Moscow, Novgorod, Kazan, Suzdal, Nizhny Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, Kolomna, Astrakhan, Tobolsk, Tula, Rostov, Alexandrovsk, Vlashy; Dimir, Vologda. There are also Volokolamsk, Dmitrov, Ryazan, Yaroslavl without walls.
Ancient fortifications, designed to protect and gather surrounding residents under their protection, called the Kremlin, were the beginning of the transformation of settlements into cities in Rus'. The origin of the word Kremlin is interpreted in different ways, but the fact that it is associated with scaffolding and (or) shelter (chrome) is most correct, in my opinion.
Since Ancient Rus' had quite a large number of cities, there were also enough Kremlins in Rus'. So we can only try to find those that have survived.
I will name among the first the Moscow, Kazan, Pskov and Novgorod (Veliky Novgorod) Kremlins. Completely or partially preserved fortifications are Tula, Tobolsk, Ryazan, Astrakhan, Zaraisky, Kolomensky, Vologda, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, Gdov, Izborsk, Porkhov, Rostov, Smolensk, Staroladoga. I can’t help but mention the Kiev Kremlin, although all that remains of it is the restored Golden Gate
The photo shows:
1) Pskov Kremlin
2) Novgorod Kremlin
3) Kazan Kremlin
4) Izborsk fortress
Kremlin is a fortress in old Russian cities. Therefore, almost all old Russian cities once had their own kremlins. For example (so far in the Moscow region): Volokolamsk, Kolomensky, Zaraisky, Mozhaisky, Dmitrovsky, Zvenigorod, Ruzsky, Vereisky Kremlins.
We especially note the Izmailovo Kremlin. This is a remake. The Kremlin has never been a defensive fortress. This is a cultural, entertainment and shopping complex, vernissage.
A special feature of Russian Kremlins was the presence on the territory of the Kremlin of an Orthodox church, master's and administrative buildings.
In pre-Mongol Rus' there were about 400 cities and towns. Each of them had a detinets (fortress). The term Kremlin (krom) appeared in the 14th century.
Of the surviving (at least partially) Kremlins in Russia we can highlight: Alexandrov, Astrakhan, Vladimir, Vologda, Vyazma, Gdov, Zaraysk, Izborsk, Kazan, Kolomna, Mozhaisk, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhegorodsky), Novgorod, Porkhov, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan, Serpukhov, Smolensk, Staraya Ladoga, Tobolsk, Tula.
Cities in which ramparts have been preserved or archaeological excavations have confirmed the presence of kremlins in ancient times (about the Moscow region, see at the beginning of the answer): Aleksin, Belgorod, Belozrsk, Borovsk, Bryansk (Pokrovskaya Mountain), Velikiye Luki, Irkutsk, Kaluga, Kleshchin (a settlement nearby with Pereyaslavl Zalessky), Kostroma, Murom, Mtsensk, Opochka (fortification, Pskov region), Orel, Pustozrsk (fortification on the Pechora River), Radonezh (fortification), Rzhev, Rurik fortification in Veliky Novgorod, Sviyazhsk, Slobodskoy (Kirov region ), Staritsa, ancient settlement Old Ryazan, Starodub, Suzdal, Torzhok, Toropets (the Kremlin was called Red Val), Uglich, Ufa, Kirov (in ancient times Khlynov, Vyatka), Tsivilsk (Chuvashia), Cheboksary, Yuryev-Polsky, Yaroslavl.
The Kremlin (the original name until the 14th century was Detinets; other synonyms were krom; city, town or city; fortress) is the currently accepted name for city fortifications in ancient Rus'; a city surrounded by a fortress wall with loopholes and towers. In many cities there were settlements located behind the Kremlin wall, for the defense of which additional external fortifications were often erected; In this case, the Kremlin was the name given to the central part of the city surrounded by walls. In Ancient Rus', only those settlements in which such fortresses were built were called cities.
Since ancient times, the powerful fortress, the central part of the ancient Russian city, was called the Kremlin. This word was first mentioned in the 14th century. There are several versions of its origin. According to one of them, “Kremlin” comes from the ancient Greek “kremnos”, i.e. "solid".
