Attractions on the territory of the Kremlin. The main attractions of the Moscow Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are the main ones in Russia. Twenty towers and the same number of walls were, in fact, a grandiose fortress structure to protect against enemy attacks. Currently, the fortress has lost its fortification purpose. The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are a visiting card of Russia, its cultural heritage.

Major attractions

The Kremlin is located on the Moskva River, on its left bank, high. There are several passage towers along the perimeter, the rest are of an architectural and historical nature. The main tower of the ensemble is Spasskaya, it has a chime clock, by which it is customary to meet New Year countrywide. The clock is always accurate, reference time. The Spasskaya Tower is a separate attraction in Moscow, but for tourists its indoor spaces closed.

The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are linked together and complement each other. From the Spasskaya Tower, Vasilievsky Descent originates, leading to the Moskva River, Zamoskvoretsky Bridge and the corner Beklemishevskaya Tower.

Ancient kremlin

In the 16th century, the Kremlin streets were expanded and improved: Nikolskaya, Chudovskaya and Spasskaya. This was done to resettle the numerous boyars and clergy, who literally flooded the territory of the Kremlin, settling down for permanent residence with their families. The vacated zones began to be built up. In 1552, the Ivan the Great belfry received an extension in the form of the Resurrection Church, then the churches of the Three Saints and the Solovetsky Miracle Workers appeared in the courtyard of the Metropolitans. The Grand Ducal Palace was radically rebuilt. The royal family received Bed Chambers near the Church of the Savior on Bor.

The main attractions of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square

The Kremlin houses:

  • the Armory Museum, which contains unique exhibits: royal carriages and monarchs' clothes, the world famous Monomakh hat, a collection of Easter eggs by a Russian jeweler;
  • three grandiose cathedrals: Archangel, Annunciation and Assumption.
  • Church of the Deposition of the Robe;
  • museum exhibit Tsar Bell;
  • belfry "Ivan the Great";
  • Tsar Cannon, a unique weapon.

What's on Red Square?

The main square of Moscow is famous for the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, its other name - Pokrovsky of stunning beauty was created during the reign of Ivan the Terrible in honor of the conquest of Kazan. The architectural value of the cathedral has not yet been determined. This greatest masterpiece of temple architecture was created by architects named Postnik and Barma. Nine churches are brought together. Each has its own name. In the center is the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin. Then follow:

  • church chapel of the Three Patriarchs;
  • Holy Trinity;
  • Nikola Velikoretsky;
  • Cyprian and Ustinya;
  • the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem;
  • Gregory of Armenian;
  • Alexander Svirsky;
  • Varlaam Khutynsky.

In the immediate vicinity of the Intercession Cathedral there is a monument to Minin and Pozharsky. A little further - the Execution Ground, where public executions were carried out. Further, the vast expanse of Red Square, covered with paving stones, spreads. At the end is the Russian Museum. On the left, along Red Square, it ends at the Nikolskaya Passage Tower.

Until recently, the public was interested in the Lenin mausoleum and the section of the Kremlin wall with honorary burials. Today everything there is planted with blue spruce, but this site is not popular. On the opposite side of Red Square is GUM, the oldest Moscow department store.

Illuminating and Red Square, you can mention the annual parade military equipment, which takes place on the square on May 9.

During the Soviet era, many buildings in the Moscow Kremlin were destroyed. Moreover, this was done as a result of the official directives of the Soviet government. The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square were not considered the property of the Soviet regime. Especially many exhibits suffered as a result of the barbaric actions of militant atheists. Many sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square were damaged. The letter of the People's Commissar of Education Lunacharsky, which he sent to the chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, Kalinin, in order to prevent further destruction, was recognized as harmful, anti-communist and anti-Soviet. Two of the most ancient Kremlin monasteries - Voznesensky and Miracles - were immediately demolished.

Revival

The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square have been successfully restored in the post-Soviet period. Cathedrals and museums function, new exhibits appear. There is no definite answer to the question of which of the sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is the most interesting. All sights are grandiose, each in its own way. The Armory Chamber, the Intercession Cathedral and the Russian Museum leave a particularly strong impression of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square. It is also impossible to pass by church ensembles, Cathedral Square, and other sacred buildings of antiquity. The exact answer to the question, which of the sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is the most significant, will be given by the Moscow Antiquities Competition, scheduled for 2016.

Sights of the Kremlin and Red Square

Red Square can be called the center of Russia, regardless of its geographic location. It is difficult to find a person who has not heard of Red Square in Moscow. Any citizen arriving in Moscow, whether Russian or foreign, will definitely visit the main attraction - Red Square.

  • Red Square - the main square of the city (XV century) Founder of Tsar Ivan III. Red Square is located between the Moscow Kremlin in the west and Kitay-Gorod in the east, i.e. between the Kremlin passage, the Voskresensky gate passage, Nikolskaya street, Ilyinka, Varvarka, then Vasilyevsky descent and the Kremlin embankment. Red Square includes: Execution Ground, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky, the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin, Necropolis near Kremlin wall, The Moscow Kremlin, the Upper Trading Rows or GUM and the Middle Trading Rows, the Historical Museum, the Kazan Cathedral and the Intercession Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral). The unique architectural ensemble of the square is under the protection of UNESCO as a monument World heritage.
  • Monument of Russian architecture Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed (1555-1561) or Pokrovsky Cathedral; St. Basil's Cathedral; Cathedral of the Intercession Holy Mother of God, which is on the Moat, is located on Red Square. The author of the project is Postnik Yakovlev. The founder is Ivan the Terrible. Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Complex work in the cathedral was carried out at the behest of Catherine II from 1784 to 1786 and was supervised by the architect Ivan Yakovlev. In 1900-1912, the restoration of the Temple was carried out by the architect S.U. Soloviev. In 1920, the repair and restoration work in the temple was carried out by architects: N.S. Kurdyukov and A.A. Zhelyabuzhsky. The height of the temple is 65 meters. There are 11 domes in the temple and eight churches: the Church of St. Basil the Blessed (1588); Church of Alexander Svirsky (1552); Church of Varlaam Khutynsky; Church of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem; Church of St. Gregory of Armenia; Church of Cyprian and Justina; Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky (1555); Church of the Holy Trinity; Church of the Three Patriarchs (1552); Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin; Bell tower (17th century and 1680). Currently, the Intercession Cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum. The site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Russia.

the Moscow Kremlin

  • Moscow Kremlin (March 10, 1806) Museum-Reserve
  • Grand Kremlin Palace
  • Kremlin stars
  • Armouries
  • Clock on the Spasskaya Tower
  • 14th building of the Kremlin
  • Alexander Garden
  • Diamond fund
  • Andreevsky Hall or Throne Hall in the Moscow Kremlin
  • Arsenal of the Moscow Kremlin
  • Big Kremlin Square
  • Voskresensky bridge
  • State Kremlin Palace
  • Faceted Chamber
  • Palace of Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna
  • Building of orders
  • Golden Queen's Chamber
  • Ivanovskaya square
  • Kremlin wall
  • Lenin's mausoleum
  • Small Nikolaevsky Palace
  • Manezhnaya square
  • Necropolis at the Kremlin wall
  • Monument to Alexander II in the Kremlin
  • Monument to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich
  • Monument to Lenin in the Kremlin
  • Petrovsky bridge
  • Post number 1 at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
  • Amusing palace
  • Golden Chamber of the Kremlin Palace
  • Senate square
  • Senate Palace
  • Cathedral Square
  • The old building of the Armory
  • Taynitsky garden
  • Terem Palace
  • Troitsky bridge
  • The Tsar Bell
  • Tsar Cannon

