Previous photo Next photo

The Kremlin or Kremenets in Rus' has long been called stone fortress, which reliably protected from enemies from the West and East. But only the Moscow Kremlin acquired the status of a sacred symbol, personifying the power great country. Behind its redbrick walls are government buildings and a giant museum complex, where hundreds of thousands of artifacts are concentrated, telling about the history and culture of Russia. Archaeological work does not stop for a day, revealing new secrets of the most unusual place in our country.

Kremlin walls and towers

At the end of the 15th century, Tsar Ivan III launched a large-scale construction on Borovitsky Hill. The Italians were considered the best fortifiers of that time, so the emperor invited Milanese craftsmen to build the fortress. And they did not disgrace the glory of their workshop, having built not only a powerful defensive line, but also a complete architectural ensemble. None of the 20 towers is repeated, the walls are decorated with dovetailed merlon teeth. Only hipped roofs appeared much later.

The Kremlin is the heart of Russia!

The history of the Kremlin dates back to 1156, it was then that Prince Yuri Dolgoruky initiated the construction of a fortress on the site of an ancient settlement that was engaged in hunting and fishing. Having captured the settlement, the prince built a wooden city in its place, which was surrounded by high oak walls. At that time, wars very often took place, nomadic tribes attacked the city, other invader princes and the city were constantly engulfed in fires.

In 1331, Ivan Kalita decided to create his own residence in the Kremlin, thereby making the Moscow Kremlin not only the most powerful city, but also the great treasury of Rus'. At that time, the most expensive treasure of the Kremlin was the Monomakh's hat.

The reign of the period of Dmitry Donskoy was marked by the construction of the city and city walls of white stone, so in our time Moscow is called white stone. But the first construction experience was unsuccessful, as the stone eventually fell into disrepair and began to collapse.

The citizens did not like the look of the city, and they decided to rebuild it using red bricks. The period of 1485-1495 transformed the Kremlin, and at that time it became the way we see it today. The rebuilt walls with watchtowers, magnificent chambers and temples, paved squares have not changed a bit over the past 500+ years.

Stay in power of Peter I, Catherine II was marked by the construction of such structures as the Arsenal, the Senate, new premises of the Armory were rebuilt. The arrival of Napoleon again caused numerous fires and destruction, but thanks to the efforts of the inhabitants, the Kremlin was restored and the construction of new buildings continued for another two centuries.

Until 1953, the Kremlin was a closed residence and tourists were strictly forbidden to enter its territory.

Now we can see 20 Kremlin towers, each of which has its own history and name. Perhaps the oldest and most mysterious is the Taynitskaya Tower, even the name itself speaks for itself. From the tower it was possible to go through an underground tunnel to the river and a secret well. The highest tower, which is 80 meters high, is called Troitskaya, and the smallest is Kutafya Tower, only 14 meters.

It is impossible not to mention Cathedral Square, which is impressive in its size. You can freely move around the square without fear of cars, since traffic on the square is prohibited. If you plunge into the past, you can imagine how the kings communicated with the townspeople on the square, held meetings and holidays, received overseas ambassadors. Here is one of the most important cathedrals - the Cathedral of the Assumption. The most significant ceremonies were held in the Assumption Cathedral, at the same time, this cathedral is a burial place for patriarchs and metropolitans.

The largest bell in the world - the Tsar Bell, weighing 200 tons, is also located on the territory of the Kremlin. Due to numerous fires, a piece broke off from the bell. Not far from it, the Tsar Cannon took pride of place, weighing almost 40 tons. The cannon is notable for the fact that in its centuries-old history it has never fired.

How the meeting of the two princes took place, the chronicles were not brought to us. Although it can be assumed that a military alliance was concluded, as a result of which Yuri Dolgoruky built the fortress cities of Yuryev-Polsky (1152), Dmitrov (1154) and Moscow (1156) in order to protect the western borders of the Suzdal principality. In this case we are talking not about the founding of Moscow, but about the construction of fortifications - wooden walls that laid the foundation for the construction of the Kremlin.

In 1156, a fortress was built on Borovitsky Hill with an eight-meter shaft and a powerful wooden wall for those times, reaching 3 meters in height and 1200 meters in length. Approximately in this form, the fortification lasted until the winter of 123738, when the hordes of Batu Khan plundered and burned Moscow, and with it the Kremlin.

