The oak walls and towers of the Kremlin served for more than twenty-five years. In 1365, on one of the dry days, a fire broke out in the Moscow Church of All Saints, which in history received the name of All Saints. Within two hours, all of Moscow burned down, including the wooden walls of the Kremlin.

The Grand Duke of Moscow, Dmitry Ivanovich, who reigned at that time, urgently needed to build new fortifications to protect Moscow from the attacks of the Golden Horde and the Principality of Lithuania. It was decided to build walls and towers from a more durable and fireproof material - stone.

In the summer of 1366, "the great prince Dmitry and his brother ... planned to set the city of Moscow in stone, and what he planned, he did," the chronicle says. Throughout the winter, white stone was transported to Moscow along the sledge track from the Myachkovo quarries near Moscow. (The village of Myachkovo is located 30 kilometers from Moscow, downstream of the Moskva River, near the confluence of the Pakhra River.) White stone has been used as a building material in Rus' since ancient times. It was beautiful, durable, and worked well. However, its extraction was very laborious and associated with high costs; this hindered its widespread use, moreover, there were not enough masters "accustomed to stone work."

The construction of the white-stone walls of the Kremlin - the first stone fortifications in Suzdal Rus - began in the spring of 1367, as noted in the Nikon Chronicle: do it non-stop."

New stone walls and towers were erected outside of the old, wooden ones, at a distance of 60 or more meters from them. The thickness of the walls, according to some assumptions, ranged from 1 to 1.5 fathoms (2-3 meters). Where there was no natural protection, they dug a deep ditch through which drawbridges were thrown to the travel towers. On the floor side, the wall was completed with a parapet wall of a sazhen height, in which loopholes were arranged with a bell inward. The loopholes were closed with wooden shields-fences, and the passages in the towers were closed with thick wooden doors bound with iron.

The construction of the stone Kremlin was undoubtedly outstanding event in the history of North-Eastern Rus', since stone fortresses in the XIV century they were only in the Novgorod and Pskov lands. Since that time, Moscow began to be called white-stone. The haste with which the white-stone walls of the Kremlin were erected was justified: already in 1368, the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, prompted by the prince of Tver, hostile to Moscow, suddenly invaded Moscow lands. For three days and three nights, Olgerd's troops stood under the walls of the city, but they could not take the fortress. Retreating from Moscow, Olgerd burned the settlements, settlements and took many inhabitants into captivity.

In November 1370, Prince Olgerd attacked Moscow again. The Kremlin brilliantly withstood this siege as well. The defenders of the fortress doused the enemy from the walls with hot tar and boiling water, chopped with swords, stabbed with spears, and shot the cannonballs. Having stood under the walls of the Kremlin for eight days and seeing the hopelessness of his situation, Prince Olgerd asked for peace.

Six high towers of the fortress had passage gates - Nikolsky, Frolovsky (where the Spasskaya Tower now stands), Timofeevsky (in the place of the Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower), Cheshkov, or Vodyany, overlooking the Moscow River (now Tainitskaya Tower is on this place), Borovitsky ( on the site of the existing Borovitskaya Tower) and Riz-Polozhensky (on the site of the current Trinity Gate in the Trinity Tower).

At the corners of the triangular in terms of the Kremlin, round blind towers rose: Faceted - on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, where the Middle

Arsenal tower, Eeklemishevskaya - on the site of the current Moskvoretskaya - and Sviblova, where the Vodovzvodnaya tower is now located.

Across the Neglinnaya River, which flowed on the site of the current Alexander Garden, a stone bridge on arches was thrown from the Rizpolozhensky Gate. It is believed that this was the first stone bridge in Moscow. Almost a hundred and fifty years later, the current Trinity Bridge was built on this site.

We have not received a documentary image of the white-stone Kremlin of the time of Dmitry Donskoy. It can be judged only by the meager information in the annals and by the drawings of the artist A. M. Vasnetsov.

During the restoration of the Kremlin walls and towers in 1946-1950 and in 1974-1978 inside them brickwork, V lower parts and foundations, white-stone blocks used as backfill were found. It is possible that these are the remains of the white stone walls of the Kremlin of the time of Dmitry Donskoy.