Temples of the Moscow Kremlin

  • Cathedral of the Archangel
  • Blagoveshchensky cathedral
  • Assumption Cathedral
  • Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Gostunsky
  • Patriarchal Palace and Church of the Twelve Apostles
  • Ivan the Great belltower
  • Holy Cross Church (Moscow Kremlin)
  • Church of the Deposition of the Robe (in the Moscow Kremlin)
  • Church of the Nativity of the Virgin on Seny
  • Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
  • Church of the Resurrection of the Word
  • Church of the Twelve Apostles at the Synodal
  • Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
  • Church of John Climacus (Ivan the Great)
  • Church of Lazarus the Righteous Resurrection
  • Church of the Laying of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae
  • Church of Praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Amusement Palace

Destroyed churches and temples of the Kremlin

  • Church of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae.
  • Temple of the Vladimir Mother of God at the Vladimir Gates Temple of the Vladimir Mother of God at the Vladimir Gate (1691-1694) The address of the temple: at the gates of Kitai-Gorod. The temple was destroyed in 1934.
  • Afanasyevsky Monastery (male) (1389) The Afanasyevsky Monastery was destroyed in 1802.
  • Epiphany Trinity Monastery (male) (15th century) The monastery was destroyed in the 19th century.
  • Ascension monastery (female) (1386) The monastery was destroyed in 1929.
  • Monastery of the Savior on Bor (male) (from the XIII century) The monastery was destroyed in 1490.
  • Cathedral of the Savior on Bor or the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, that on Bor (1330) Monastic Cathedral, located in the Moscow Kremlin, in the courtyard of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The Church of the Savior-na-Boru was demolished on May 1, 1933.
  • Alexander's Cathedral (1630) moved in 1683, but abolished and dismantled in 1770. The address of the temple: in the Moscow Kremlin stood to the right of the east of the Petrokovskaya belfry.
  • Ascension Monastery (1386) Founder Evdokia, wife of Dmitry Donskoy; in 1467 the founder: wife of Vasily II the Dark and architect Vasily Ermolin; (1519) the architect Aleviz New (Аloisio Lamberti da Montignana); (1808) architect Carlo Rossi and architect A. Bakarev. Destroyed convent in 1929.
  • Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord in the Ascension Monastery (1519) The stone cathedral was under construction (1407-1467); a new temple was built on its foundations in 1519. Project author: architect Aleviz (Aloisio Lamberti da Montignana). The cathedral was demolished in 1929.
  • Miracles male monastery(1365) Founder, Metropolitan Alexy. The monastery was destroyed in 1930.
  • Cathedral of Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, in the Chudov Monastery (1483) Author of the project: drawings (1680) to the drawing of Tsar Feodor Alekseevich. The cathedral was built in 1680-1686, destroyed in 1931.
  • Cathedral of the Chudov Monastery or the Cathedral of the Miracle of Michael the Archangel in Khonekh in the Chudov Monastery (1365 and 1501-1504). The Cathedral was destroyed in 1929.
  • Verkhospassky Cathedral or Cathedral of the Savior Image Not Made by Hands (Verkhospassky Cathedral; Savior Behind the Golden Lattice) (1536) Authors of the project: (1628-1631) architect L.M. Ushakov; (1635-1636) architects B. Ogurtsov and A. Konstantinov; (1627) John Thaler; perestroika (1680-1681) O.D Startsev.
  • Church of Catherine the Great Martyr in the Ascension Monastery (1536 and 1686) (1808-1817) Project author: (1808-1817) architect A.N. Bakarev; (1808-1817) the architect K.I. Russia. The church was demolished in 1929.
  • Church of Mikhail Malein in the Ascension Monastery (1634) The church was dismantled together with the monastery in 1929.
  • The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in the Chudov Monastery (1680-1686) Project author: perestroika (1880) V.N. Karneev. The church was destroyed in 1931.
  • Church of Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod, in the Chudov Monastery (1911) The church was located in the cells of the governor at the bell tower, destroyed in 1929.
  • Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sapozhka (1470) The address of the church: next to the Kutafya tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The church was dismantled in 1838.
  • Church of the Annunciation at Zhitny Dvor (1730-1731) Project author: Godfried Schedel. The founder is Empress Anna Ioannovna. The Annunciation Church in Zhitny Dvor was destroyed in 1932. Territory of the Moscow Kremlin.
  • The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist on Bor (near Bor, at the Borovitsky Gate), or the Church of the Holy Martyr Uar, located in the Kremlin. (1505-1508) Project author: (1508-1509) architect Aleviz Fryazin New (Aloisio Lamberti da Montignana). The church was demolished in 1847.
  • Church of Saints Constantine and Helena (1651) Architect Prince D.V. Ukhtomsky. Temple address: in the Moscow Kremlin near the Konstantin-Eleninskaya tower. The church was destroyed in 1928.
  • Church of Peter and Paul in the Small Nicholas Palace (1775-1776) Project author: M.F. Kazakov. The church was destroyed in 1923-1929.

Moscow chapels in the Kremlin and on Red Square

  • Chapel of Alexander Nevsky at the Nikolsky Gate
  • Chapel of the Great Council Angel at the Spassky Gate
  • Chapel of the Great Council Revelation at the Spassky Gate
  • Chapel of John the Baptist in the Borovitskaya Tower
  • Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker at the Nikolsky Gate
  • Chapel of the Icon of the Mother of God of the Pechersk
  • Chapel of the Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God
  • Chapel of the All-Merciful Savior at the Moskvoretsky Bridge
  • Iverskaya chapel
  • Chapel of Panteleimon the Healer at the Vladimir Gate
  • Chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh at the Ilyinsky Gate

The Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers, three of them are round: Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Angular Arsenalnaya, standing in the corners of the triangle, the rest of the towers have a square cross-section.

Sights of the Kremlin and Red Square in the photo

The Moscow Kremlin is the main attraction of the capital of Russia, of great historical, architectural and socio-political value.

The Kremlin is located in the very center of the city on the high Borovitsky hill near the Moskva River. On one side there is Red Square, on the other - the Alexander Garden.

How to get to the Moscow Kremlin, which Kremlin sights to see first, how to buy entrance tickets, about the opening hours, excursions and much more, read this article.

History of the Moscow Kremlin

First on the territory modern Kremlin Finno-Ugric tribes settled in the Bronze Age. In the 10th century, Borovitsky Hill, located at the intersection of important trade routes, was occupied by the Vyatichi, and in 1156, by the will of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, a typical Russian fortress with defensive fortifications - earthen ramparts with palisades surrounded by a deep moat was built here.

Until the middle of the 14th century, the Moscow Kremlin was made of wood. Under Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy, its walls and towers were replaced with white-stone ones, which served until the end of the 15th century.

Under the guidance of Italian craftsmen, in 1485-1516, new powerful fortifications of fired bricks were erected - towers and battlements from three to six and a half meters thick, which we have the opportunity to admire today.

Architectural ensemble

The architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin consists of the golden-domed Annunciation, Archangel and Assumption Cathedrals, the Patriarch's Chambers, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the Faceted Chamber, and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. In the 17th century, the Terem Palace was erected, at about the same time the Kremlin towers acquired their modern appearance. In the 18th century, the Arsenal, the Senate, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory appeared.

Unfortunately, the most ancient Cathedral of the Savior on Bor, built in 1330 and destroyed in 1933, the Chudov Monastery, founded in 1365 and demolished in 1929, the Ascension Monastery, the Small Nicholas Palace and many other buildings, have not survived. In total, during the years of Soviet power, out of 54 Kremlin buildings, only 26 survived.

However, in 1990 the Kremlin was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Photo - excursion around the territory

The entrance to the territory is carried out through the Kutafya tower, crowned with a beautiful openwork "crown".

