Master class in fine arts “Kremlin. Sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square The miraculous return of the shrine of the Moscow Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction of the capital of Russia, which has great historical, architectural, socio-political value.

The Kremlin is located in the very center of the city on the high Borovitsky Hill near the Moscow River. On one side of it is Red Square, on the other - Alexander Garden.

Read about how to get to the Moscow Kremlin, what Kremlin sights to see first, how to buy entrance tickets, about working hours, excursions and much more in this article.

History of the Moscow Kremlin

First in the area modern Kremlin Finno-Ugric tribes settled in the Bronze Age. In the 10th century, Borovitsky Hill, located at the intersection of important trade routes, was occupied by the Vyatichi, and in 1156, by the will of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, a typical Russian fortress was built here with defensive fortifications - earthen ramparts with palisades, surrounded by a deep moat.

Until the middle of the 14th century, the Moscow Kremlin was wooden. Under the Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy, its walls and towers were replaced with white stone ones, which served until the end of the 15th century.

Under the guidance of Italian masters in 1485-1516, new powerful fortifications made of burnt bricks were erected - towers and battlements with a thickness of three to six and a half meters, which we have the opportunity to admire even today.

Architectural ensemble

The architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin is made up of the golden-domed Annunciation, Archangel and Assumption Cathedrals, the Patriarch's Chambers, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the Chamber of Facets, and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. In the 17th century, the Terem Palace was erected, around the same time the Kremlin towers acquired a modern look. In the 18th century, the Arsenal, the Senate, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory appeared.

Unfortunately not preserved ancient cathedral Savior on Bor, built in 1330 and destroyed in 1933, the Chudov Monastery, founded in 1365 and demolished in 1929, the Ascension Monastery, the Small Nicholas Palace and many other buildings. In total, during the years of Soviet power, out of 54 Kremlin buildings, only 26 remained “alive”.

However, in 1990 the Kremlin was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

Photo - tour of the territory

The entrance to the territory is through the Kutafya tower topped with a beautiful openwork "crown".

Before you get to the Kremlin, you need to buy tickets in the dark glass pavilion, which is located nearby in the Alexander Garden, go through the "frame" of the metal detector and the procedure for screening personal belongings. Large bags, suitcases and backpacks will have to be left in the luggage room.

The Kutafya Tower, previously surrounded by a river and a moat, protected the approaches to the Trinity Tower.

Having passed along the Trinity Bridge, we will look at the multi-tiered Trinity Tower from the other side. Its height is 80 meters, it is the highest tower of the Kremlin.

On the right in the photo is the Arsenal, built by order of Peter the Great. It was assumed that the building would be used as a military warehouse and trophy storage. Nowadays, the administrative services of the Kremlin Commandant's Office and the barracks of the Presidential Regiment are stationed here.

On the left is the State Kremlin Palace (formerly the Palace of Congresses), built in 1961. The main New Year tree of the country is held here, concerts and ballet performances are held.

Near the walls of the Arsenal there are historical weapons - collections of old Russian and foreign cannons, military trophies of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Now let's go to the Senate Square.

The Senate building, designed by architect M.F. Kazakov, has the shape of a triangle. In the Soviet years, V.I. Lenin, working rooms of I.V. Stalin, L.I. Brezhnev, M.S. Gorbachev. Today, the Senate is the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

View from about the same point in the opposite direction - to Trinity Square and the Kremlin cathedrals.

The Tsar Cannon, which is a must-see, stands near Trinity Square and the Patriarch's Chambers with the Church of the Twelve Apostles.

A powerful tool was made in 1586. This is the largest cannon in the world, an outstanding example of Russian weapons art. Its caliber is 890 mm, weight is 40 tons.

At the foot of the bell tower there is another giant - the Tsar Bell, cast in the 18th century. Its weight is 202 tons, diameter is 6.6 meters. The Tsar Bell was cast right there, on the territory of Ivanovskaya Square. A piece of the bell broke off during a big fire in the Kremlin.

On the south side, Ivanovskaya Square adjoins the Big Kremlin Square and the Tainitsky Garden.

Unfortunately, you can’t walk around the entire garden - this is a secure facility. But you can still see something interesting: for example, an aviary for peregrine falcons, goshawks and an eagle owl, which are kept specifically to chase crows and doves. Or here - a helipad for the president and prime minister, equipped not so long ago.

View from the square on the ensemble of the bell tower Ivan the Great. The Kremlin bell tower became the tallest building in Moscow under Boris Godunov, who ordered it to be built up to a height of 81 m in 1600. You can climb up in the summer by purchasing a separate ticket.

From April to October, on Saturdays at 12-00 on the Cathedral Square, the ceremony of equestrian and foot divorce of the Presidential Regiment takes place. Viewing the ceremonial is included in the price of a single ticket to visit the territory of the Kremlin and the cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square.

The Assumption Cathedral, designed by the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti, was the main temple of Russia for four centuries - Ivan the Terrible and other tsars were crowned here, emperors were crowned. Many patriarchs and metropolitans are buried in the Assumption Cathedral.

In the photo - the Archangel Cathedral, erected in 1505-1508 in honor of the Archangel Michael by the Venetian Aleviz Novy.