Over the next two and a half centuries, many trials fell on the lot of Moscow and its citadel. Princely civil strife, foreign invasions, countless fires, it seemed, were to destroy the city. But Moscow survived, moreover, it became the center that united the Russian people in the struggle for independence.

Together with the city, the Kremlin is growing and getting stronger. In 1339-1340. under Ivan Kalita, powerful defensive fortifications were erected, and behind them were the mansions of the Grand Duke, the metropolitan's chambers, and white-stone cathedrals. Moscow becomes the political and spiritual center of Rus', and the Kremlin - the residence of the great princes and metropolitans.

In 1367-1368. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich (later named Dmitry Donskoy), fearing another Mongol-Tatar invasion, surrounds the fortress with white stone walls and towers, located about 60 m from the former oak fortifications. The Kremlin Square reaches almost modern sizes.

In the Kremlin there was the oldest Moscow church - the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor, or the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior "what is on Bor", built by 1330, for the millennium of Constantinople - "New Rome". The temple was destroyed in 1933. Moscow princes and princesses were buried here, until the role of the tomb was transferred to the Archangel Cathedral for men and the Ascension Monastery (also destroyed) for women. After the establishment of the Novospassky Monastery at the end of the 15th century, the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor received the status of a court church. As a result of the construction of the Kremlin Palace in 1830 - 1840, the Church of the Savior turned out to be inscribed in the courtyard of the Palace.

Another ancient building was the Chudov Monastery, founded by Metropolitan Alexy in 1365, located in the eastern part of the Kremlin, adjacent to the Ascension Monastery. It was named after the Church of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael in Khonekh, which later became the tomb of Metropolitan Alexy. In 1483, the Aleksievskaya Church was built on the territory of the monastery. By order of Archimandrite Gennady of Chudov, the relics of Metropolitan Alexy were transferred to it. In 1501-1503 ancient church Michael the Archangel was replaced by a temple built by Italian craftsmen. At the beginning of the 20th century, a tomb was built in the basement of the Aleksievskaya Church, where the remains of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who died in the Kremlin in 1905 at the hands of terrorists, were buried. The crypt of the Grand Duke was under the floor, exactly under the shrine of St. Alexis. In 1929, all the buildings of the Chudov Monastery were demolished.

In the second half of the XV century. Grand Duke of all Rus', Ivan III Vasilyevich unfolds grandiose construction in the capital of a young and rapidly growing power. First of all, of course, the Kremlin is being rebuilt.

The Moscow Kremlin is being rebuilt with the participation of Italian architects and acquires to a large extent its own modern look. Its center was the Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral (1475-79), the Annunciation Cathedral (1484-89), the Faceted Chamber (1487-91), the Archangel Cathedral (1505-08) located on it - (the tomb of Russian princes and kings) and the bell tower Ivan the Great...

In 1485-95, under Ivan III, the fortifications of the Kremlin were rebuilt. The new walls and towers, taller and thicker than the old ones, are lined with red brick. In 1508-16, a moat was dug on the site of modern Red Square, the water into which came from the river. Neglinnaya. The Kremlin becomes an impregnable fortress surrounded by water on all sides...

By the end of the fifteenth early XVI in. The Moscow Kremlin becomes the most significant fortification in Europe. Moreover, its towers, cathedrals, civil buildings are perfect not only in their architecture, but also in interiors and decoration.

In the XVII-XIX there is an active construction of secular buildings, and the Kremlin ensemble receives its logical conclusion. In 1635-36, the Terem Palace was built, adjoining the Palace of Facets. In the 17th century, the Kremlin towers received tiered and tented completions, acquiring a modern look. By 1702-36, the construction of the Great Building of the Arsenal dates back (architects D. Ivanov, H. Konrad with the participation of M. I. Choglokov). In 1776-87 the building of the Senate (architect Matvey Kazakov).

In 1812, Moscow and the Kremlin were captured by Napoleon's army. Retreating, Napoleon ordered to mine and blow up the Kremlin buildings. Despite the fact that most of the charges did not explode, the damage was significant. The Vodozvodnaya, Petrovskaya and First nameless towers were blown up, the Arsenal tower was seriously damaged, and extensions to the Ivan the Great bell tower were also damaged. It took 20 years to restore the destruction, from 1815 to 1836.