The Golden Horde constantly threatened Moscow. In 1380, the hordes of Khan Mamai, waiting for their ally Prince Jagiello, began to converge on Moscow land. Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy led his squads from the Kremlin to the upper reaches of the Don, towards the enemy troops. September 8, 1380 on the Kulikovo field occurred greatest battle which brought complete victory Russian troops and showed the growing strength of the Russian lands united by Moscow. The fame of Moscow, which entered into an open struggle with the Tatars, spread far across the Russian land. The Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich, who won this victory, became known as Donskoy.

However, this victory did not completely rid Moscow of the threat of the Tatar invasion. Revenging for the defeat of the troops of Mamai, the Tatar Khan Tokhtamysh, taking advantage of the strife of the Russian princes and the absence of Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy in Moscow, in 1382 moved his hordes to Moscow and freely approached the walls of the Kremlin. For several days the Tatars unsuccessfully besieged the fortress. The defenders of the Kremlin steadfastly fought off all attacks. The enemy was already preparing to leave the city, but the Suzdal traitor princes, who were in the camp of the Khan, managed to trick the defenders of the Kremlin into opening the gates of the fortress to the enemy. Tatars broke into the Kremlin. The chronicler wrote about this terrible event: “And there was an evil extermination both in the city and outside the city, until the Tatars’ arms and shoulders were wet, their strength was exhausted and the points of the sabers became dull. and in a single hour changed into dust, smoke and ashes ... "

But Moscow rises again from the ashes of the conflagrations and again gathers the Russian people to fight for national independence.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the Tatars were still threatening Moscow. Several times they approached the Kremlin walls, burned the Moscow suburbs, but they could not conquer the city. In 1408, Khan Edigey stood near Moscow for twenty days. Thirty years later, Moscow was unsuccessfully besieged by Khan Ulu-Mohammed. In 1451, under the walls of the Kremlin, the Horde prince Mazovsha suddenly appeared and just as suddenly left (this invasion is known in history as the "fast Tatars"),

For more than a hundred years, the white-stone walls and towers of the Kremlin served as reliable protection for Moscow and Rus'. Many times they were besieged by the enemy and even more destroyed by fires. By the middle of the 15th century, they had become very dilapidated, in many places they were covered with logs and could no longer be a solid defense against enemies, especially since firearms began to be widely used at that time.

Stumbled here by chance on stunning renders of the Kremlin. That's really just hyper-realistic! Like the photos!

The Moscow Kremlin 1800 is a project to reconstruct the structures of the Moscow fortress of 1800. Made on the basis of the analysis of images of artists who captured and reconstructed the architecture of the Kremlin of that time.


At a time when the Alexander Garden did not yet exist, and the main pharmacy still stood on the site of a large historical museum, and the Kremlin itself was still actually an island surrounded by barriers on four sides, in the 1800s the Moscow Kremlin was white


It is known that the first wooden walls on the site of the Kremlin were built in 1156 by order of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. These data are preserved in ancient chronicles. At the beginning of the 14th century, Ivan Kalita began to rule the city. Kalita in ancient Rus' was called a bag for money. The prince was so nicknamed because he accumulated great wealth and always carried a small bag of money with him. Prince Kalita decided to decorate and fortify his city. He ordered the Kremlin to build new walls. They were cut down from strong oak trunks, so thick that they could not be wrapped around with hands.

Under the next ruler of Moscow - Dmitry Donskoy, the Kremlin was built other walls - stone. From all over the district, stone craftsmen were gathered to Moscow. And in 1367 they set to work. People worked without interruption, and soon Borovitsky Hill was surrounded by a powerful stone wall, 2 or even 3 meters thick. It was built from limestone, which was mined in quarries near Moscow near the village of Myachkovo. The Kremlin so impressed contemporaries with the beauty of its white walls that since then Moscow has been called white stone.


The white-stone Kremlin stood for more than 100 years. During this time, a lot has changed. Russian lands united into one strong state. Moscow became its capital. It happened under the Moscow Prince Ivan III.

