Front rooms of the Kremlin. St. Andrew Hall of the Kremlin: history and photo. Typesetting Dates

(Russian Grand Kremlin Palace; English Grand Kremlin Palace)

Opening hours:  the palace is closed to public. You can visit it only as part of organized excursions, according to preliminary applications, with the submission of passport data and coordination of the date of visit.

The Grand Kremlin Palace is one of the palaces of the Moscow Kremlin. He stands on a high Borovitsky hill. The palace was built between 1838-1849. Previously, there was a palace on this site, built in the XVIII century by the architect B.-F. Rastrelli, and before that - the Grand Ducal Palace of Ivan III. The first stone buildings of the Grand Kremlin Palace were built by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin in 1499-1508.

  Historically, after the transfer of the capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin palaces lost their former significance. During the reign of Tsarina Anna Ioannovna, who spent much of her time in Moscow, more attention was paid to the palaces, but the great Kremlin Palace, of that time, was becoming more and more dilapidated. Under Anna Ioannovna, on the pillars of the old palace, new imperial apartments “Winter Annengof” were erected - a wooden baroque palace (architect B.-F. Rastrelli).

Under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the imperial court once again dwelt in St. Petersburg, but in the Kremlin, anyway, it was decided to build a new royal residence. The new building resembled the Great Peterhof Palace.

When Catherine II ascended the throne, this palace was recognized as not corresponding to the greatness of the Russian Empire, it was decided to replace it with a new building. The new palace was to be located throughout the riverine territory of the Kremlin, spreading from the banks of the Moscow River to the entire Borovitsky hill.

June 1, 1773 there was a ceremonial laying of a new palace. However, it soon became clear that such a large-scale construction was impractical and the work was stopped in 1774. The destroyed Kremlin wall and towers were restored, and instead of a grandiose palace, only a building was built for the Moscow branch of the Senate.

Until 1812, there were no new attempts to renew the palace, but the beginning of the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior again raised the question of building a new Kremlin palace, which would symbolize the renewal of Moscow.

The new residence was built at the initiative of Nicholas I. The design of the palace was entrusted to the famous architect Konstantin Ton, the author of the project of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. For a model of the stylistic decision of the proposed palace, Ton was instructed to take the design decision of the Kolomensky Palace (1836, architect Shtackenschneider, the project was not implemented), which in monumental forms developed the composition of the Kremlin Terem Palace.

Initially, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory were considered as a single complex, which was to be built at the same time. In 1842, the construction was divided into two phases.

The palace building forms a rectangle with a courtyard. Externally, the palace is decorated in the style of previous centuries: its facades are decorated with carved white stone pediments, and the windows are carved platbands with double arches and a weight in the middle, as in the towers of the 17th century. From the main facade, the building seems to be three-story, but in fact it has only two floors. Thanks to arched windows shared by thin piers, this first floor of the palace looks like a closed gallery. In the center of the palace above the roof stands the stands, completed with a gilded balustrade.

The Kremlin Palace is 125 meters long, 47 meters high, and a total area of \u200b\u200b25,000 m². The palace complex, known as the Grand Kremlin Palace, in addition to the building of the palace itself, also includes some buildings from the 15th to 17th centuries, which in the past were part of the grand ducal and then the royal residence (The Faceted Chamber, Golden Tsaritsyna Chamber, Terem Palace, palace churches) .

The total number of rooms in the palace complex reaches 700. The five halls of the palace (St. George, Vladimir, Alexandrovsky, Andreevsky and Catherine), named after the orders of the Russian Empire, are currently used for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies, and the palace itself It is the front residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Erecting the palace complex, Konstantin Ton, to some extent repeated the layout of the previous palace, and the architectural design echoes the legendary architectural structures of antiquity. For example, the arcade of the first tier of the palace is a remake of the Aleviz sub-base; the terrace on top of the arcade repeats the old gulbischi and connects the ensemble in space; the winter garden, above the new passage, resembles the hanging gardens of antiquity; carved figured framing of window openings of a two-light second floor, profiled pilasters between them; the central elevated part with kokoshniks, covered by a dome, echoes the architecture of the Terem Palace. But Ton was not afraid to make innovations in the construction of the palace - it was the first building in Russian architecture with large-span lightweight brick vaults and metal roof truss structures.

P the arad entrance of the Grand Kremlin Palace is inconspicuously located in the southern facade of the building, that is, from the Moskva River, from where the visitor enters the marble lobby with monolithic columns of Serdobol granite (Serdobol is a city on the shore of Lake Ladoga). On the left side of the lobby is the so-called Own half of their Imperial Majesties, stretching along a long suite of rooms along the main facade. A remarkable decoration of the main palace entrance was four bronze floor lamps, cast and assembled in Moscow at the Krumbyugel factory.

On the second floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace, to the front rooms, there is a staircase consisting of sixty-six gentle steps. The main staircase is decorated with yellow Kolomna marble, which is lined with columns along the spans and flights of stairs. On this marble colonnade lancet arches of the main staircase are installed. The flights of stairs are illuminated by twelve bronze chandeliers, made in the same style with the floor lamps of the front lobby.

On the second floor, on both sides of the main staircase, ten pylons of yellow Kolomna marble frame the side platforms - galleries. On the right is a picture depicting the battle of Dmitry Donskoy with the Tatars on the Kulikovo field in 1380. It was written in 1850 by the French artist A. Yvon, a pupil of P. Delyarosh. The left platform leads to the state rooms.

The magnificent interior decoration of the palace is made in different styles, ranging from the Renaissance to the Byzantine-Russian style. The most beautiful hall is St. George Hall, named after the Order of St. George the Victorious - the highest and most revered order in the Russian army, established by Empress Catherine II in 1769 to award officers and generals. The motto of the order is "For service and courage." It was the most honorable award for the military, the highest order of the Russian army. The appearance of the St. George Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace thus turned the imperial residence into a monument to the military feats of Russian weapons. This room is not amazing infinite luxury, but rather, the rigor and scale.

The longitudinal walls of the hall are cut through by deep niches. Marble boards are placed in niches and on the walls on which the names of famous military units and the names of St. George cavaliers are written in gold letters. Here are the names of 545 regiments, naval crews and batteries and more than 10,000 names of officers and generals awarded this order. Among the gentlemen of the Order of St. George are people such as Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Pyotr Bagration, Fedor Ushakov, Pavel Nakhimov.

St. George Hall - the largest room in the palace. Its length is 61 meters, width - 20.5 meters, height 17.5 meters. White and gold are the main colors of the St. George Hall, white - arches, walls and sculptures, gold - the names of the St. George Knights and military units on the boards and sides of piols. The hall is decorated with 18 powerful twisted columns, ornamented and crowned with victory statues with laurel wreaths and memorable dates. Marble statues, on pylons, allegorically symbolize the regions and kingdoms that make up the multinational state. On the southern and northern wall of the room there are bas-reliefs depicting St. George and the snake, their author is Pavel Kladsh. Signs of the order adorn the upper part of the walls of the snow-white St. George Hall.