But in the ancient Slavic language there were such words as “kremnik”, “krem”, which, according to different versions, meant “pine forest”, “forest”, a fortress inside a city or a wall enclosing it.
Thus, it can be assumed that the Kremlin was a fortress surrounded by a high wooden fence. Moreover, some historians suggest that this fence was made from a special type of wood, impregnated with resin for greater strength.
The Kremlin was considered the core of the entire settlement. Its walls were the last possible barrier for enemies. The entire surviving population of the city gathered here for a “siege.”
Initially, the Kremlins were wooden, but already in the 13-14th centuries, in order to increase their defensive capability, architects began to erect stone outposts, impervious to fire, surrounded by impregnable towers and water ditches. Over time, the Kremlins lost their original significance as a military fortress, but to this day these architectural ensembles do not cease to be masterpieces of fortification art.
The Kremlin is both a place of concentration of state power and an inimitable city-forming ensemble, within which large administrative, political, spiritual and cultural centers are concentrated.
The history of each Kremlin is a small grain in the history of the formation of Russian statehood. The Kremlins are the stronghold of the state, within whose walls its historical past was born.
The Moscow Kremlin is a fortress, a symbol of reliability and inviolability, a stronghold of state power, the main religious and cultural center. This is truly the focus of all the main vital functions of the city, containing its idea, ideal image, genetic code. That is why it became a symbol of Moscow and the entire Russian state.
In Russia there are more than 20 historical and cultural complexes, behind which the name “Kremlin” has firmly established itself. These are not only military fortresses with stone walls and towers, they are also wonderful architectural complexes with temples, palaces, chambers, and solemnly decorated entrances. The Kremlins of Russia are the pride of our Russian land.
Moscow Kremlin — a large architectural complex, a fortress, the geographical and historical center of Moscow, located on the left bank of the Moscow River, on Borovitsky Hill, the most ancient part of the city, currently the residence of the highest government bodies of Russia and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country. Administratively located in the Central Administrative District, it is designated as an independent administrative unit.
Kazan Kremlin (Tat. Kazan kirməne, Qazan kirməne) — citadel of Kazan. Today serving as a center of self-government, it is the southernmost example of the Pskov architectural style in Russia. The Kremlin is located on the cape of a high terrace on the left bank of the Kazanka River.
Extant:
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin — a fortress in Nizhny Novgorod, the historical center of the city, a stone belt covering the top of a mountainous cape and lying in ledges on the Volga slopes.
Pskov Krom (Kremlin) — historical and architectural center of Pskov. Located on a narrow and high cape at the confluence of the river. Pskov in the river Great. It occupies an area of 3 hectares. The initial settlement in the cape part of the site dates back to the middle of the first millennium.
Smolensk fortress wall (often called the Smolensk Kremlin) — a defensive structure built in 1595-1602 during the reign of Tsars Fyodor Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. Architectural monument. Architect - Fyodor Kon. The length of the walls is 6.5 km (less than half of the walls and towers have survived). It had enormous defensive significance in the Russian state.