Ivan III gathered the best Russian masters and invited Aristotle Fearovanti, Antonio Solario and other famous architects from distant Italy. And now, under the guidance of Italian architects, new construction began on Borovitsky Hill. In order not to leave the city without a fortress, the builders erected a new Kremlin in parts: they dismantled a section of the old white stone wall and in its place quickly built a new one - of brick. There was quite a lot of clay suitable for its manufacture in the vicinity of Moscow. However, clay is a soft material. To make the brick hard, it was fired in special furnaces.


They built the new Kremlin for 10 years. The fortress was protected from two sides by rivers, and at the beginning of the 16th century. a wide ditch was dug on the third side of the Kremlin. He connected two rivers. Now the Kremlin was protected from all sides by water barriers. The towers of the Kremlin were erected one after another, they were equipped with retractable archers for greater defense capability. Along with the renewal of the fortress walls, the construction of such famous Kremlin cathedrals as the Assumption, Arkhangelsk and Annunciation took place.


Why is Moscow called Belokamennaya? The answer to this question, which is of such interest to tourists, is known, perhaps, by every resident who truly loves his city and is proud of its majestic history. This name was given to the capital by the white-stone Kremlin in Moscow built in 1367. Over the long centuries of its existence, it has been rebuilt several times and has become a true symbol of the city, its heart and one of the main attractions.

Today the Kremlin is one of the most beautiful in the world, and its area is about 27 and a half hectares. Learn more about the history of this grand structure.

The first settlements on the site of the Kremlin. Founding of Moscow

The first ancient settlements on the site of the Kremlin arose a very long time ago. As evidenced about five thousand years ago. And already in the 6th century AD, the first Slavic tribes appeared here.

Moscow was first mentioned in chronicles in 1147. It was then that he invited his cousin, Prince Svyatoslav of Novgorod-Seversky, to a meeting in a small border town. This event went down in history as the date of foundation of Moscow.

The history of the creation of the first Kremlin

The history of the Kremlin begins a little later - nine years later, when Dolgoruky decides to fortify the city with high fortress walls. It was a pine palisade, reinforced with a massive earthen rampart for greater security. By the way, the place for construction was not chosen by chance. The fact is that the fortress was located on a high hill surrounded by the Moscow River and the Neglinnaya. This made it possible to notice the enemy in time and fight back. In addition, a very picturesque view of the surroundings opened up from the hill. It is interesting that the area of ​​the first Kremlin was about four hectares, and by now its territory has increased almost eight times!

But a significant drawback of this fortress was that it was built of wood, which means that it could easily burn down during an accidental fire or arson. The next time the Kremlin was rebuilt at the beginning of the 14th century, when Ivan Kalita ruled Moscow. He invested a lot of money, effort and time in strengthening and beautifying the city. For this, he ordered the construction of new fortress walls. These barriers became much stronger, they were built from powerful and durable oak trunks. And the new white-stone Kremlin in Moscow was built under Dmitry Donskoy a few decades later.

Moscow in the time of Dmitry Donskoy

The next ruler of Moscow was Prince Dmitry Donskoy. He was the grandson of Ivan Kalita. It is known that Dmitry Donskoy carried out an active foreign policy, expanding and strengthening the territory of Moscow. In addition, this time was marked by furious raids of the Tatar-Mongol hordes. All this required new, stronger fortifications.

In addition, as already mentioned, the old Kremlin was built of wood. Therefore, although he was powerful enough to withstand enemy invasions, he still remained defenseless against fire. And the fire that happened in 1365 destroyed the whole city to the ground (in history it was called All Saints, as it began in the Church of All Saints). He did not spare the oak walls of the Kremlin either. Then, in order to protect the city, Dmitry Donskoy orders to build a white-stone Kremlin in Moscow. The year of the start of construction is 1367. This is mentioned in the annals of this period.

Construction of the white stone Kremlin

So, the construction of the white-stone Kremlin in Moscow began. Throughout the winter, materials were brought into it to create a fortress. White stone for construction was mined in the suburbs, thirty kilometers from the city. It has long been used in Rus' and was one of the most beloved materials. The white stone was strong and beautiful, but its extraction was difficult, and there were few masters of this business. Therefore, it was not widely used.