In the middle of the 18th century, the idea arose to build the Grand Kremlin Palace, located on the southern slope of the Kremlin hill along the river. AT different time its projects were developed by architects V. I. Bazhenov, M. F. Kazakov, A. N. Lvov, V. P. Stasov. But only the project of K. A. Ton in 1839-49 was destined to come true. According to his own project, in 1844-51 the building of the Armory was built.

With the advent of Soviet power, the Kremlin became one of the symbols of the new system. In 1935-1937, the double-headed eagles that crowned the main towers of the Kremlin Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya were replaced by ruby ​​glass stars with a diameter of 3-3.75 meters. The Kremlin Palace of Congresses (now the State Kremlin Palace) was built in 1959-61.

Since 1955, the Kremlin has been open to the public, becoming a museum under open sky. In 1990 the Kremlin was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

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

The Finno-Ugric tribes were the first to settle on the territory of the modern Kremlin 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, the oldest Cathedral of the 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 have not survived. 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 UNESCO World Heritage List.

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 are stationed here. Presidential Regiment.

On the left is the State Kremlin Palace (formerly the Palace of Congresses), built in 1961. Here is the main Christmas tree countries, 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 Patriotic War 1812.

Now let's go to the Senate Square.

The Senate building, designed by architect M.F. Kazakov, has the shape of a triangle. AT Soviet years here were the office and apartment of 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 in 1600 to a height of 81 m. summer time 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 Uglichsky, 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 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, front jewelry 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.

The amusing palace - the chambers of the boyar Miloslavsky is best seen from the Alexander Garden, it is located near the Kremlin wall between the Trinity 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 foreign states, receptions on the occasion of public holidays and other events.

Ticket price

Single ticket (territory, cathedrals, exhibitions)– visiting the territory of the Kremlin, the cathedral-museums of the 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 large families, disabled people of the 1st and 2nd groups and other preferential categories 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. Bandwidth The museum does not allow for 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 warm time years in good weather on weekends, especially on Saturday in the first half of the day - because of the opportunity to watch the ceremonial setting of the guard on the 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.

His Majesty - the Moscow Kremlin. Part 1. History.

What can be compared with this Kremlin, which, surrounded by battlements, flaunting the golden domes of cathedrals, reclines on high mountain like a sovereign crown on the brow of a formidable lord? .. He is the altar of Russia, many sacrifices worthy of the fatherland should be and are already being made on it ... No, neither the Kremlin, nor its battlements, nor its dark passages, nor magnificent palaces to describe it impossible ... One must see, see ... one must feel everything that they say to the heart and imagination! ..,

- M.Yu. Lermontov.

Moscow has been standing on Russian land for nine centuries and, it seems, does not feel its ancient age at all, it looks rather into the future than into the past. But there is a place in Moscow where every period of its centuries-old history, every turn of its complex fate has left its indelible mark. This place is the Moscow Kremlin.

It is located in the center of a huge city on a high hill above the Moscow River. From the opposite bank of the river, the walls and towers of the Kremlin create the impression of a majestic architectural ensemble. Nearby, one can feel the harsh power of this ancient citadel. The height of its walls, narrow loopholes and battlefields, the measured step of the towers - everything indicates that, first of all, this is a fortress.


Upon entering the Kremlin, the impression changes. On its territory there are spacious squares and cozy squares, grand palaces and golden-domed temples. Today, everything here truly breathes history - vintage cannons and bells, ancient cathedrals that have preserved in memory so many events, so many names ... Here everything is nearby, all together - the royal towers and palaces of the New Age, the residence of the President of Russia and world-famous museums.

So what is the Moscow Kremlin - this amazing fortress city in the center of Moscow? A stronghold of power, an ancient spiritual center of Moscow and Russia, a treasury of its art and antiquity? It is hardly possible to find an exhaustive answer. Apparently, something unsaid will always remain behind him, some kind of hidden meaning and meaning. Having absorbed the history of the country, becoming a witness and participant in all its most important events,

The Kremlin has turned into an all-Russian national shrine, has become a symbol of Moscow and all of Russia.
More than nine hundred years of the history of Moscow and the Kremlin is too long to even try to list all its main events and facts. We offer not a detailed chronicle of events, but rather a story about the historical fate of the Moscow Kremlin, each turn of which is a milestone in the life of our country.