Before getting to the Kremlin, you need to buy tickets in the dark glass pavilion, which is located nearby in the Alexander Garden, go through the "frame" of a metal detector and the procedure for inspecting personal belongings. Large bags, suitcases and backpacks will have to be dropped off at the locker.

The Kutafya Tower, previously surrounded by a river and a moat, protected the approaches to the Trinity Tower.

After crossing the Trinity Bridge, we will look at the multi-tiered Trinity Tower from the other side. Its height is 80 meters, it is the tallest tower in the Kremlin.

On the right in the photo is the Arsenal, erected by order of Peter the Great. The building was supposed to be used as a military warehouse and trophy storage. In our time, the administrative services of the Kremlin Commandant's Office and the barracks of the Presidential Regiment are stationed here.

Left - the State Kremlin Palace (formerly the Palace of Congresses), built in 1961. The main Christmas tree countries, concerts and ballet performances are held.

Near the walls of the Arsenal are historical weapons - collections of old Russian and foreign cannons, military trophies of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Now we will go out to the Senate Square.

The Senate building, designed by the architect M.F. Kazakov, has the shape of a triangle. In Soviet times, there was a study and an apartment of V.I. Lenin, the offices of I.V. Stalin, L.I. Brezhnev, M.S. Gorbachev. Today, the Senate houses the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

View from about the same point in the other direction - to Trinity Square and the Kremlin Cathedrals.

The Tsar Cannon, which is a must-see, stands at Trinity Square and the Patriarch's Chambers with the Church of the Twelve Apostles.

The powerful cannon was manufactured in 1586. This is the largest cannon in the world, an outstanding example of Russian arms art. Its caliber is 890 mm, weight is 40 tons.

At the foot of the bell tower there is another giant - the Tsar Bell, cast in the 18th century. Its weight is 202 tons, diameter is 6.6 meters. The Tsar Bell was cast right there, on the territory of Ivanovskaya Square. A piece of the bell broke off during a big fire in the Kremlin.

WITH south side the Big Kremlin Square and Taynitsky Garden adjoin Ivanovskaya Square.

Unfortunately, you cannot walk around the entire garden - this is a secure facility. But you can still see something interesting: for example, an aviary for peregrine falcons, goshawks and an eagle owl, which are kept specially so that they chase crows and pigeons. Or here - Helipad for the President and the Prime Minister, equipped not so long ago.

View from the park to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower ensemble. The Kremlin bell tower became the tallest building in Moscow under Boris Godunov, who ordered to build it up in 1600 to a height of 81 m. You can go upstairs in the summer by purchasing a separate ticket.

From April to October, on Saturdays at 12-00, the ceremony of the equestrian and foot divorce of the Presidential Regiment takes place on Cathedral Square. Viewing the ceremony is included in the price of a single ticket to visit the territory of the Kremlin and cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square.

The Assumption Cathedral, built according to the project of the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti, was the main temple of Russia for four centuries - Ivan the Terrible and other tsars were crowned here, and emperors were crowned. Many patriarchs and metropolitans are buried in the Assumption Cathedral.

In the photo - the Archangel Cathedral, erected in 1505-1508 in honor of the Archangel Michael by the Venetian Aleviz Novy.

Entrance to the Archangel Cathedral. The temple-royal burial vault contains 54 burials of saints, princes, kings and their wives, including the holy Tsarevich Dmitry of Uglich, Moscow princes Vasily Dark, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan Kalita, Tsars Ivan the Terrible and Alexei Mikhailovich.

The Annunciation Cathedral, one of the oldest on the Kremlin territory, was built by Pskov craftsmen in 1484-1489. The small church was used as the home church of the Russian sovereigns.

An interesting exhibition "Treasures and Antiquities of the Moscow Kremlin" is located in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral.

The Faceted Chamber, one of the oldest civil buildings in Moscow, in tsarist times served as the main ceremonial reception hall, a place for meetings of the Boyar Duma, meetings of Zemsky sobors. Now it is the representative hall of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

The Faceted Chamber is called because it is lined with blocks having 4 edges.

In the corner of Cathedral Square are the Verkhospassky Cathedral - part of the ancient Terem Palace, the eastern facade of the Golden Tsaritsin's Chamber and the Church of the Deposition of the Robe - the home church of Moscow metropolitans and patriarchs.

From Cathedral Square we move to the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in the 19th century. The ensemble of the palace includes about 700 rooms, including the Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Andreevsky, Alexandrovsky and Catherine halls, the Golden Tsaritsin's chamber, the Malachite foyer, the Cabinet and the Bedroom of the emperors, nine churches and the Terem Palace.

Since the Grand Kremlin Palace is the ceremonial residence of the President of the Russian Federation, you can get there only as part of a group from an organization upon a preliminary application submitted a month in advance.

Next to the BKD there is the Armory Chamber - a museum with countless riches: old gold and silver jewelry and other items, weapons, armor, state decorations, and a collection of carriages. Here you can see the cap of Monomakh, scepters, orbs, thrones, coronation dresses and royal royal dress.

The same building houses the Diamond Fund - the national treasury of Russia, a repository of precious stones and nuggets, ceremonial jewelry of Russian tsars and emperors. It is here that the Great Imperial Crown, made on the occasion of the coronation of Catherine II, is located. The crown is adorned with 5,000 diamonds, 75 large pearls and a very large rare dark red spinel gem.

View from the Armory to Vodovzvodnaya, Borovitskaya Tower and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The amusing palace - the chambers of the boyar Miloslavsky is best seen from the Alexander Garden, it is located at the Kremlin wall between the Trinity and the Commandant towers. In 1672, entertainments were held here - performances for the amusement of the kings, which gave the name to the palace. Under Peter the Great, the Police Order was located in the Amusement Palace, and nowadays - the services of the Commandant's Office.

How to get to the Kremlin

On the public transport: the nearest metro stations are the Lenin Library, Aleksandrovsky Garden, Borovitskaya and Arbatskaya blue Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya lines. It is also easy to walk to the Kremlin from many central stations: Okhotny Ryad, Revolution Square, Teatralnaya and others.

Opening hours

The territory of the Kremlin and cathedrals-museums of Cathedral Square:

  • from May 16 to September 30 - every day, except Thursday, from 9-30 to 18-00 (ticket offices are open from 9-00 to 16-30)
  • from October 1 to May 15 - every day, except Thursday, from 10-00 to 17-00 (ticket offices are open from 9-30 to 16-00)

The Armory works in sessions from 10-00 to 18-00 every day, except Thursday. The beginning of the sessions - 10-00, 12-00, 14-30, 16-30

Diamond Fund - every day, except Thursday, from 10-00 to 17-20 for sessions. Break - from 13-00 to 14-00. The duration of the session is 40 minutes. Ticket sales for morning sessions start at 9-00, for evening - at 13-00. Morning sessions: 10-00, 10-20, 10-40, 11-00, 11-20, 12-00, 12-20. Evening sessions: 14-00, 15-00, 15-20, 16-00, 16-20, 16-40, 17-00, 17-20.

The Diamond Fund is closed on holidays. More details about the working hours - on the official website: gokhran.ru/ru/diamond-fund/contacts.phtml

Rarely, but it happens that access to the Kremlin is closed in connection with solemn events, meetings of heads of foreign states, receptions on the occasion of public holidays and other events.