Kolomensky
Astrakhan
Tobolsk
Tula
Rostovsky
Alexandrovsky
Vladimirsky
Vologda
Without walls: Volokolamsky, Dmitrovsky, Ryazansky, Yaroslavsky
In the ruins: Gdovsky, Izborsky, Porkhovsky, Serpukhovsky, Velikoluksky
Only marks from the walls: Belozersky, Borovsky, Opochkinsky, Starodubsky, Tverskoy, Khlynovsky
Unknown condition: Ostrovsky, Torzhoksky
list:
Stone Kremlins
Astrakhan Kremlin (preserved)
Vologda Kremlin (bishop's house, preserved)
Gdov Kremlin (partially preserved)
Zaraisky Kremlin (preserved)
Izborsk Kremlin (preserved)
Kazan Kremlin (preserved)
Kolomna Kremlin (partially preserved)
Mozhaisk Kremlin (minor fragments and the Kremlin hill have been preserved)
Moscow Kremlin (preserved)
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin (preserved)
Novgorod Detinets (preserved)
Porkhov Kremlin (mostly preserved)
Pskov Krom (preserved)
Rostov Kremlin (bishop's house, preserved)
Serpukhov Kremlin (two fragments of the wall and the Kremlin hill have been preserved)
Smolensk Kremlin (partially preserved)
Staraya Ladoga Kremlin (partially preserved)
Tobolsk Kremlin (partially preserved)
Tula Kremlin (preserved)
Yaroslavl Kremlin (two towers preserved)
Stone-wooden kremlins
Vladimir Kremlin (the Golden Gate and ramparts have been preserved)
Vyazemsky Kremlin (one tower and the Kremlin hill have been preserved)
Grodno Detinets (the hill has been preserved; in the 14th century a Lithuanian castle was erected on it)
Kamenets Kremlin (the vezha has been preserved)
Kyiv Detynets (Golden Gate rebuilt)
Lyubsha settlement (a small hill has been preserved)
Pereyaslav Kremlin (modern city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, ramparts preserved)
Tver Kremlin (not preserved)
Truvorovo settlement (ramps preserved)
Kholm Kremlin (now the city of Chelm in Poland)
Wooden kremlins
Alexander Kremlin (since the 17th century, the Assumption Convent with stone walls has been located on its territory)
Aleksinsky Kremlin
Belgorod-Kyiv (fortification)
Belz child
Borovsky Kremlin
Velikoluksky Kremlin (the ramparts have been preserved; in the 18th century, Peter the Great's bastions were built on them)
Vereisky Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Volokolamsk Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Dmitrov Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Zvenigorod town (ramps preserved)
Kaluga Kremlin
Kleshchin (fortified settlement, preserved ramparts)
Kostroma Kremlin (the ramparts have hardly survived)
Minsk child
Mtsensk Kremlin
Novgorod-Seversky Detinets
Opochka Kremlin
Oryol Kremlin
Pereslavl Kremlin (Pereslavl-Zalessky) (ramps preserved)
Pustozersk (fortification)
Putivl child
Radonezh (fortification, preserved ramparts)
Ruza Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Rurik settlement
Ryazan Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Sviyazhsk Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Staritsky Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Starodub Kremlin
Old Ryazan (fortified settlement, preserved ramparts)
Suzdal Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Torzhok Kremlin
Uglich Kremlin
Tsivilsky Kremlin
Cheboksary Kremlin
Chernigov child
Yuryev-Polsk Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin is located in the very center of Moscow, on the high bank of the Moscow River. Its powerful walls and towers, golden-domed temples, ancient towers and palaces rise above the Moscow River and form a beautiful architectural ensemble.
“Above Moscow there is the Kremlin, and above the Kremlin there is only sky,” says the old proverb. The Kremlin is the most ancient part of Moscow, currently the residence of the highest government bodies of Russia and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country.
In plan, the Kremlin is an irregular triangle. Its southern wall faces the Moscow River, to the north is Red Square, and to the north-west is the Alexander Garden. In the 14th century, cathedrals and monasteries were already built here; the Kremlin was the center of the Russian Orthodox Church. Three gigantic cathedrals were built in the 15th and 16th centuries. There's a lot to see here! In the Annunciation Cathedral there are beautiful icons and an iconostasis; the bell tower of Ivan the Great with two golden domes is visible from a distance of 30 km, it rises next to the Assumption Cathedral, not far from the cathedral stands the largest bell of the Kremlin - the Tsar Bell; The Armory houses a wide variety of treasures, including royal crowns. In addition, here is the Amusement Palace, the Senate, in the premises of which the President’s office is located.
The most famous building on Red Square is St. Basil's Cathedral, its fabulous multi-colored domes are topped with golden crosses, and a gilded dome rises above the main tower. Near the Kremlin wall there is the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin, and people still line up to walk past his embalmed body. The space of Red Square, colorful churches and palaces, and the Kremlin walls will be remembered for a long time.
Initially, the Kremlin served as a fortification for the village that arose on Borovitsky Hill, a cape at the confluence of the Neglinnaya River with the Moscow River. Here was the oldest Moscow church - the Cathedral of the Transfiguration, or the Savior on Bor, built in 1330 for the millennium of Constantinople - “New Rome”. The temple was destroyed in 1933. Moscow princes and princesses were buried in it until the cathedral received the status of a court temple.
