What the Kremlin looks like now. Master class on fine arts “The Kremlin. The miraculous return of the shrine of the Moscow Kremlin

Looking at these pictures, I just want to help but exclaim: “Moscow also has beautiful views! They haven’t managed to mutilate everything yet!”

Original taken from helio to Moscow from above. 2014

Moscow is the capital Russian Federation. It is the largest city in Russia by population, with more than 12 million people living in it, according to official statistics. According to this indicator, it is one of the ten largest cities in the world. These are financial, transport, logistics, business, cultural and tourist centre countries. Important sights are concentrated here, including the Kremlin, Red Square, Grand Theatre, Stalin's skyscrapers and many other iconic objects.
Moscow is a city with monumental architecture: you can only understand the real scale of wide multi-lane streets, multi-tiered interchanges and skyscrapers from above.

The Moscow Kremlin is the geographical and historical center of Moscow. This is the most ancient part of the city, currently the residence of the highest government bodies of the Russian Federation and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country.

Kremlin embankment and Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge.

Panorama of the Kremlin.
The existing walls and towers were built in 1485-1495. The total length of the walls is 2235 m.

There are 19 towers along the walls, and another one, the Kutafya Tower, is located outside the walls.
3 towers standing on the corners have a round cross-section, the rest are square.

The most high tower- Troitskaya, it has a height of 80 meters.

Big Kremlin Palace.

Built in 1838-1849 by order of Emperor Nicholas I by a group of Russian architects under the leadership of K. A. Ton. Currently used for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies, the palace itself is the ceremonial residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Intercession Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral) is one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. For many, it is a symbol of Moscow and Russia.

The cathedral was built by Barma and Postnik under Tsar Ivan the Terrible in 1555-61. in memory of the conquest of Kazan.

In front of the cathedral there is a bronze Monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky.

"Museum of V.I. Lenin"

State Historical Museum.

The museum's collection reflects the history and culture of Russia from ancient times to the present day, and is unique in the number and content of exhibits.

Manezhnaya Square

Fountain "World Clock". The main dome of the Okhotny Ryad underground shopping complex.

Tverskaya Street is the central street of Moscow.

The State Academic Bolshoi Theater is one of the largest in Russia and one of the most significant opera and ballet theaters in the world.

Bronze quadriga above the entrance portico. The Bolshoi Theater is depicted on hundred-ruble banknotes.

"House on the Embankment"

The residential complex of the Central Executive Committee-SNK of the USSR occupies an area of three hectares. 25 entrances open onto two streets - Serafimovicha and Bersenevskaya embankment.
The history of the country is reflected in the history of the House as if in a mirror. The fate of many residents of the House is tragic. During the years of the Great Terror, almost a third of its inhabitants suffered from repression and disappeared into prisons and camps. Outstanding military leaders, heroes, artists, journalists, writers, academics, party and government figures, and Comintern workers lived in the House.

GUM (Main Department Store)

Large shopping complex, which occupies an entire block of Kitay-Gorod and faces Red Square with its main façade. Monument of pseudo-Russian architecture federal significance. It is leased until 2059 from the Russian retail company Bosco di Ciliegi, which specializes in the sale of luxury goods.

TSUM (Central Department Store)

State Duma (State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation)

The building was built in 1938 for the Council of Labor and Defense. Subsequently, it housed the Soviet government (the Council of People's Commissars, then the Council of Ministers of the USSR), and then the State Planning Committee of the USSR. The State Duma has been meeting here since 1994.

"White House" - House of the Government of the Russian Federation

The “White House” was heavily damaged during the October events of 1993, when troops called by President Yeltsin opened fire from tanks at the building, which was defended by supporters of the dissolved Congress of People’s Deputies and the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation.

Left: the former territory of the Red October confectionery factory. In the center: Monument to Peter the Great by Tsereteli.

New Arbat

Garden Ring road

Borodino Bridge over the Moscow River. Smolenskaya embankment and Taras Shevchenko embankment.

"Stalin's Skyscrapers" are seven high-rise buildings built in Moscow in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The high-rise buildings are the pinnacle of post-war “Soviet Art Deco” in urban architecture. All Stalin's skyscrapers were laid down on the same day - September 7, 1947, when the 800th anniversary of Moscow was celebrated. This was a symbol of a new stage in the life of the ancient capital.

The main building of Moscow State University is the largest and tallest of all Stalin's skyscrapers.