During ceremonial receptions, officers gathered in the hall, on the uniforms of which the same signs sparkled that adorn the walls of the hall. In 1945, in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, the ceremonial reception of the participants of the Victory Parade on Red Square was held. Here, with honors, they met the first cosmonaut in the world - Yuri Gagarin.

To illuminate the hall, there are six openwork gilded bronze chandeliers weighing 1,300 kilograms, 40 wall sconces, and upholstered in silk, flowers of the St. George sash, gilt furniture. The ceiling is decorated with stucco molding in the form of a floral ornament. In St. George's Hall, authentic parquet, works of 1845, has been preserved. To fulfill it, it took 20 rare species of wood: Indian rosewood, African paduk, beech, ash, plane tree and many others.

The Alexander Hall was built in honor of the Order of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, established on May 25, 1725 by Empress Catherine I. The motto of the order is “For Works and Fatherland”. Six historical paintings were created and mounted in the upper niches of the butt ends of the hall. In the west - the military exploits of the prince, in the east - scenes from his peaceful life, the builder of monasteries, the enlightened and fair ruler.

The hall has a rectangular shape and occupies the central part of the second floor, along the southern facade of the Grand Kremlin Palace. In the central part of the hall there is a large elliptical dome resting on four powerful pylons. In the golden bas-reliefs of the dome, the insignia of the order with the monogram S. A. - Sanctus Alexander - Saint Alexander stand out clearly. In the corners of the dome and above the massive gilded doors are double-headed eagles.

The huge, in two tiers, windows of the Alexander Hall, face south, and literally flood all the rooms with light reflected in numerous mirrors. The walls were decorated with white and pink artificial marble, red velvet, furniture was upholstered in the color of the order ribbon. The luxurious gilded decoration of the hall is in harmony with the unique parquet floor of 20 species of trees.

According to the project of academician F.G. Solntseva, in the St. Petersburg workshop of Yegor Skvortsov, were made enfilted swing doors, covered with wooden carvings and gilding. An important decorative element of the hall decoration became copper gilded and silver-plated coats of arms of provinces and regions of the Russian Empire, made by Vasily Krumbyugel, painted with oil paints on gold and silver boards in the form of enamel.

St. Andrew's Hall (throne room), the former main hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in the 19th century, was recreated in its pristine splendor. The St. Andrew's Throne Hall was erected in honor of the highest order of Russia - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, established by Peter the Great on March 10, 1698. The motto of the order is "For faith and fidelity." St. Andrew's Hall is gilded doors with order crosses and chains of the St. Andrew's order, 10 bronze chandeliers and 35 sconces, two unique fireplaces from gray-violet jasper, as well as three thrones under the ermine and a unique parquet mosaic from many valuable species of wood. The walls of the hall are covered with silk blue fabric the color of the St. Andrew’s order ribbon.

This is one of the five ceremonial order rooms of the Grand Kremlin Palace, located along the main front southern facade of the palace. Its huge space is strictly organized by five pairs of powerful supports. They divide its entire volume into three naves - large, central and smaller side. With its gilded lancet arches, two rows of majestic tetrahedral pylons, with the image of the All-Seeing Eye, in golden rays, above the imperial throne - the hall resembles a temple.

Three throne places rise under its eastern walls, under ermine canopies. During the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II, they were intended for the emperor, empress, and the dowager empress - mother of Nicholas II. The imperial throne is surrounded by a tent, with an entrance in six steps, covered with golden brocade. The tent is decorated with a magnificent ermine mantle. On the ceiling of the tent is the state emblem of the Russian Empire - a two-headed eagle. The wall above the tent is also decorated with the image of the national emblem, and on the sides of the tent are double-headed eagles with the St. Andrew’s cross on the chest.

St. Andrew's Hall is lit through eighteen windows and two south-facing balcony doors.oh walls, cut, in two tiers, strictly one above the other. On the opposite side are the doors leading to the Cavaliergard Hall and the Entrance Hall. The St. Petersburg Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace hosts the most solemn events of national importance.

Mirror doors in the north wall of the St. George Hall lead to the Vladimir Hall. The Vladimirsky Hall conveys the history of the Order of St. Vladimir - one of the first Russian princes. It was established in honor of the Kiev prince Vladimir, at which the baptism of Russia took place. The motto of the Order of St. Vladimir is “Benefit, Honor and Glory”. Many honored citizens were awarded the order, including one of the founders of the Kremlin Palace - the architect Konstantin Ton.

This high, octagonal hall of the 19th century links together the palaces of five centuries. The walls and pilasters of the Vladimir Hall are lined with pink marble. The Vladimirsky Hall is striking in its decoration: pink marble walls and pilasters, stucco gilded ornaments of vaults and cornices give this hall a fabulous beauty. The arch of the Vladimir Hall resembles Russian tents, arches of bypass side galleries, as if repeating the outlines of ancient arches.

The wide arches of the first tier are replaced by triple, tighter arches of the second tier to go into the domed arches covered with solid, gilded stucco molding. This stucco gilded ornament is made, like on the eaves, by the Dylev brothers.

In this hall, daylight enters the glass lantern on the dome arch, and in the evening it is illuminated by a huge bronze gilt chandelier, which weighs about three tons. It is lowered to the height of the galleries of the second tier, and, as if, soars in the center of space. Paul, according to the drawing of academician F. G. Solntsev, is composed of numerous valuable species of wood. From the hall you can get into the Faceted Chamber, St. George's Hall, the Terem Palace and other rooms of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

On the front half of the palace is the Catherine Hall - in the past it was the throne room of the Russian empresses. It is located somewhat away from the suite of ceremonial order rooms of the second floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The Order of St. Catherine was established by Peter I in 1714 - this is the only female order in Russia, its motto was “For Love and Fatherland”. In the middle of the XIX century, it was here that the throne of Her Imperial Majesty was located.

The Yekaterininsky Hall is relatively small - its length is 21 meters. The dressiness of this hall is successfully combined with a special refinement of decoration, comfort and intimacy. Signs of the order with the motto "For Love and Fatherland" showered with large artificial diamonds are located on the walls and doors of the hall. A gilded image of the Order of St. Catherine, placed on a silver field, adorns the doors of the throne room of the Empress.

The hall is illuminated by gilded bronze chandeliers and unusual, in structure and beauty, six crystal candelabra, executed at the imperial glass factory in St. Petersburg. The walls are upholstered in gray moire, and a scarlet koyma sash. On massive pillars there are pilasters decorated with a pattern of small pieces of malachite. The vaults and cornices of the hall are decorated with gilded stucco. The parquet of the Catherine Hall is of high artistic value.

