In the 15th century the Kremlin received. Features of the national excursion to the Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin is the center of Russia and the citadel of power. For more than 5 centuries, these walls have reliably hidden state secrets and protected their main bearers. The Kremlin is shown on Russian and world channels several times a day. This medieval fortress, unlike anything else, has long become a symbol of Russia.

Only the footage we are provided with is basically the same. The Kremlin is the strictly guarded active residence of the president of our country. There are no trifles in security, which is why all Kremlin filming is so strictly regulated. By the way, don’t forget to take a tour of the Kremlin.

To see a different Kremlin, try to imagine its towers without tents, limit the height to only the wide, non-tapering part and you will immediately see a completely different Moscow Kremlin - a powerful, squat, medieval, European fortress.

This is how it was built at the end of the 15th century on the site of the old white-stone Kremlin by the Italians Pietro Fryazin, Anton Fryazin and Alois Fryazin. They all received the same surname, although they were not relatives. “Fryazin” means foreigner in Old Church Slavonic.

They built the fortress in accordance with all the latest achievements of fortification and military science of that time. Along the battlements of the walls there is a battle platform with a width of 2 to 4.5 meters.

Each tooth has a loophole, which can only be reached by standing on something else. The view from here is limited. The height of each battlement is 2-2.5 meters; the distance between them was covered with wooden shields during the battle. There are a total of 1145 battlements on the walls of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Moscow Kremlin is a great fortress located near the Moscow River, in the heart of Russia - in Moscow. The citadel is equipped with 20 towers, each with its own unique appearance and 5 passage gates. The Kremlin is like a ray of light carried through rich history formation of Russia.

These ancient walls are witnesses to all the numerous events that happened to the state, starting from the moment of its construction. The fortress began its journey in 1331, although the word “Kremlin” was mentioned earlier.

Moscow Kremlin, infographics. Source: www.culture.rf. For a detailed view, open the image in a new browser tab.

Moscow Kremlin under different rulers

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan Kalita

In 1339-1340 Moscow Prince Ivan Danilovich, nicknamed Kalita (“money bag”), built an impressive oak citadel on Borovitsky Hill, with walls ranging from 2 to 6 m thick and no less than 7 m high. Ivan Kalita built a powerful fortress with a formidable appearance, but it stood less three decades and burned down during a terrible fire in the summer of 1365.

Moscow Kremlin under Dmitry Donskoy

The tasks of defending Moscow urgently required the creation of a more reliable fortress: the Moscow principality was in danger from the Golden Horde, Lithuania and the rival Russian principalities of Tver and Ryazan. The then reigning 16-year-old grandson of Ivan Kalita, Dmitry (aka Dmitry Donskoy), decided to build a fortress of stone - the Kremlin.

Construction of the stone fortress began in 1367, and the stone was mined nearby, in the village of Myachkovo. The construction was completed in a short time - in just one year. Dmitry Donskoy made the Kremlin a white-stone fortress, which enemies tried to storm more than once, but were never able to.

What does the word "Kremlin" mean?

One of the first mentions of the word “Kremlin” appears in the Resurrection Chronicle in a report about a fire in 1331. According to historians, it could have arisen from the ancient Russian word “kremnik,” which meant a fortress built of oak. According to another point of view, it is based on the word “krom” or “kroma”, which means boundary, border.

The first victory of the Moscow Kremlin

Almost immediately after the construction of the Moscow Kremlin, Moscow was besieged by the Lithuanian prince Olgerd in 1368, and then in 1370. The Lithuanians stood at the white stone walls for three days and three nights, but the fortifications turned out to be impregnable. This instilled confidence in the young Moscow ruler and allowed him to later challenge the powerful Golden Horde Khan Mamai.

In 1380, feeling reliable rears behind them, the Russian army under the leadership of Prince Dmitry ventured on a decisive operation. Leaving from hometown far to the south, in the upper reaches of the Don, they met with the army of Mamai and defeated it on the Kulikovo field.

Thus, for the first time, Krom became a stronghold not only of the Moscow principality, but of all of Rus'. And Dmitry received the nickname Donskoy. For 100 years after the Battle of Kulikovo, the white-stone citadel united the Russian lands, becoming the main center of Rus'.