The white-stone Kremlin in Moscow was the first such building in Suzdal Rus. Its construction began when all the materials were ready, namely in the spring of 1367. A strong foundation was laid under the walls of the new fortress, which still stands safely.

The construction of the white-stone Kremlin in Moscow was carried out rapidly (the year of its completion was 1368). This haste was entirely justified. Indeed, shortly after the construction was completed, the Lithuanian army attacked Moscow. He stood under the walls of the Kremlin for three days, but could not take the fortress. Two years later, Olgerd again attacked the city, but also unsuccessfully.

In 1382, the fortress was severely attacked by Tokhtamysh, which caused great damage to it, but after that it was completely restored. Therefore, the construction of the white-stone Kremlin, without any doubt, was outstanding. historical event, which influenced the further development of the city and its formation as the center of Orthodoxy and the residence of the Grand Dukes.

What did the white-stone Kremlin look like?

Unfortunately, no documentary reports about how the first white-stone Kremlin in Moscow looked like have reached the present day. This can only be judged by the available information from the chronicles and drawings by A. M. Vasnetsov.

It is known that stone walls and towers were built at a considerable distance from the old structures. Therefore, the territory of the Kremlin has expanded significantly. according to some estimates, it reached two to three meters. Also, the role of protective structures was performed by a wide ditch, through which bridges were thrown.

Loopholes were installed in the walls, which were closed with strong wooden shields. Passage gates were built in six towers. The first stone bridge in Moscow was thrown across. A century and a half later, Troitsky was built in its place, which still stands today.

After the construction was completed, the white-stone Kremlin became the most powerful fortress in Europe. By the way, its area at that time almost reached the modern one.

How was the new Kremlin built?

The white-stone Kremlin in Moscow stood for about 150 years. It has been besieged many times and withstood the most ferocious attacks. But still they caused him serious damage and destruction, however, as well as frequent fires. The walls of the fortress were dilapidated in many places and could no longer fulfill their protective role.

Therefore, in the second half of the 15th century, under Ivan the Third, a large-scale restructuring of the Kremlin began. For this, famous Italian masters were invited to Moscow. The fortress was rebuilt gradually, in place of the old white walls, new ones were erected, made of red brick. In general, the reconstruction of the Kremlin took ten years. Temples and cathedrals were also rebuilt. This is how the modern architectural appearance of the Kremlin was formed.

Subsequently, it was rebuilt several times. The first changes were made during the reign of Boris Godunov, then under Peter I. Great destruction was caused to the Kremlin Patriotic War 1812. After it, large-scale events were held. Under the Soviet regime, the Kremlin was also repeatedly rebuilt, the towers were decorated with stars, and Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell were installed on pedestals.

Moscow white stone

The white-stone Kremlin in Moscow stood for almost a century and a half. He withstood more than one violent attack and enemy siege, reliably protecting the city from the enemy. It was thanks to this fortress that Moscow acquired the name "White Stone". By the way, she wears it now. But few people know that the Kremlin remained “white stone” for another four centuries after the new red brick walls were erected.

This unusual fact there is a simple explanation. The walls of the fortress were specially whitewashed until the 19th century. On the one hand, this was due to concern for the safety of the brick, on the other hand, it was a kind of tribute to the memory of the first stone Kremlin built under Dmitry Donskoy. For example, it is depicted bleached on the canvas by P.P. Vereshchagin, created in 1879.

Kremlin today

Today, the Kremlin is the residence of the President. In 1997, a large-scale restoration was carried out in it. During the work, it was restored a large number of buildings and structures of the Kremlin. Now for major Orthodox holidays solemn services are held in it, and excursions are conducted around the territory and museums of the fortress.

And, perhaps, today not everyone remembers that the white-stone Kremlin in Moscow was built under Dmitry Donskoy, but the capitals know the history of their city and are proud of it.