Directly adjacent to the throne of Catherine’s Hall is the Green Living Room. It is designed to receive special guests of honor.

The ceiling of the semicircular hall is decorated with floral patterns, and the walls are upholstered with fabric (artist Giuseppe Colombo Artari). The arrangement of furniture here was thought out and coordinated with the architectural features of the living rooms.

The main decoration of the living room are richly inlaid furniture, bronze crystal chandeliers and floor lamps. In the main living room there are three huge candelabra, two of which are made in Chinese style and one in Japanese. The furniture was covered in gold brocade with a green pattern. The same fabric was used for wall upholstery.

Behind the Catherine’s Hall, in the Ceremonial half, are the former royal Ceremonial Ceremonial Parlor and Ceremonial Bedchamber. The interior of the Front Living Room (now the Red Living Room) is exceptionally elegant. It has alcoves with monolithic columns of gray-green marble, which successfully harmonize with the bright raspberry upholstery of the walls and furniture. To decorate the fireplace, green-blue jasper with a beautiful wavy pattern, well served by the Russian stone-cutting master, who managed to emphasize the advantages of the Ural gemstone, is used.

The red living room is decorated in the Renaissance style. Its design uses white, pinkish-gray and green marble. In the 19th century, silver brocade with golden flowers covered the walls and the "Gams" furniture. Pilasters, friezes and columns supporting the vaults were fully combined with them. Rosewood doors, inlaid with gilded bronze and mother-of-pearl in the style of “bul”, lead to the neighboring Green living room and to the Catherine’s Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Own half, intended personally for the emperor and his family, is located on the first floor of the palace. The enfilade of living quarters of Own half is stretched along the main facade of the palace, and consists of seven main living quarters and four small passage rooms, designed for watch and waiting for the courtiers. The interiors of the Own half correspond to the monumental architecture of the palace, and at the same time, they are characterized by intimacy and homeliness. Decorators used the artistic methods of the Baroque, Rococo, Classicism styles in the design of these rooms.

Own half consists of seven rooms: the Dining Room, the Living Room, the Cabinet of the Empress, the Boudoir, the Bedroom, the Cabinet of the Emperor and the Reception. Despite the fact that each room is designed in its own style, all the rooms together are one. Own half is a museum of the Russian residential palace interior, which has been almost completely preserved without significant alterations and additions.

The artists involved in the decoration of the palace paid great attention not only to architectural details, but also to the selection of furniture, candelabra, fireplaces, chandeliers. Fireplaces are made of malachite and marble. A variety of porcelain items adorn the boudoir, the Living Room, the Study and the Bedroom - these are vases, floor lamps, a chandelier that looks like a magnificent bouquet crowned with pineapple fruit. A significant place in the former living rooms of the palace is occupied by bronze objects - watches, candelabra. There are hours of French work on the malachite and marble fireplaces - they were specially ordered for the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Lighting was important. It was supposed to give even greater splendor to the interiors, so each crystal chandelier in the palace is original, each has its own design and shape of pendants. Huge mirrors, as well as gilding, inlay, sculpting, carving, give the rooms of the palace an unusually solemn and pompous look. Interior doors made of precious wood, inlaid with mother of pearl, tortoise shell, are made on spikes without a single nail. The patterns of doors in the palace are never repeated. For covering the walls, as well as for curtains and other things, in each room a fabric of a certain color was used. Those that are especially dilapidated, made anew craftsmen from Pavlovsky Posad.

The enormous suite of the Own half opens with the huge dining room hall. Its walls are faced with white and yellow artificial marble. The vaulted ceilings, with stucco decoration, rest on the massive central pillar, which visually connects the appearance of this room with the architectural design of the Faceted Chamber. The decorative principles of classicism are used in the decoration of the dining room. Here is a calm combination of tones of artificial marble, white marble statues of mythological characters of Leda and Hymen, vases in the style of "Borghese".

The Empress’s boudoir is created in soothing colors, the walls and furniture are upholstered in pink silk. The furniture for the Boudoir includes 24 items - of various shapes: sofas, tables and chairs. The furniture is made of walnut wood.

In the boudoir, there is one of the most beautiful fireplaces of the palace, as if carved from solid stone - malachite plates are so tightly fitted and polished. The shape, proportions, smoothly curved lines of all its designs only emphasize its beauty, and overlaid gilded decorations give a special sophistication. Mantel clocks attract attention with an intricate shape and a bizarre mechanism. An enamel circle is a calendar that shows months, days of the week, and the phase of the moon (lower part of the clock). Above it is a clock in the shape of a vase, with a fixed hand in the form of a lizard and two rotating dials. Arabic numerals showed minutes, and Roman numerals showed hours. All this is in a bronze, gilded design.

Behind the Empress's Boudoir is the Bedchamber. Blue mother-of-pearl tones, combined with white and gold, create the feeling of a clear night sky. Two colors dominate in the bedchamber - blue and gold. The Empress’s bedchamber is luxurious and sophisticated at the same time. An atmosphere of peace and piety reigns here.

Completely gilded furniture set created in the Renaissance style. There are 31 items in this headset. A fireplace made of white Carrara marble adorns a watch called "Night."

The Night watch is a dial in the form of a dark blue ball with false numbers, stars and two bronze figures of cupids on the sides, standing on a gilt stand, with cast gilded female figures.

The Empress’s cabinet is emphasizedly decorative and decorated in the style of “boule”. The dominant is the dark crimson color, consonant with the spirit of the interior of the French palaces of the late XVII - early XVIII century. Huge mirrors, the production of which was started in Russia at that time, and the chandelier repeatedly reflected in them increase the feeling of pomposity, fabulous luxury.

The interior is accentuated by gilded stucco decorations of walls and arches, doors perfectly made of precious wood, and tortoises inlaid with shell, bronze, mother of pearl. Unknown masters made them without a nail and glue, on spikes. The furniture here is upholstered in silk with gold fabric. Gilded exquisite watches and vases complement the decoration of the Cabinet.

The Empress’s drawing room is snow-white with gold, eight gibberish bas-reliefs are symbols of art, four more depicting the seasons adorn her. The furniture set, in the style of Louis XV of turquoise wood, is also gilded and upholstered with a patterned damask. The furniture, here, has soft curving designs, in the style of rockel, in many decorated with whimsical curls and flowers.

The main decoration of the living room are porcelain products - vases and floor lamps. The ceiling is decorated with a large chandelier with stucco flowers, resembling a lush bouquet topped with pineapple fruit. It is made by ceramists of the St. Petersburg Imperial Porcelain Factory, in a single copy, especially for the interiors of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Currently, the entire complex of the Grand Kremlin Palace, except the Armory, is the main residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Among other buildings and structures of the Moscow Kremlin, the Grand Kremlin Palace stands out. Its architectural ensemble includes not only the main building of the palace, but also the Armory, temples, the Terem Palace and the apartments of the Grand Dukes. The Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow was built in the first half of the 19th century by the architect Konstantin Ton.

