The Kremlin was once the palace of successive tsars and the oldest architectural complex in Moscow. After the October Revolution, it became the Soviet Union, and later became the seat of the party and government organs of the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this place became a substitute for the Russian government. It is situated on the Borovets Hills at the confluence of the Neglina and Moscow Rivers. Bordered by the Moscow River to the south, the Alexandrov Gardens to the northwest, and Red Square to the southeast, it was built in 1156 with wooden walls, which were replaced by stone walls in 1367. The fifteenth-century brick palace wall (2.5 kilometers in circumference) remains today. On the central church square the Church of the Assumption, the Church of the Angels, the Church of the Annunciation, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great and the Dolomite Palace of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were built, and in 1788 the Senate Building (today the Government Building) was completed. In the 1840s the Kremlin was built. There are 20 towers around the palace walls. Palace towers in the most magnificent Spartak, Nikolai, Troitsk, Paulovitz, Vodovzvod and other towers, in 1937, the installation of five-pointed ruby star on the tower.
Brief description
The Kremlin is located in the center of Moscow, Russia, and is one of the symbols of Russia. The Kremlin is surrounded by the Red Square and Church Square, a group of large-scale, beautifully and skillfully designed buildings. There is also the Privy Council Building, built in the 18th century A.D., and the Grand Kremlin and Arms Gallery, built in the 19th century A.D.. Each of these buildings contains the unparalleled wisdom of the Russian people and is a rare masterpiece in the history of world architecture. Inside the palace there are masterpieces of Russian foundry art: the "King of Cannons" weighing 40 tons and the "King of Bells" weighing 200 tons. The Kremlin has thus become one of Russia's most cherished cultural heritages.
Architectural features
The Kremlin is an unequal triangle. It covers an area of 275,000 square meters and has a circumference of more than 2 kilometers. Built in 1156, the original Suzdali Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky's estate, there are small wooden castle, called the "Tiginets". 1367 in the castle on the site of the construction of white stone walls, and then in the walls around the construction of the towers. In 1935 the towers of Spassk, Nikolai, Troitsk, Borowitz and Waldorf were each fitted with a five-pointed star of different sizes, made of red crystal stone and metal frames, and built with 5,000 watts of power illumination, which made them visible by day and by night.
Symbol of power
A Russian Putin's office building Si proverb describes the majestic and solemn Kremlin: "Moscow on the ground, only to see the Kremlin towering; Kremlin on the Kremlin, only to see the distant sky." The Kremlin is Russia's secular and religious cultural heritage, it is both a political center and the center of activity of the Russian Orthodox Church from the 14th to 17th centuries AD. It used to be the palace of the many generations of kings who ruled the Russian Empire, was the seat of the highest authority and government of the Soviet Union after the October Revolution, and today serves as the presidential palace of Russia (the parliament and government have now moved out of the Kremlin). The Kremlin has been associated with all major political events in Russia since the 13th century A.D., and it has witnessed the entire history of Russia's development from a Grand Duchy of Moscow to the powerful nation it is today across Eurasia.
The Grand Kremlin
The Grand Kremlin is one of the main buildings in the Kremlin. Inside the Kremlin walls, the beautiful building with three rows of high windows facing the Moscow River is the Grand Kremlin, which was built on the site of the old palace from 1839 to 1849, and consists of the old Andreevsky Hall and Aleksandrovsky Hall joined together. The exterior of the Grand Kremlin is in imitation of the classical Russian style, and all the halls and rooms are of various architectural styles, harmonized and magnificently decorated. The center of the palace is decorated with a variety of floral patterns of the attic, on which there is a higher than the main building of the copper dome, up to 13 meters, and there is a flagpole, the flag is hoisted on holidays. The interior of the Grand Kremlin is rectangular in shape, and upstairs there are 700 rooms with a total area of 20,000 square meters surrounded by terraces. Once upon a time, the first floor was the Tsar's private palace, except for political affairs, and a wide white staircase led to the second floor halls, where there were the Georgiev Hall, the Vladimir Hall, the Ekaterina Hall, and once upon a time the Andreev Hall, where the Tsar used to receive his ambassadors.
