features that are characteristic of the modern Russian capital, and Moscow began to be perceived as the successor of Vladimir and Kiev.
Constantinople, the main city of Byzantium, was captured in 1453 by the Turks. Therefore, the role of the Orthodox capital began to fulfill Moscow. In order to bring the city in line with this status, Ivan III summoned Russian masters and Italian architects to the capital to rebuild the Kremlin.
The formation of the Kremlin ensemble
Under the leadership of Aristotle Fioravanti, an Italian architect, from 1475 to 1479 a new Assumption Cathedral was created, the main temple in Russia. At the other end of the square, opposite the cathedral, another Italian, Aleviz Novy, built a tomb temple - the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael. The palace of the Moscow prince was built in the western part of the Kremlin. It included the Middle Golden, Embankment and the Big Faceted Chamber.
The Annunciation Cathedral was built a little later, in the period from 1485 to 1489. Near him was founded the Church of the Deposition of the Robe. In the space that was limited by the Annunciation and Archangel Cathedrals, the Treasury Palace is located. It was the main treasury of the prince.
The formation of the ensemble of Cathedral Square was completed by the construction of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. It was completed in 1505-1508. The ringing of the bell tower of Ivan the Great has since begun to delight residents of the capital.
All new churches were traditionally built on the site of their predecessors, who were here during Dmitry Donskoy and Ivan Kalita. The sights of the Moscow Kremlin erected in their place bore the same names. All burials and relics from old temples were carefully transferred to them. From Vladimir to the Assumption Cathedral was transported the most revered Russian shrine at that time - the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir.
Kremlin towers
The construction of new towers and walls was the final touch in the design of the Kremlin ensemble. Their restructuring and updating took place in several stages. Tainitskaya tower was created first. She had an underground passage to the Moscow River. The architect who completed this project is Anton Fryazin, Italian. His other compatriot, Marco Fryazin, created the Beklemishevskaya tower, now called Moskvoretskaya. Then they created Sviblova, who also had a secret exit to the Moscow River. In 1633, a special machine was installed in the Sviblovaya Tower for lifting water and renamed it Vodovzvodnaya.
In 1488, the Annunciation Tower was built. Then other sights of the Moscow Kremlin were erected. These were two Unnamed towers, as well as Borovitskaya, Petrovskaya, Nabatnaya and Konstantino-Eleninsky. The Spasskaya Tower was built to strengthen the eastern part of the Kremlin. Now she is his calling card. The Spasskaya Tower got its name in honor of two icons: the Savior Not Made by Hands and the Savior of Smolensk.
Nikolskaya was built at the same time. Between her and Spasskaya grew another, which became known later as the Senate. Middle and Angular Arsenal towers appeared at the end of the 15th century. At the same time, there was Troitskaya, the highest in the Kremlin. To ensure the safety of approaches to it, the Kutafya Tower was built . For the same purpose, the Armory and the Commandant were erected along the Neglinnaya River. In 1680, the last tower in the Kremlin appeared - the Tsar’s Tower.
The reign of Ivan the Terrible in the history of the Kremlin
In 1547, Ivan the Terrible, the Grand Duke of Moscow, was proclaimed the first autocrat in Russia in the Assumption Cathedral. The head of the Russian church, Metropolitan Macarius officially declared him king, laying the cap of Monomakh on the head of Ivan the Terrible. In order to give the Moscow kingdom more authority, it was decided to canonize many ascetics and historical figures, and the idea arose to decorate the walls of Kremlin cathedrals with monumental murals.
Military campaigns, as a result of which the Astrakhan and Kazan Khanates were conquered, strengthened the authority of the Russian state. In honor of these events, it was decided to build a cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin, also known today as the Cathedral of St. Basil. It was built during the period from 1555 to 1562 outside the Kremlin, which emphasized the special importance of this structure. It was here, near the Spassky Gate, that a new center of public life in Moscow, Red Square, gradually developed.
During the Livonian War, Polotsk, the ancient Russian city, was returned. In honor of this event, Ivan the Terrible ordered the rebuilding of the Church of the Annunciation, which served as his house church. 4 small churches (aisles) were built over the galleries of this cathedral in 1563-1566.
The reign of the king, in addition, was marked by the appearance of orders in the Kremlin. So called governing bodies. Their buildings were located on Ivanovskaya Square in the Kremlin, which at that time turned into the administrative and business center of the capital. The embassy order was considered the most important of them. His department included questions of the state’s foreign policy, as well as control over the observance of embassy ceremonies.
Kremlin Transforms Made in the 18th Century
The first detailed map of the Kremlin that has survived to date dates back to 1663. On it you can roughly imagine what this place looked like then.
The Kremlin (Moscow) at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries experienced its highest prosperity. The capital of the state was transferred by decree of Peter the Great from Moscow to St. Petersburg in 1712. However, the Assumption Cathedral continued to be the main temple in Russia. It was here that state power was consecrated. But new conditions dictated a different way of life, so the territory of Borovitsky Hill began to be rebuilt. New sights of the Moscow Kremlin appeared, in particular palaces, replacing monasteries and ancient boyars' chambers.
