How many state halls of the large Kremlin palace are there? Grand Kremlin Palace. Recruitment dates

Under Ivan III, a complex of buildings appeared here. The tsar himself did not have a chance to live in the palace - it was completed already under Vasily III. Time and fires did not spare the building, but each time it was rebuilt.

In 1768, Catherine II ordered Vasily Bazhenov to rebuild the palace. The architect created a project according to which the whole was to be turned into one palace. According to the plan, the huge structure descended in terraces to the embankment. And according to preliminary estimates, its construction alone required 20-30 million rubles.

Bazhenov even made a collapsible model measuring 17m x 10m from larch. And a one-story Model House was built for her. This model impressed even those who were skeptical about the project. Everything was surprising: both the manufacturing technique and the size of the model (several people could be walking around in the courtyards). Currently some model elements are stored in State Museum Architecture named after Shchusev.

They began to demolish the Kremlin buildings and the southern wall, but in the spring of 1771, Moscow was overwhelmed by a plague epidemic. A riot followed. The expensive construction of the Kremlin Palace was stopped.
The following summer they dug a pit for the foundation. But construction did not move forward due to lack of funds. And in the spring of 1775, Catherine II ordered the pit to be filled up. Insulted, Bazhenov refused to lead this work. At the same time, Muscovites were also against the grandiose construction project, and sometimes the architect had to flee from an angry crowd.

In 1838-1849, architect K.A. Thon built a new Grand Kremlin Palace, which united buildings from five centuries. Nicholas I personally monitored the progress of work and approved each sheet of the project. The result was a palace that surpassed all contemporary buildings in its size and luxury of decoration.

The Grand Kremlin Palace consists of a system of buildings and towers located in a rectangle around a courtyard. There are about 700 halls there. Five of them are named after Russian orders.

The orders appeared in Europe in the 11th century as military monastic orders and were intended for the Crusades. TO XVII century they had already become insignia, and then Peter I borrowed them.

Each of the order halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace corresponds to the order in name, theme and color scheme of the decor. For example, in the St. George's Hall there are marble plaques with the names of St. George's cavaliers, the upholstery is dominated by orange and black colors (as on the St. George's ribbon), and 18 columns with marble statues by I.P. are installed in the niches. Vitali, symbolizing the victories of Russian weapons and land annexations. Government awards are still presented in St. George's Hall.

The main facade of the Grand Kremlin Palace stretches along the Moscow River for 125 meters.

Before the revolution, it was decorated with 5 white stone bas-reliefs with the coat of arms of Russia and several bas-reliefs with the coats of arms of the historical possessions of the Russian Empire (Moscow, Kazan, etc.). After the revolution, they were cut down because the Supreme Soviet of the USSR met in the building. The place of the central double-headed eagle was taken by a bas-relief with the coat of arms of the USSR, and around it were the letters: “S”, “S”, “S”, “R”.

During the restoration of the Grand Kremlin Palace in 1994, the historical bas-reliefs on the facade were restored. The interiors of the Alexander and St. Andrew's halls, which were combined into a meeting room in 1932-1934, were also recreated. The restoration required approximately US$350 million.

Now the entire complex of the Grand Kremlin Palace, except for, is the Residence of the President of the Russian Federation. The presidential inauguration ceremony takes place here, as well as key international agreements being signed.

The Grand Kremlin Palace also has a peculiarity: it is two-story, but 3 rows of windows are clearly visible. The fact is that, according to the architect’s idea, the windows in the front rooms of the upper floor are located in 2 tiers.

They say that......the wood for the model of the Grand Kremlin Palace of Bazhenov was taken from the then dismantled palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye.

The Grand Kremlin Palace in photographs from different years:

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 individuality.

From the photo of St. Andrew's Hall in the Kremlin, it is clear that a lot of work was put into its construction.

Briefly about the main thing

St. Andrew's Throne Hall in the Kremlin was built by personal order of Nicholas I in honor of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. It became the throne room big palace and the main hall of the Moscow Kremlin. We don’t even have to talk about the magnificent decoration of the room, which makes an impression on everyone who enters, due also to the fact that the walls of the hall are covered with moire fabric the color of St. Andrew’s ribbon.