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan 3

The current dark red appearance of the Moscow Kremlin owes its birth to Prince Ivan III Vasilyevich. Started by him in 1485-1495. the grandiose construction was not a simple reconstruction of the dilapidated defensive fortifications of Dmitry Donskoy. The white stone fortress is being replaced by a red brick fortress.

The towers are pushed outward in order to fire along the walls. To quickly move the defenders, a system of secret underground passages was created. Completing the system of impregnable defense, the Kremlin was made into an island. On both sides it already had natural barriers - the Moscow and Neglinnaya rivers.

They also dug a ditch on the third side, where Red Square is now, approximately 30-35 meters wide and 12 m deep. Contemporaries called the Moscow Kremlin an outstanding military engineering structure. Moreover, the Kremlin is the only European fortress that has never been taken by storm.

The special role of the Moscow Kremlin as a new grand-ducal residence and the main fortress of the state determined the nature of its engineering and technical appearance. Built from red brick, it retained the layout features of the ancient Russian detinets, and in its outlines the already established shape of an irregular triangle.

At the same time, the Italians made it extremely functional and very similar to many fortresses in Europe. What Muscovites came up with in the 17th century turned the Kremlin into a unique architectural monument. The Russians just built on stone tents, which turned the fortress into a light, skyward structure, which has no equal in the world, and the corner towers took on the appearance as if our ancestors knew that it was Russia that would send the first man into space.

Architects of the Moscow Kremlin

The construction was supervised by Italian architects. Memorial plaques installed on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin indicate that it was built in the “30th summer” of the reign of Ivan Vasilyevich. The Grand Duke celebrated the anniversary of his state activities with the construction of the most powerful entrance front tower. In particular, Spasskaya and Borovitskaya were designed by Pietro Solari.

In 1485, under the leadership of Antonio Gilardi, the powerful Taynitskaya Tower was built. In 1487, another Italian architect, Marco Ruffo, began to build Beklemishevskaya, and later Sviblova (Vodovzvodnaya) appeared on the opposite side. These three structures set the direction and rhythm for all subsequent construction.

The Italian origin of the main architects of the Moscow Kremlin is not accidental. At that time, it was Italy that came to the fore in the theory and practice of fortification construction. Design features indicate that its creators were familiar with the engineering ideas of such outstanding representatives of the Italian Renaissance as Leonardo da Vinci, Leon Battista Alberti, and Filippo Brunelleschi. In addition, it was the Italian architectural school that “gave” Stalin’s skyscrapers in Moscow.

By the beginning of the 1490s, four more blind towers appeared (Blagoveshchenskaya, 1st and 2nd Nameless and Petrovskaya). All of them, as a rule, repeated the line of the old fortifications. The work was carried out gradually, in such a way that there were no open areas in the fortress through which the enemy could suddenly attack.

In the 1490s, the construction was curated by the Italian Pietro Solari (aka Peter Fryazin), with whom his compatriots Antonio Gilardi (aka Anton Fryazin) and Aloisio da Carcano (Aleviz Fryazin) worked. 1490-1495 The Moscow Kremlin was replenished with the following towers: Konstantino-Eleninskaya, Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Senate, Corner Arsenalnaya and Nabatnaya.

Secret passages in the Moscow Kremlin

In case of danger, the Kremlin defenders had the opportunity to quickly move through secret underground passages. In addition, internal passages were built in the walls, connecting all the towers. The Kremlin defenders could thus concentrate as necessary on a dangerous section of the front or retreat in the event of a superiority of enemy forces.

Long underground tunnels were also dug, thanks to which it was possible to observe the enemy in the event of a siege, as well as to make surprise attacks on the enemy. Some underground tunnels went beyond the Kremlin.

Some towers had more than just a defensive function. For example, Tainitskaya hid a secret passage from the fortress to the Moscow River. Wells were made in Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Arsenalnaya, with the help of which water could be delivered if the city was under siege. The well in Arsenalnaya has survived to this day.

Within two years, Kolymazhnaya (Komendantskaya) and Granenaya (Srednyaya Arsenalnaya) fortresses rose in orderly ranks, and in 1495 the construction of Trinity began. The construction was led by Aleviz Fryazin.