So, the chambers of the Sovereign's Court built in the 15th century were dismantled. They were replaced by a baroque-style stone Winter Palace architect Rastrelli. The Tsar Bell was also cast by order of Anna Ivanovna. It took two years - from 1733 to 1735. However, he was not destined to serve as intended. In 1737, during the Trinity fire that engulfed the Kremlin, water fell on the bell when extinguishing wooden structures. Due to the temperature difference, a significant fragment broke away from it. The bell remained in the foundry pit for about a hundred years, but in 1836 it was installed on a pedestal, on which it is still located.
Creating a description of the Moscow Kremlin, it should be mentioned that its development was not always justified and rational. So, in the place where the Courtyard was located, in 1756-1764 the Gallery of the Armory was built, treasures of the treasury were to be placed there. And a few years later it was decided to reconstruct the Kremlin, and the Armory was demolished along with other ancient buildings. Because of this, the southeastern part of Borovitsky Hill was bare and no longer built up.
MF Kazakov played an important role in changing the appearance of the Kremlin. The bishop's house was built under his leadership. And in the years 1776-1787, the Senate was erected. The building blended into the space between Nikolskaya Street and the Chudov Monastery. It completed the ensemble of the Senate Square.
Alexander I in 1806 issued a decree according to which it was decided to erect a museum building on the site of the Trinity Compound and the Tsareborisov Courtyard to store all valuables. Egotov developed a project for this building. The construction of the museum was carried out from 1806 to 1810. As a result of this, a new building appeared in the Kremlin, as well as a small area between the Arsenal and the Trinity Tower, called the Trinity.
The Kremlin after the Patriotic War of 1812
The plans for further restructuring of the Kremlin were disrupted by World War II. When Napoleon's army invaded Moscow, fires swept the city. Many values were plundered. They blew up the Petrovskaya, 1st Bezymyannaya, Vodovzvodnaya towers, and practically nothing remained of Nikolskaya’s.
The creation of the Moscow Kremlin, as well as the restoration of its ensemble, was continued after the victory. It was carried out by Russian architects. The blown up walls of the Kremlin and its towers were rebuilt. In 1838-1851, by order of Nicholas I, the palace complex was erected on the site of the Winter Palace. It included the Moscow Armory, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Apartments. The construction was headed by K.A. Ton. The ensemble of the Palace Square was decorated with a complex of new buildings.
The Cathedral Square has remained open since the demolition of orders. Here, in the 19th century, military reviews were held. They began to call her Dragoon parade ground. In this place in 1989 a monument was erected to Alexander II.
Kremlin in Soviet times
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the plan of the Moscow Kremlin, dated 1917.
In March 1918, the government of the RSFSR was located in the Kremlin. In the Senate building was located an office apartment first of Lenin, and then of Stalin. The halls of the Kremlin were closed to the public.
At this time, irreparable damage was inflicted on churches and monasteries throughout the country. The Kremlin ensemble did not escape this fate. The plan of the Moscow Kremlin has changed somewhat. In 1929, the Ascension and Miracle Monasteries were destroyed. The building of the Military School grew in their place.
During the Great Patriotic War, the architectural complex was almost not damaged. It was opened for inspection already in 1955. In 1961, the Palace of Congresses was built near the Trinity Gate.
Kremlin ensemble today
Today, many tourists from all over the world come to see the sights of the Kremlin and Red Square. These places and to this day have not lost their greatness.
In 1990, the Kremlin added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The museums located here made up the Moscow Kremlin reserve, including the Armory, the Annunciation, Assumption and Arkhangelsk cathedrals, the Museum of Applied Arts and Life of Russia of the 17th century, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe and the ensemble of Ivan the Great Bell Tower. Since 1991, the Kremlin has become the residence of the Russian president.
By the 850th anniversary of the capital, which Moscow celebrated in 1997, the Kremlin was restored again. As a result of these works, the Red Porch of the Faceted Chamber was restored, the Senate building was restored, and other works were also carried out. Today, in the cathedrals of the Kremlin during the great Orthodox holidays, services are held. Guided tours of the entire ensemble are also provided.
The plan of the Moscow Kremlin includes many different buildings. Its area today is 27.5 hectares, and the length of the walls is 2235 m. There are 20 towers, the height of which reaches 80 meters. The walls of the Kremlin have a thickness of 3.5 to 6.5 m. Their height is from 5 to 15 m.
Today, an interesting event is taking place in this place - the changing of guards in the Kremlin. It is held on Cathedral Square every Saturday at 12 noon. The period in which you can look at the divorce of guards in the Kremlin is from April to October. It is very convenient for tourists.
The Kremlin at the beginning of the 20th century was increasingly perceived as an architectural, historical and cultural monument. At various international and national exhibitions, treasures from the Patriarchal sacristy and the Armory were often displayed. The latter was already a palace museum in the 19th century. However, her story began much earlier. As early as 1547, the first references to the Armory Order created at that time were related. At that time, a military arsenal was kept here. After some time, the Armory began to be called the big treasury, and the usual name for us arose in the 1560s. The museum today holds unique historical exhibits, including the Monomakh Hat, as well as ancient precious fabrics, thrones of Russian emperors, weapons and much more.
The history of the Kremlin continues, as does the history of our state, of which it is a symbol. And the 21st century will still add its page to it.