Description of the hall

St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin is the most famous in the palace. The walls of this room are decorated with pink artificial marble and gilded on top. Along them were gilded chairs upholstered in velvet. Above the windows are the coats of arms of Russian provinces.

Ten gilded pylons decorate the hall, as well as various symbols in the form of crosses and chains. Silk curtains are in perfect harmony with the rest of the room's decoration. The tall 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 there are three chairs, which were intended for the ruler, his wife and mother. This throne can still be seen in the Kremlin, upholstered in velvet and ermine fur. Hanging above the throne and above is a radiance with rays covered with gold leaf, in the center of which the All-Seeing Eye perches. On the sides of the tent hang double-headed eagles with the image of St. Andrew's cross on the chest. There are six steps leading up to the tent. Previously, back in Soviet times, in this place stood a monument to Lenin.

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

History of St. Andrew's 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 the leading architects of that time S.V. Demidova and E.V. Stepanova. The architects carried out enormous labor-intensive work with archival materials in Russia and abroad. Using past photos of the hall, with the help latest technologies They managed to restore the hall in full, down to the smallest detail, as it was during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I.

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

Experts have found that for complete identity, twenty-three types of wood must be used to restore the floor. It was brought from all over the world, even from Africa, but nothing was changed, doing everything strictly in accordance with nineteenth-century drawings. A total of about ninety-nine companies participated in the restoration work.

The huge room was constantly filled with workers; about 2.5 thousand people worked day and night for the benefit of the people. Some ornaments did not turn out right away, for example, a double-headed eagle. The craftsmen first made a copper-colored eagle. After the establishment, the commission went to the opposite bank of the river to evaluate the result obtained from afar. They didn't like it because the eagle looked like a black spider. Therefore, we decided to make an eagle in the color of “wild stone”.

In 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. This tradition was started by President Yeltsin in 1999, and it continues to this day.

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

In October-November 1917, due to an armed uprising, the Kremlin was very seriously damaged; there were detachments of cadets in it. Revolutionary troops carried out artillery shelling of the Kremlin. As a result, the walls of the palace, the clock, Nikolskaya, almost all churches located on the territory of the Kremlin, and the Small Nikolaevsky Palace were damaged.

During Soviet rule, the capital moved to Moscow, and the Kremlin began to be used as a political center. In March 1918, the Soviet government with V.I. Lenin moved into the building. The leaders of the Soviet government began to live in the palaces and buildings of the Kremlin. Was banned Free access to the building. Although previously anyone could visit this famous place. The Petrograd Collegium for the Protection of Antique Monuments and Art Treasures tried to get the Soviet government out of the Kremlin. The authorities did not even consider their appeal. Before the revolution, there were three thrones in the hall. Later they were searched throughout Russia. The first throne was found in Peterhof, the other two - in Gatchina. The Leningrad Museum did not want to give away the chairs, so they had to make copies.

During Soviet rule, the Moscow Kremlin suffered greatly. By order of Lenin, the monument to Prince Sergei Alexandrovich was demolished in 1918. In the same year, the memorial to Alexander the Second, which was built during the time of Nicholas the First, was also eliminated. In 1922, about 300 pounds of silver, approximately 2 pounds of gold, and a huge amount of precious stones. Congresses of councils and congresses of the Third International began to be organized in the Kremlin, a kitchen was established in the Golden Chamber, and a public dining room was made in Granovitaya. They decided to set up a gym in the Catherine Church. Such disrespect for an architectural work of art could not but affect its original appearance. It is believed that at that time the Kremlin lost more than half of its attractions.

In 1990, the Kremlin was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

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 (in Hebrew it is translated as “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 printed on them. Others believe that this biblical sign is a symbol of Divine Providence and the emblem of the Trinity. In Christianity, the All-Seeing Eye in a triangle means the Trinity and the meaning lies in the following words: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him and trust in His mercy.”

