Kremlin and Red Square

Kremlin and Red Square The Moscow Kremlin – The Sacred Heart of Worldly Power Fortress of the Tsars, administrative centre of the Soviet Union, and now presidential residence – for centuries now the Kremlin has symbolised the Russian state. It was built in the 12th century as a fortification in the heart of the city and constitutes the oldest part of Moscow. ...more Kremlin and Red Square Annunciation Cathedral (Blagoveshtchenski sobor) In contrast to the other Kremlin cathedrals, which were all built by Italians, this one’s a purely Russian affair. The entire interior of the cathedral and also the galleries are decorated with frescoes. This was the Tsar’s family chapel. The iconostasis was the work of Russia’s all-time greatest icon painters. Kremlin and Red Square Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Uspenski sobor) From the 14th century onwards, the Assumption Cathedral was Moscow’s most important church. This was where Tsars were crowned and the Metropolites and Patriarchs of the Orthodox Church buried. ...more Kremlin and Red Square Manezh The Manezh is one of Moscow’s largest art galleries. The neo-classical building opposite the Alexandrovski Sad has been hosting exhibitions of all types since 1957. Originally, however, the 45m long hall was a riding school for cavalry officers. ...more Kremlin and Red Square Kremlin Congress Palace (Kremlyovskii Dvorets Syezdov) The only modern building in the Kremlin was built 1960-61 to host the Communist Party’s congresses. It seats 6000, making it Russia’s largest auditorium. Nowadays, the political events have given way to ballet, operas and rock concerts. Joe Cocker, Sting and their colleagues perform here, if the Olympic stadium is already booked. Kremlin and Red Square Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon (Tsar Kolokol, Tsar Puschka) The Tsar Bell, weighing in at 200 tonnes, is the world’s largest bell. The original bell fell to the ground when the tower caught fire in 1701 and smashed. The fragments were then melted down to make a new bell. ...more Kremlin and Red Square The Historical Museum – A Stroll through Russian History Located directly on Red Square, the 250,000 exhibits of the Historical Museum provide a comprehensive view of Russia’s dramatic history from the 10th century onwards. The red brick building was built in 1871 at the spot previously occupied by Moscow University. ...more Kremlin and Red Square The Great Kremlin Palace ((Bolshoi Kremlyovski dvorets) The Great Kremlin Palace replaced a palace from the 18th century, which had started to decay. Until the October Revolution, it was the Tsar’s Moscow residence. After 1930, two of the halls were joined together to form a meeting room for the Supreme Soviet. Today, state receptions are held in the hall. Kremlin and Red Square The Bell tower “Ivan the Great” (Kolokolnya Ivana Velikogo) This elegant, octagonal bell tower, also known as the “Kremlin’s candle”, was erected 1505-08 according to the designs of Marco Bono. The tower has 21 bells that were assembled from all corners of the land, and of which the 65-ton heavy Assumption of Maria bell is the most impressive. ...more Kremlin and Red Square Church of the Deposition of the Robe (Tserkov Rizpolozheniya) This simple church was erected as the private chapel of the Moscow church hierarchs. The name derives from a Byzantine church festival that celebrated the arrival in Constantinople of a robe of the Virgin Mary. The church’s façade features arcs that meet to form the cross-section of an onion and are typical of the period in which it was built.

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