History of Kremlin palaces

The palace complex of the Moscow Kremlin first began to be built at the end of the 15th century. Then the architect Aleviz Fryazin  He supervised the construction of several chambers, including Faceted, and the Terem Palace. According to his project, the Palace of Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna and mansions for princesses were also rebuilt, and the Embankment Garden was laid out.

At the beginning of the XVIII century. the capital was moved to St. Petersburg, and the original significance of the palace complex in the Moscow Kremlin was lost. Some buildings housed government officialsremaining in Moscow, other buildings gradually deteriorated and collapsed without supervision and care.

Anna Ioannovnavisited Moscow often and her court stopped in the Kremlin buildings. Succeeded her on the throne Elizaveta Petrovna engaged in the reconstruction of the imperial residence. It was decided to build the Winter Palace, where the empress and her entourage could stop during the Moscow voyages. For the successful implementation of the project, several buildings had to be demolished, including the Embankment and the Middle Golden Chamber. Their basement floors later served as the basis for the new palace. His project was created by a famous court architect Rastrelli.

Catherine IIdid not appreciate the beauty of the baroque palace of Rastrelli, numbering almost a thousand rooms, halls and offices, and considered it "not consistent with imperial greatness." Despite the decree issued by her on the preservation of the Kremlin walls and towers, part of the buildings, including the palace of Elizabeth Petrovna, were dismantled. Architect Vasily Bazhenoin came up with a new project for the development of the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, which involved the construction of new structures and combining them with existing ones in a single ensemble.

The construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace

In summer 1773 g.the foundation stone was laid in the foundation of the new imperial residence. However, the author of the project is an architect Bazhenov  did not take into account all the features of the soil and terrain, and soon after the start of work, there was a danger of the collapse of the Archangel Cathedral. The wall of the temple adjacent to the construction site was covered with cracks, and its foundation began to sink into the ground. The work was stopped. Until 1838, the Kremlin only updated and restored old buildings, restored them after fires 1812 g. and built on additional floors to existing residences and palaces.

Nevertheless, the new time required fresh ideas, and the renewal of Moscow after the victory over Napoleon was not just a technical necessity. Society needed a modern symbol of the status of imperial power, and Nicholas I  decided to build in the Kremlin coronation palace.

With an errand Konstantin Ton Handled perfectly. In 1837, the workers, under the guidance of an architect, dismantled the old palace of Elizabeth Petrovna together with the Stables yard. The project assumed the compositional unity of the new building with the ancient Kremlin buildings. The complex of the new imperial residence was supposed to include the Amusement Palace with the Faceted Chamber, house temples and the new building of the Armory. In March 1838, a royal decree was issued to immediately begin construction. On June 30, the foundation stone was laid in the foundation of the palace, and under the base of the corner part there was a copper tablet with information about the customer - Emperor Nicholas I and the contractor - architect Konstantin Ton.

Special technologies and design

Konstantin Ton took into account the basic requirements of the emperor - compliance with fire standards and the use of modern advanced technologies in construction:

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the first building in the empire in which the roof had metal constructions  in the form of rafters, and wide-span arches were made of brick and turned out to be lightweight.

The use of modern building materials - concrete and cement - allowed the architect to design and implement the grand idea of \u200b\u200bconstruction false ceiling in the St. George Hall.

In the palace dome, equipped with four dormers, installed   bells of hours with a fighttransferred to the palace from the Trinity tower. A flagpole was placed at the top of the dome, and the spire was surrounded by a circular viewing gallery. For fire safety purposes, the dome and roof were tied with metal lightning rods.

The palace was heated by a system heatersthat are installed in the basements. The heat from more than fifty devices evenly entered all the palace rooms through the heat channels.

Interiors  The Grand Kremlin Palace was decorated in a big way. The main materials that used supervised practical construction Fedor Richter  and his team, became valuable wood, Kolomna marble, Revel stone, fabrics and draperies with gold and silver threads. The furniture was made at the famous Moscow factories, where experienced cabinet makers worked. They skillfully carved the doors of front and residential apartments.

The sovereign praised the efforts of architects and builders and awarded many of them with medals and prizes. They consecrated the Grand Kremlin Palace on April 3, 1849, on Easter Day in the presence of the imperial family and metropolitan Filaret. The construction is fully completed in 1851 g. when they passed the Armory and the building of the apartments of the Grand Dukes.

Before and after the revolution

In the XIX century, the Grand Kremlin Palace continued to rebuild and equip. The works also affected the ancient buildings that were part of the ensemble. So for the rooms Terem Palace  they made new furniture and window frames from solid oak, and its walls and arches were re-painted.

In the Big Palace itself, the roof was primed every year and the stucco was renovated, and the throne canopies sewn from ermine fur were monitored. In 1883, temporary electric lighting was held at the palace, and the coronation celebrations took place with full illumination. Own power supply system  the palace was received in 1895. This made it possible to provide alarms for the premises where especially valuable objects were stored, and to establish in the palace elevators. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the imperial residence in the Kremlin was annexed to the city sewage system, and its water supply and drainage communications were thoroughly reconstructed.

The year 1917 brought global change. In the premises of the palace, despite the appeal of the People's Commissar of Education Lunacharsky, arranged not only the seat of government, but also residential apartments  for family members of the new government and their servants. The People's Commissar Lunacharsky, as well as scientists, historians, artists unsuccessfully tried to draw attention to the values \u200b\u200band rarities stored in the palace. Old 18th-century tapestries were saturated with steam of boiling samovars, and housewives dried and ironed linen on handmade Bavarian wooden tables. In the 30s. the bulk of the residents still got apartments in the city and moved out, although the most stubborn centenarians continued to remain in the Grand Kremlin Palace until 1962.

In 1934, the palace was decided to rebuild. The new government dismantled the Red Porch of the Faceted Chamber and arranged in its place the dining room  for delegates to congresses and plenums. Savior Cathedral on Bor was dismantled to erect   a hoteland the Andreevsky and Aleksandrovsky halls of the palace turned into   proletarian conference room. The dismantling of the fundamental wall between the halls led to the formation of numerous cracks on the facade of the palace. To avoid destruction, builders were forced to strengthen the structure with a massive balcony, which protruded until the middle of the formed meeting room. In place of the throne of the emperor installed sculpture of Ilyich.