It has 36 floors, and the height with the spire reaches 240 meters. The building was the tallest administrative and residential building in Moscow by spire for many years, from 1953 to December 2003.

Residential building on Kotelnicheskaya embankment

The house was built in 1938-1940, 1948-1952. The central building has 26 floors (32 including technical floors) and has a height of 176 m. The high-rise building contains 540 apartments.

High-rise building on Red Gate Square

When constructing the foundation of a high-rise building on Lermontov Square, a technique was used that had no analogues in terms of technical courage and engineering skill. The fact is that the 138-meter-high house was built simultaneously with the Krasnye Vorota metro station. The designers were faced with a difficult problem: for some time, the multi-story building would be located at the very edge of the pit, therefore, the soil would settle unevenly and the high-rise would tilt. Therefore, it was decided to specifically build with a slope. Before this, the soil around the perimeter of the pit was artificially frozen using subway construction technology. When it then melted, the building sank and assumed a strictly vertical position. This method has never been used anywhere else due to the complexity of the calculations.

Residential building on Kudrinskaya Square

The high-rise was nicknamed the “House of Aviators” due to the fact that apartments in it were provided to workers in the aviation industry. On the upper floors there was special KGB equipment for monitoring the American embassy, which is located nearby, on Novinsky Boulevard.

"Radisson Royal" (Hotel "Ukraine")

The hotel was built in 1953-1957 and received its name in honor of the homeland of Secretary General Nikita Khrushchev. In April 2010, the hotel opened after a large-scale restoration under the new name “Radisson Royal”.

The building opens with Kutuzovsky Prospekt.

"Moscow City"

In 1992, the first projects of a multi-storey business center appeared, which were proposed to be built on the Presnenskaya embankment of the Moscow River. The quarter was named the Moscow International Business Center “Moscow City”.

On an area of 60 hectares, 16 multi-storey buildings should be built, representing an integrated complex of structures with a single information space. Moscow City skyscrapers should house numerous offices, restaurants, hotels, congress halls, entertainment centers, shops, galleries, exhibition halls.

As of the end of 2014, 10 high-rise buildings have been built on the territory of Moscow City and 11 are in the process of construction or are being completed. Of these, 15 buildings are skyscrapers (above 150 meters).

The average number of floors in the complex is currently 54 floors.

Budgets for the purchase of apartments in the Moscow City International Business Center are concentrated in the range of $1-2 million.

Tower "Eurasia Tower". 70 floors, 309 m.

Mercury City Tower. 75 floors, 339 m.

The height of the building is 338.8 meters, which allowed the tower to be called the most tall skyscraper Europe until September 25, 2014. The 75-story Mercury City tower surpassed the London skyscraper The Shard (306 m), which held the status of the tallest building in Europe for only 4 months. Upon completion, Mercury City was almost 33 m higher than its London rival.

In 2013, Mercury City won the prestigious International Property Awards Europe 2013 in the category “Best High-Rise Building Architecture”.

"Tower on the Embankment". 59 floors, 268 m.

Trade and cultural center "Evolution". 54 floors, 255 m.

The tower differs from all other projects with its unusual twisting shape, reminiscent of a DNA molecule. Architect Tony Kettle worked on the design of the project together with Karen Forbes, who teaches at this moment in Edinburgh. The tower itself is a creative offspring of constructivism, borrowing the outlines of Tatlin's tower, dedicated to the Third International.

Ostankino Tower.

Construction took place from 1963 to 1967. At that time it was the tallest building in the world (540 meters). It is now the 8th tallest free-standing structure in the world.

Panorama from the Ostankino TV tower.

View from level 503 of the TV tower.

The idea of using prestressed reinforced concrete, compressed by steel cables, made it possible to make the structure of the tower simple and strong.

Another progressive idea was the use of a relatively shallow foundation: as conceived by engineer Nikitin, the tower was supposed to practically stand on the ground and its stability was ensured by the multiple excess of the mass of the cone-shaped base over the mass of the mast structure.

Victory Park

The Victory Memorial Complex in the Great Patriotic War was opened on May 9, 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Great Victory.

Belarusian

Komsomolskaya Square is an area of three stations on which the Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky railway stations are located.

Every year, more than 30 million people depart from the capital’s stations throughout Russia and to foreign countries.

Kyiv railway station

Belorussky railway station

The Third Transport Ring (TTK) is one of three ring highways in Moscow, along with Garden Ring and the Moscow Ring Road.

Begovaya Street

The total length of the Third Transport Ring is about 36 kilometers, of which about 19 kilometers are overpasses, about 5 kilometers are tunnels.