Excursion to the Kremlin

In Russia, St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin, like other halls, is often visited by tourists. The palace is a specially protected area. You cannot bring anything unnecessary to the Kremlin. It is prohibited to arrive drunk or in inappropriate appearance, with weapons that are dangerous to surrounding people. If there are things that cannot be brought in, then they must be handed over to the storage room in the Alexander Garden. You can also take photographs not everywhere, but only where it is allowed and where your guide indicates. For example, it is prohibited to photograph the Catherine Hall of the Kremlin.

Sometimes it is prohibited to take photographs in the Front Entrance, the Terem Palace and the Chamber of Facets. Entrance to the Kremlin is permitted with a passport; children over twelve years old can come with a foreign passport. However, from the age of fourteen, children can go on excursions with a Russian passport. Since the Kremlin halls are used for official events and other celebrations, it is possible that your tour may be rescheduled to a time more suitable for the palace.

Excursion time

A tour of the Kremlin's St. Andrew's Hall 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 the use of translator services.

When carrying out restoration work, the Italian master was afraid that the workers would do the modeling incorrectly, so he slept for four days on the floor in St. Andrew's Hall.

Catherine the Second also wanted to build a palace on the southern slope of the Kremlin hill, instead of a fortress wall, but her plans did not come true.

"The earth begins
as you know, from the Kremlin"
(c) V. Mayakovsky.

How many different palaces have we visited on our travels? But the most important thing in hometown- The Grand Kremlin Palace remained completely unattainable for us. In the Kremlin you can officially visit the Armory Chamber, the Diamond Fund, cathedrals, but for some reason the beautiful Grand Kremlin Palace is not on the visit list. Strange. Delegations of all kinds of foreigners and separate excursions for some organizations are taken there, apparently to raise the level of patriotism. We always dreamed of going there and as soon as we had the opportunity to visit the BKD, we gladly took advantage of this opportunity. The object is secure. That’s why you can shoot here, but not here. What this is connected with is again unclear. But those are the rules. As a result, it was possible to film in the state rooms of the Faceted Chamber, but not on the ground floor or in the Terem Palace. But what he saw was still amazing.
1. The Grand Kremlin Palace is one of the most massive buildings inside the Kremlin. The construction of the palace began at the same time as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Its construction was completed in 1849. The palace was supposed to symbolize the new Moscow. However, the old Kremlin buildings were not lost as a result of large construction. And as a result, the Grand Kremlin Palace is connected with the Terem Palace and the Faceted Chamber and forms one whole with them.

2. Let's start with the Chamber of Facets. Here in the distance are the doors that lead to the Red Porch.

3. And this room itself is the Holy Entrance. By the way, the Chamber of Facets was restored in 2012 and now appears before visitors in all its splendor. By the way, does anyone know what that thing is on the right side of the wall? Maybe these are the air ducts of the ventilation or heating system.

4. Beautiful painting and gilding all around - it looks very rich.

By the way, here is an archival photo. Here you can see that the current parquet is much more interesting than in the photo from the beginning of the last century.

5. Paintings in arches on religious themes. It is surprising that in the time of Peter I the paintings were painted over and the vaults were covered with a rag with the image of a double-headed eagle.

6. A little more parquet.

7. There are very beautiful chandeliers here.

8. And door handles.

9. The door portals are also very richly decorated.

10. Chamber of Facets. All the walls are painted here. It can be seen, by the way, that the walls in the room are quite thick.

11. In the middle of the chamber there is a pillar on which the ceiling vaults rest.

12. The vaults themselves are also richly painted.

13. Very beautiful. By the way, the carpet on the floor is also a restored authentic part of the interior.

Here is the reception in honor of the coronation of Alexander III. The royal place attracts attention. A kind of podium with a canopy.

Here's another interesting thing. The interior before restoration of its historical appearance. The walls are draped, the vaults are whitewashed. Around the pillar are shelves with dishes.

And here is the same interior after restoration. Even the royal place looks different.

14. Now there is no royal place in the interior; most likely it was lost in Soviet times, since the chamber was used for receptions in modern times. But the lamps remained authentic.