Chronology of events

All towers of the Moscow Kremlin

In the second half of the 15th century, when Moscow became political and cultural center Russian lands, the Kremlin was rebuilt with the participation of Italian architects. Its center was Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral built by the architect Aristotle Fioravanti (1475-79) - the tomb of Russian metropolitans and patriarchs, the place of weddings and coronations of great princes, then tsars and emperors. Pskov craftsmen erected the Church of the Deposition of the Robe (1484-88) and Blagoveshchensky cathedral(1484-89) - the house church of the Moscow sovereigns. In 1505-08, the Archangel Cathedral was built - the tomb of Russian princes and tsars (before Ivan V Alekseevich). The stone sovereign palace (on the site of the modern Grand Kremlin Palace) with the Faceted Chamber (1487-91) completed the design of the western side of Cathedral Square. The Ivan the Great bell tower became the center of the Kremlin ensemble. In 1485-95, around the Kremlin, taking into account the traditions of Russian defensive architecture and the achievements of Western European fortification, the existing walls and towers were built from red brick with internal backfilling made of cobblestones and white stone on lime mortar. The Kremlin became one of the most powerful fortresses in Europe.

INSCRIPTION ABOVE THE GATES OF THE SPASSKAYA TOWER

“In the summer of July 6999 (1491), by the grace of God, this archer was made by order of John Vasilyevich, the sovereign and autocrat of all Rus' and the Grand Duke of Volodymyr and Moscow and Novgorod and Pskov and Tver and Ugra and Vyatka and Perm and Bulgaria and others in the 30th year of the state it was made by Peter Anthony Solario from the city of Mediolan (Milan - ed.).”

ARCHITECTS OF THE NEW ENSEMBLE OF THE MOSCOW KREMLIN

To realize the plan of Ivan III - to turn the Kremlin into a symbol of the Russian state, a demonstration of its greatness and power - architecture was one of the most important means. And the prince turns the Kremlin into a monumental ensemble. Almost all the buildings of the Kremlin - towers, walls, buildings on the central Kremlin square - not only stand in the same places and bear the same names where they began to be built and as Ivan Kalita called them in the 30s of the 14th century, but they even look the same as they looked during the reign of Ivan III...

The prince, on the advice of “Greek Sophia,” invited architects from Italy. The first to arrive from Bologna in 1474 was Aristotle Fioravanti with his son Andrei.

The Italian architect was 58 years old at that time, and he had already gone down in Italian history as the author of palaces, fortresses and fortifications for many Italian dukes and even for the Hungarian king, as the man who moved a huge bell tower from place to place. In Bologna, Fioravanti was about to begin construction of the Palazzo del Podesta, the model of which had so delighted his compatriots. But he went far to the east to enter the history of another people - the Russians.

Aristotle was settled in the Kremlin, given enormous powers, and work began to boil. Ivan III himself understood that the white stone walls were an unreliable defender; they would not withstand cannon fire. The Kremlin should be built in brick. And the Italian first built a brick factory on the Yauza River. The bricks produced at this factory according to Fioravanti’s own recipe were unusually strong. They were narrower and longer than usual, and therefore they began to be called “Aristotelian”.

Having created the general layout of the Kremlin fortress and its center - Cathedral Square, the Italian headed the construction of the Assumption Cathedral - the main cathedral of Moscow Rus'. The temple was supposed to carry a huge “preaching” meaning; it was supposed to announce to the world the birth of a new state, and therefore it was necessary to embody the truly national character of culture. Aristotle began to become acquainted with examples of Russian architecture in Vladimir, in northern Rus', and when, after four years of work, the five-domed cathedral was ready, it captured the imagination of his contemporaries. He looked “like one stone,” and with this feeling of monolith he inspired the idea of ​​the monolithic nature of the entire people. It cannot be considered accidental that a year after the completion of the cathedral, Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the Golden Horde.