The Moscow Kremlin is located on Borovitsky Hill on the left bank of the Moskva River, at the confluence of the Neglinnaya River. The height of the “Kremlin coastal mountain”, as it was called in the old days, is about 25 meters. The area now occupied by the Kremlin was in ancient times completely covered with forest. Apparently this is related ancient name Kremlin hill "Borovitsky".

Archaeologists date the first data on the presence of a person on Borovitsky Hill to the end of the 2nd millennium BC. new era and attribute the found monuments to the so-called Fatyanovo culture. Then there is a rather long gap in the history of the settlement of Borovitsky Hill.

The next archaeologically studied stage dates back to the VIII-III centuries BC. The primitive communal settlement was located in the area of ​​​​the modern Cathedral Square of the Kremlin. Archaeologists attribute it to the Dyakovo culture, named after the first settlement of this type, discovered near the former village of Dyakovo (near Kolomenskoye)


The settlement on Borovitsky Hill may have already had fortifications. From the northeast, as a means of additional protection, two deep ravines were used. One ravine went to the Neglinnaya to the north of the current Troitsky Gate, the other cut through the southern slope between the Petrovsky and 2nd Bezymyannaya towers of the existing Kremlin. The beginnings of both ravines were gradually connected by a ravine, artificially deepened by the first settlers of the Kremlin mountain.


In the first half of the 12th century, on Borovitsky Hill, where the Kremlin is today, a Slavic settlement arose, which gave rise to the city of Moscow. Vyatichi, probably, re-settled the top of the hill. They also mastered the periphery of the old settlement - the cape of the mountain. Both parts of the village received closed ring fortifications and, apparently, had cult centers inside: the upper one - on the site of the Assumption Cathedral, where a cemetery of the XII century was discovered and, probably, there was a wooden temple, the lower one - “under the forest”, where, according to legend, this the wooden church of the Nativity of John the Baptist had already stood for some time. It was here, on the cape of the hill, that the hanging seal of the Kyiv Metropolitan of the end of the 11th century was found - a clear witness that the settlement was of an urban type.

Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow. Icon of the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries

In the second half of the 13th century, the weakened Vladimir-Suzdal principality experienced a period of intense fragmentation. Moscow also had its own princely dynasty. Its founder was Prince Daniel, the youngest son of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Vladimir. We do not know the exact date of Daniel's move to Moscow. His name in connection with the Moscow events was first mentioned in the chronicle in 1283.
As a result of the invasion of the hordes of Batu, Rus' found itself under the heavy burden of the Mongol-Tatar yoke, however, it retained its statehood.

The main form of dependence was the payment of tribute. In addition, the princes were forced to receive labels (letters) in the Horde for the possession of their lands. In 1243, the prince of Vladimir was recognized by Batu as the eldest among the princes of North-Eastern Rus'. He began to bear the title of "great". Transferring the label to the great reign of Vladimir from one prince to another, the rulers of the Horde turned it into an object of a long internecine struggle.

Ivan I Danilovich Kalita

In 1328, Ivan Kalita, the son of the Moscow prince Daniel, received a label for a great reign. Having managed to establish peaceful relations with the Khan, he won the right to collect tribute from all Russian lands. For forty years, Tatar raids on Rus' stopped. The Moscow prince imposed a double tribute on the country, part of which he concealed from the khan. Apparently, hence his nickname "Kalita", which means "bag, money bag."


A. Vasnetsov. Kremlin under Ivan Kalita.

For the history of Moscow and the Kremlin, the fact that, having received the label, Ivan Kalita did not move to capital Vladimir, as other princes did, is especially important, but remained in Moscow, expanding his principality, subjugating and buying other lands and cities. Under him, the head of the Russian church, Metropolitan Peter, moved from Vladimir to Moscow, whose authority was exceptionally high.


In this regard, the Moscow Kremlin also changed its significance. From the usual fortified city center, it became the residence of the Grand Duke and Metropolitan. On its territory, structures began to be erected not only from wood, but also from white stone. On the highest point of Borovitsky Hill in 1326-1327, the Assumption Cathedral was built - main temple principality, in 1329 - the church-bell tower of John of the Ladder, in 1330 - the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor, and in 1333 - the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, in which Ivan Kalita and his descendants were buried.