15. In general, the Chamber of Facets is a special place. For example, the coronation of Alexander III was celebrated here, meetings of the boyar duma were held here, and the capture of Kazan in 1552 was also celebrated here. A place with a lot of history.

16. The painting on the lower part of the walls also looks very cool, as if it were covered with fabric.

17. Very, very beautiful authentic lamps. Fine work.

18. I understand that the paintings on the walls mainly tell about scenes from the life of the king.

19. Another general view of the room. By the way, the hall is not that big. Many people now rent premises or even larger ones to celebrate weddings.

20. However, as I already said, this place is not simple, but with history. By the way, the pattern of the carpet is clearly visible here. In general, the Faceted Chamber looks very authentic... in the old Russian way, so to speak. It was very interesting to visit here.

21. We leave the Faceted Chamber and passing through the Holy Entrance Hall we find ourselves in the Vladimir Hall.

22. The hall is very solemn and beautiful. In fact, it connects the state halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Faceted Chamber and the old Terem Palace.

23. The hall is named after the Order of St. Vladimir. By the way, the upholstery of the banquettes here is exactly the same color as the order’s ribbon.

24. The staircase leads to the Terem Palace.

It is interesting that during the Russo-Japanese War, a sewing workshop was organized in the halls of the Kremlin Palace where they sewed things to be sent to the front. But in the Vladimir Hall the packing of things took place.

25. Ceiling with a translucent lantern that lets light in. The vaults are decorated with gilded ornaments and images of the Order of St. Vladimir. There is also a very beautiful gilded chandelier.

26. The doors leading to the St. George's Hall repeat their shape as the windows on the facade of the building.

27. On the glass there is an ornament and an image of the Order of St. George.

28. The same goes for door handles.

29. The most pompous, most beautiful of all the halls is St. George's Hall.

30. There is a beautiful and complex pattern on the parquet. Huge gilded chandeliers. High ceilings.

31. The hall is huge. There are windows in two rows on both sides.

Here interesting shot Soviet times. It looks like a Kremlin Christmas tree for Soviet pioneers.

32. In the niches there are tablets with the names of the holders of the order. The upholstery of the banquettes also follows the colors of the St. George ribbon.

33. The decoration of the St. George's Hall does not have as much gilding as in other parts of the BKD. Everything here is done in white colors, with stucco on the vaults and supporting columns. The only gold ones here are the images of the St. George's Stars.

34. Let’s appreciate the amazing parquet flooring again. A large number of varieties of wood, a complex pattern - this is a very delicate work.

35. Very beautiful. On the left side, the shape of the niches for nameplates follows the shape of the windows, as does the far wall with doors. So St. George's Hall was designed in the spirit of symmetry.

36. The parquet is protected and walking on it is not allowed. No wonder, such beauty.

37. In the ceiling you can see water camouflaged ceiling moldings; I think they are ventilation holes.

38. Another view. Pay attention to the sculptures standing on the columns between the windows.

39. Chic bronze gilded chandelier.

40. The numbers are impressive. The length of the hall is 61 meters, width 20.5, ceiling height - 17.5. The ceiling is supported by 18 pylons. The weight of one of the six chandeliers is 1.3 tons

41. The next hall is Alexandrovsky. It is interesting that in Soviet times, the Alexander and the next St. Andrew’s halls were united, all the beauty was dismantled.

It looked like this. This was the meeting room of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Quite sad.

42. In the mid-90s, a decision was made to reconstruct the Alexander and St. Andrew’s halls in their original form. And from 1994 to 1998 they were restored. In fact, these are replicas of the original interiors.

43. There is much more gilding here, especially after the “modest” St. George’s Hall. On the doors there is an image of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Even the chairs are decorated with his image.

44. A very elegant hall, and even the curtains match the ribbon.

45. Here again there is complete symmetry, the openings on the “blank” wall repeat the window openings. Mirrors also give the effect of light pouring from the windows.

Here is another photo from the time of the Russo-Japanese War.

46. ​​There are also luxurious chandeliers and a richly decorated ceiling with images of orders woven into the ornament.