Entrance to the Archangel Cathedral. In the temple-royal tomb there are 54 burials of saints, princes, tsars and their wives, including the holy prince Dmitry Uglich, Moscow princes Vasily the Dark, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan Kalita, tsars Ivan the Terrible and Alexei Mikhailovich.

The Cathedral of the Annunciation, one of the oldest on the Kremlin territory, was built by Pskov craftsmen in 1484-1489. The temple, small in size, was used as a home church of Russian sovereigns.

In the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral there is an interesting exhibition "Treasures and Antiquities of the Moscow Kremlin".

The Faceted Chamber, one of the oldest civil buildings in Moscow, in tsarist times served as the main front reception hall, a place for meetings of the Boyar Duma, meetings of the Zemsky Sobors. Now it is the representative hall of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

The chamber is called the Faceted Chamber because it is lined with blocks having 4 faces.

In the corner of Cathedral Square are the Verkhospassky Cathedral - part of the ancient Terem Palace, the eastern facade of the Golden Tsarina's Chamber and the Church of the Deposition of the Robe - the home church of Moscow metropolitans and patriarchs.

From Cathedral Square we move to the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in the 19th century. The ensemble of the palace includes about 700 rooms, including the St. George, Vladimir, Andreevsky, Alexander and Catherine's halls, the Golden Tsaritsyna Chamber, the Malachite Foyer, the Study and Bedroom of the Emperors, nine churches and the Terem Palace.

Since the Grand Kremlin Palace is the main residence of the President of the Russian Federation, you can get there only as part of a group from an organization on a preliminary application submitted a month in advance.

Next to the BKD is the Armory - a museum with innumerable riches: ancient gold and silver jewelry and other items, weapons, armor, state regalia, a collection of carriages. Here you can see Monomakh's cap, scepters, orbs, thrones, coronation dresses and ceremonial royal clothes.

The same building houses the Diamond Fund - the national treasury of Russia, a repository of precious stones and nuggets, ceremonial jewelry of Russian tsars and emperors. It is here that the Great Imperial Crown, made on the occasion of the coronation of Catherine II, is located. The crown is adorned with 5000 diamonds, 75 large pearls and a very large rare dark red spinel gemstone.

View from the Armory to the Vodovzvodnaya, Borovitskaya towers and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Amusing Palace - the chambers of the boyar Miloslavsky are best seen from the Alexander Garden, it is located near the Kremlin wall between Troitskaya and Commandant towers. In 1672, fun was organized here - performances for the amusement of the kings, which gave the name to the palace. Under Peter the Great, the Poteshny Palace housed the Police Order, and today the services of the Commandant's Office.

How to get to the Kremlin

On the public transport: the nearest metro stations are the Lenin Library, Aleksandrovsky Sad, Borovitskaya and Arbatskaya on the blue Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line. It is also easy to walk to the Kremlin on foot from many central stations: Okhotny Ryad, Revolution Square, Theater Square and others.

Opening hours

The territory of the Kremlin and cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square:

• from May 16 to September 30 - daily, except Thursday, from 9-30 to 18-00 (the box office is open from 9-00 to 16-30)
• from October 1 to May 15 - daily, except Thursday, from 10-00 to 17-00 (the box office is open from 9-30 to 16-00)

The Armory is open from 10:00 to 18:00 every day except Thursday. The beginning of the sessions - 10-00, 12-00, 14-30, 16-30

Diamond Fund - daily, except Thursday, from 10-00 to 17-20 for sessions. Break - from 13-00 to 14-00. The duration of the session is 40 minutes. Sale of tickets for the morning sessions starts at 9-00, for the evening - at 13-00. Morning sessions: 10-00, 10-20, 10-40, 11-00, 11-20, 12-00, 12-20. Evening sessions: 14-00, 15-00, 15-20, 16-00, 16-20, 16-40, 17-00, 17-20.

The Diamond Fund is closed on holidays. More details about the working hours - on the official website: gokhran.ru/ru/diamond-fund/contacts.phtml

Rarely, but it happens that access to the Kremlin is closed in connection with solemn events, meetings of heads of foreign states, receptions on the occasion of state holidays and other events.

Ticket price

Single ticket (territory, cathedrals, exhibitions)– visiting the territory of the Kremlin, the cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square, the exhibition halls of the Patriarchal Chambers, the exposition “Treasures and Antiquities of the Moscow Kremlin” in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral, the exhibition of wooden sculpture in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the exposition in the annex of the Archangel Cathedral:

• adults - 500 rubles
• Russian students and pensioners - 250 rubles, without the possibility of visiting museums (territory only) - free of charge
• children under 16, members of large families, disabled people of the 1st and 2nd groups and other privileged categories of citizens - free of charge
• for persons under the age of 18, the second Tuesday of each month - free of charge
• in days cultural heritage a single ticket is free for everyone

Single tickets are sold online on the official website of the Moscow Kremlin kreml.ru (except for free and reduced tickets) and at the box office in the Alexander Garden on the day of the visit.

- the visit is carried out on a separate ticket, the price includes an audio guide:

• adults — 700 rubles
• Russian students and pensioners - 350 rubles
• children under 16, members of large families, disabled people of the 1st and 2nd groups and other privileged categories of citizens - free of charge

Entrance tickets to the Armory are sold on the day of the visit if tickets are available at the box office in the Alexander Garden and via the Internet on the official website of the Moscow Kremlin kreml.ru (except for free and discounted tickets).