During the Great Patriotic War, the roof of the palace was masked with paint to make the structure not too noticeable from the air - they were afraid of bombing. And yet, despite all efforts, the palace was badly damaged. One of the bombs broke through the arches of the St. George Hall, damaging the parquet and ceiling. Another shell exploded at the entrance, and the glass was smashed by the blast wave and the front door was broken. During the war, soldiers serving in the Kremlin garrison defused hundreds of incendiary bombs and actually saved the palace from significant destruction.

The Grand Kremlin Palace in our time

In the 90s of the last century, according to the surviving drawings, it was possible to restore the original appearance St. Andrew and Alexander Halls. Restorers recreated royal place and thrones, returned the old bas-reliefs to the palace facade, repaired the marble walls and steps of the main staircase.

Today the palace is located residence of the president of Russia. During the tour, visitors to the palace manage to see most of the rooms and halls:

The largest ceremonial hall of the palace is Georgievsky. He was named part of the Order of St. George the Victorious. In this room, awards and prizes are held.

- Alexandrovsky hall  named in part of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Particularly noteworthy are doors covered with silver and decorated with gold ornaments, and an elliptical dome containing images of order stars and coats of arms. The parquet of the Alexander Hall is made of thirty wood species.

- Vladimir Hall  illuminated in the daytime through an opening in the tented dome. In the evening, a chandelier made at the factory of F. Chopin in St. Petersburg is lit in it. The parquet is made of precious woods, and the walls and pilasters are faced with pinkish shades of marble.

IN St. Andrew's Hall, according to tradition, only the tsar could sit, and therefore there was no furniture in it, except for the imperial throne.

Furniture Cavalier Guard Hall  made of plane trees. So the designers paid tribute to the traditions of the Caucasian peoples, whose representatives served in the honorary military guard of the palace.

On the ground floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace are also the private chambers of the emperor and his family, the imperial dining room, study rooms and bedchairs. On the second floor, exquisitely decorated attracts special attention of tourists   Green living roomin which the empress received honored guests.

The museum-apartment of Nikolai Semenovich Golovanov (1891–1953), a great conductor, composer and pianist, dates back to 1969. When, after the death of the musician’s sister, this apartment became part of the Russian National Museum of Music.

The foundation of the funds was the rich heritage of the musician: his
   collections of paintings, sculptures, arts and crafts, library, archive and music library. Over the years, the value of this heritage has grown steadily.

Golovanov’s status as a conductor and composer has changed: now this master is recognized as great. Amazing amazing concentration of spirituality, creative energy, the true scope of his work. His personality also attracts, first of all, loyalty to high moral principles laid down from childhood and uncompromising, selfless service to art.

The memorial apartment of the conductor with its various rarities is also amazing in the concentration of spiritual values. The house itself in Bryusov Lane, in which it is located, is a cultural monument. It belonged to the Bolshoi Theater. Since 1935, such luminaries of vocal art in Moscow as A. V. Nezhdanova, N. A. Obukhova, I. S. Kozlovsky, A. S. Pirogov, M. P. Maksakova lived here. Golovanov lived here for about twenty years (1935–1953). It was during these years, when he headed the orchestra of the All-Union Radio and later the Bolshoi Theater, he became a leading figure in the musical life of Moscow. Three rooms of this apartment (office, living room, dining room) are memorial. Here, almost every subject remembers Golovanov. And in the former bedroom archive materials are concentrated, allowing you to trace the path of the musician.

The initial stage was studying at the Synodal School of Church Singing (1900–1909), which was held under the guidance of such masters as choirmaster V. S. Orlov, N. M. Danilin, composers P. G. Chesnokov, A. D. Kastalsky, and Vikt. S. Kalinnikov. Golovanov wrote in his declining years: "The synodal school gave me everything: moral principles, life principles, iron discipline, the ability to work a lot and systematically, instilled in me a sacred love of work."

The next stage is study at the Moscow Conservatory in the class of composition and theory with S. N. Vasilenko and A. A. Ilyinsky. At the same time, Golovanov did not lose touch with the Synodal School, becoming its teacher and assistant regent of the famous Synodal Choir. From 1915 until almost the last days, he worked at the Bolshoi Theater (though with three forced breaks). These were the culmination years in the life of the theater. Under the direction of Golovanov and his eminent “team” (artist F. F. Fedorovsky, directors L. V. Baratov, B. A. Pokrovsky and other outstanding masters), such masterpieces as productions of “Boris Godunov”, “Sadko”, “ Khovanshchina »1948-1950 years.

No less productive - the leadership of Golovanov's Big Radio Symphony Orchestra. His activity in Moscow during the Great Patriotic War is especially important. Live broadcasts of orchestra performances lifted the spirit of even people far from music. In the photograph of 1943 we see the conductor during the first performance in the USSR of the Third Symphony by S.V. Rachmaninov. The exposition also reflected Golovanov’s composer work of different years, beginning with the piano variations of his childhood and ending with the spiritual songs of the 1940s.

A special section is devoted to the long-term union of Golovanov with A. V. Nezhdanova: the musician was an accompanist and husband of the great singer. Entering the memorial rooms of the Museum, visitors immediately plunge into the world of art. The paintings of first-class artists (I. I. Levitan, M. V. Nesterov, K. A. Korovin and many others), sculptural portraits, antique furniture in the Empire style, stucco molding on the ceilings - all create a unique atmosphere. At the same time, Golovanov’s “handwriting” is felt. Already in the layout of the apartment features of theatricality are visible: the living room corresponds to an office like a theater hall and stage. The doors with bronze mythological figures are also remarkable. Although the genres, themes of paintings and sculptures presented in memorial rooms are diverse, each room has its own dominants. The study is the most “musical” room. There are many portraits of composers, conductors, as well as figures of art and literature. Religious-related images and images embodying the ideals of female beauty occupy a significant place in the living room. The theme dominant in the dining room is travel in time and space: Russia and England, Italy and Egypt, India and the fabulous Berendeevo kingdom, deep antiquity and the 20th century. On the canvases, the architectural masterpieces of the world come to life - the Taj Mahal mausoleum painted by V.V. Vereshchagin, the Pskov Kremlin V.V. Meshkov, the Venetian Doges Palace in the painting of I.K. Aivazovsky.

And another attraction of the Museum is its visitors in the past and in the present. After all, Golovanov was visited by many prominent musicians and artists. The landlord loved to arrange a feast on holidays and memorable days. The regulars were the singers of the Bolshoi Theater, who lived in the same house - Obukhov, Maksakov, Pirogov, Kozlovsky ... And after the opening of the Museum (1974), conductors B.E. Khaikin, K.P. Kondrashin, G. performed here with recollections and conversations. N. Rozhdestvensky, F. Sh. Mansurov, Yu. I. Simonov. Among the visitors to the concerts are composer V. A. Gavrilin, ballerina E. S. Maksimova, singer Z. A. Dolukhanova. And at the present time, the Museum has a lot of things that attract both conductors, professional musicians, and connoisseurs of painting, and music lovers, and a wide range of people seeking to touch the world of beauty.