In those same years, Pskov craftsmen, still unknown to us, were rebuilding the Annunciation Cathedral - the house church of the royal court. In the basement of this cathedral, a new Treasury Courtyard was built - the Treasury Depository, the deep white stone cellars of which lasted for three centuries. The Treasury was built by another Italian - Marco Ruffo, whose name we associate with another remarkable Kremlin building - the Chamber of Facets - the ceremonial throne room of the future Russian tsars. For the 15th century, the Chamber of Facets represents a unique creation: a hall with an area of ​​500 square meters, the vaults of which rest on only one central pillar.

Marco Ruffo just started this chamber. He completed the work together with the architect Pietro Antonio Solari, who arrived from Italy - one of the legendary builders of the Milan Cathedral. It was Solari who was responsible for the main engineering solution for the Faceted Chamber, which was later named so for the tetrahedral stones with which it is lined. Both architects simultaneously built the stone sovereign's palace.

One can only regret that Solari lived in Moscow so little - in 1493, three years after his arrival, he suddenly died. But even in three years he did too much and, most importantly, brought to life the plan of Ivan III: to turn the Moscow Kremlin into the most impregnable fortress in Europe. The new fortress walls, 2235 meters long, ranged in height from 5 to 19 meters. Inside the walls, the thickness of which reached from 3.5 to 6.5 meters, closed galleries were arranged for the secret movement of soldiers. To prevent enemy undermining, there were many secret passages and “rumors” from the Kremlin.

Its towers became the centers of the Kremlin's defense. The first was erected in the very middle of the wall, facing the Moscow River. It was built under the direction of the Italian master Anton Fryazin in 1485. Since there was a secret spring under the tower, they called it Tainitskaya.

After this, almost every year it is built new tower: Beklemishevskaya (Marco Ruffo), Vodovzvodnaya (Anton Fryazin), Borovitskaya, Konstantino-Eleninskaya (Pietro Antonio Solari). And finally, in 1491, two towers were erected on Red Square - Nikolskaya and Frolovskaya, - the latter would later become known to the whole world as Spasskaya (as it was named in 1658 by a royal decree in the image of the Savior of Smolensk, written above the gates of the tower in memory of the liberation by Russian troops city ​​of Smolensk). The Spasskaya Tower became the main, main entrance to the Kremlin...

In 1494, Aleviz Fryazin (Milanets) came to Moscow. For ten years he built the stone chambers that became part of the Terem Palace of the Kremlin. He erected both the Kremlin walls and towers along the Neglinnaya River. He also owned the main hydraulic structures of Moscow in those years: the dams on Neglinnaya and ditches along the walls of the Kremlin.

In 1504, shortly before his death, Ivan III invited another “Fryazin” to Moscow, who received the name Aleviz Fryazin the New (Venetian). He came from Bakhchisarai, where he was building a palace for the khan. Vasily III already saw the creations of the new architect. It was under him that the Venetian built eleven churches (which have not survived to this day) and the cathedral, which now serves as the decoration of the Moscow Kremlin - Arkhangelsk, designed in the best traditions of ancient Russian architecture. One feels that its creator was greatly influenced by the original Russian culture.

At the same time, in 1505-1508, the famous Ivan the Great bell tower was built. Its architect Bon-Fryazin, having erected this pillar, which later reached 81 meters, accurately calculated that this architectural vertical would dominate the entire ensemble, giving it a unique color.

The construction of the Moscow Kremlin was an outstanding event for its time. Even if we consider the beginning of the construction of the ensemble to be 1475 - the year of the foundation of the last, fourth version of the Assumption Cathedral, and the end of construction - the construction of the last Kremlin fortifications in 1516, we have to admit that all this splendor and power was created in thirty (!) years.

In connection with the carrying out of repair and restoration work, visitors enter the Kremlin through the Trinity Gate, and exit through the Borovitsky Gate. Visitors enter and exit the Armory through the Borovitsky Gate.

December 25

The territory of the Moscow Kremlin is closed to visitors. The Armory is operating as usual. Visitors pass through the Borovitsky Gate of the Moscow Kremlin.

December 31 from 16:00, January 1 to 12:00

The territory of the Moscow Kremlin and the Armory Chamber are closed to the public.