In 1812, Napoleon blew up the Vodovzvodnaya, Petrovskaya and First Nameless Towers, the Arsenal Tower was seriously damaged, and the extensions to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower were also destroyed. It took 20 years to restore. In the 30s of the 20th century, the double-headed eagles that crowned the main towers of the Kremlin: Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya, were replaced with ruby stars with a diameter of 3-4 m. In 1941-1942, 167 German aerial bombs fell on the Kremlin, but it almost unharmed. Since 1955, the Kremlin has been open to the public, becoming an open-air museum.
The entrance to the Kremlin is through the Kutafya Tower, which was built in 1516. The name is also associated with her short and initially nondescript appearance: “kutafya” in Dahl’s dictionary is a clumsy, ugly dressed woman.
Behind the bridge is the mighty Trinity Tower. Having passed through it, we find ourselves on a bridgehead open to all the winds, surrounded by the spacious buildings of the Arsenal, the Senate and the Palace of Congresses.
Previously, there was a highly complex medieval city with cramped, uneven streets, each quarter of which contained multiple temples and chambers, courtyards and passages. The only fragment of that incredible city is located in the passage on the right hand of the gate - this is the Amusement Palace of the mid-17th century, restored by restorers only at the beginning of this century. On its roof stands a golden-domed house church; once it was surrounded by open gardens and hanging apple orchards laid out on high stone terraces - the entire female half of the Sovereign's courtyard, which occupied the site of the current Palace of Congresses, was arranged in approximately the same strange way.
The Patriarchal Palace, which also has its own house church and probably also had a roof garden. Through its arch you can get to Cathedral Square. From here, the square reveals itself in an ancient, bright and unexpected way: straight ahead - the bell tower of Ivan the Great, on the right - the Assumption Cathedral, one of the great Russian shrines, the main temple of Rus' from the 14th century until 1918, the tomb of ancient metropolitans and patriarchs. The current building was built in the 1470s by the Italian master Aristotle. The temple is small in size (in architecture textbooks there is a popular picture where the silhouette of the cathedral fits into the gigantic outlines of the Roman St. Peter, like a little doll), but at the same time incredibly strong and large-scale - both inside and outside: the Italians knew a lot about such illusions.
Also built by the Italians on the other side of the square, the Archangel Cathedral of 1505 produces a completely different impression - close to the Assumption Cathedral in size, on the outside it is much more playful and complex, but on the inside it is cramped and mysterious. Most of its floor is occupied by the tombstones of princes and kings who reigned from the 13th to the 18th centuries. All the tombstones are of the same type, only the carved canopy over the grave of Tsarevich Dimitri - one of the most tragic losses in Russian history - stands out.
On Cathedral Square, the nine-domed palace Annunciation Cathedral, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe with a small exhibition of ancient Russian wooden sculpture, and exhibition halls in the Assumption Belfry and the Patriarchal Palace are also open to the public. The archaeological exhibition in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral and the lower tier of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower receive visitors for certain sessions.
The Armory Chamber and the Diamond Fund are located in another part of the Kremlin, at the Borovitsky Gate, and to view them you must buy separate tickets in advance. Unfortunately, the Kremlin Palace is closed to public access, although theoretically excursions are held there, but with a very separate appointment and for a separate fee. The working population can be content with only an external view of the Faceted Chamber - the throne room of sovereigns from the end of the 15th century, as well as a fragment of the royal residential choir visible to the right, crowned with multi-domed house churches and the ponderous bulk of the Great Palace, built in the middle of the 19th century.
The Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell are also located on the territory. Many people, when mentioning the square, recall the saying “shout to the entire Ivanovskaya”, believing that it was here that the Tsar’s decrees were announced. However, there is another way to decipher this saying. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was the main Russian bell tower; it had forty bells, each with its own name. All bells were rung only on very special occasions. So the expression “to the fullest extent of Ivanovskaya” means that some task must be accomplished with all strength and completeness.
The famous monuments of foundry art - the Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon - are so huge that they have never been used for their intended purpose. But touching them with your hand is a good omen.