Throughout its history, the Moscow Kremlin has been a stronghold of power; in the princely and royal chambers the everyday life of the rulers of Russia flowed. This life is so closely connected with the history of the state, it is such an important part of the concept of the “Kremlin” that it is impossible to pass silence of the local palaces, despite the fact that the general public is denied access to them, at least for a short look at their past and present.

Since the time of Ivan Kalita, the princely palace has occupied the most beautiful place - on Borovitsky hill overlooking the river. It was traditionally wooden and small.
Ivan III expanded his possession in the Kremlin and ordered in 1492, the Italian architect, who had earned praise for the Faceted Chamber, to build stone halls.

Ivan the Terrible continued to expand the mansions through wooden buildings. The main attraction of the then palace was the throne of the Golden Chamber on the site of the current St. George Hall.

Boris Godunov erected his wooden palace on the roof of a stone structure, so the royal family lived at a dizzying height at the time. The sudden death of the sovereign interrupted his larger projects.

Empress Elizabeth ordered that the dilapidated Godunov chambers be rebuilt. The new palace turned out to be artsy and uncomfortable, so Catherine II preferred to stay in the houses of nobles in Moscow. Under Alexander I, they tried to restore order in the royal dwelling and correct it after the Napoleonic fire. In 1817, wooden walls were quickly erected on the old basement, overlaid with bricks on both sides. Even in those days it was not serious.

Nicholas I undertook to rectify the situation. He loved Moscow and the Kremlin more than his predecessors.
To build a new palace, he attracted the architect Konstantin Ton, who pleased the emperor with his project of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Both of these buildings were supposed to affirm the triumph of the Russian national idea. The imperial residence, called the Grand Kremlin Palace, was built for a decade and became a worthy neighbor of ancient monuments.

The facade of the palace is well known to us: it is one of the species symbols of Moscow and all of Russia.

The palace was built in the years 1838-1849 and opened on April 3, 1849, on Easter. The length of the main facade of the building from the Moscow River from west to east is 125 m, the height with a dome and a flagpole is about 50 m. From the north, the Palace is connected to the Terem Palace, from the east it is adjacent to the Faceted Chamber, and from the west - the Armory. The building occupies about 3.5 hectares.

The architect had a difficult task. The national tastes of Nicholas I were emphasized that determined the style of the new palace as Old Russian. This corresponded to the surrounding architectural ensemble. At the same time, the palace, intended for magnificent ceremonial ceremonies, inevitably had to become a huge building incompatible with the traditions of ancient Russian architecture. But there was a way out. Konstantin Ton used national motifs to decorate the facade, surrounding the windows with white stone carvings. The front rooms of the second floor received two rows of window openings, which gives the impression of a tower with small windows. Because of this, the two-story palace looks like a three-story outside. The interior of the palace is a riot of imperial luxury. Eclectic style, magnificent decoration, an abundance of the most valuable materials in the decoration - a real architectural holiday.

1. Boyar site.
2. Vladimirsky hall.
3. St. George's Hall.
4. Alexander Hall.
5. St. Andrew's Hall.
6. Cavalier Guard Hall.
7. Catherine Hall.
8. Ceremonial apartments of the Empress.
9. Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
10. Terem Palace.
11. Golden Tsaritsyna Chamber.
12. Palace churches.
13. Church of Relocation.
14. Holy Canopy.
15. Faceted Chamber.
16. Blagoveshchensky cathedral

The Soviet era spared this building, but nevertheless made serious changes here, as some of the premises of the palace were used for mass political events.

In the 1990s, the facade and two halls of the palace were returned to the form that they had before the revolution. In the kokoshniks, under the roof above the central entrance, five double-headed eagles were again installed instead of the Soviet coat of arms and the four letters "USSR", and above them were the coats of arms of the former kingdoms and regions of former Russia (St. Petersburg, Kazan, Moscow, Polish and others).

They say that in the palace buildings there are about 700 rooms and halls, but we will walk (at least in the imagination) only in the most remarkable. Including the famous ceremonial halls, named after the main Russian orders: Vladimir, St. George, Alexander, St. Andrew and Catherine.

In the decoration of the palace were used materials from all over the Russian Empire. A wide front staircase with 58 steps and five platforms made of Revel stone (Revel - now Tallinn) leads to the second floor. Before rising, it is worth turning from the lobby to the left and passing into the so-called Own half - the imperial apartments. The emperor and his family stayed here when he came to Moscow from the northern capital - St. Petersburg, but most of the time these seven rooms were empty. Inlaid furniture, crystal chandeliers, porcelain floor lamps, malachite pilasters and a mantelpiece bronze clock amaze. Much of this decoration was created by the work of Russian masters.

We pass the dining room, the living room, the empress’s office, the boudoir, the bedchamber, the reception room and get into the emperor’s office, corner in the building. It offers a wonderful view of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Moscow River. The walls of the office are partially covered with ash, and the rest - with green matter. Six paintings on the walls depict events related to the war of 1812. But nobody has been working here for a long time. We will return to the lobby and climb the main staircase to the second floor, to the halls. Directly - the entrance to the entrance hall (entrance hall in front of the main hall). Doors of five meters high, made of a solid walnut board without glue and nails, lead into it past two huge crystal vases. Once there was a painting by Ilya Repin, depicting Alexander III with a deputation from the peasants - volost elders, and since the 1950s - a canvas with Lenin's speech at the III Congress of the Komsomol. Nowadays, visitors to the front hall are greeted by a painting by the artist Sergei Prisyokin “Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword.”

From here we get, perhaps, to the most famous hall - Georgievskythat looks now, like a hundred years ago. It is named after the military order of St. George the Victorious, established by Catherine II in 1769, and is the largest in the palace (area - 1250 sq. M, height - 17.5 m). Some "progressive" critics at one time stated that the decoration of these halls testifies "of a pretentious, but poorly developed artistic taste and is capable of impressing with its splendor only a poorly cultured layman." Probably, we are among the latter, because what we saw is really amazing. On marble planks in niches and on walls in gold are the names of famous military units and St. George cavaliers, among which emperors Alexander II and Alexander III, the great commanders Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov. Names appeared on the boards until the end of the 19th century. On 18 columns (nine columns on each side) are marble female figures with shields, which depict coats of arms of various lands. They symbolize the victories of Russian weapons and land, which became part of Russia over five centuries (from Perm land in 1472 to Armenia in 1828, including Little Russia - Ukraine).

A bronze mantelpiece near one of the walls depicts St. George the Horseman. At the opposite wall is a clock in the form of a reduced model of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square. Giant bronze chandeliers are reflected in the parquet, drawn from different species of wood, a real work of art, made according to the drawings of the academician of painting Fedor Solntsev in the XIX century.