Ticket prices

Single ticket (territory, cathedrals, exhibitions)- visiting the territory of the Kremlin, cathedral-museums of Cathedral Square, exhibition halls of the Patriarch's Chambers, the exposition "Treasures and Antiquities of the Moscow Kremlin" in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral, an exhibition of wooden sculpture in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, expositions in the annex of the Arkhangelsk Cathedral:

  • adults - 500 rubles
  • Russian students and pensioners - 250 rubles, without the possibility of visiting museums (only the territory) - free
  • children under 16 years old, members of large families, disabled persons of the 1st and 2nd groups and other preferential categories of citizens - free of charge
  • for persons under the age of 18, the second Tuesday of each month - free
  • on the Days of Cultural Heritage one ticket is free for everyone

Single tickets are sold online on the official website of the Moscow Kremlin kreml.ru (except for free and discounted tickets) and at the box office in the Alexander Garden on the day of the visit.

- the visit is carried out with a separate ticket, the price includes an audio guide:

  • adults - 700 rubles
  • Russian students and pensioners - 350 rubles
  • children under 16 years old, members of large families, disabled persons of the 1st and 2nd groups and other preferential categories of citizens - free of charge

Entrance tickets to the Armory are sold on the day of the visit, subject to the availability of tickets at the box office in the Alexander Garden and via the Internet on the official website of the Moscow Kremlin kreml.ru (except for free and discounted ones).

Attention! Purchasing tickets Online for a specific session does not guarantee that you will receive additional free or reduced tickets for the same session on the day you visit the museum. Free and discount tickets are issued only if they are available at the box office, on a first-come, first-served basis. The museum's bandwidth does not allow for an unlimited number of tickets for each session.

Diamond fund- you can buy tickets at the box office # 4 and # 5 in the Alexander Garden on the day of your visit for a certain session. A guided tour is included in the ticket price.

  • adults - 500 rubles
  • schoolchildren, students, pensioners, members of large families - 100 rubles
  • disabled children, non-working disabled people of groups 1 and 2 and other preferential categories of citizens - free of charge

The number of tickets for each session is limited.

If you want to visit only the Armory Chamber and / or the Diamond Fund, you can enter through the Borovitskaya Tower.

The queue at the box office and at the entrance is least of all during the cold season on weekdays, most of all - in the warm season in good weather on weekends, especially on Saturday in the morning - because of the opportunity to watch the divorce ceremony on Cathedral Square.

Excursions

The Kremlin excursion center offers sightseeing and thematic excursions on the territory of the Kremlin, the Armory, cathedral-museums and museum expositions for organized groups and individual visitors as part of a combined group.

Prices for excursions around the Moscow Kremlin, the procedure for registration and payment of excursions, see the official website: kreml.ru

Free mobile guide around the Kremlin - izi.travel/ru/7cce-moskva-kreml/ru

Photography

Amateur photography and filming in cathedrals-museums, the Armory and the Diamond Fund is prohibited.

In the very center of the capital, there are witnesses of significant events of the past and places where the present takes place - the Kremlin and Red Square. Ancient and unique, beloved and mystical - these places have long become not just business cards of Moscow, but also symbols of the country. Seeing the sights of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is task number 1 for any tourist.

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One of the capital's business cards known far beyond the borders of the country - the Grand Kremlin Palace - is located along the embankment of the Moskva River. The modern palace was built under Nicholas I by a group of architects under the leadership of K. Ton on the site of the once existing structures of the times of Ivan III and Elizabeth Petrovna. The majestic structure is equal in height to a 15-storey building, and in terms of the occupied area it is more than 3 football fields. The complex includes a newly erected palace building, Faceted, Tsaritsyn and Armory, Terem Palace and churches.

The exquisite facade of the palace hides about 700 rooms, including 5 order halls, ceremonial and living quarters of the imperial family and service premises. The main attraction of the palace, which is now the residence of the president, is its luxurious interiors with unique parquet, gilding and marble.

Cathedrals

The Moscow Kremlin is a treasury of Russian art and spirituality. A separate part of it are unique cathedrals, of which only 8 have survived.

St. Basil's Cathedral

The brightest and most unique of the existing temples is St. Basil's Cathedral. The peculiarity of the temple built in 1561 is in unique chapters, none of which repeats the drawing of the other, all 10 are completely different. The temple was not always so colorful. Initially, the building was made of white stone and brick, and in the 17th century. its domes and walls were decorated with colorful designs. What this is connected with is not known for certain, how and who exactly built the temple. There is a version that the architect was Nikolai Postnik, nicknamed Barma, or that they were 2 different people.

The cathedral consists of 10 churches built on one foundation. In the center is the Intercession Church, which gave the cathedral its second name. There are 4 large churches around it, indicating the cardinal points, and 4 more between them. The whole ensemble is surrounded by a bypass gallery.

Ticket price: 150 rubles for children, 500 rubles for adults, 1000 rubles for foreigners.

Cathedral of the Archangel

The Archangel Cathedral stands apart among the Kremlin churches. Built in the XIV century. it will not stand out either for the luxury of the exterior or for the richness of colors. The ceremonial building in the Renaissance style was originally built as a tomb and is dedicated to the archangel, and the features of architecture and the choice of decor elements are subordinate to this.

The five-domed cathedral, according to the tradition of temples erected in honor of archangels and saints, is crowned with silver helmet-shaped domes and only the central dome is a gilded hemisphere. The façade, originally painted red brick and later repainted white, is decorated with intact pilasters, capitals, rosettes and arches. The interior has undergone significant changes. Unique frescoes remained only at the grave of Ivan the Terrible. The sights of the cathedral are the icon depicting the Archangel Michael, and the "Blessed Sky" and 56 burials of princes and kings.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

Among the many Kremlin churches erected by Italian craftsmen, the Annunciation Cathedral stands out for its architecture. It has become a monument of Russian architecture, combining the features inherent in the Moscow and Pskov schools. Built as a home church in 1489, the cathedral was completed and decorated until the 1560s, when it acquired its modern look. By this time, the 3-domed cathedral surrounded by porches was replenished with more churches and galleries and now it is crowned with 9 domes.

One of the cathedrals most beloved by princes and tsars is distinguished by luxury from the floor of jasper and agate and the most beautiful iconostasis to the golden cross, which Napoleon never found, and the mechanical clock, the prototype of the Moscow chimes. The cathedral is full of mysteries. These are tsats - crescents under the crosses of the domes, and miraculous icons. One of the secrets is the images of Greek philosophers on the porch, among other works by the icon painter Yedikeev, who was entrusted with the painting of the temple. Now services are not held in the temple, there is a museum here.

Assumption Cathedral

The Assumption Cathedral is one of the main Moscow churches and undoubtedly one of the most controversial. It is still unknown why the Pskov architects, whose relics lie at the base of the cathedral and many others, abandoned its construction. centuries. It was crowned, elevated to dignity, prayers were served, an oath of allegiance was sworn, and state acts were announced. In the Assumption Cathedral, the first of the Romanov family was crowned, and Count L. Tolstoy was excommunicated.

The construction was entrusted to the Italian Catholic Fiorovanti, who coped with the task, erecting the temple, attracting attention with a strict facade and golden helmet-shaped domes. Behind the seeming simplicity of the architecture, there are innovative techniques that have made the cathedral stand out. Now it houses a museum, but festive services are also held.

Ivan the Great belltower

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is an amazing complex that was built for about 3 centuries, from 1505 to 1815. It included the Assumption Belfry with the Filaret annex and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower itself. The first to appear was the bell tower, which served for 3 adjacent cathedrals. Then it was slightly lower than it is now. Almost a century later, under Boris Godunov, the last tier was built. With a height of 81 m, the bell tower became the tallest structure in Moscow, which it remained until the end of the 19th century.

In 1552, the Assumption Church was erected near the bell tower, which was rebuilt into a belfry. In 1624, the Filaretov annex was built near the belfry. The latter were destroyed during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, and rebuilt much later. Now museums are located in the bell tower, and going upstairs tourists get to one of the best in the city viewing platforms, from where an amazing view of the Kremlin opens.