Georgiev Hall
Georgiev Hall is the most famous hall in the Grand Kremlin, a masterpiece of Russian craftsmanship. The hall is oval in shape, with six gold-plated chandeliers hanging from the dome. Each chandelier weighs 1,300 kilograms, and the dome and surrounding walls are painted with huge frescoes of battles won by the Russian army in the 15th to 19th centuries AD. At the front of the hall there are 18 columns topped with statues symbolizing victories. Today, Georgiev Hall is a traditional place for government welcoming ceremonies.
Red Square
Red Square is Moscow's oldest square and is located on the eastern wall of the Kremlin. Although it has been remodeled and constructed many times, it is still in its original state, and the road surface is still the stone road of the year, glazed and shiny, looking neat and rustic. In the 90s of the 15th century A.D., a fire broke out in Moscow, and after the fire, the open space became a square, so it was once called the "burning field", and in the middle of the 17th century A.D., it was called the "Red Square". In ancient Russian, the word "red" also meant "beautiful", and since the translation of the name only took the first interpretation of the meaning of the word, that is, "red", over time, "Red Square" was also called "Red Square" in the 17th century. The name "Red Square" has been used since then. The square has a total area of 90,000 square meters and is rectangular in shape, long from north to south and narrow from east to west. The large-scale construction of Red Square took place after 1812. After Napoleon's troops set fire to Moscow, the city was rebuilt and Red Square was widened, and after the victory of the October Revolution in 1917, Moscow became the capital city and Red Square became a place for celebrations, rallies and military parades. Lenin's Mausoleum is located in Red Square in front of the Kremlin Palace wall right in the center.
Perfect church architecture
Kremlin The church architecture of the churches in the Kremlin is also very distinctive. Inside the palace there is a church square, which is surrounded by four churches: the Church of the Twelve Apostles, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of St. Michael. But the most beautiful church of the Kremlin towers to be located in the Red Square, "painted in stone fairy tale" called St. Vasily Cathedral. It was built by Ivan IV and consists of nine uneven towers, the tallest of which is the square tower in the center, which is 17 meters high. Although the nine towers are different from each other in style and color, they are in perfect harmony. More rare is that it and the Kremlin's large and small palaces, churches with a special mood, for the whole Kremlin color a lot. It is said that when this church was completed, Ivan IV, in awe, to prevent the designer to design a better, more perfect building, even ordered to gouge out his eyes.
Ivan the Great Clock Tower
People look at the Kremlin from a distance, it is not difficult to find a building stands high in the group of buildings, there is a sense of cranes. This tall building is the Church Square on the Ivan the Great clock tower. It is 81 meters high and was used as a signal tower and watchtower in ancient times. On the left side of the bell tower is the 40-ton Cannon King and on the right side is the famous Bell King. These two behemoths have never been used, but they show the skill of Russian craftsmen in casting.
The Bell King
The Bell King is 5.87 meters high, 5.9 meters in diameter, and weighs about 200 tons. It was cast on November 20, 1735, and is known as the world's largest bell. The wall of the bell is cast with exquisite statues and decorations, such as the statues of Tsar Alexei and Empress Anna, and five images of gods and goddesses. However, it cracked on the first stroke after it was cast. The Encyclopedia Americana called it "the bell that has never been rung in the world". Bell King Cannon King Cannon King
This cannon, built in 1586, weighs 40 tons and has a muzzle diameter of 0.92 meters, allowing three people to climb in at the same time. On display in front of the cannon are four stacked shells, each weighing two tons. There are also fine bas-reliefs on the gun mounts, including a statue of Tsar Fedor.