Attention! Purchasing tickets Online for a particular session does not guarantee additional free or reduced-price tickets for the same session on the day of your visit to the museum. Free and discount tickets are issued only if they are available at the box office, in the order of the general queue. The museum's capacity does not allow allocating an unlimited number of tickets for each session.

Diamond fund- you can buy tickets at the box office No. 4 and No. 5 in the Alexander Garden on the day of your visit for a certain session. The ticket price includes an excursion.

• adults - 500 rubles
• schoolchildren, students, pensioners, members of large families - 100 rubles
• disabled children, non-working disabled people of groups 1 and 2 and other preferential categories of citizens - free of charge

The number of tickets for each session is limited.

If you want to visit only the Armory and / or the Diamond Fund, the entrance is possible through the Borovitskaya Tower.

The line at the box office and at the entrance is the least in the cold season on weekdays, most of all - in the warm season in good weather on weekends, especially on Saturday in the morning - because of the opportunity to watch the ceremony of setting the guard on Cathedral Square.

Excursions

The Kremlin excursion center offers sightseeing and thematic tours of the Kremlin, the Armory, cathedral-museums and museum expositions for organized groups and individual visitors as part of a combined group.

Prices for excursions around the Moscow Kremlin, the order of registration and payment for excursions, see the official website: kreml.ru

Free mobile guide around the Kremlin - izi.travel/ru/7cce-moskva-kreml/ru

Photography

Amateur photography and video filming is prohibited in cathedral-museums, the Armory and the Diamond Fund.

Irina Viktorovna Pasynkova

Dear colleagues. During the thematic week dedicated to Moscow, the guys and I listened to songs about our beloved capital, recited poems, read literary works, carefully examined illustrations and albums with image sights of the main city of the country. Moscow Kremlin- one of the main attractions of the capital, the greatest monument of the history of our Motherland, a brilliant creation of Russian national culture, beautiful and complex architectural ensemble. In class on fine arts children learned to draw Kremlin. I offer you Master Class not difficult in my opinion images of the Kremlin.

On the landscape sheet, we mark two horizontal lines with a simple pencil. Bottom line-ground, top-wall Kremlin. It is located below the middle of the sheet (we consolidate knowledge of spatial representations)

In the middle we draw the central tower and columns (reinforcing knowledge of geometric shapes)

Now we perform the composition in color

That's it the image of the Kremlin turned out

Related publications:

Developed by: Bedristova Alexandra Alexandrovna Position: Teacher of additional education Educational institution: MBOU DOD Center.

Synopsis of a creative lesson in fine arts "Friends for Cheburashka" Synopsis of a creative lesson in fine arts "Friends for Cheburashka". Purpose: To create conditions for the formation of creative initiative.

Summary of the fine arts class "Wonderful Summer" Summary of the lesson in fine arts "Wonderful Summer" Prepared by the teacher of additional education Chumova Evgenia Vladimirovna.

Summary of the lesson on fine arts "Easter still life" using ESM (with presentation) The purpose of the lesson: To organize the activities of students to consolidate knowledge about the technology of phased drawing and work with a sketch, acquaintance.

Abstract of the lesson in the senior group on fine art "Autumn Trees" Program content: - educational tasks: continue.

An open combined lesson on folk art and fine arts at school of the 8th type "Miracles from the box" Theme: Miracles from the box Form: Lesson - journey Equipment: 1. Exhibition of Easter eggs, drawings 2. Tape recorder 3. Musical instruments.

Outline of a lesson in fine arts: “Ornament in a strip” Outline of a lesson in fine arts Type of activity: image on a plane. Educational problem: composition. Lesson topic:.

Looking at these pictures one wants not to exclaim: "Moscow still has beautiful views! We haven't managed to mutilate everything yet!"

Original taken from gelio to Moscow from above. 2014

Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation. This is the largest city in Russia in terms of population, in which, according to official statistics, more than 12 million people live. According to this indicator, it is among the ten most big cities peace. These are financial, transport, logistics, business, cultural and tourist centre country. Important sights are concentrated here, including the Kremlin, Red Square, the Bolshoi Theater, Stalin's skyscrapers and many other iconic objects.
Moscow is a city with monumental architecture: one can understand the real scale of wide multi-lane streets, multi-tier interchanges and skyscrapers only from a height.

The Moscow Kremlin is the geographical and historical center of Moscow. This is the most ancient part of the city, which is currently the residence of the highest state authorities of the Russian Federation and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country.

Kremlin Embankment and Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge.

Panorama of the Kremlin.
The existing walls and towers were built in 1485-1495. The total length of the walls is 2235 m.

There are 19 towers along the walls, and another one - the Kutafya tower - is placed outside the walls.
3 towers standing at the corners have a circular section, the rest are square.

The highest tower is Troitskaya, it has a height of 80 meters.

Grand Kremlin Palace.

It was built in 1838-1849 by order of Emperor Nicholas I by a group of Russian architects led by K. A. Ton. Currently used for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies, and the palace itself is front residence President of the Russian Federation.

Pokrovsky Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral) is one of the most famous sights in Russia. For many, he is a symbol of Moscow, Russia.