The ceremony of the horse and foot parade of the Presidential Regiment takes place on Saturdays at 12.00 on the Kremlin’s Cathedral Square and on the last Saturday of every month at 14.00 on Red Square.
And the most important thing: do not miss the first shrine of modern times, the mystical oak “Cosmos”, planted by Yuri Gagarin the day after the flight. Muscovites have long believed in its magical properties, remember: if someone goes around a tree three times, saying “Gagarin, Gagarin, fly with greetings, come back with an answer,” his children will certainly be born great cosmonauts.
By the way, the Moscow Kremlin, the main one of all Kremlins, is the only one written with a capital letter. This is the largest active fortress in Europe. Its semi-regime status is explained by the fact that the entire complex is both a monument included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List and the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.
Upon entering the Kremlin territory, visitors' personal belongings are searched. All unauthorized items will have to be handed over to the storage room located in the lower tier of the Kutafya Tower. Photography and videography, including amateur photography, is prohibited in cathedral museums. The Armory Chamber and the Diamond Fund.
History of construction
Since the time of Dmitry Donskoy, Moscow has been decorated with a white stone Kremlin (built 1368). Over the past century, its walls had become so worn out that foreigners, due to the abundance of gaping bald spots filled with logs, sometimes mistook them for wood. And this Kremlin was built in those years when they had not yet heard of Italian masters in Rus'. Having the master Aristotle Fioravanti at court, Ivan III could well have thought about how to remake the fortress so that no one would not only be able to take it, but would not even dare to approach it. However, the name of Aristotle Fioravanti never appeared anywhere among the builders of the Moscow Kremlin. However, many historians are inclined to consider Aristotle as the true creator of the master plan, who outlined the general line of the Kremlin walls, outlined the positions of the towers, laid out secret dungeons and labyrinths, and his compatriots worked on individual sections. Work on the Moscow Kremlin was carried out in a way that no fortress had ever been built in Rus'. In an area with a radius of 100 fathoms, not a single building was left around. Even churches that had stood there for several centuries were demolished. The area beyond the Moscow River opposite the future Kremlin walls was also cleared of buildings. A similar approach to construction was required by the fortification rules of those times, which came from Europe.
N. P. Lerebur. View of the Moscow Kremlin. 1842
The Moscow Kremlin is the world's largest medieval fortress - this is an indisputable historically proven fact.
The main symbol of Russia, a building of such status, significance, and outstanding that only such world-famous historical architectural objects as the Egyptian pyramids or the Tower of London can compare with it...
The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of the Russian capital, the heart of the city, the official residence of the country's leader, one of the world's largest complexes with unique architecture, a treasury of historical relics and a spiritual center.
The importance the Kremlin has acquired in our country is evidenced by the fact that the very concept of “Kremlin” is associated with the Moscow complex. Meanwhile, Kolomna, Syzran, Nizhny Novgorod, Smolensk, Astrakhan and other cities not only in Russia, but also in Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus have their own kremlins.
Why is the Kremlin called the Kremlin?
According to the definition given in Vladimir Dahl’s “explanatory dictionary”, “krem” is a large and strong timber timber, and “kremlevnik” is a coniferous forest growing in a moss swamp. And the “Kremlin” is a city surrounded by a fortress wall, with towers and loopholes. Thus, the name of these structures comes from the type of wood that was used in their construction. Unfortunately, not a single wooden Kremlin has survived on the territory of Russia, except for the guard towers in the Trans-Urals, but the stone structures, which until the 14th century were called detinets and performed a protective function, remain, and the Moscow Kremlin is, of course, the most famous of them.
Location
The main symbol of Russia is located on Borovitsky Hill, on the higher left bank of the Moscow River, in the place where the Neglinnaya River flows into it. If we consider the complex from above, the Kremlin is an irregular triangle with a total area of 27.7 hectares, surrounded by a massive wall with towers.
The first detailed plan of the Moscow Kremlin, 1601 The architectural complex of the Moscow Kremlin includes 4 palaces and 4 cathedrals, the southern wall faces the Moscow River, the eastern wall faces Red Square, and the northwestern wall faces the Alexander Garden. Currently, the Kremlin is an independent administrative unit within Moscow and is included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.