From October 1 to May 14

The Moscow Kremlin museums are switching to winter operating hours. The architectural ensemble is open to the public from 10:00 to 17:00, the Armory is open from 10:00 to 18:00. Tickets are sold at the box office from 9:30 to 16:30. Closed on Thursday. Exchange electronic tickets is carried out in accordance with the terms of the User Agreement.

From October 1 to May 14

The exhibition of the Ivan the Great bell tower is closed to the public.

In order to ensure the safety of monuments during unfavorable weather conditions Access to some cathedral museums may be temporarily limited.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

The city center has long been located on a high hill at the confluence of the Neglinnaya and Moscow Rivers. However appearance the fortress wall did not correspond to the power of the state. By the end of the 15th century, the walls made of white stone (limestone) had become dilapidated, and the appearance of artillery required a fundamentally new system - fortification. The invited Italians began to build new fortifications ( Mark Fryazin...). The new Kremlin wall is more than 2 km long, has 18 towers, and forms an irregular triangle in plan. There are 3 placed on the corners of the walls round towers hiding places were built in them - wells; in places where important roads approached, 6 quadrangular passage towers with gates were erected; towers - archers with rising gratings - were attached to them in front; bridges across the moat were lowered from the gates of the archers on chains. The remaining towers were blind, that is, not passable. The towers were topped with wooden tents with watchtowers, bells or alarms were placed in some towers, the wall along the perimeter was decorated with battlements, the height of which reached 2.5 m, the height of the walls was about 19 m, and the thickness was 6.5 m. underground passages. The tower was made of red brick, and the base of the walls remained white stone. In terms of beauty and inaccessibility, the Kremlin was among the best fortresses of its era.

In the 17th century, the monumental style was replaced by a picturesque decorative style, the shapes of buildings became more complex, the walls were covered with multi-colored ornaments, carvings, and brick patterns. After the liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders in 1612, the Kremlin was restored. A stone tent covered with tiles rose above the Frolovskaya Tower (now the Spasskaya Tower - the main entrance to the Kremlin). The Spasskaya Tower has a lower quadrangle (square in plan), which is completed by a belt of arches with a white stone pattern; in the arches there are statues (blockheads) above the arcature belt - turrets, pyramids, sculptures of strange animals. At the corners of the quadrangle
gilded weather vanes, on the lower quadrangle there is another two-tiered smaller clock on it - a chime (English watchmaker Christopher Galovey). The second quadrangle turns into an octagon, which ends with a stone gazebo with keeled arches (currant pattern). There are chimes in the gazebos. The architecture of this tower combines features of Western European Gothic and Russian Middle Ages. The tower was renamed in 1658, thanks to the inscription above the gate, the image of Christ.

Temples of the Moscow Kremlin

Assumption Cathedral 1472 Main temple the Kremlin, because it was where kings were crowned. The cathedral was supposed to be larger in size than all existing churches in Rus'. 2 years after the start of work, the northern wall collapsed. Construction was continued by Alberti Fioravanti, a master from Bologna, (region of Italy), nicknamed Aristotle in Rus'. The master connected the blocks of white stone (limestone) with iron clamps. After 4 years, construction was completed.

Characteristics of the cathedral: smooth walls are dissected by wide blades (flat projections), the belt on the facade consists of columns and arches, narrow slit-like windows, the entrances are decorated with picturesque portals, 5 altar apses, the walls are crowned with zakomaras (to emphasize the national character), five domes. The cathedral was built in the likeness of the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral.

Annunciation Cathedral (Golden-Domed). Also called the prince's house church. Here, artistic techniques of various architectural schools are used - Vladimir, Pskov, Novgorod.

Characteristics of the temple: high basement (lower floor), the cathedral has the shape of a cube, 3 apses, keel-shaped zakomaras, 9 domes, the roof repeats the outlines of the gilded zakomaras.

Cathedral of the Archangel. Family tomb of the family of the Grand Dukes. Master – Aleviz Novy (Italian). He built the temple in the traditions of Russian architecture in the Italian style.

Characteristics of the cathedral: a six-pillar temple crowned with 5 domes, the facade is divided by a cornice into 2 horizontal parts, and Russian blades are replaced with pilasters ending in capitals, the zakomari are separated by another cornice, and shells are placed inside them.