The cathedral was built by Barma and Postnik under Tsar Ivan the Terrible in 1555-61. in memory of the conquest of Kazan.

In front of the cathedral there is a bronze monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky.

"Museum of V. I. Lenin"

State Historical Museum.

The collection of the museum reflects the history and culture of Russia from ancient times to the present day, is unique in terms of the number and content of the exhibits.

Manezhnaya Square

Fountain "Clock of the World". The main dome of the underground shopping complex "Okhotny Ryad".

Tverskaya Street is the central street of Moscow.

The State Academic Bolshoi Theater is one of the largest in Russia and one of the most significant opera and ballet theaters in the world.

Bronze quadriga above the entrance portico. The Bolshoi Theater is depicted on hundred-ruble banknotes.

"House on the waterfront"

The residential complex of the CEC-SNK of the USSR occupies an area of ​​three hectares. 25 entrances open onto two streets - Serafimovicha and Bersenevskaya embankment.
The history of the country is reflected in the history of the House as in a mirror. The fate of many residents of the House is tragic. During the years of the Great Terror, almost a third of its inhabitants suffered from repressions and disappeared into prisons and camps. Outstanding military leaders, heroes, artists, journalists, writers, academicians, party and government figures, and workers of the Comintern lived in the House.

GUM (Main department store)

A large shopping complex, which occupies an entire quarter of Kitay-Gorod and faces the Red Square with its main facade. A monument of pseudo-Russian architecture of federal significance. It is on lease until 2059 from the Russian retailer Bosco di Ciliegi, which specializes in the sale of luxury goods.

TSUM (Central Department Store)

State Duma (State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation)

The building was built in 1938 for the Labor and Defense Council. Subsequently, it housed the Soviet government (the Council of People's Commissars, then the Council of Ministers of the USSR), and then the State Planning Committee of the USSR. The State Duma has been sitting here since 1994.

"White House" - House of the Government of the Russian Federation

The "White House" was badly damaged during the October events of 1993, when troops called by President Yeltsin opened fire from tanks on a building defended by supporters of the dissolved Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation.

Left: former territory of the Krasny Oktyabr confectionery factory. In the center: Monument to Peter the Great by Tsereteli.

New Arbat

Garden Ring road

Borodinsky bridge across the Moscow River. Smolenskaya embankment and Taras Shevchenko embankment.

"Stalin skyscrapers" - seven high-rise buildings built in Moscow in the late 1940s - early 1950s. High-rise buildings are the pinnacle of the post-war "Soviet Art Deco" in urban architecture. All Stalin's skyscrapers were laid on the same day - September 7, 1947, when the 800th anniversary of Moscow was celebrated. It was a symbol of a new stage in the life of the ancient capital.

The main building of Moscow State University is the largest and tallest of all the Stalinist skyscrapers.

It has 36 floors, and the height with the spire reaches 240 meters. The building was the tallest administrative and residential building in Moscow in terms of spire for many years, from 1953 until December 2003.

Residential building on Kotelnicheskaya embankment

The house was built in 1938-1940, 1948-1952. The central building has 26 floors (32 including technical floors) and has a height of 176 m. There are 540 apartments in the skyscraper.

High-rise building on Red Gate Square

During the construction of the base of a high-rise building on Lermontovskaya Square, a technique was used that had no analogues in terms of technical courage and engineering art. The fact is that the house with a height of 138 meters was built simultaneously with the Krasnye Vorota metro station. The designers faced a difficult problem: for some time, the multi-storey building will be located on the very edge of the pit, therefore, the soil will settle unevenly and the high-rise building will tilt. Therefore, it was decided to specifically build with a slope. Before that, the soil along the perimeter of the pit was artificially frozen according to the metro construction technology. When it then melted, the building sank and assumed a strictly vertical position. This method has never been used anywhere else due to the complexity of the calculations.

Residential building on Kudrinskaya Square

The skyscraper was nicknamed the “House of Aviators” due to the fact that apartments in it were provided to workers in the aviation industry. The upper floors housed special KGB equipment for monitoring the American embassy, ​​which is located nearby, on Novinsky Boulevard.

"Radisson Royal" (Hotel "Ukraine")

The hotel was built in 1953-1957 and got its name in honor of the homeland of General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev. In April 2010, the hotel reopened after a large-scale restoration under the new name "Radisson Royal".

The building opens Kutuzovsky prospect.

"Moscow City"

In 1992, the first projects of a multi-storey business center appeared, which were proposed to be built on the Presnenskaya embankment of the Moscow River. The quarter was named the Moscow International Business Center "Moscow-City".

On an area of ​​60 hectares, 16 multi-storey buildings should be built, which are an integrated complex of structures with a single information space. The skyscrapers of Moscow City should house numerous offices, restaurants, hotels, congress halls, entertainment centers, shops, galleries, exhibition halls.

As of the end of 2014, 10 high-rise buildings have been built on the territory of Moscow City, and 11 are under construction or being completed. Of these, 15 buildings are skyscrapers (over 150 meters).

The average number of storeys of the complex at the moment is 54 floors.

Budgets for the purchase of apartments in MIBC "Moscow-City" are concentrated in the range of 1-2 million dollars.