47. Gilded columns.

48. The view is very formal.

49. On the door handle there is again an image of the order.

50. Next is another hall - Andreevsky. It was he who was the throne room of the Kremlin Palace. Accordingly, there is a throne, or rather three, and above them the sign of the all-seeing eye.

51. Doors between the halls. Each is decorated with a ribbon with its own order.

52. Wall decoration and curtains in the color of the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called - blue.

Here unique photo from the 90s. Restorers at work.

And here's another.

53. This is exactly what the miniatures on the columns at the top are painting.

Restoring parquet. In general, it is very interesting to see how all this was done.

54. Above the first row of windows along the perimeter are the coats of arms of the Russian provinces.

55. The design is again stucco with gilding.

56. Above the three throne seats there is an ermine canopy. They say that.... ermine is not real! The thrones are also not real - they are copies, but the real thrones have been preserved, now they are in the Armory.

57. The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called is the only one that is equipped with a chain. That is, the ceremonial version of the holder of the order should include such a chain, which is depicted on the doors of the hall.

58. Let's take another look at the throne. Very festive.

59. By the way, the side windows of the Andreevsky and Alexander halls overlook the Moscow River, from here it should open beautiful view to Bolotny Island and Zamoskvorechye.

Other rooms on the second floor are not accessible to visitors, as they contain the working premises of the Russian President. And no one is allowed there even in his absence. We also visited the Malachite Hall, which runs parallel to the Andreevsky and Alexander Halls, the Terem Palace - a very beautiful, authentic place, as well as the living quarters of the emperor and his family on the first floor, but it was impossible to film in all these rooms, which is a pity, there is something there look!

P.S.
I usually find all archival photos on

The museum-apartment of Nikolai Semenovich Golovanov (1891–1953), a great conductor, composer and pianist, traces its history back to 1969, when, after the death of the musician’s sister, this apartment became part of the Russian national museum music.

The basis of the funds was the rich heritage of the musician: his
collections of paintings, sculpture, applied art, library, archive and music library. Over the years, the value of this heritage has steadily increased.

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

The conductor’s memorial apartment with its various rarities is also amazing in terms of its 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 Moscow vocal art 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, heading the orchestra of the All-Union Radio and later the Bolshoi Theater, that he became a leading figure in the musical life of Moscow. Three rooms of this apartment (study, living room, dining room) are memorial. Almost every object here remembers Golovanov. And in the former bedroom, archive materials are concentrated, allowing one to trace the musician’s path.

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

The next stage is studying 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 contact with the Synodal School, becoming its teacher and assistant regent of the famous Synodal Choir. From 1915 until almost last days– work at the Bolshoi Theater (albeit with three forced breaks). These were the culminating 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 were created as productions of “Boris Godunov”, “Sadko”, “ Khovanshchina" 1948–1950.

No less effective is Golovanov’s leadership of the Big Radio Symphony Orchestra. His activities in Moscow during the Great Patriotic War were especially important. Patriotic War. Live broadcasts of the orchestra’s performances lifted the spirits of even people far from music. In a photograph from 1943 we see the conductor during the first performance in the USSR of S. V. Rachmaninov’s Third Symphony. The exhibition also reflects Golovanov’s compositional work from different years, from piano variations of his childhood to spiritual chants of the 1940s.

A special section is dedicated to the long-term union of Golovanov with A.V. Nezhdanova: the musician was the accompanist and husband of the great singer. Entering the memorial rooms of the Museum, visitors are immediately immersed in the world of art. Paintings by first-class artists (I. I. Levitan, M. V. Nesterov, K. A. Korovin and many others), sculptural portraits, antique furniture in the Empire style, stucco on the ceilings - everything creates 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 correlates with the office, like a theater hall and stage. The doors with bronze mythological figures are also remarkable. Although the genres and themes of paintings and sculptures presented in the memorial rooms are varied, each room has its own dominant features. The study is the most “musical” room. There are many portraits of composers, conductors, as well as figures of art and literature. In the living room, a significant place is occupied by images related to religious themes and images that embody the ideals of female beauty. The dominant theme in the dining room is travel in time and space: Russia and England, Italy and Egypt, India and the fabulous Berendey kingdom, deep antiquity and the 20th century. They come to life on paintings architectural masterpieces world - the Taj Mahal mausoleum painted by V.V. Vereshchagin, Pskov Kremlin by V.V. Meshkov, Venetian Palace doges in the painting by I.K. Aivazovsky.