In the 19th century, each hall had its own meaning during palace ceremonies.
In St. George the emperor was met by Moscow officials, representatives of the nobility and honorary citizens. In 1945, a ceremonial reception was held in this hall of Russian military glory for participants in the Victory Parade.

Followed by Alexander Hall. Its huge wall mirrors reflect the Moscow River and the whole panorama outside the window. This room is dedicated to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, who was established by Catherine I in 1725. In the gold ornaments on the ceiling and arches are bas-reliefs with the signs of this order and the mysterious letters "S.A.", which actually mean Sanctus Alexander, that is, "St. Alexander." Six oblong paintings, three above the doors on both sides, illustrate legendary episodes from the life of Alexander Nevsky, including the Battle of the Ice in 1242 and the refusal to worship idols in the Horde. In the bas-relief above the doors, on the one hand, the prince is depicted as a warrior, and on the other - in the image of a schema-monk, which symbolizes his earthly and heavenly glory. In this hall of the emperor, at the ceremonial exits, the city ladies greeted.

In 1933-1934, the Alexander Hall was combined with neighboring Andreevsky for the XVII Congress of the CPSU (B.). The result was a long, foamy room, called the Conference Room, where party meetings and sessions of the Supreme Council took place. In a niche arranged on the site of the imperial throne, a 10-meter marble statue of Lenin was installed. On June 12, 1990, the state sovereignty of the Russian Federation was proclaimed here - an event that became the basis for a new holiday. The restoration of Russian statehood and the revival of national symbolism responded with changes here too. Both halls were completely restored in 1995-1999.

St. Andrew's Hall  named after the first Russian order - sv. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, established by Peter I in 1698. Order chains and stars are depicted on the doors. St. Andrew's crosses - at the top of the columns. This is the throne room, the most important hall of the Kremlin palaces. Here, during the coronation celebrations, the emperor and his wife received congratulations from their subjects. Until the end of the 19th century, an imperial armchair decorated with carvings in the Old Russian style stood on a throne site. Then, under the canopy with an ermine canopy, three chairs were installed - the reigning Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna, the mother of the emperor. On the backs of the thrones were depicted their monograms. Behind the canopy there is a double-headed eagle, and above the canopy there is the national emblem of Russia with archangels on both sides, the inscription "God bless us" and the arms of all kingdoms and lands. Above this place is depicted the "All-Seeing Eye in Radiance" - the Orthodox symbol of the Trinity. The throne constantly had one of the palace palace grenadiers on duty.

All the same, with the exception of the grenadier, will be seen by those who are fortunate enough to visit the palace today.
By the way, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was restored in 1998 as the highest award of Russia, and a little later the St. Andrew Hall again acquired a ceremonial function: the inauguration of President Vladimir Putin took place here.

In the 1930s, a bypass gallery was also dismantled, adjacent to the Alexander and St. Andrew's halls, turned into a meeting room.
In its place they arranged the foyer of the Conference Room. Then, on the site of the demolished Church of the Savior on Bor, an office building was built in the courtyard. In the late 1990s, both the lobby and the office building were completely redesigned according to the project of the artist Ilya Glazunov, who created new small ceremonial halls (Petrovsky, Shtofny, Kaminny, Red and Green) in the office building for receptions and negotiations; the foyer again became a gallery, even more grandiose than during the empire, and on the walls are portraits of the rulers of Russia over ten centuries - from the legendary Prince Rurik to Nicholas II (painted by Ivan Ilya Glazunov).

Passing further from the St. Andrew's Hall and turning north, we find ourselves in the Cavaliergard Hall, where during the emperor's stay in the palace there was a military guard. Personal protection traditionally consisted of Circassians (the so-called highlanders of the Caucasus), so the furniture in the hall - a sofa and chairs - was symbolically made of Caucasian wood - plane trees. The picture corresponding to the place depicted a review of the troops of Alexei Mikhailovich at the Novodevichy Convent in the 17th century. In the 1930s, the hall was converted into a room where the NKVD workers were during congresses and various events. The current furniture in the hall is made of Karelian birch.

The cavalry guards, handsome officers in white uniforms, constituted an honorary escort of the empress. According to etiquette, the expression "to have an entrance for the cavalry guards" meant that this person could enter the half of the palace where the throne Catherine Hall  and the ceremonial chambers of the empress.

In this hall under the canopy of raspberry velvet stood the throne of the Empress (now his place at the eastern wall is free). In their places in the hall were magnificent floor lamps. The hall is dedicated to the Order of St. Catherine, who Peter I founded in 1714 in honor of his wife Catherine I. As you know, in 1711, during the Prut campaign, the future empress helped Peter I save the Russian army from captivity by bribing the Turkish commander with his jewels. The order was awarded only to ladies, and only 12 people could have first-degree signs at the same time, not counting persons of imperial blood. The honorable duty of the cavalry ladies of the order was to attend the ceremonies in this hall along with the ladies of the court. We can find out in this interior the place of negotiations at the highest level - it is often shown on television.

This is followed by apartments in greenish with gold and red tones with gilded furnishings - the front living room and the front room of the Empress. At the end of the enfilade of rooms, we pass through the front dressing room, lined with dark walnut panels, and we get into the Freilinsky corridor of the Terem Palace, which overlooked the windows of the rooms of the court ladies. In 1959, at the end of this corridor, they arranged the Winter Garden of marble and mirrors, which has a pool with a fountain and more than 120 species of tropical plants. From here a small staircase leads to the last front hall - Vladimirsky.

The hall is dedicated to the Order of St. Prince Vladimir, established by Catherine II in 1782. The motto of the order is “Benefit, Honor and Glory”, and among the awarded - the architect Konstantin Ton, historian and writer Karamzin and many others who through their labors brought great benefit to the Fatherland and gained unfading honor and glory.

St. Andrew's Hall amazes with its luxury and beauty, expensive decoration. And this is not surprising - the kings and queens of Russia sat in it, it has its own history and its own personality.

The photo of the St. Andrew Hall of the Kremlin shows that a lot of work has been invested in its construction.

Briefly about the main thing

The Andreevsky throne room in the Kremlin was built by personal order of Nicholas I in honor of the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. It became the throne room of the grand palace and the main hall of the Moscow Kremlin. You can’t even talk about the magnificent decoration of the room, which makes an impression on every incoming one, caused also by the fact that the walls of the hall are upholstered with moire fabric the color of the St. Andrew’s ribbon.

Hall Description

The St. Andrew Hall of the Kremlin is the most famous in the palace. The walls of this room are decorated with pink artificial marble and gilded from above. Gilded chairs upholstered in velvet lined up along them. Coats of arms of Russian provinces are placed above the windows.