Eurasia Tower. 70 floors, 309 m.

Mercury City Tower. 75 floors, 339 m.

The height of the building is 338.8 meters, which allowed the tower to be called the tallest skyscraper in Europe until September 25, 2014. The 75-storey Mercury City tower surpassed the London skyscraper The Shard (306 m) in height, which held out in the status of the most high building Europe is only 4 months old. Upon completion, Mercury City was almost 33 meters taller than its London rival.

In 2013, Mercury City won the prestigious International Property Awards Europe 2013 in the Best High-Rise Architecture nomination.

"The Tower on the Embankment". 59 floors, 268 m.

Trade and cultural center "Evolution". 54 floors, 255 m.

The tower differs from all other projects in its unusual twisting shape, reminiscent of a DNA molecule. The project was designed by architect Tony Kettle with Karen Forbes, who currently teaches in Edinburgh. The tower itself is a creative offspring of constructivism, borrowing the outlines of the Tatlin tower dedicated to the Third International.

Ostankino Tower.

Construction was carried out from 1963 to 1967. At that time it was the tallest building in the world (540 meters). It is now the 8th tallest free-standing structure in the world.

Panorama from the Ostankino television tower.

View from the 503 mark of the TV tower.

The idea to use prestressed concrete compressed by steel cables made the tower structure simple and strong.

Another progressive idea was the use of a relatively shallow foundation: according to the plan of engineer Nikitin, the tower had to practically stand on the ground and its stability was ensured by repeatedly exceeding the mass of the cone-shaped base over the mass of the mast structure.

Victory Park

The memorial complex of victory in the Great Patriotic War was opened on May 9, 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Great Victory.

Belarusian

Komsomolskaya Square is the square of three railway stations where Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky railway stations are located.

More than 30 million people depart from the capital's railway stations throughout Russia and to foreign countries per year.

Kiev railway station

Belorussky railway station

The Third Transport Ring (TTK) is one of the three ring highways of Moscow along with the Garden Ring and the Moscow Ring Road.

Street Begovaya

The total length of the Third Ring Road is about 36 kilometers, of which about 19 kilometers are flyovers, and about 5 kilometers are tunnels.

Horoshovo-Mnevniki

Strogino

Round house on Dovzhenko, 6

In the very center of the capital there are witnesses of significant events of the past and places where the present is being made - the Kremlin and Red Square. Ancient and unique, beloved and mystical - these places have long become not just business cards of Moscow, but also symbols of the country. Seeing the sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is the number 1 task for any tourist.

One of the visiting cards of the capital known far beyond the borders of the country - the Grand Kremlin Palace - is located along the embankment of the Moskva River. The modern palace was built under Nicholas I by a group of architects led by K. Ton on the site of the once existing structures of the times of Ivan III and Elizabeth Petrovna. The majestic building is equal in height to a 15-storey building, and in terms of the occupied area it is more than 3 football fields. The complex includes the newly erected building of the palace, the Faceted, Tsaritsyn and Armory Chambers, the Terem Palace and churches.

Behind the exquisite facade of the palace, about 700 rooms are hidden, including 5 order halls, front and living rooms of the imperial family and service rooms. The main attraction of the palace, which is now the residence of the president, is luxurious interiors with unique parquet, gilding and marble.

Cathedrals

The Moscow Kremlin is a treasure trove of Russian art and spirituality. Its separate component is unique cathedrals, of which only 8 have survived.

St. Basil's Cathedral

The brightest and most unique of the existing temples is St. Basil's Cathedral. The peculiarity of the temple built in 1561 is in the unique chapters, none of which repeats the drawing of the other, all 10 are completely different. The temple was not always so colorful. Initially, the building was made of white stone and brick, and in the 17th century. its domes and walls were decorated with colorful patterns. With what this is connected, it is not known for certain how and who exactly erected the temple. There is a version that the architect was Nikolai Postnik, nicknamed Barma, or they were 2 different people.

The cathedral consists of 10 churches built on the same foundation. In the center is the Church of the Intercession, which gave the cathedral its second name. There are 4 large churches around it, indicating the cardinal directions, and 4 more between them. The entire ensemble is surrounded by a bypass gallery.

Cathedral of the Archangel

Standing apart among the Kremlin churches is the Archangel Cathedral. Built in the XIV century. it will not stand out either by the luxury of the exterior or the richness of colors. The ceremonial building in the Renaissance style was originally built as a tomb and is dedicated to the archangel, both the features of architecture and the choice of decor elements are subordinate to this.

According to the tradition of temples built in honor of archangels and saints, the five-domed cathedral is crowned with silver helmet-shaped domes and only the central dome is a gilded hemisphere. The façade, originally painted to look like red brick and later repainted white, is adorned with intact pilasters, capitals, rosettes and arches. The interior has undergone significant changes. Unique frescoes remained only at the burial place of Ivan the Terrible. The sights of the cathedral are an icon depicting the Archangel Michael, and the "Blessed Sky" and 56 graves of princes and kings.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

Among the many Kremlin churches built by Italian masters, the Annunciation Cathedral stands out for its architecture. It became a monument of Russian architecture, combining the features inherent in the Moscow and Pskov schools. Built as a house church in 1489, the cathedral was completed and decorated until the 1560s, when it acquired its modern look. By this time, the 3-domed cathedral, surrounded by porches, was replenished with more churches and galleries, and now it is crowned with 9 domes.