And another attraction of the Museum is its visitors in the past and present. After all, Golovanov was visited by many outstanding musicians and artists. The owner of the apartment loved to organize a feast on holidays and memorable days. The regulars were the singers of the Bolshoi Theater who lived in the same house - Obukhova, Maksakova, Pirogov, Kozlovsky... And after the opening of the Museum (1974), conductors B. E. Khaikin, K. P. Kondrashin, G. N. Rozhdestvensky, F. Sh. Mansurov, Yu. I. Simonov. Among the concert visitors 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 conductors, professional musicians, art connoisseurs, music lovers, and a wide range of people seeking to touch the world of beauty.

• In past residence of the emperors, today is the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia.
• Huge palace the construction of which lasted 10 years, appeared in the Kremlin in the 19th century under Nicholas I.
• The building includes the remains of earlier buildings: Terem Palace, nine churches and the Chamber of Facets.
• The Great Kremlin Palace is 125 meters long, its height is 47 meters, and total area the building is 25,000 sq.m..
• The residence has a huge lobby, about 700 rooms and five halls that are used for high-level meetings and state ceremonies.
• The “Malachite Foyer” is open to visitors, where you can see portraits of all Russian sovereigns.

The Grand Kremlin Palace is unique architectural ensemble and a landmark museum for Moscow. Once it housed the chambers of the imperial family, and now it is the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia. The palace is open to visitors only with organized excursions, which are carried out according to a schedule agreed in advance with the Federal Security Service. Personal chambers of emperors with authentic furnishings, throne and order halls, luxurious interiors and paintings - the Palace amazes with its beauty and grandeur.

Construction of the palace

Even during the reign of Empress Catherine II, the architect Vasily Bazhenov proposed building a gigantic new palace in the Kremlin, but due to its complexity and high cost, his project was not brought to life. A new residence in the Kremlin appeared by decree of the grandson of the Empress, Nicholas I. The palace was built for almost ten years, from 1838 to 1849. The work on it brought together outstanding Russian artists and architects - N. Chichagov, V. Bakarev, N. Shokhin, P. Gerasimova, F. Solntseva.

The author of the project is the recognized master Konstantin Ton. Emperor Nicholas I was directly involved in the search for an architectural style for the palace. They decided to build a new residence in the traditions of “Byzantine-Russian architecture.” It is believed that the design with its monumental forms, created by Andrei Stackenschneider, was taken as the basis for the project. On the site of old buildings from the 15th to 18th centuries. They erected a building that amazes with its size and harmony of lines. The length of the Grand Kremlin Palace is 125 meters, height - 47 meters, total area - 25,000 square meters. From the outside it appears to be three stories high, but it actually has two floors.

During a detailed study of the project, experts discovered many similarities with palace buildings of the 15th - 18th centuries that stood on this site earlier. The windows of the lower tier in the modern palace correspond to the arches of the basement of the 15th century palace, the outer gallery corresponds to the external passages, and the terrace looks like an ancient walkway. The palace also had a Winter Garden - a kind of repetition of the hanging gardens of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The Grand Kremlin Palace included especially valuable parts of previous buildings: the Terem Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, nine temples (the oldest of which dates back to the 14th century), and the Faceted Chamber of the 15th century. The residence has about 700 rooms, a huge lobby and five majestic halls.

In 1849 the palace was a tor consecrated in the presence of Emperor Nicholas I. In parallel, construction began on a building in the same style. With its construction, the ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace was finally formed. The buildings are connected by an overpass. After the socialist revolution of 1917 and the move of the Soviet government to Moscow, many rooms of the palace began to be used as residential buildings. Nowadays, the Palace hosts the inauguration ceremony of the President of Russia, high-level meetings are held, and orders are awarded - high state awards of the Russian Federation.