  • The architectural ensemble of Red Square and the Kremlin is included in the list of the World cultural heritage UNESCO.
  • If several centuries ago the walls of the fortress were whitewashed, today they are periodically tinted with red paint.
  • The Kremlin is the largest surviving fortress in Europe, which is still in operation.
  • In 1941, windows were painted on the walls. This was done in order to disguise the fortress as a residential building.

The white-stone Kremlin in Moscow has experienced many changes in its life, but has remained a symbol of Moscow and a true gem of the city's architecture.

In 1365, the Kremlin was severely 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'.

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, the white-stone Kremlin had 8 or 9 towers and 5 of them were travel towers. Moreover, three travel towers led towards Red Square.

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 South part the wall was lowered from the edge of the hill to its base along the Moskva River.

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

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'. 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.

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.

Moscow began to be gradually recognized as the successor to the ancient centers of the Russian land - Kyiv and Vladimir, and by the beginning of the 15th century, all the architectural complexes characteristic of the capital city were erected in the Kremlin.

To the west of Cathedral Square, the cult center of the Kremlin, was the courtyard (estate) of the great Moscow princes. It included wooden towers and chambers, the white-stone Annunciation Cathedral of the end of the 14th century - the grand ducal house church, the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God of 1393-1394, erected by Grand Duchess Evdokia, the widow of Dmitry Donskoy, various outbuildings and services. The Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior, built by Ivan Kaliga, was also located here. Behind the Cathedral of the Dormition, the court of the Russian metropolitans was rebuilt, who had been permanently living in Moscow since the time of Metropolitan Peter. In the eastern part of the Kremlin, Metropolitan Alexei founded the Miracle Monastery, where in 1365 a stone church of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael was built. Behind him, closer to the main Frolovsky (from the 15th century Spassky) gates of the Kremlin, in 1407 grand duchess Evdokia founded the women's Ascension Monastery, the main cathedral of which until the beginning of the 18th century served as the burial place of the Grand Duchesses and Empresses. Between the Church of St. John of the Ladder and the buildings of the Chudov Monastery, another Kremlin square began to take shape - Ivanovskaya. Appeared in the Kremlin and the residence of the Trinity Monastery near Moscow (now the famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra), whose abbot Sergius of Radonezh played an outstanding role in the spiritual revival of Rus'. The entire north-eastern part of the fortress was occupied by the estates of the grand duke's close associates, service people and wealthy merchants. The Kremlin became richer in stone buildings, which emphasized its importance and distinguished it from the city's wooden buildings in Moscow.

In 1404, in the Kremlin, on a special tower, or chime, the Athos Serb monk Lazar set a clock, about which the chronicler, not without surprise, wrote: exaggerated and prejudiced”… These were the first city clocks in Russia, which appeared in Moscow earlier than the hours of the Novgorod hour bell.

Moscow Kremlin in 1800

Computer reconstruction of the Moscow Kremlin in 1800 based on drawings of that time and historical information.

The first settlements on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin date back to the Bronze Age (II millennium BC). A Finno-Ugric settlement dating back to the early iron age(second half of the 1st millennium BC). At that time, the Dyakovo-type settlement occupied the center of the upper floodplain terrace of Borovitsky Hill (the area of ​​modern Cathedral Square) and, possibly, already had fortifications. From the northeast, the village was protected by two ravines: one - to the north of the current Trinity Gate, went to the Neglinnaya River, the other lay between the Petrovsky and Second Nameless Towers of the modern Kremlin.


Following the Dyakovites, with the beginning of the Slavic colonization of the Oka and Moskva River basins in the 10th century, the top of Borovitsky Hill was settled by the Vyatichi (possibly, mastering the former settlement). Presumably, the Vyatichi settlement on the hill consisted of two fortified centers - the first, larger in area, was located on the site of the modern Cathedral Square, the second occupied the tip of the cape. Presumably, both centers were protected by a ring fortification, consisting of a moat, a rampart and a palisade.


The first chronicle mention of Moscow dates back to 1147. In 1156, the first fortifications were built on the territory of the modern Kremlin. total length about 850 meters and an area of ​​about 3 hectares. The fortification was surrounded by a moat 16 - 18 m wide and at least 5 m deep. The earthen rampart was about 14.5 m wide and 7 m high. For those times it was a typical average Russian fortress. In 1238, during the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the Kremlin was destroyed. Since 1264 it was the residence of the Moscow specific princes. In 1339 the walls and towers were built of oak.