One of the cathedrals most beloved by princes and tsars is distinguished by luxury from the floor of jasper and agate and the most beautiful iconostasis to the golden cross, which Napoleon never found, and the mechanical clock, the prototype of the Moscow chimes. The cathedral is full of mysteries. These are tsats - crescents under the crosses of domes, and miraculous icons. One of the secrets is the images of Greek philosophers on the porch, among other works by the icon painter Edikeev, who was entrusted with painting the temple. Now services are not held in the temple, there is a museum here.

Assumption Cathedral

The Assumption Cathedral is one of the main Moscow churches and undoubtedly one of the most controversial. It is still unknown why the Pskov architects, whose relics lie at the foundation of the cathedral, and many other things, refused to build it. . It was crowned, elevated to the dignity, served prayers, swore allegiance and announced state acts. In the Assumption Cathedral, the first of the Romanov family was crowned, and Count L. Tolstoy was excommunicated from the church.

The construction was entrusted to the Italian Catholic Fiorovanti, who coped with the task by erecting a temple that attracts attention with a strict facade and golden helmet-shaped domes. Behind the seeming simplicity of the architecture are hidden innovative techniques that made the cathedral outstanding. Now it houses a museum, but festive services are also held.

Ivan the Great belltower

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is an amazing complex that was built for about 3 centuries, from 1505 to 1815. It included the Assumption Belfry with the Filaret Annex and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower itself. The bell tower appeared first, which served for 3 nearby cathedrals. Then it was a little lower than now. Almost a century later, under Boris Godunov, the last tier was built on. With a height of 81 m, the bell tower became the tallest building in the city, which it remained until the end of the 19th century.

In 1552, the Assumption Church was erected near the bell tower, which was rebuilt into a belfry. In 1624, Filaret's extension appeared near the belfry. The latter were destroyed during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, and rebuilt much later. Now museums are located in the bell tower, and going upstairs, tourists get to one of the best in the city viewing platforms from where you can enjoy an amazing view of the Kremlin.

Verkhospassky Cathedral

The Upper Savior Cathedral cannot be confused with any other - its roof is decorated with 11 drums with golden domes. The temple is a complex of house churches built right in the Terem Palace. The origins of the cathedral go back to the 17th century. to house churches, when in 1627 Catherine's Church was built on the female half of the palace. A few years later, the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands with a chapel of John the Baptist was erected for the tsar and princes in the male half.

By the middle of the century, the church of St. Evdokia appeared above Catherine's, which would later be re-consecrated in honor of the Resurrection of the Word. And above the chapel they erect the temple of the Exaltation of the Lord or the Crucifixion. United all the temples Osip Startsev during the reconstruction. Domes were brought to the roof, mounted on drums painted with tiles by masters from the New Yersaim Monastery. Appearance The cathedral has changed little since then, but the interior has lost a lot.

Church of the Twelve Apostles

The Church of the Twelve Apostles is the home church of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, which adjoins the Patriarchal Palace. It was built under Patriarch Nikon, who invited the most famous architects and painters to decorate it. Its beauty and wealth, not inferior to the Terem Palace with temples, became the reason for the disgrace of the patriarch. The Church of the Twelve Apostles is the last of the temple buildings of the Kremlin. Its architecture repeats the elements of the cathedrals surrounding it, combining them into a single ensemble.

After the abolition of the patriarchate, the temple gradually deteriorates. Significant damage was inflicted on it in 1917. Now, in the only church in the city dedicated to this holiday, there is a museum, as well as in the palace itself. The unique painting that adorned the walls of the temple has almost not been preserved, but a rich exhibition of icons is offered to the attention of visitors.

Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae

The modest one-domed Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God in Vacherna is a memory of the miracle that became possible thanks to the Robe of the Mother of God. The Tatars who attacked the Kremlin, whose first attack was beaten off by those besieged in the Kremlin, for some reason left, leaving the loot. In memory of this, a wooden temple was erected, which burned down in a fire. Pskov craftsmen built a stone church in 1486, which became a home for Russian patriarchs and metropolitans. But with the advent of the Temple of the Twelve Apostles, its role changes, it becomes another palace church. It is being rebuilt, the open porches are being turned into covered galleries, along which the tsarina follows to the Assumption Cathedral.

The church was badly damaged twice: during a fire in 1737 and shelling in 1918. During the restoration, the wall painting was restored, which, together with the iconostasis, gives the church an intimacy. The museum of Russian sculpture is located on the gallery of the restored church.

Museums

In 1991, a museum-reserve of the same name was founded from several state museums of the Kremlin. It included:

• museum-cathedrals, which host exhibitions: Arkhangelsk, Annunciation and Assumption
• Church of the Deposition of the Robe, 12 Apostles
• Belfry "Ivan the Great"
• Patriarchal and Armory Chambers

Armouries

The Armory is a centuries-old legacy of Russian tsars and patriarchs. The first mention of it dates back to 1547, only then it was called the Armory Order, which included the Great Treasury, where all the jewels were stored, the Armory with weapons, uniforms and banners, the Stable Order with crews and the Workshops. The modern Armory occupies 2 floors in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Its exposition is located in 9 halls and presents more than 4 thousand exhibits of arts and crafts.