Khoroshevo-Mnevniki

Strogino

Round house on Dovzhenko, 6

Address: Russia Moscow
Start of construction: 1482
Completion of construction: 1495
Number of towers: 20
Wall length: 2500 m.
Main attractions: Spasskaya Tower, Assumption Cathedral, Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, Annunciation Cathedral, Archangel Cathedral, Faceted Chamber, Terem Palace, Arsenal, Armory Chamber, Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell
Coordinates: 55°45"03.0"N 37°36"59.3"E
An object cultural heritage Russian Federation

Content:

Brief history of the Moscow Kremlin

In the very heart of Moscow, on Borovitsky Hill, the majestic Kremlin ensemble rises. It has long become a symbol not only of the capital, but of all of Russia. History itself decreed that an ordinary Krivichi village, located in the middle of the forest, eventually turned into the capital of a mighty Russian state.

The Kremlin from a bird's eye view

Kremlin or Detinets in ancient Rus' called the central, fortified part of the city with a fortress wall, loopholes and towers. The first Moscow Kremlin, built in 1156 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, was a wooden fortress surrounded by a moat and rampart.

During the reign of Ivan I, nicknamed Kalita (money bag), oak walls and towers were erected in Moscow and the first stone building was laid - the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady.

View of the Kremlin walls from the Kremlin embankment

In 1367, Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy surrounded the Kremlin with a powerful fortress wall made of white limestone. Since then, the capital has received the nickname “White Stone Moscow”. Large-scale construction began under Ivan III, who united a significant part of the Russian lands around Moscow and built a residence worthy of the “Sovereign of All Rus'” in the Kremlin.

Ivan III invited architects from Milan to build fortifications. It was in 1485 - 1495 that the walls and towers of the Kremlin that still exist today were built. The top of the walls is crowned with 1045 battlements in the shape of a “swallowtail” - they have the same appearance as the battlements of Italian castles. At the turn of the 15th - 16th centuries, the Moscow Kremlin turned into an impregnable massive fortress, lined with red brick.

View of the Kremlin from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge

In 1516, a moat was dug along the fortifications overlooking Red Square. After the Time of Troubles, the towers were decorated with tents, giving the Kremlin a modern look.

The miraculous return of the shrine of the Moscow Kremlin

The main one of the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin is rightfully considered Spasskaya, created by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The Spassky Gate has long been the main entrance to the Kremlin, and the chimes placed in the tower's tent are known as the main clock of the country. The top of the tower is crowned with a luminous ruby star, but after the collapse of the USSR there are increasingly calls to remove the star and erect a double-headed eagle in its place. The tower got its name from the icon of the Savior of Smolensk over the gate.

View of the Kremlin from the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge

The icon was revered by saints, so men, passing through the gate, in front of the image of the Savior had to take off their headdress. Legend has it that when Napoleon was passing through the Spassky Gate, a gust of wind tore the cocked hat off his head. But the bad omens did not end there: the French tried to steal the gilded robe that adorned the image of the Savior of Smolensk, but the ladder attached to the gate overturned, and the shrine remained unharmed.

During the years of Soviet power, the icon was removed from the tower. For more than 70 years, the shrine was considered lost, until in 2010, restorers discovered a metal mesh hiding the image of Christ under a layer of plaster. On August 28, 2010, on the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Patriarch Kirill solemnly consecrated the newly found icon above the gates of the Spasskaya Tower.

Beklemishevskaya Tower

Legends and myths of the Kremlin

From time immemorial, the Moscow Kremlin was not only a symbol of the unlimited power of the sovereign, but also a place about which legends were written. Over the long history of the Kremlin churches and towers, so many legends have been created that would be enough for a whole book.

The most famous legends tell about secret dungeons and underground passages. It is believed that they were invented by Italian architects who designed and built the Kremlin walls and towers. Many underground rooms have been preserved under the former Chudov Monastery, which until the 1930s was located in the eastern part of the Kremlin Hill. These are transitions interior spaces temples and long galleries. Today, some of them are flooded with groundwater.

Eternal flame at the walls of the Kremlin

There are rumors among Muscovites that previously there were branched lines leading out from each of the Kremlin towers. underground passages. The same secret passages connected all the royal palaces. When builders began digging a large foundation pit for the State Kremlin Palace in the 1960s, they discovered three underground passages dating back to the 16th century. The dungeons were so wide that you could drive a cart through them.