Ten gilded pylons adorn the hall, as well as various symbols in the form of crosses, chains. Silk curtains are in perfect harmony with the rest of the decoration of the room. The high gilded doors decorated with order crosses amaze the imagination. Above them are monogram images of the names of the emperors of Russia - Peter the Great, Paul the First and Nicholas the First. Peter as the founder of the order, Paul as the founder of the statute of the order, and Nikolai as the builder of the hall.

At the far end of the hall are three chairs that were intended for the ruler, his wife and mother. This throne can still be seen in the Kremlin, studded with velvet and ermine fur. Above the throne hangs and above - a radiance with rays covered with gold leaf, in the center of which the All-Seeing Eye perched. Two-headed eagles with the image on the chest of St. Andrew's cross hang on the sides of the tent. Six steps lead to the tent. Previously, back in Soviet times, a monument to Lenin stood on this site.

The floor, as in other rooms, is made of multi-colored wood and delights all tourists with its beautiful pattern and the huge work that was put into this work of art. It should be noted that the last restoration of the hall was carried out in 1994-1998, when it was restored in its original form. The architect of the St. Andrew's Hall was Konstantin Ton.

History of the St. Andrew Hall of the Kremlin

The main throne room was built in 1838-1849 by the architect Konstantin Ton. This master created temple architecture, which became widespread during the reign of Nicholas the First. From 1932 to 1934 the hall was destroyed. In its place, meetings of the Supreme Council of the USSR were held. In 1997, restoration work began. The leaders of this project were leading architects of the time S.V. Demidova and E.V. Stepanova. Architects carried out tremendous laborious work with archival materials in Russia and abroad. Using past photographs of the hall, using the latest technology, they managed to restore in full, to the smallest detail, the hall, which it was during the reign of Emperor Nicholas the First.

We cannot but mention such a restorer of the highest category as V. A. Ageychenko, who was a sculptor, artist, and engineer all rolled into one. For the throne room, he reproduced the coat of arms of the Russian Empire in bronze. He also created the coats of arms of Russian provinces, which are located above the windows of the St. Andrew Hall. The floors were also recreated by him. Thanks to this, the hall was restored to the smallest detail.

Experts have found that for complete identity, twenty-three types of wood should be used for floor restoration. It was brought from all over the world, even from Africa, but did not change anything, doing everything strictly in accordance with the drawings of the nineteenth century. A total of about ninety-nine firms participated in the restoration work.

The huge room was constantly filled with workers, about 2.5 thousand people worked for days and nights for the benefit of the people. Some ornaments were not obtained immediately, for example, a two-headed eagle. Masters first made an eagle the color of copper. After establishing the commission went to the opposite bank of the river to evaluate the result obtained from afar. They did not like it, because the eagle looked like a black spider. Therefore, they decided to make the eagle the color of "wild stone".

In the St. Andrew's Hall, as in other rooms of the palace, various events are held, including a reception in honor of graduates of military universities. President Yeltsin began this tradition in 1999, and it continues to this day.

St. Andrew Hall of the Kremlin before the revolution and after

In October-November 1917, the Kremlin suffered very seriously due to an armed uprising, and there were detachments of junkers in it. The troops of the revolutionaries carried out shelling of the Kremlin. As a result, the walls of the palace, the clock, Nikolskaya practically all the churches located on the territory of the Kremlin, and the Small Nikolaevsky Palace were damaged.

During the Soviet era, the capital moved to Moscow, and the Kremlin began to be used as a political center. In March 1918, the Soviet government moved with the building of V.I. Lenin. The leaders of the Soviet regime began to live in the palaces and buildings of the Kremlin. Free access to the structure was prohibited. Although before everyone could visit this famous place. The Petrograd Collegium for the Protection of Antiquities and Art Treasures tried to survive the Soviet regime from the Kremlin. The authorities did not even consider their appeal. Before the revolution, three thrones stood in the hall. Later they were searched all over Russia. The first throne was found in Peterhof, the other two - in Gatchina. The Leningrad Museum did not want to give chairs, so I had to make copies.

During the Soviet era, the Moscow Kremlin was badly damaged. By order of Lenin, in 1918, a monument to Prince Sergei Alexandrovich was demolished. In the same year, the memorial to Alexander the Second, which was built during the time of Nicholas the First, was also liquidated. In 1922, about 300 pounds of silver, about 2 pounds of gold, and a huge amount of precious stones were withdrawn from church cathedrals and temples. Congresses of councils and congresses of the Third International began to be organized in the Kremlin, cuisine was established in the Golden Chamber, and a public dining room was made in Granovity. The Catherine Church decided to arrange a gym. Such disrespect for an architectural work of art could not but affect its original form. It is believed that at that time the Kremlin lost more than half of its attractions.

In 1990, the Kremlin was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

All-seeing eye

Above the thrones is the All-Seeing Eye (in the St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin), made of gold. The throne room was erected in honor of the highest order of Russia - the Masonic order. Some believe that the All-Seeing Eye means God in Christianity (Hebrew means "master of the horde", one of the seventy-two secret names of the Jewish Lord God).

This sign is used in many Christian churches, in Freemasonry. One dollar bills also have the All-Seeing Eye. Others believe that this biblical sign is a symbol of the Divine Providence and the emblem of the Trinity. In Christianity, the All-Seeing eye in the triangle means the Trinity and the meaning is in these words: "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him and trust in His mercy."

Excursion to the Kremlin

In Russia, the St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin, like other halls, is often visited by tourists. The palace is a specially protected area. You can’t bring anything superfluous to the Kremlin. It is forbidden to come drunk, in an inappropriate appearance, with weapons that are dangerous to others. If there are things that cannot be carried, then they must be taken to a storage room in the Alexander Garden. You can also take pictures not everywhere, but only where it is permitted and where your guide will indicate. For example, it is forbidden to photograph the Catherine’s Hall of the Kremlin.

Sometimes it is forbidden to take pictures in the Grand Canopy, the Terem Palace and the Faceted Chamber. Entrance to the Kremlin is permitted with a passport; children from the age of twelve can come with a passport. True, from the age of fourteen, children can attend excursions with a Russian passport. Since the halls of the Kremlin are used for official events, some other celebrations, it is possible that your tour may be rescheduled to a more suitable time for the palace.

Excursion time

A tour of the St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin is held every day, except Thursday - this is a day off. From ten in the morning to three in the afternoon. The duration of the tour is two hours for groups of twenty people. The cost of such an excursion is 4500 rubles, for foreign tourists - 5500 rubles without using the services of an interpreter.

During the restoration work, the Italian master was afraid that the workers would make the molding incorrectly, so he slept four days on the floor in the St. Andrew's Hall.

Catherine II also wanted to build a palace on the southern slope of the Kremlin hill, instead of the fortress wall, but her plans were not realized.