The Faceted Chamber is the throne room. The word chamber comes from the Italian palazzo, and the name comes from the decoration of the facade with cut stone.

The plan is a square with one column in the center, on which 4 arches rest. In ancient times it had a hipped roof.

Ivanovo Bell Tower. The bell tower received its name from the Church of St. John located at its base. The bell tower is a pillar of two octahedrons placed one on top of the other and a chapter crowning them. Each tier ends with arched openings through which the bells are visible. The bell tower unites everything architectural ensemble Kremlin.

At the turn of the 16th – 17th centuries, another tier was added, and the total height of the bell tower was 81 m. Later, a quadrangular belfry with a powerful dome for heavy bells and a Filaret extension with a tent and pyramids were added to the bell tower.

Tent architecture 16th century

The reign of Vasily 3. The temple became a monument associated with the birth of the heir of John 4 (Ivan the Terrible) Ascension in Kolomenskoye. The symbolism of the temple speaks of two events: 1 – heavenly, the ascension of the Son of God to the Father; 2 – earthly, the birth of the heir to the Moscow throne. The powerful foundation of the temple grows from an intricacy of galleries. The multifaceted pointed base ends with triple pointed kokoshniks. And above them rises a tent. The edges of the tent are intertwined with garlands that look like strings of pearls. Its top is covered with a small cupola with a gilded cross.

St. Basil's Cathedral (Pokrovsky). 1555 – 1561 Named after the famous Moscow holy fool, buried in 1552 near the walls of the Trinity Church, which originally stood on this site. The idea of ​​building a temple was born in memory of the capture of Kazan in 1552. According to one version, the temple was built by masters Barma and Postnik. The distinctive feature of this temple is its multi-side chapel. ( Side chapel- this is an extension to the church where worship can take place). The composition of the temple: around the central, highest pillar, on the cardinal points, there are 4 large temple, and diagonally there are 4 small ones. Tower-shaped volumes start from the ground itself and are perceived as independent volumes, at the same time they form a complex pyramidal composition, which is distinguished by artistic unity and dynamism. Most researchers see in this temple the embodiment of the symbolic image of Jerusalem. The interiors are like dark labyrinths, and the viewer’s main attention is focused on its external monumental appearance. In addition to the complexity of the silhouette, the volumes are decorated machismos(mounted bainitsa, attributes of fortress architecture). The facades are decorated panels(frame, recess), lucarnes(window openings) and multi-tiered kokoshniks. The original color scheme was more restrained. In the 17th century, the cathedral was decorated: individual architectural details were painted, complex patterns and multicolors appeared, the walls of the cathedral (inside and outside) were painted with ornaments. The architecture of the cathedral acquired the image of a marvelous garden, a fantasy of paradise.

This design of temples with a high silhouette but small internal space was very suitable for the construction of monument temples. In the 17th century, architecture became more and more elegant. From the main floor, the tent turns into a decorative detail.

Merchant architecture

The 17th century began with a terrible famine, cholera, then robberies and robberies, turmoil began: the invasion of the Poles and Swedes, the death of Boris Godunov, the murder of False Dmitry and the emergence of new impostors. Therefore, until the 20s of the 17th century there was no construction. The builders have lost their art.

In the 30s of the 17th century, architects took a new path. Moscow became an example of new architecture Trinity Church in Nikitki, placed in the courtyard of the merchant Nikitnikov.

The church is small in size and elegant: against the red background of brick walls, white stone details (platbands, columns, rows of kokoshniks, etc.) stand out. Compared to ancient temples, the church is striking in its liveliness and diversity; one gets the feeling that it is growing and developing like a tree. The church is not symmetrical, which creates a feeling of dynamics. They went there to pray not to the God they feared, but to the one who helped man in his earthly affairs. The architecture is joyful, does not elevate a person, but does not frighten him either.

Patriarch Nikon saw in the pattern an inappropriate deviation from the original samples. Nikon forbade the construction of tented churches. All buildings of this time were distinguished by severity and severity, reaching the point of asceticism. However, the king was dissatisfied with the patriarch's claims to the supreme power of the state. The gap between them led to exile and the deposition of the patriarch. Patterned architecture continued its march across the country.