Price: 250 ₽, only from 14 years old.

Verkhospassky Cathedral

The Verkhnespassky Cathedral cannot be confused with any other - its roof is decorated with 11 drums with golden domes. The temple is a complex of house churches arranged right in the Terem Palace. The origins of the cathedral go back to the 17th century. to the house churches, when in 1627 the Catherine's Church was built on the female half of the palace. A few years later, the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands with the chapel of John the Baptist was erected for the tsar and the princes in the male half.

By the middle of the century, the Church of St. Eudokia appears above Catherine's, which will later be rededicated in honor of the Resurrection of the Word. And over the side-altar, the Church of the Exaltation of the Lord or the Crucifixion is being erected. Osip Startsev united all the temples during the reconstruction. Domes were placed on the roof, installed on drums painted with tiles by masters from the New Iersaim Monastery. The appearance of the cathedral has changed little since then, while the interior has lost a lot.

Church of the Twelve Apostles

The Church of the Twelve Apostles is the home church of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is adjacent to the Patriarchal Palace. Built under Patriarch Nikon, who invited the most famous architects and painters to decorate it. Its beauty and wealth, not inferior to the Terem Palace with temples, became the reason for the disgrace of the patriarch. The Church of the Twelve Apostles is the last of the Kremlin's temple structures. Its architecture repeats the elements of the surrounding cathedrals, uniting them into a single ensemble.

After the abolition of the patriarchate, the temple gradually decays. Significant damage was inflicted on him in 1917. Now in the only church in Moscow dedicated to this holiday, there is a museum, as well as in the palace itself. The unique painting that adorned the walls of the temple has hardly survived, but a rich exhibition of icons is offered to the attention of visitors.

Church of the Laying of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae

The modest one-domed Church of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God in Wakherna is a memory of the miracle that became possible thanks to the robe of the Mother of God. The Tatars who attacked the Kremlin, the first attack of which the besieged in the Kremlin repulsed, for some reason left, leaving behind the loot. In memory of this, a wooden church was erected, which burned down in a fire. Pskov craftsmen in 1486 built a stone church, which became a house for Russian patriarchs and metropolitans. But with the advent of the Temple of the Twelve Apostles, its role changes, it becomes another palace church. It is being rebuilt, the open porches are turned into covered galleries, along which the tsarina follows to the Assumption Cathedral.

The church was badly damaged twice: in a fire in 1737 and shelling in 1918. During the restoration, the wall painting was restored, which, together with the iconostasis, gives the temple a chamber. The gallery of the restored church houses a museum of Russian sculpture.

Important: a ticket to visit the Cathedral Square ensemble, which includes 3 cathedrals, churches and chambers with museums located in them, is 500 rubles. A ticket to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Armory is paid separately.

Museums

In 1991, out of several state museums The eponymous museum-reserve was founded in the Kremlin. It included:

  • museums-cathedrals in which exhibitions are located: Arkhangelsk, Annunciation and Assumption
  • Church of the Deposition of the Robe, 12 apostles
  • bell tower "Ivan the Great"
  • Patriarchal and Armory

Armouries

The Armory is a centuries-old heritage of Russian tsars and patriarchs. The first mention of it dates back to 1547, only then it was called the Armory Order, which included the Big Treasury, where all the jewels were kept, the Armory Chamber with weapons, uniforms and banners, the Horse-Riding Order with carriages and the Workshop Chambers. The modern Armory occupies 2 floors in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Its exposition is located in 9 halls and presents more than 4 thousand exhibits of decorative and applied art.

It displays works by masters not only from Russia and Europe, but also from the East. Among them are a unique collection of thrones, the largest collection of state regalia, rare weapons, art objects of “pre-Mongol” Russia, etc. The most famous exhibits of the exhibition are Monomakh's hat, Faberge eggs, the throne of Ivan the Terrible, the ceremonial attire of Peter I, etc.

Ticket price - 700 rubles, children under 16 years old - free.

Diamond fund

The Diamond Fund is a separate exposition on display at the Armory, which is part of the Gokhran of the Russian Federation. The collection was started by Peter I, who by his decree recognized the treasures in the royal chambers as state treasures. Coronation regalia, jewelry, if necessary, were issued, and then returned to the Diamond Cabinet, and then the Armory.

After the revolution, many of the fund's precious exhibits were sold out. Today, the collection of the Diamond Fund consists of about 70 exhibits, including historical stones, gems, diamonds, nuggets, orders and a unique collection of crowns. Visitors will be able to see the famous Orlov diamond, Colombian emerald, 9-kilogram Camel nugget, large and small imperial crowns, etc.

Ticket price: 500 rubles.

State Historical Museum

The red brick building located in the northwestern part of Red Square attracts attention by its homogeneity with the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. Here, since 1883, the Historical Museum has been located, the expositions of which will tell about the history of Russia from ancient times to the present.

On 2 floors of the museum in 39 halls, 22 thousand exhibits are placed in chronological order, which is less than 1% of the total museum fund. Moving from hall to hall, visitors from primitive society find themselves in our days. Among the exhibits are a canoe carved out of wood, mammoth tusks, a cult structure made of slabs, medieval armor, orders, etc. The museum interiors, on which Aivazovsky, Repin, Korovin and others worked, are also of value.

The cost is 400 rubles for Russians, 700 rubles for residents of other countries.

Towers

The Moscow Kremlin has the shape of a triangle, at the tops of which there are round towers (Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Uglovaya Arsenalnaya), the remaining 17 have a rectangular shape. Despite some similarities, all the towers are unique. The highest is the Troitskaya Tower, the size of which, together with the star, is about 80 m, which is just below the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The Spasskaya Tower, known by the chimes, is somewhat inferior to it, passing through which one had to dismount and take off their hats.

The smallest and most unlike the others is the Tsar's Tower, the height of which does not exceed 17 m. It owes its name to Ivan the Terrible, who loves to watch what is happening on Red Square from here. Another unique building is the Kutafya Tower - the only one of the bridgeheads, i.e. not built into the wall. Each tower is interesting in its own way: Taynitskaya was the first to appear, Corner Arsenalnaya keeps a spring and a dungeon, through Borovitskaya government corteges enter the Kremlin.

sights

Red Square is the symbol, heart and historical center of Moscow. It is popular tourist place, where many attractions are located, is included in the must-see program.

Zero kilometer

Kilometer zero is a new attraction in Moscow, which appeared only in 1996. The sign was supposed to appear in the capital back in 1985, but they could not decide on the place of installation. This bronze sign shows the origin of distances. Usually it is located near the main post office, but in Moscow it was decided to place it in the center tourist routes at the Iverskaya chapel, explaining this by the fact that before the road every Muscovite went to bow to her, asking for her intercession.

The sign is a square divided into 4 parts, symbolizing the parts of the world, inscribed in a circle. Animals are depicted on the bas-relief of the square. In its center there is an eight-pointed icon with an inscription. Despite its youth, the attraction is very popular. There is a sign: if you stand in the center of the sign facing the chapel on one leg and throw a coin over your left shoulder with your left hand so that it remains within the circle, then your wish will come true.

Resurrection gate

Between the building of the Historical Museum and the City Duma, there are the Resurrection Gate with a double passage, through which tourists get to Red Square. The gate was rebuilt in 1995 in the same place where it had been until 1931. The first gates were erected in the 15th century. and were called Lions, tk. in the moat in front of them was placed a gift from the king of England - a cage with lions. Later they changed a few more names: Epiphany in honor of the church, Neglimensky because of the bridge across the river, along the nearby courtyards of Trinity and Kuryatnye, until they became Iversky because of the icon that was met here from Athos.

