Kremlin, when translated literally from Russian, means castle or fortress, and is the center of Russian government, as well as a symbol of Moscow. The Tsar’s residency once stood here, and today, the president lives in this area. However, if you happen to find a picture of the old Kremlin from the end of the 19th century, you may notice that it once used to be white instead of the red color that it is characteristic for today. After certain additional construction was completed, the Kremlin became red. It used to be an important religious center, exemplified by the famous St. Basil Cathedral located in the Red Square.
The Kremlin consists of 4 separate fortresses surrounded by the walls of the “fortress”. Several towers, works by Italian artists from the 15th century, are located in the area. The oldest building in the Kremlin is the Granovitaya Palata, built under the orders of Ivan III, which used to be a receiving hall for kings and tsars. The Terem Palace was connected to the Palace later on and, even though it was built in the 16th century, it was first restored only a century later. The two palaces are connected by the so-called Grand Kremlin Palace, built under the orders of Peter I in the 19th century. The large hall, apart from its size (it is the largest palace in Kremlin), is characteristic for its lavishly decorated dance halls, tsar’s private quarters, as well as the church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, which was built in 1393, and is the oldest building in Moscow.
The red stars located on the tops of the towers in Kremlin weren’t always there. Until 1935, two-headed eagles were located in their place, which are the symbols of the Tsardom of Russia. These symbols were removed when the Communists gained power, because of their policy of removing everything that may remind the people of the existence of the Tsardom. The stars are always illuminated, having only been dimmed down twice, during World War Two, to prevent the Germans from using the lights as targets, and during the filming of the Siberian Barber movie, in order to make the historical scenes more accurate.
Since 1990, The Kremlin, along with the Red Square, has been a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Cathedral Square is located in the very center of the Kremlin. The square itself is surrounded by six buildings and three churches. The Cathedral of the Dormition was built in the 15th century and, as the main church of Moscow, was the place where Russian Tsars were crowned. Many notable Russian metropolitan bishops and patriarchs were buried inside the cathedral. The Cathedral Square is a spectacular collection consisting of four cathedrals all located in the same square. Today, this site is the place where presidential inauguration ceremonies are conducted.
Not many people know that there are several burial places located beneath the Kremlin, the first one of which appearing in 1917, while in 1924, the Lenin Mausoleum’s construction was completed at the square. Several notable people were buried beneath the walls of the Kremlin later on.
The Tsar Cannon, a 38-ton, 890mm caliber weapon, takes up a notable place in the square itself. The cannon was used by the army of Tsar Fyodor I from 1856. In addition to the cannon, the Tsar Bell, which weighs around 216 tons and measures 6,6 meters in diameter, is also significant to mention. It was made of bronze somewhere between 1733 and 1735, and suffered damage during a fire in 1737. The Kremlin is situated on an estate that measures 27 hectares, and its magnitude is truly impressive and awe-inspiring.
When it comes to visiting the Kremlin, visitors can choose between two plans:
The entrance fee for the Kremlin
Kremlin open hours