Legends of the Moscow Kremlin
Like any ancient, historical building, the Moscow Kremlin has its secrets, legends associated with it and often quite dark secrets.
Most of these legends are connected specifically with the Kremlin dungeons. Since their exact map was lost a long time ago (possibly destroyed by the builders themselves), many underground passages, corridors and tunnels of the Moscow Kremlin have not yet been fully studied.
For example, the search for the famous library of Ivan the Terrible has been resumed several times, but the vast repository of books and documents from that time has still not been found. Scientists argue whether the legendary library actually existed, burned down during one of the fires that repeatedly raged on the territory of the complex, or was hidden so well that modern archaeologists are not able to find it in the huge square of the Moscow Kremlin.
Most likely, until the 18th century, all the towers and walls of the Kremlin were literally “pierced” with numerous secret passages and tunnels.
It was during the search for Liberia (as the library of Ivan the Terrible is usually called) that archaeologist Shcherbatov in 1894 stumbled upon a mysterious underground structure located under the first floor of the Alarm Tower. Trying to examine the found tunnel, the archaeologist came to a dead end, but then discovered the same tunnel leading from the Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower.
Konstantino-Eleninskaya (Timofeevskaya) tower Archaeologist Shcherbatov also found a secret passage connecting the Nikolskaya Tower with the Corner Arsenal, but in 1920 all information, photographs taken by the scientist and reports on the passages found were classified by the Bolsheviks and became a state secret. It is quite possible that the new authorities decided to use the Kremlin’s secret passages for their own purposes.
According to scientists, since the Moscow Kremlin was built according to all the rules of fortification of the Middle Ages and was primarily a fortress designed to protect citizens from enemy attacks, the Italian architect Fioravanti also built places for lower battles and “rumors” - secret corners from which one can it was secretly to observe (and eavesdrop) on the enemy. Most likely (it is now quite difficult to collect evidence), until the 18th century all the towers and walls of the Kremlin were literally “pierced” with numerous secret passages and tunnels, but then, as unnecessary, most of them were simply walled up and filled up.
By the way, the very name of the Taynitskaya Tower clearly indicates that there was a hiding place under it; there are references to the construction of secret passages in chronicles that recorded the process of constructing towers in the 15th century.
Tainitskaya tower with a gate in the 19th century There were also rumors about the dungeons of the Beklemishevskaya Tower, which, by the way, enjoys the most notorious reputation - it was here that the torture chamber was located, created by order of Ivan the Terrible. In the 19th century, Archpriest Lebedev, who served in the Kremlin for more than 45 years, counted 9 failures that formed on the vaults of various underground structures. It is known about a secret passage leading from Tainitskaya to the Spasskaya Tower, another secret road leads from Troitskaya to the Nikolskaya Tower and further to Kitay-Gorod.
Beklemishevskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin And Ignatius Stelletsky, a famous historian and specialist in “dungeon archeology”, the founder of the digger movement in Moscow, intended to go from the Beklemishevskaya Tower to the Moscow River, and from the Spasskaya Tower through a secret underground passage directly to St. Basil’s Cathedral, and then along the existing one near the temple descent into a large tunnel under Red Square.
The remains of underground passages were found in various parts of the Moscow Kremlin many times, during almost every reconstruction, but most often such dead ends, gaps or vaults were simply walled up or even filled with concrete.
On the eve of his coronation, the ghost of Ivan the Terrible was seen by Emperor Nicholas II himself, which he informed his wife Alexandra Feodorovna .
The Moscow Kremlin, of course, has its own ghosts. Thus, in the Commandant's Tower they saw a disheveled, pale woman with a revolver in her hand, who was allegedly recognized as Fanny Kaplan, who was shot by the then Kremlin commandant.
For several centuries now, the ghost of this Russian tyrant has been seen on the lower tiers of the bell tower of Ivan the Terrible. By the way, the ghost of Ivan the Terrible also has a crowned witness - on the eve of his coronation, Emperor Nicholas II himself saw him, which he told his wife Alexandra Fedorovna.