The Kremlin Treasures
The Kremlin is worthy of a large museum and a temple of art. There was originally a large armory in the palace, which Peter the Great converted into a museum in 1720. The museum houses many valuable artifacts, including items used by successive tsars, fine art crafts, and looted war trophies. Crowns, statues, crosses, armor, gowns and tableware are encrusted with precious stones - the cover of the Gospels alone contains 26 kilograms of gold and countless other gems, while the Golden Throne of the Emperor Gothenburg is encrusted with 2,000 jewels. Walking through the palace is like witnessing the lavish life of the tsars. In addition, the collection of artifacts and treasures in the four churches is extraordinary. The walls of the churches are adorned with icons framed in gold; the icons in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary are from Greek painters and are of great value; and the caskets of the tsars in the Church of St. Michael are decorated with great splendor.
Kremlin Auditorium
Kremlin Auditorium is in the center of the triangular Kremlin complex, built in early 1960, put into use in October 1961, with a total floor area of 600,000 square meters, is the most spectacular auditorium in Moscow and Russia. This magnificent building of white Ural marble and glass structure unites the characteristics of modern architecture and traditional Russian architectural style. The Kremlin Auditorium is also a modern theater. There are 6,000 comfortable seats, which radiate outwards in a semicircle with the podium at the center. Each seat is equipped with an electronic voting and simultaneous interpretation system. The podium that is the stage area of 450 square meters, lighting, sound, scenery and other facilities, and can accommodate a symphony orchestra music pool. Surrounding the theater is a bright and spacious rest hall. The highest floor of the auditorium is a 900 square meter ballroom. 1/3 of the entire building of the Great Hall was built on the ground floor, mainly office space, the entire building **** there are 800 offices. Kremlin Auditorium is Russia's important meetings, festivals and awards and honors place, but also the general public to appreciate the ballet, listening to concerts and watch the fashion show place. Russian groups perform here, as well as famous artists from all over the world. The auditorium also regularly organizes popular ballet and other performances for the general public and young people.
Overall Description
Within the palace walls, the forest is lush, flowers and grasses flourish, churches tower, the temple is lofty, the government building rises up, a variety of museums are interspersed. Religious buildings in the first of the magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, built in the late 15th century, its mountain arches and golden towers, with the style of northeastern Russia, has been the Russian emperor held the coronation ceremony place. The Church of the Annunciation, built a little later than the Cathedral of the Assumption, is a beautiful church with nine golden domes and is the place of baptisms and marriages of the royal family's children and grandchildren. The Cathedral of the Angels, built in the early 16th century, is the burial place of the emperors of Moscow Park before Peter the Great.
Features of the buildings
The 81-meter-high Ivan the Great Bell Tower is the tallest building in the Kremlin. Built in the early 16th century, it was originally three-storied and was increased to five-storied in 16 00, crowned with a gold dome. From the third floor upwards, it becomes smaller and smaller, and its appearance is in the form of eight-sided prisms stacked on top of each other. In 1532-1543 a four-storey cubic bell tower was built to the north of it, and in the summer of 1624 the Philatelic bell tower was built in white stone. The lower floor of the tower is now used as the Kremlin Museum of the Clock Tower of Ivan the Great, where gold, silver and other objects are exhibited. There are 21 large bells and more than 30 small bells in all the towers***. If you go up the steps of the Ivan the Great Clock Tower and climb to the top of the tower, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Moscow. The north corner of the Kremlin is an ancient arsenal, now a weapons museum; the west corner is the Palace of Weapons, now a weapons museum. Ureng Palace, one of the oldest palaces in the Kremlin, was built in 1487-1491. It is the most distinctive of the Kremlin's palaces, and the throne of the Russian Emperor is set here. The Grand Kremlin is the main palace of the Kremlin, located in the southwestern part of the Kremlin, built in 1839-1849, is a two-story building, the upper floor has a terrace around. In the center of the palace is the attic decorated with various floral motifs, on which there is a bronze dome above the main building and a flagpole, which raises the national flag on holidays. The first floor of the front hall is decorated with marble, malachite and bronze, fine porcelain and furniture of the 19th century; on the second floor there are the Georgiev Hall, the Vladimir Hall and the Ekaterina Hall. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, a statue of Lenin stood on the podium of the hall. In the front of the hall there are 18 columns topped with statues. Before the dissolution of the USSR, the Great Kremlin was the venue for meetings of the Soviet government, the Central Committee of the USSR and public organizations. During the Soviet era, several new white buildings were constructed in the Kremlin, one of which housed Stalin's office, and the Kremlin Congress Hall, built in 1959-1961, is a modern marble and glass building with 800 rooms, of which the 6,000-seat Congress Hall and the 2,500-seat Banquet Hall are the most grandiose. Important state events were often held here, which made it the "second largest theater in the USSR", and in 1967 a full-length statue of Lenin was erected in the Kremlin's gardens. A large part of the Kremlin's parks and monuments are open to the public and are constantly visited by tourists. The famous "Kremlin bells", originating from the autoharp in the Spasskaya Tower, were installed in 1851-1852. It is connected with the chronometer of the Observatory, which is the most accurate clock in the Spartak Tower. The tower is 67.3 meters and the gate below is the main access to the Kremlin, however, in the past, all those entering the gate should take off their hats or be punished by bowing 50 times. Don't be afraid, you won't be told to enter! To the west of the Kremlin is the Alexander Garden and the Tomb of the Unknown Martyr. Newlywed couples come here to lay flowers. There are so many brides for you to see. Now the Maneesh underground mall and square have been built to blend in with the gardens. Fountains and statues are everywhere. The Tomb of the Unknown Martyrs is a solemn place, built before the Victory Day in 1967 in honor of those who died in the Second World War. The tombstone has a long flame that has been burning since it was lit. The inscription on the tombstone reads, "Your name is unknown, your achievements will last forever." When foreign leaders come, they come here to lay flowers. There's also the changing of the guard ceremony for National Post One. Not bad. Legs up high. To visit the Kremlin, you have to pass by the Kutafia Tower. First of all, you will see the Congress building, a modern building with 6000 seats and a luxurious interior, which is used not only for meetings, but also for high-level performances. Further on, you will see the Cannon King and the Bell King. The Cannon King has a history of more than 400 years, with a weight of 40 tons and a muzzle diameter of 0.92 meters. In front of the cannon, there are four shells, each weighing 2 tons. On the frame of the gun there is a beautiful relief with the image of Tsar Fedor. It was never used because it was too heavy and too big. The King of Bells, deservedly so, weighs 202 tons, is 6.14 meters high and 6.60 meters in diameter. It was four and a half times heavier than the Yongle Bell in Beijing. It took two years to cast in 1735, but due to the fire, the bell fell off a piece, weighing 11.5 tons. On the bell, there are statues of Tsar Aleksei and Empress Anna, as well as statues of gods and goddesses. Next to the king of the bell is the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, built of white stone. It is 81 meters high. It used to be the highest point in Moscow. Inside the building hangs a dozen ancient bells of various sizes. Whenever they ring, they can be heard from far away. Further on, there is Church Square, the oldest square in Moscow, and the white stone church is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, (also known as Ussitsky), where successive grand dukes and tsars were crowned. Built in 1480, it was constructed by an Italian architect. On the right side of the square is the Church of the Annunciation, also known as Blagoveshchinsky, near the banks of the Moskva River. It is a small but most charming chapel, used by the families of the Imperial Palace and for royal weddings, and contains the oldest frescoes of Russian icons. The Church of the Angels opposite is the tomb of the kings. After moving the capital to Petersburg, the emperors were buried in Peter and Paul Cathedral in Petrograd. The Grand Kremlin, the palace of the Tsars, is decorated with a white, blue and red Russian flag on the dome. Nowadays it is the office of the President of Russia, but unfortunately it is not allowed to visit. If not, we could have met Dmitry Medvedev! Further down, there is the Hall of Arms and the Hall of Diamonds, which is actually the Hall of Arrays of Valuables of the Russian Tsars, built in 1851. It used to be a place where weapons were made and stored. Famous items in the collection are: crowns, solid gold scepters and weights, Ivan the Terrible's ivory throne, Tsar Alexey's diamond treasury, as well as Ekaterina II's wedding gowns, saddles and sabers encrusted with precious stones. There is also a 17th century "Bible" with 3017 jewels on a silver cover. Everything is worth a lot of money.