Visitors can enter the Kremlin Palace from the side Cathedral Square. Nearby is the front porch of the Kremlin's Faceted Chamber; it is decorated with figures of lions and covered with a gilded lattice.

Style decision of the ensemble

The appearance of the Palace is emphatically austere: it is decorated big amount stucco elements that partially copy decorative decorations of the 17th century. To ensure that the building does not stand out from the general ensemble of the Kremlin, its external design uses “elements of the Russian style”, characteristic of earlier buildings. From the top viewpoint you can see that the first floor of the palace protrudes forward and forms an open terrace. The arched windows of the first tier are separated by thin partitions and outwardly resemble a closed gallery, lined with natural stone. The second floor with two tiers of windows is divided by pilasters and decorated with decorative platbands in the “Russian style” with double arches and a weight in the middle. The palace ends with a “tribune” - an architectural elevation, which is crowned with a golden balustrade. It is decorated with “kokoshniks” - semicircular decorative elements and historical coats of arms of the kingdoms that were part of the Russian Empire: Moscow, Kazan, Astrakhan, Tauride, Finland and Poland.

Halls of the Palace

The palace lobby is a suite of marble-lined halls with polished granite columns. A huge grand staircase leads to the second floor. The vault covered with arches, the red carpet, the main entrance of the palace facing the Moscow River - this part of the palace is easily recognizable from the memorable shots of the inauguration ceremonies of Russian presidents. It was along these stairs that B. Yeltsin, V. Putin and D. Medvedev climbed before taking the oath. Having gone upstairs, each visitor sees a huge painting “Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword,” created by the artist S. Prisekin in 1983.

The round passage hall located in the center of the palace is called Vladimirsky. It is dedicated to the Order of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir. Ruled at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th centuries. The Kiev prince was able to unite the tribes of the Eastern Slavs and adopted the Orthodox religion as the state religion. The shape of the hall resembles the Roman Pantheon; it is also illuminated from above by a round window.

The oldest room in the palace (and all of Moscow) is built in 1487‒1491. Marco Ruffo and Antonio Solari. The exterior is decorated with rustication and is reminiscent of Italian Renaissance buildings. In front of its entrance is the Red Porch, on which complaints were usually submitted to the Tsar in the 15th - 17th centuries. The chamber has unique frescoes with biblical scenes, rare beautiful parquet flooring and glittering gold interiors.

- This is the hall of the most honorable military order of the Russian Empire - the Order of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. The order was approved by Empress Catherine II in 1769 for military merits and bravery on the battlefield. Meetings of the Knights of St. George were held here. The names of 545 army units and more than 10,000 names of officers and generals are carved on the walls. Among them are the great Russian commanders of the 18th-19th centuries: A. Suvorov, M. Kutuzov, P. Bagration, F. Ushakov, P. Nakhimov.

Alexander Hall named after the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, which was established in 1725 by Empress Catherine I in honor of the patron saint of St. Petersburg.

St. Andrew's Hall dedicated to the highest order of the Russian Empire and modern Russia- Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. St. Andrew's Hall was initially considered the main imperial hall Moscow Kremlin, where the throne of the emperor was installed. The restored throne under a canopy decorated with velvet and ermine fur can still be seen. In Soviet times, a monument to V. Lenin was erected on the site of the throne, and congresses of the Communist Party and sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were held in the hall itself. Nowadays, inauguration ceremonies of the Russian President take place here. Above the throne you can see the image of the Radiant Delta - the All-Seeing Eye of the Lord in the rays of glory. This is the personification of God's patronage of power.

Dedicated to the Women's Order of St. Catherine. It is located away from the main premises of the Palace and was also the throne room of the emperors. It is closed to visitors.

Here you can also see a unique Terem Palace- residence of the Moscow tsars of the 17th century. It was built in 1635‒1636. on the foundation of a 15th-century palace, it has an enfilade arrangement. In its last room there is a bedroom, next to it are the king’s personal chambers. The interiors amaze with their wealth and luxury, the beauty of the tiled stoves and paintings on the walls. Go into it