Works of masters not only of Russia and Europe, but also of the East are exhibited here. Among them is a unique collection of thrones, the largest collection of state regalia, rare weapons, art objects of "pre-Mongolian" Russia, etc. The most famous exhibits of the exhibition are Monomakh's hat, Faberge's eggs, the throne of Ivan the Terrible, the parade dress of Peter I, etc.

Diamond fund

The Diamond Fund is a separate exposition exhibited in the Armory, which is part of the Gokhran of the Russian Federation. The beginning of the collection collected in the fund was laid by Peter I, who by his decree recognized the treasures in the royal chambers as state treasures. Coronation regalia, jewelry, if necessary, were issued, and then returned to the Diamond Cabinet, and then the Armory.

After the revolution, many precious exhibits of the fund were sold. Today, the collection of the Diamond Fund consists of about 70 exhibits, including historical stones, gems, diamonds, nuggets, orders and a unique collection of crowns. Visitors will be able to see the famous Orlov diamond, a Colombian emerald, a 9-kilogram Camel nugget, large and small imperial crowns, etc.

State Historical Museum

The building of red brick, located in the northwestern part of Red Square, attracts attention due to its uniformity with the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. Since 1883, the Historical Museum has been located here, the expositions of which will tell about the history of Russia from ancient times to the present.

On 2 floors of the museum in 39 halls, 22 thousand exhibits are placed in chronological order, which is less than 1% of the entire museum fund. Passing from hall to hall, visitors from primitive society find themselves in our days. Among the exhibits there is a canoe carved out of wood, mammoth tusks, a religious building made of plates, medieval armor, orders, etc. The interiors of the museum, which Aivazovsky, Repin, Korovin and others worked on, are also of value.

towers

The Moscow Kremlin has the shape of a triangle, at the vertices of which are located round towers(Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Angular Arsenalnaya), the remaining 17 are rectangular in shape. Despite some similarities, all towers are unique. The Trinity Tower is recognized as the highest, the size of which, together with the star, is about 80 m, which is slightly lower than the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The Spasskaya Tower, famous for its chimes, is somewhat inferior to it, passing through which it was necessary to dismount and take off your hats.

The smallest and most unlike the others is the Tsarskaya Tower, whose height does not exceed 17 m. It owes its name to Ivan the Terrible, who loves to watch what is happening on Red Square from here. Another unique building - Kutafya tower - the only one of the bridgeheads, i.e. not built into the wall. Each tower is interesting in its own way: Tainitskaya was the first to appear, Corner Arsenalnaya keeps a spring and a dungeon, government motorcades enter the Kremlin through Borovitskaya.

sights

Red Square is the symbol, heart and historical center of Moscow. It's popular tourist place, where many attractions are located, is included in the program for mandatory viewing.

Zero kilometer

Kilometer zero is a new attraction in Moscow, which appeared only in 1996. The sign was supposed to appear in the capital in 1985, but they could not decide on the installation site. This bronze sign shows the starting point for distances. Usually it is located near the main post office, but in Moscow it was decided to place it in the center tourist routes at the Iverskaya chapel, explaining this by the fact that before the road every Muscovite went to bow to her, asking for intercession.

The sign is a square divided into 4 parts, symbolizing the parts of the world, inscribed in a circle. Animals are depicted on the bas-relief of the square. In its center is an eight-pointed badge with an inscription. Despite its youth, the attraction is very popular. There is a sign: if you stand in the center of the sign facing the chapel on one foot and throw a coin over your left shoulder with your left hand so that it remains within the circle, then your wish will come true.

Resurrection Gate

Between the building of the Historical Museum and the City Duma there are the Resurrection Gates with a double passage, through which tourists get to Red Square. The gates were rebuilt in 1995 in the same place where they were until 1931. The first gates were erected in the 15th century. and were called the Lions, because. in the ditch in front of them was placed a gift from the English king - a cage with lions. Later they changed several more names: Bogoyavlensky in honor of the church, Neglimensky because of the bridge over the river, along the nearby courtyards of Trinity and Kuryatnye, until they became Iversky because of the icon that was met here from Athos.

After the restoration, they depicted the resurrection of Christ and the gates began to be called Resurrection. They were demolished as a royal monument, besides, they did not allow large vehicles to enter the square during the parade. A monument to the worker was erected at this place. Now these two-arched gates rebuilt in red brick with white inserts are one of the hallmarks of the capital.

House of provincial government

Quite modest against the backdrop of the bright ensemble of Red Square, the building of the provincial government is not striking. Built in 1730-40s. according to the project of P. Heiden, the building was part of the Kitaygoro Mint. Not all of its buildings have been preserved; new buildings have been built on the foundations of some - the City Duma. The house of the provincial government is a 2-storey building in the Baroque style. Its facade is decorated with graceful pilasters, cornices, risalits and putti figurines. In the middle there is a passage gate through which the building of the Old Mint is visible.

Inside the building, ceremonial halls were equipped for ceremonial meetings of official places, later the Moscow Duma was located here. After the revolution, there were communal apartments in the building for some time. Now the premises of the house are leased to non-profit organizations, part of the rented jewelry store.