These first white-stone churches of Moscow determined the spatial composition of the Kremlin center, which in its main features is still preserved today. Under Ivan Kalita, Moscow is actively growing, and his residence on Borovitsky Hill is beginning to be recognized as a separate, main part of the city. And, apparently, it is not by chance that in the Resurrection Chronicle under 1331 her first appearance appears. given name- Kremlin.


Cathedral of the Transfiguration on Bor in the Moscow Kremlin

In 1339-1340, Ivan Kalita built a new, larger fortress “in a single oak”, that is, only from oak, from oak logs. The Resurrection Chronicle notes a very quick completion of construction: in November, they laid the foundation and “ended the same winter in the spring in a great fast.” It is known that the Kremlin was expanded to the floor side (toward the modern Red Square).


Giacomo Quarenghi. View of the Cathedral Square in the Moscow Kremlin. 1797

Dying, Kalita made a spiritual letter (testament). He passed on to his sons not only Moscow lands, but also symbols of the power of Rus' of that time - golden chains and belts, as well as precious dishes and princely clothes. Among them, the "golden hat" is mentioned for the first time, which is identified with the famous Monomakh's hat - the main crown of Russian sovereigns. So in the first half of the XIV century, the treasury of the Moscow Grand Dukes began to form in the Kremlin.
Kalita's policy was continued by his descendants. She achieved particular success during the reign of his grandson, Dmitry Donskoy.

Dmitry Donskoy. Portrait from the Royal Titular, 1672.

In 1365, the Kremlin was badly damaged by another fire. The young prince Dmitry Ivanovich decides to build stone fortifications on Borovitsky hill. Throughout the winter of 1367, from the village of Myachkovo, which was located 30 versts from Moscow, they carried limestone on a sleigh, and in the spring they began construction works. As a result, walls and towers rose in the center of Moscow, becoming the first white-stone fortress of North-Eastern Rus'.

Construction of the first stone Kremlin Moscow Miniature Obverse chronicle. XVI century.

The walls, surrounded by a natural water barrier and a moat from the side of Red Square, according to the researchers, were high and crenellated, zaborola, that is, wooden shutters, were placed between the crenellations. Probably, white stone Kremlin had 8 or 9 towers and 5 of them were travel. Moreover, three travel towers led towards Red Square.


Tombstones in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (in the center is the tombstone of Dmitry Donskoy)

The territory of the Kremlin was further enlarged at the expense of the floor part of the hill, and especially at the expense of the hem, since southern part the wall was lowered from the edge of the hill to its base along the Moskva River.

The Capture and Devastation of Moscow by the Horde Khan Tokhtamysh Miniature of the Obverse Chronicle. XVI century.

Prince Dmitry annexed a number of principalities to Moscow, and in relations with the Golden Horde he switched to an open struggle for liberation from the yoke - he stopped paying tribute to the Horde. In response, Khan Mamai set out on a big campaign against Rus'.


Defense of Moscow from Tokhtamysh in 1382. Painting by A. M. Vasnetsov

On September 8, 1380, on the Kulikovo field, at the confluence of the Nepryadva River with the Don, Russian squads and regiments of Khan Mamai met in a fierce battle. The Tatars were completely defeated. Moscow Prince Dmitry, under whose banner almost all Northeast Rus', for this victory he received the honorary nickname "Donskoy" and went down in history as one of the greatest generals Ancient Rus'.


A. Nemerovsky. Sergius of Radonezh blesses Dmitry Donskoy for a feat of arms

The victory at the Kulikovo field restored the Russian people's faith in their own forces, caused the rise of national self-consciousness and culture. The territory of the Moscow Principality grew significantly, the population of its capital increased, and the Kremlin treasury began to receive valuables from the treasury of the appanage princes, who were transferred to the service of the Grand Duke of Moscow.

"Battle of Kulikovo" Adolphe Yvon (1859)

Two years later, after another invasion of the Tatars on Moscow in 1382, the payment of tribute had to be resumed, but on a smaller scale, and the growth of Moscow's power was reflected in the spiritual charter of Dmitry Donskoy, where he for the first time passed on his title of Grand Duke by inheritance.