After the restoration, the resurrection of Christ was depicted on them and the gates began to be called the Resurrection. They were demolished as a royal monument, and besides, they did not allow large vehicles to enter the square during the parade. A monument to the worker was erected at this place. Now this double-arched gate, built in red brick with white inserts, is one of the visiting cards of the capital.

House of the provincial government

Quite modest against the background of the bright ensemble of Red Square, the building of the provincial government is not striking. Built in the 1730s-40s. according to P. Heyden's project, the building was part of the Kitaygorosky Mint. Not all of its buildings have survived, on the foundations of some new buildings have been built - the City Duma. The house of the provincial government is a 2-storey building in the Baroque style. Its facade is decorated with graceful pilasters, cornices, projections and putti figurines. In the middle there is a passage gate through which the building of the Old Mint is visible.

Inside the building, ceremonial halls were arranged for ceremonial meetings of public places, later the Moscow Duma was located here. After the revolution, the building had communal apartments for some time. Now the premises of the house are being leased to non-profit organizations, some of them are renting a jewelry store.

GUM

GUM is unique trading city v historic center Moscow. The heir to the Upper Chambers of Commerce, a supermarket specializes in luxury goods and occupies an entire block. Trade has always flourished on the square near the Kremlin. In order to streamline the shops, counters and give the trading place a civilized look, the Trading Rows were first built, which in 1893 was replaced by the passage - the Upper Trading Rows. They existed until 1917, when they were closed as a relic of tsarism. In 1922 they were opened, but already as GUM, which became a symbol of new policies, which was destined to work until 1930. GUM was reopened only in 1953 after the death of Stalin and Beria.

Modern GUM is a shopping and entertainment center that has occupied a historic building in the pseudo-Russian style with a glass roof, under which there are 3 longitudinal and 3 transverse aisles. Products of more than 100 world brands, cinema and restaurants are presented here.

Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin

Lenin's Mausoleum is one of the most controversial structures in Moscow. Created as a ritual tomb, it has long since become a museum. The mausoleum, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is the third in a row. The first two were made of wood. The last mausoleum was built in the form of a pyramid of marble, granite, labradorite and quartz. It is a structure 12 m high and 24 m wide.

Inside there are the Funeral Hall with a sarcophagus, in which the body of the leader is kept, and a columbarium, where the ashes of other political figures were supposed to be kept. The latter is not used and is not shown to visitors. The mausoleum fit into the architecture of Red Square, but still raise a lot of questions: from the choice of the shape of the building itself, to the need for embalming.

Place of execution

One of the sights of Red Square - Execution Ground - is not striking. A small circular elevation 1 m high and 13 m in diameter is surrounded by a stone parapet. The discreet architecture does not attract attention, but the building was of great importance - from here solemn speeches were made and decrees read out, here they were elevated to the kingdom and exhibited the relics of saints, held strikes and exhibited works of art.

Although legends associate this place with public executions. In fact, no one was executed at the Execution Ground; rather, the legends started due to false etymology. The phrase appeared when translating from Hebrew a place in the Gospel, which spoke of the execution at Calvary. And the Execution Ground is called because of the proximity of the Vasilievsky Spusk, which in the Middle Ages was called "the forehead". Previously, it was here that tourists threw a coin to return again, now this mission is performed by the Zero Kilometer.

Tsar Cannon

The largest cannon in the world in caliber - the Tsar Cannon is installed on Ivanovskaya Square between the Church of the 2 Apostles and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The outstanding work of artillery art was made at the Cannon Yard by the foundryman A. Chokhov by order of the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible - Fyodor Ivanovich in 1586. in the barrel is the stamp of the caster, which was put only after a test shot. The length of this giant is 5 m, and its weight is 40 tons; it took about 200 horses to move it.

On the bronze barrel, surrounded by ornaments, friezes and inscriptions, there is an equestrian image of the king, which gave the name "Tsar Cannon". In 1835, a gun carriage was cast from cast iron at the St. Petersburg factory, which only confirmed the name; it is decorated with the head of the king of animals - a lion. Researchers argue that the famous giant is not a cannon at all, but a battering bombard, tk. the carriage is not designed for her shot. Be that as it may, the Tsar Cannon is one of the achievements of the 16th century.

The Tsar Bell

Another monster of the foundry - the Tsar Bell is located on Ivanovskaya Square near the eastern part of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The bell, cast by the Motorin family of foundry workers in 1730 by order of Tsarina Anna Ioannovna, never rang, moreover, it was never raised to the bell tower. The queen wanted to leave the memory of her reign after her predecessors. The Godunov bell, which weighed 33 tons, served less than 50 years and broke in a fire. The same fate befell the bell, created under Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, weighing 130 tons.

The Tsar Bell was cast in 1736, however, it was pulled out of the pit only after almost 100 years because of its weight of 200 tons. Only then was a chipped piece of 11 tons discovered. The bell, the height of which reaches 6 m and the diameter of about 6.6 m, was installed in the place where it is now. Disputes about the need for restoration do not subside, but there were no attempts to implement it.

Monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky

The monument to Minin and Pozharsky is the first large monument in Moscow, erected on Red Square in front of St. Basil's Cathedral. Before that, in honor of important events, temples, arches, etc. were opened. For the 200th anniversary of the Second Militia and the victory of 1612 over the invaders in 1803, it was proposed to create a sculptural composition. She was supposed to portray the leaders of the militia - Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and the headman Kuzma Minin.

It was they who organized the rebuff to the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish conquerors in Nizhny Novgorod, where the monument was intended. But the monument remained in the capital. Installed in 1818 in front of the Upper Trading Rows, during the reconstruction of the square it was moved to the cathedral. The monument, the creation of which took 18 tons of copper and brass and was cast at one time, has become a real decoration of the square.

Arsenal

Between the Nikolskaya and Troitskaya towers, the Zeikhgauz or Arsenal is located close to the Kremlin wall. This building, erected by the decree of Peter I in 1736, was supposed to serve not only as a warehouse of weapons, but also as a museum, in which military captured banners, weapons and uniforms were exhibited. The two-story trapezoidal building with a large courtyard has been under construction for over 30 years. In 1812 it was blown up. The reconstruction work was carried out until 1828. Now its facade is decorated with deep arched windows, arranged in pairs, and friezes.

It should be noted that we have built all the sights of Red Square in a certain walking route which you can easily use by downloading mobile application from Ever.Travel for iPhone or Android. In the application, you can not only use this route, but also compose your own walks in Moscow, and even completely plan the entire trip.

In the appendix, just like on this page, all the sights of Red Square in Moscow are described and arranged in a walking tour, as well as marked on an offline map. Therefore, even if you have never been to the center of the capital, you can easily find out where and where you need to go.

We suggest starting the walk from the Alexander Garden and through Manezhnaya Square to Red Square. So let's go!

We will begin our walk at the Alexander Garden - a place known to all Muscovites and guests of the capital of Russia. Convenient location close to many attractions, manicured lawns and luxurious flower beds, wide alleys and shady trees make it wonderful place for relax.

The area of ​​the park is ten hectares - quite enough to wander among the trees in the very center of Moscow and escape from the city noise. There are always a lot of people who want to relax and have fun. In spring and summer, it is pleasant to soak up the sun here, and in winter - to ride on sleds from the slides, which are built every year specifically for this purpose.

The Alexander Garden, as the name suggests, was laid out by order of Emperor Alexander I at the beginning of the 19th century, when Moscow was recovering from the destruction left by Napoleon's army. The project of the architect Osip Bove included three sections - the Upper, Lower and Middle Gardens. Nowadays, this division is more conditional than official, although the entrance to the Lower Garden is closed to visitors.