Emperor Nicholas II on the roof of the Grand Kremlin Palace, 1903 Sometimes the ghost of the Pretender - the False Dmitry executed here - flashes over the battlements of the Moscow Kremlin. The Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower also enjoys a bad reputation - there was also a torture chamber here in the 17th century and a case was recorded of drops of blood appearing on the stonework, which then disappeared on their own.
Another ghostly inhabitant of the Moscow Kremlin is, of course, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, who was seen both in his office and in his former apartment. Stalin’s famous comrade-in-arms, head of the NKVD Yezhov, also “visited” his former office... But Joseph Vissarionovich himself was never noted for appearing in the Kremlin after March 5, 1953.
It is not surprising that such an ancient structure, replete with burials, secrets and secret rooms, arouses the interest of not only archaeologists, scientists and historians, but also mystics.
Facts about the Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin today is the largest fortress in the entire territory of Russia, as well as the largest surviving and operating fortress in Europe.
The secret of the absolutely accurate time of the Kremlin chimes now lies underground: the chimes are connected by cable to the control clock of the Sternberg Moscow Astronomical Institute.
Chimes of the Spasskaya Tower The appearance of the teeth on the walls of the Kremlin is quite interesting. Their project, delivered from Spain, was ordered by the designer of the Moscow Kremlin, Pietro Antonio Solari. They are dovetail-shaped in appearance and in Italy they were used on the castles of the Italian Guelphs and Ghibellines.
During the Second World War, or more precisely, in 1941, the Kremlin began to be camouflaged: all the ancient buildings were stylized as ordinary houses, the green roofs were painted over, dark paint was applied to the gilded domes, the crosses were removed, and the stars on the towers were covered up. Windows and doors were painted on the Kremlin walls, and the battlements were covered with plywood, simulating the roofs of houses.
The Kremlin stars can withstand the maximum pressure of hurricane winds, each up to approximately 1200 kg. The weight of each star reaches one ton. During windy days, the stars rotate several times a day, changing their position so that their side faces the wind. This greatly reduces the wind pressure on the star.
50 billion US dollars, or 1.5 trillion Russian rubles - this is the amount the Moscow Kremlin was valued at. The Uphill consulting group was involved in its assessment.
The first thing that comes to mind when the word “Kremlin” is mentioned is, of course, the red stone giant located in the very heart of the Russian capital. Perhaps everyone is familiar with the main symbol of Moscow. But only a few remember that there is not only one Kremlin in the vastness of Russia - in Ancient Rus', this was the name of all fortifications designed to protect citizens from enemy attacks. And only those settlements that had such structures received the right to be called a city. Let's remember which Kremlins besides the Moscow one have survived to this day.
Astrakhan Kremlin
The creation of the southernmost of Russian Kremlins took about 40 years. For the construction, bricks were used that remained from the ruined city of Old Saray, the capital of the Golden Horde. Initially, the fortress was decorated with 8 towers, 7 of which have survived to this day. In addition to the breathtaking panorama opening from the observation deck, the Astrakhan Kremlin boasts two luxurious cathedrals - Trinity and Assumption, as well as a unique 80-meter bell tower, which has become a symbol of the city. Over the years of its existence, it was rebuilt several times. The first belfry, erected at the beginning of the 18th century, settled down and became covered with cracks, after which it had to be dismantled. In the 19th century, a new bell tower appeared in its place, which after a few years began to resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa, tilting to the side. And only the third belfry has been standing for more than a century, although it too has suffered ground subsidence due to its considerable weight.
Kazan Kremlin
The Kazan Kremlin, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, combines two completely different cultures. Islam and Christianity, East and West coexist peacefully on its territory. The oldest building in the Kremlin is the Annunciation Cathedral. The temple, crowned with sky-colored domes, appeared back in 1562. But the construction of the main Kazan Cathedral Mosque, Kul-Sharif, opened for the 1000th anniversary of the city, was completed in 2005.
Zaraisky Kremlin
Unlike other fortresses, the Zaraisky Kremlin has survived to this day in its original form. Due to its small size, it looks like a toy against the background of its stone brothers. Despite this, the Zaraisk Kremlin became a participant in many historical battles. Dmitry Pozharsky served as governor here, and here he gathered the people’s militia to liberate Moscow from the Poles.