GUM

GUM is a unique trading city in the historical center of Moscow. The heir to the Upper Chambers of Commerce, the supermarket specializes in luxury goods and occupies an entire block. Trade has always flourished on the square near the Kremlin. To organize benches, racks and give trading place a civilized appearance, at first the Trading Rows were built, which in 1893 were replaced by the passage - the Upper Trading Rows. They existed until 1917, when they were closed as a relic of tsarism. In 1922 they were opened, but already as GUM, which became a symbol of the new policy, which was destined to work until 1930. GUM was opened again only in 1953 after the death of Stalin and Beria.

The modern GUM is a shopping and entertainment center, which occupies a historical building in pseudo-Russian style with a glass roof, under which there are 3 longitudinal and 3 transverse aisles. It presents products of more than 100 world brands, a cinema hall and restaurants.

Mausoleum V.I. Lenin

The Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin is one of the most controversial buildings in Moscow. Created as a ritual tomb, it has long since become a museum. The mausoleum, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is the third in a row. The first two were wooden. The last mausoleum was built in the form of a pyramid of marble, granite, labradorite and quartz. It is a structure 12 meters high and 24 meters wide.

Inside there is a Funeral Hall with a sarcophagus, in which the body of the leader is kept, and a columbarium, where the ashes of other political figures were supposed to be kept. The latter is not used and is not shown to visitors. The mausoleum fit into the architecture of Red Square, but still raise a lot of questions: from the choice of the shape of the building itself, to the need for embalming.

Place of execution

One of the sights of Red Square - Lobnoye Mesto - is not striking. A small round elevation 1 m high and 13 m in diameter is surrounded by a stone parapet. The discreet architecture does not attract attention, but the building was important - solemn speeches were made from here and decrees were read out, the relics of saints were erected here and the relics were exhibited, strikes were held and works of art were exhibited.

Although legends associate this place with public executions. In fact, no one was executed at the Execution Ground, rather the legends went because of a false etymology. The phrase appeared when translating from Hebrew a place in the Gospel, which spoke of the execution at Calvary. And the Execution Ground is called because of the proximity of Vasilyevsky Spusk, which in the Middle Ages was called "forehead". Previously, it was here that tourists threw a coin in order to return again, now Zero Kilometer fulfills this mission.

Tsar Cannon

The largest cannon in the world, the Tsar Cannon, is installed on Ivanovskaya Square between the Church of the 2 Apostles and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. An outstanding work of artillery art was made at the Cannon Yard by the foundry worker A. Chokhov by decree of the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible - Fedor Ivanovich in 1586. This is an active weapon, because. in the barrel there is a foundry seal, which was put only after a trial shot. The length of this giant is 5 m, and the weight is 40 tons; about 200 horses were required to move it.

On the bronze trunk, surrounded by ornaments, friezes and inscriptions, there is an equestrian image of the king, which gave the name "Tsar Cannon". In 1835, a gun carriage was cast from cast iron at the factory in St. Petersburg, which only confirmed the name, it is decorated with the head of the king of animals - a lion. Researchers claim that the famous giant is not a cannon at all, but a battering ram. the carriage is not designed for her shot. Be that as it may, the Tsar Cannon is one of the achievements of the 16th century.

The Tsar Bell

Another monster of casting skill - the Tsar Bell is located on Ivanovskaya Square near the eastern part of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The bell, cast by the Motorin family of foundry workers in 1730 by order of Tsaritsa Anna Ioannovna, never rang, moreover, it was never raised to the bell tower. The queen wanted to leave the memory of her reign following her predecessors. The Godunovsky bell, which weighed 33 tons, served less than 50 years and broke in a fire. The same fate befell the bell created under Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, whose weight was 130 tons.

The Tsar Bell was cast in 1736, however, it was pulled out of the pit only after almost 100 years because of the weight of 200 tons. Only then was a chipped piece of 11 tons discovered. m, was installed in the place where it stands now. Disputes about the need for restoration do not subside, but there have been no attempts to implement it.

Monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky

The monument to Minin and Pozharsky is the first major monument in Moscow, installed on Red Square in front of St. Basil's Cathedral. Before that, temples, arches, etc. were opened in honor of important events. For the 200th anniversary of the Second Home Guard and the victory of 1612 over the interventionists in 1803, it was proposed to create a sculptural composition. She was supposed to portray the leaders of the militia - Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and the headman Kuzma Minin.

It was they who organized a rebuff to the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish conquerors in Nizhny Novgorod, where the monument was intended. But the monument remained in the capital. Installed in 1818 in front of the Upper Trading Rows, during the reconstruction of the square it was moved to the cathedral. The monument, the creation of which took 18 tons of copper and brass and was cast at a time, has become a real decoration of the square.

Arsenal

Between the Nikolskaya and Troitskaya towers, close to the Kremlin wall, there is a Tseikhgauz or Arsenal. This building, erected by decree of Peter I in 1736, was supposed to serve not only as a warehouse of weapons, but also as a museum in which military trophy banners, weapons and uniforms were exhibited. The two-story, trapezoid-shaped building with a large courtyard took over 30 years to build. In 1812 it was blown up. Reconstruction work was carried out until 1828. Now its facade is decorated with deep arched windows arranged in pairs and friezes.