In the Upper Garden, you can see the "Ruins" grotto, which serves as a reminder of Patriotic War 1812 Also at the entrance to the garden there is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame - a memorial complex in honor of those killed during the Great Patriotic War.


Our next stop is the Moscow Manezh - a historical building, which today is one of the largest museum and exhibition centers. After a major fire in 2004, which destroyed the interiors and damaged the exterior of the building, the Manezh was seriously rebuilt. Prior to this, the most ambitious restoration work was carried out in it in the 1930s.

Throughout its existence, the Manezh, which was originally an exclusively militaristic project, where the soldiers were supposed to undergo drills, served for the benefit of the army for only a few years.

Since 1831, various exhibitions, both cultural and technical, began to be organized here: a whole cavalry regiment could fit in a huge room, so there was enough space for any exhibits.

After the fall of the tsarist regime, the practice of using the Manezh as a demonstration pavilion was taken up by the Soviet government, and subsequently by the Russian Federation. However, in the first half of the 20th century, the historic building housed a garage for government cars for some time.

The architectural style of the Manege tends to austere classicism, which at one time was the symbolic opposite of the previous medieval buildings destroyed in the fire of the 1812 war. The project was proposed by the architect Augustin Betancourt, and the Empire-style facades were by Osip Bove.


Flickr, astikhin

Manezhnaya Square today can be considered as a logical continuation of the park area of ​​the Alexander Garden. It was formed in the 1930s, when a large group of buildings located near the Manezh were demolished for the construction of the metro.

In 1967, the square acquired a new name - the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, at the same time it was planned to erect a monument on it in honor of the anniversary of the Revolution, but this idea did not materialize.

The 1990s were marked by the return of the square's historical name and grandiose restructuring under the leadership of Zurab Tsereteli. A huge underground complex "Okhotny Ryad" was opened underground, and a cascade of fountains with sculptures appeared on top.

Timed to coincide with the celebration of the 850th anniversary of Moscow, the reconstruction actually turned Manezhnaya Square into a symbol of a new, modern Russia. A monument to Georgy Zhukov was erected in the eastern part of the square in 1995.


A memorial in honor of Soviet soldiers who died in the name of the Great Victory in the war against Nazi Germany, appeared at the walls of the Kremlin in the Alexander Garden in 1966, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Moscow. The remains of an unknown soldier, taken from a mass grave, were buried here.

A year later, the famous architectural ensemble of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was opened on this site. The eternal flame was lit by fire on the Leningrad Field of Mars. The ignition was solemnly carried out by L.I. Brezhnev, having accepted the torch from the hands of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexei Maresyev.

At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the main guard post of Russia is on duty, known as the Guard of Honor or simply "Post No. 1". The Presidential Regiment's sentries are replaced once an hour. Previously, they guarded the Lenin Mausoleum, but in 1997, by decree of the President, the post was moved to the memorial.

The architectural composition of the memorial is extremely simple - a lying battle banner, on it a soldier's helmet and a laurel twig. It is this simplicity and brevity that evokes the strongest emotions, recalling the feat of Soviet soldiers who fell in the name of peace and the Fatherland. “Your name is unknown, your feat is immortal” - can be read at the Eternal Flame.


Flickr, thisisbossi

The monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov was originally planned to be installed right on Red Square. However, this turned out to be impossible: the architectural ensemble of Red Square is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and no changes can be made to it.

So, a monument to the great Soviet commander appeared in 1995 on Manezhnaya Square... The authors managed to make it realistic and at the same time deeply symbolic. Experts note a significant portrait resemblance and a pronounced strong-willed character of the sculpture.

The plot of the monumental composition reflects a specific moment of the Victory Parade, which took place on June 22, 1945 on Red Square. Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov is depicted on a horse, raised on the stirrups, with his right hand raised. The horse tramples with its hooves the defeated Nazi flags and standards.

We also note that some critics believe that the monument is located a little unsuccessfully: it is lost in the shadow of the wall of the Historical Museum.

By the way, almost all the most expensive and pretentious hotels in Moscow are located in the area of ​​Manezhnaya and Red Square. Of course, during a visit to the capital, you can stay there, but there are many other, more accessible and no less interesting offers. Finding the right hotel is most convenient on Booking.com, which offers over 1200 accommodation options in Moscow.


Flickr, FinsUp0531

Between Manezhnaya and Red Square, very close to the Voskresenskie Gates, one of the sights of Moscow lurks. You may not even notice at first that you have Kilometer Zero under your feet, from which all the roads of endless Russia are counted.

In fact, the "real" zero kilometer is located not far from the Central Telegraph, but documentary accuracy is not so important for a symbolic mark.

Kilometer zero appeared here in 1995 as a visual object. The creation of the famous Moscow sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov is a round metal sign built into the paving stones, on which is inscribed "Zero kilometer of highways in the Russian Federation."

Please note that it is the highways that are mentioned, because there is also the Zero Kilometer railway - it is located on the platform of the Yaroslavsky railway station.

Around the sign there are four more parts of the composition, forming as a whole a square with angles pointing to four parts of the world. On it, relief images of animals characteristic of different continents are made. As conceived by the author, the circle is intended to symbolize harmony, and the square - paradise.

Tourists rarely pay attention to the deep meaning of the object, but in the hope of fulfilling their desires, they gladly throw a coin over their shoulder, standing on the plate of the sign.


Flickr, Bart 's Dad

In the first half of the 16th century, a red brick wall with a length of more than two and a half kilometers was erected around Moscow Kitay-gorod. The purpose of the construction of such a large-scale fortification was to defend against the raids of the Crimean Tatars.

To this day, from the Kitaygorodskaya wall, there have been preserved two-arched passages of the Resurrection Gate, which can be seen between the Historical Museum and the State Duma.

Installed in 1535, the gates bore different names: at first they were Kuretny, then Neglimensky, even later - Lion's (because of the nearby menagerie of Ivan the Terrible). In 1680, a room with two octahedral hipped twin towers was built over the passage.

After the icon of the Resurrection of Christ was placed on the tower in 1689, the following name came into use - the Resurrection Gate. In 1781, the Iverskaya chapel became the gate, after the Iverskaya chapel was added to it, first a wooden one, and then a stone one.

From 1929 to 1931, both the chapel and the gate were demolished, but in the mid-1990s they were restored to their classic form.


The architectural ensemble of the center of Moscow cannot be imagined without the building of the State Historical Museum. Despite the fact that it was built by historical standards recently - at the end of the 19th century, it has long become one of the business cards the capital of Russia and a very popular tourist attraction.

The foundation of the museum was laid during the Polytechnic Exhibition of 1872, the individual expositions of which - namely, those related to the Crimean War - became the first museum collection. Construction of the building for the new museum lasted from 1875 to 1881, and the interior decoration of some of the premises was completed only in the 1910s.

Currently, the Historical Museum is a magnificent collection of various objects with a total number of about 22 thousand. The entire history of Russia, from ancient times to the 21st century, will appear before your eyes during an excursion. Excellent technical equipment and easy navigation help to get used to the four thousand square meters of exhibition halls.

An exciting journey begins from the second floor - there you will learn about the primitive societies that once inhabited the Russian lands, then about Ancient Russia, about wars against external and internal enemies, about ancient cultural traditions. One floor above you will be transported to the era of Peter I, and then to later periods - right up to the present day.


Flickr, kukkaibkk

The Kazan Cathedral, which adorns Red Square, is one of the most revered Orthodox churches. It was built in the 17th century at the expense of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and is dedicated to the liberation of Russian lands from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders in 1612.