Kolomna Kremlin
The powerful Kolomna Kremlin, which served as a defender of the southern borders of Moscow, was founded in 1525. Its appearance is reminiscent of the castles of medieval Europe. It is not for nothing that they call it the younger brother of the Moscow Kremlin - there are many similar details present in the design of their multi-tiered towers and stone walls. Experts agree that the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin took part in the creation of both fortresses. One of the Kremlin towers is called Marinkina. According to legend, it was here that the famous prisoner of Kolomna, Marina Mnishek, spent her last years. Although rumors circulated among local residents for a long time that the famous troublemaker deceived the guards and, turning into a black crow, slipped out of the tower window.
Novgorod Kremlin
The first wooden fortress on the site of the Kremlin appeared in the middle of the 10th century, but a strong fire that engulfed the entire city wiped it off the face of the earth. New stone walls were built already in the 15th century. The heart of the Kremlin is considered to be the St. Sophia Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Russia, the construction of which was completed in 1045. The Kremlin houses the miraculous icon of Our Lady of the Sign, which, according to legend, saved Novgorodians during the siege of the city by the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky.
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin
It is not for nothing that the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is considered a unique structure of its time: due to the complex terrain, its parts were built at different heights. There were rumors that during the Soviet years they wanted to demolish the fortress and build a road to the Volga in its place. Fortunately, these plans were not destined to come true. There is a legend according to which, in the catacombs of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, Tsar Ivan the Terrible hid a unique Byzantine library, which he inherited from his grandmother Sophia Paleologus. One way or another, due to the peculiarities of the building and turbulent underground waters, it has still not been possible to find it.
Pskov Kremlin
The Pskov Kremlin is one of the oldest Russian fortresses - wooden structures in its place arose in the 8th century. In the 13th century they were replaced by buildings made of stone. In the very heart of the Kremlin stands the Trinity Cathedral, famous for its unique belfry with ancient bells that still ring today. At one time, the Pskov Kremlin was known as one of the most impregnable: it withstood 26 sieges, protecting the city from foreign invaders.
Rostov Kremlin
Unlike other Kremlins that served as outposts, the Rostov Fortress never performed a defensive function. At first, the residence of the Metropolitan was located here, which was then replaced by a number of museums. The first to appear within the Kremlin walls was the Museum of Church Antiquities, which was replaced after the revolution by the Museum of State Antiquities, and later by the Museum of Local Lore. Also, the Rostov Kremlin forever inscribed itself in the history of Soviet cinema, becoming the film set for the wonderful comedy “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession.”
Tula Kremlin
Built at the beginning of the 15th century, the Tula Kremlin differs from its counterparts in its amazing location: it was built not on a high hill, but in a swampy lowland on the left bank of the Upa River. Two cathedrals have been preserved on the territory of the Kremlin: the Assumption and the Epiphany. Here you can also get acquainted with some of the exhibitions of the Tula Armory Museum. According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, in 2020 there will be a large-scale celebration of the 500th anniversary of the main fortress of Tula.
Tobolsk Kremlin
The only Kremlin in the Siberian expanses, built of durable stone, appeared at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. The white-stone fortress, the appearance of which combines the features of Baroque and Renaissance, is a unique example of ancient Russian architecture. The Kremlin ensemble includes 32 buildings, including one of the oldest Siberian churches - the Sophia-Uspensky Cathedral, as well as Gostiny Dvor and a number of museums. The Tobolsk Kremlin is often captured by tourists. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was no exception: the photograph he took was sold at a charity auction for $1.7 million, becoming one of the most expensive in the world.
Ryazan Kremlin
The Ryazan Open Air Museum collected on its territory 18 historical and architectural monuments, the construction of which lasted from the 11th to the 19th centuries. The main symbol of the Kremlin is the Assumption Cathedral, the restoration of which was completed in 1995 for the 900th anniversary of the city. But the defensive walls of the fortress themselves, unfortunately, did not survive: they were demolished due to their disrepair as soon as the city lost its status as an outpost of the southern border. Today tourists can only see the ditch that protected the Ryazan edge and a fragment of the rampart.