Underground passages were found during every major reconstruction. Most often, voids, gaps and labyrinths were walled up or simply filled with concrete for safety reasons.

Spasskaya Tower

One of the secrets of the Moscow Kremlin is also connected with its dungeons. For several centuries now, historians and archaeologists have been struggling with the mystery of the disappearance of the library of Ivan IV the Terrible, which is also called Liberia. The Russian sovereign inherited a unique collection of ancient books and manuscripts from his grandmother Sophia Paleologus, who received these books as a dowry.

In historical documents there is an inventory of the library, consisting of 800 volumes, but the collection itself disappeared without a trace. Some researchers are convinced that it burned down in a fire or disappeared during the Time of Troubles. But many are sure that the library is intact and hidden in one of the Kremlin dungeons.

View of the Assumption and Annunciation Cathedrals and Cathedral Square

Finding books in storage facilities located underground was not an accident. When Sophia Paleologue arrived in the city in 1472, she saw the terrible consequences of the fire that raged in Moscow two years earlier. Realizing that the library she brought could easily perish in a fire, Sophia ordered a spacious basement, which was located under the Kremlin Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, to be equipped for storage. After this, the valuable Liberia was always kept in dungeons.

View of Cathedral Square and Ivan the Great Bell Tower

Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin - “altars of Russia”

Today the Moscow Kremlin is both the place of work of the President of the Russian Federation and a historical and cultural museum. The historical center of the Kremlin is represented by Cathedral Square with three cathedrals - the Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation. An old proverb says: “The Kremlin rises above Moscow, and above the Kremlin there is only the sky.” That is why all the people honored the tsar’s decrees, which he proclaimed in the Assumption Cathedral.

This temple can rightfully be called the “altar of Russia.” In the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, kings were crowned kings, the next head of the Russian church was elected, and in the tombs of the temple the relics of Moscow saints found eternal rest. The Archangel Cathedral, from 1340 until the 18th century, served as the tomb of Moscow princes and kings.

Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Under its arches, tombstones are placed in strict order on white stone slabs. The Annunciation Cathedral was the personal house of prayer for the Moscow princes: here they were baptized, confessed, and got married. According to legend, the grand ducal treasury was kept in the basement of this temple. The Cathedral Square is surrounded by the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Faceted and Patriarchal Chambers. Meetings of the Boyar Duma and Zemsky Sobors were held in the Faceted Chamber, and the office of the Holy Synod was located in the Patriarchal Palace.

Sights of the Moscow Kremlin

The younger buildings of the Kremlin include the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in the mid-19th century by order of Emperor Nicholas I. Today, the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia is located within its walls.

Tsar Cannon

In the palace halls, ceremonies of inauguration of the President are held, state awards and credentials are presented. In one of the palace buildings the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation and the Armory Chamber are located - a treasury of palace items. In the Kremlin, on pedestals stand the Tsar Cannon weighing 40 tons and the Tsar Bell weighing 200 tons - masterpieces of Russian foundry craftsmanship. Due to their gigantic dimensions, they are not suitable for their intended use, but they have become symbols great Russia. The Kremlin is always crowded. Guests admire the timeless beauty architectural creations, personifying Russian history. As M.Yu. wrote Lermontov in “Panorama of Moscow”, nothing can compare with this Kremlin which, “surrounded by battlements and golden domes of cathedrals, reclines on high mountain, How crown of sovereignty on the forehead of the formidable ruler."

IN historical center The capital is home to the most recognizable architectural structure of Russia - the Moscow Kremlin. Main feature architectural ensemble is its fortifying complex, consisting of walls in the form of a triangle with twenty towers.

The complex was built between 1485 and 1499 and is well preserved to this day. It served several times as a model for similar fortresses that appeared in other Russian cities - Kazan, Tula, Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod etc. Within the walls of the Kremlin there are numerous religious and secular buildings - cathedrals, palaces and administrative buildings from different eras. The Kremlin was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO in 1990. Together with the adjacent Red Square, which is included in this list, the Kremlin is generally considered the main attraction of Moscow.

Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin

The architectural ensemble is formed by three temples, in the center is located. The history of the cathedral began in 1475. It is the oldest fully preserved building among all the Kremlin buildings.

Initially, construction took place in 1326-1327 under the leadership of Ivan I. After completion of construction, the cathedral served as the home church of the Metropolitan of Moscow, who settled in the predecessor of the current Patriarchal Palace.