The main shrine of the cathedral is the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, acquired in 1579 and transferred first to the Assumption Cathedral, and later to the newly built Kazan.

The building of the cathedral has been repeatedly reconstructed at the behest different rulers... Worst of all, the holy place had to be in 1936, when it was simply demolished to the ground.

The Kazan Cathedral was restored as the very first of all the lost religious buildings in Moscow. The temple was rebuilt in 1990-1993 mainly with funds from the city government, as well as through private donations. The interior walls were painted by Palekh and Bryansk masters.

The appearance of the Kazan Cathedral is quite cheerful and bright. It is crowned with one chapter, surrounded by many different-level kokoshniks. The complex architectural composition is stylistically impeccable, so the cathedral looks solid and compact.

Nearby there is a tent-roofed bell tower, which is also an excellent example of Russian church architecture.


Flickr, ruimsmcarvalho

The soul and heart of Moscow is Red Square. This place witnessed the most fateful events in the life of the country, from the Execution Grounds the heralds read the tsar's decrees, through the Spassky Gate from the Kremlin troops advanced to the war and the rulers went out to the people.

It all started quite prosaically: with retail space taken outside the Kremlin walls in the 15th century. For several centuries there was a brisk sale and purchase: for those who were richer, stone trading rows were built, and ordinary people were located right under open air... Grandiose fairs and merry folk festivals were also organized here.

The appearance and character of the square began to change in 1625, when a Gothic tower was erected over the Spassky Gate, which adorned the square. The area between the new Spasskaya Tower, the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed and the Execution Ground was so beautiful that people began to call this part of the square "red" - that is, beautiful. Then this name spread to all the space unoccupied by trade rows, and in 1661, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the square officially became Red.

Red Square is indeed one of the most beautiful squares in the world; the buildings on it are dressed in crimson and decorated in the style of Russian ornamentation. The fabulous Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed looks like a gingerbread palace, and the towers of the Kremlin and the Historical Museum, for all their solidity, are charming and look like illustrations for a colorful book about an ideal world.


Flickr, Pola Damonte

The main department store in Moscow is not easy shopping center where you can buy anything you want. GUM is a true legend.

Everyone born in the USSR knew about this store, even if they lived thousands of kilometers from it. In times of shortage, when people arrived in the capital, the first thing they did was to go to GUM - if not buy something, then at least take a look.

The current GUM building was built in 1893 on the site of the outdated Upper Trading Rows. The Moscow guild of merchants announced a competition, in which the architect Pomerantsev won with a project for a building in the pseudo-Russian style, in harmony with other buildings on Red Square. Elements of Russian ornamentation and GUM turrets are perfectly combined with the architecture of the ancient center of Moscow.

The grandiose store, built with the guild's money, was the pride of the Russian merchants until 1917, when the merchants were expelled from GUM, their goods were nationalized, and Soviet institutions, offices and communal apartments, which existed here until the 1960s, were located in the shops. They even wanted to demolish GUM, but this was prevented by the war, and after it it was decided to leave the building and revive it.

Today GUM is filled with modern trade departments, but references to the times when it was the main store in the USSR still remain: here you can hear Soviet hits, and in Gastronome No. 1 they sell tea with an elephant and juice in a three-liter can.


Flickr, KanalReise

The tomb of the leader of the world proletariat has become an integral part architectural ensemble Red Square. The embalmed body of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin is housed in a tomb faced with granite, marble and porphyry, reminiscent of a truncated three-stage pyramid.

The first Lenin's mausoleum was made of wood according to the project of Shchusev, and they built it urgently, for the funeral of the leader. The current building of the mausoleum is the third version that appeared after the Great Patriotic War.

During the war, Lenin's body was transported to Tyumen to protect it from assassination and destruction. In 1945, the leader was returned to the capital, and the mausoleum was renovated, adding tribunes from which the leaders of the country delivered many fateful speeches.

Lenin's mausoleum was repeatedly subjected to attempts of vandalism and sabotage, not even the guard of honor, which was on duty at the entrance to the tomb until 1993, did not save him from this. Since 1973, Lenin's body has been in a bulletproof sarcophagus, and upon entering the mausoleum itself, visitors need to go through a metal detector and leave all things, including photographic equipment, at the entrance.


Home of all the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin, the Spasskaya Tower is one of the most recognizable symbols of Moscow and all of Russia. For most people in the expanses of the former USSR, the Spasskaya Tower also symbolizes the New Year: for several decades on a festive night, everyone was waiting for its chimes to strike.

The tower appeared in 1491 and was originally two times lower than it is now. In 1514, in honor of the capture of Smolensk, a gate icon of the Savior was installed, which was known as miraculous.

Since then, the gates of the Spasskaya Tower were revered as sacred, through them you could only walk on foot, men had to bare their heads, and when passing the icon, they had to bow down. Even the great dukes, kings of Russia, foreigners and gentiles observed this custom, and the offender beat off 50 bows to the earth as punishment.

The tower acquired its current majestic appearance in 1625, when the English architect Galovey invented a multi-tiered tent in the Gothic style. A clock was installed in the stone tent, which was subsequently replaced several times.

The chimes, which today count down Moscow time, were installed in 1852. By the way, the melodies in the watches were changed even more often - mainly to please the tastes of the rulers.

A scarlet star has been burning above the chimes on a thin spire for 77 years, replacing the gilded double-headed eagle that adorned the tower from the 17th century until 1935.


Flickr, Volodymyr Osypov

The grand opening of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square took place in 1818 in the presence of Alexander I and at a large meeting of the people. The monument immortalized the feat of two national heroes of Russia, who in 1612 played an important role in the victory over the Polish-Lithuanian invaders.

The sculptural composition, created by Ivan Martos, depicts Kuzma Minin addressing the wounded Dmitry Pozharsky with an appeal to become the head of the Russian army in the struggle to defend the Fatherland. With one hand, Minin seems to be pointing at the Kremlin, which is under the threat of invasion by foreigners. The monument looks very colorful and peculiar: the author tried to work within the framework of classicism, but did not abandon national motives either.

In Soviet times, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky survived, although it was under the threat of demolition - it interfered with the holding of festive demonstrations and processions. In 1931, the monument was moved to the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, where it stands to this day, which is why Minin points not to the Kremlin, but somewhere in the GUM area.


Panaramio, Kirill Vyacheslavovich

Probably the most recognizable architectural object of Moscow, in addition to the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower, can be safely called the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, also known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat.

This is a symbol not only of Moscow, but also of practically all of Russia. The Cathedral, which is part of Red Square, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1990.

The architecture of the cathedral is very expressive: the composition consists of several churches topped with colorful painted domes located at different heights.

The cathedral was built from 1555 to 1561 at the behest of Ivan the Terrible, to commemorate the victory over the powerful Kazan Khanate, therefore each altar in the temples is consecrated in honor of the holidays, which fell on the days of the main battles. Kazan fell on the day of the celebration of the Protection of the Mother of God - this gave the original name to the cathedral.

The chapel of St. Basil the Blessed appeared much later, in 1588. It contained the relics of the local holy fool Vasily, who died in the 1550s and is known for the fact that even Ivan the Terrible himself was afraid of him. Since then, the cathedral has received a second consecration - in the name of St. Basil the Blessed.

With the advent of Soviet power, the cathedral was not demolished, it was too beautiful and unique. For a long time there was a museum here. The cathedral returned to the fold of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991. Now services are held here again.

Advice! This concludes our tour of Red Square. We told you about the most popular sights of Moscow, but there are still many interesting places... Many of them are marked on the interactive map Ever.Travel. Choose where you want to go, get directions and sync plans with our free mobile app. Enjoy your walks!

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