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 for women (destroyed in 1929). 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 the period 1830-40, 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. In 1483, the Aleksievskaya Church was built on the territory of the monastery. In 1501-03 ancient church Michael the Archangel was replaced by a temple built by Italian masters. In 1929, all the buildings of the Chudov Monastery were demolished. Interestingly, they also planned to demolish St. Basil's Cathedral in order to make room for demonstrations and car traffic but miraculously he survived.


In 1366-1368, under the Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy, the wooden walls of the Kremlin were replaced by walls and towers made of local white stone (according to archeology, the towers and the most important parts of the wall were made of stone, from where there was the greatest danger of assault). Since this period, the name “White-Stone Moscow” is often found in the annals. Shortly after the construction of the white stone walls, they twice - in 1368 and 1370 - withstood the siege of the troops of Prince Olgerd. In 1382, Khan Tokhtamysh fraudulently entered the Kremlin and ruined it, but the fortress was quickly restored. Gradually, the dense wooden buildings of the Kremlin were replaced by stone ones, which was facilitated by frequent fires.


Gradually, the white-stone fortifications of the Kremlin dilapidated; the strength of the material turned out to be insufficient and the structures “floated” - the annals of the 15th century contain many references to the ongoing restoration work. In the second half of the 15th century, under Ivan III the Great, a radical restructuring of the Moscow Kremlin began. The first to begin building a new Assumption Cathedral. Construction in 1471 was originally entrusted to Russian architects Krivtsov and Myshkin, but the building, brought to the vaults, collapsed in 1471 during an earthquake. Ivan III invited the architect Aristotle Fioravanti from Italy, who by 1479 erected the existing building in the likeness of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.


Following Fioravanti, other Italian architects were invited to Moscow, under whose leadership, according to the canons of the advanced Italian architecture at that time, the walls and towers of the Kremlin, temples and other structures were built, which affected their appearance. So, for example, the shape of the Kremlin towers and the completion of the wall in the form of battlements are reminiscent of the Sforza castle in Milan and the Scaliger castle in Verona. Starting from 1485, for a whole decade, under the guidance of Italian architects, white-stone walls and towers were dismantled, and in their place new ones were erected from more durable and durable burnt red brick. The area of ​​the fortress was increased due to the addition of significant territories in the northwest and reached 27.5 hectares, and the Kremlin received the modern shape of an irregular triangle. To preserve the usual "white stone" of the Kremlin, they began to whitewash it and continued to do so, according to tradition, until the end of the 19th century.


In the XVII - XIX centuries there is an active construction of secular buildings, and the Kremlin ensemble receives its logical conclusion. In the 17th century, the Kremlin towers received tiered and tented completions, acquiring a modern look. With the beginning of the reign of Peter I, the significance of the Moscow Kremlin changed markedly - the tsar moved first to Preobrazhenskoye, and then to St. Petersburg, and the fortress lost the status of a permanent royal residence. IN early XVIII century, the nature of the Kremlin buildings also changed: after the devastating fire of 1701, Peter issued a decree in 1704 prohibiting the construction of wooden buildings inside the Kremlin.


In 1775, the Projected Plan was approved - a plan for the reconstruction of Moscow, for the implementation of which the Stone Order was created, headed by P.N. Kozhin. At the end of 1776, Kozhin compiled a separate report on the reconstruction of the Moscow Kremlin, which included the creation of regular squares in the Kremlin, the construction of new palaces and government buildings with "the best facade according to the rules of the latest architecture." In 1763, by decree of Catherine II, the Senate was divided into departments, and two of them - in charge of the rights of the nobility and the judiciary - were transferred from the capital to Moscow. To accommodate them, in 1776-1787, according to the project of Matvey Kazakov, the building of the Offices (Senate) was built, which became the first large building of the Kremlin in the style of classicism. With the erection of the Senate, the last private properties disappeared from the territory of the Kremlin.