By 1472, the now ruined cathedral was destroyed, and then a new building was built in its place. However, it collapsed in May 1474, possibly due to an earthquake or due to errors in construction. A new attempt at revival was made by Grand Duke Ivan III. It was in this cathedral that prayer services were held before important campaigns, kings were crowned and patriarchs were elevated to the rank of patriarchs.

Dedicated to Archangel Michael, the patron saint of Russian rulers, it was built in 1505 on the site of the church of the same name built in 1333. It was built by the Italian architect Aloisio Lamberti da Montignana. The architectural style combines traditional ancient Russian religious architecture and elements of the Italian Renaissance.

Located on the southwest corner of the square. In 1291 it was built here wooden church, however, a century later it burned down and was replaced by a stone church. The white stone cathedral has nine onion domes on its facades and is intended for family ceremonies.

Cathedral opening hours: 10:00 to 17:00 (closed on Thursday). Single ticket for visits it will cost 500 rubles for adults and 250 rubles for children.

Palaces and squares of the Moscow Kremlin

- These are several representative secular buildings created in different centuries and served as a home for Russian grand dukes and tsars, and in our time for presidents.
- a five-story building, decorated with richly carved decorative frames, as well as a tiled roof.
– building of the 17th century, preserved rare architectural features civil architecture of that time. The museum displays jewelry, exquisite tableware, paintings, and royal hunting items. The magnificent iconostasis of the Ascension Monastery, destroyed in 1929, has been preserved.
- a three-story building made in the early neoclassical style. Initially, the palace was supposed to serve as the residence of the Senate, but in our time it exists as the central working representation of the President of Russia.

Among popular places In the Moscow Kremlin, the following squares should be noted:

Towers of the Moscow Kremlin

The length of the walls is 2235 meters, their maximum height– 19 meters, and the thickness reaches 6.5 meters.

There are 20 defensive towers similar in architectural style. Three corner towers have a cylindrical base, the remaining 17 are quadrangular.

Trinity Tower is the highest, rising 80 meters high.

Lowest - Kutafya Tower(13.5 meters), located outside the wall.

Four towers have travel gates:

The tops of these 4 towers, which are considered especially beautiful, are decorated with symbolic red ruby stars from the Soviet era.

The clock on the Spasskaya Tower first appeared in the 15th century, but burned down in 1656. On December 9, 1706, the capital first heard the chimes, which announced a new hour. Since then, many events have happened: wars were fought, cities were renamed, capitals changed, but the famous chimes of the Moscow Kremlin remain the main chronometer of Russia.

The bell tower (height 81 meters) is the most tall building in the Kremlin ensemble. It was built between 1505 and 1508 and still serves its function for three cathedrals that do not have their own bell towers - Arkhangelsk, Assumption and Annunciation.

Nearby is the small church of St. John, hence the name of the bell tower and the square. It existed until the beginning of the 16th century, then it collapsed and has since become significantly dilapidated.

The Chamber of Facets is the main banquet hall of the Moscow princes; it is the oldest surviving secular building in the city. Currently, this is the official ceremonial hall for the President of Russia, so it is not open to tours.

Armory Chamber and Diamond Fund

The chamber was built by order of Peter I to store weapons obtained in wars. Construction was delayed, starting in 1702 and ending only in 1736 due to financial difficulties. In 1812, the chamber was blown up in the war against Napoleon and was reconstructed only in 1828. Now the Armory Chamber is a museum, which can be visited any day of the week from 10:00 to 18:00, except Thursday. Ticket price for adults is 700 rubles, for children – free.

Here are not only exhibits of the weapons industry, but also the Diamond Fund. The permanent exhibition of the State Diamond Fund first opened in the Moscow Kremlin in 1967. Unique jewelry and precious stones are especially valuable here; most of them were confiscated after the October Revolution. Opening hours are from 10:00 to 17:20 on any day except Thursday. For a ticket for adults you will have to pay 500 rubles, for children it costs 100 rubles.

The two diamonds on display deserve special attention, as they belong to the most famous examples of this gemstone in the world:

It is not only the largest medieval fortress in Russia, but also the largest active fortress in all of Europe. Of course, there were more such structures, but the Moscow Kremlin is the only one that is still in use.
The Kremlin walls were white. The walls “acquired” their red brick at the end of the 19th century. To see the White Kremlin, look for works by 18th or 19th century artists such as Pyotr Vereshchagin or Alexey Savrasov.
Red Square has nothing to do with the color red. The name comes from the Old Russian word "red", meaning beautiful, and is in no way related to the color of the buildings, which we now know were white until the end of the 19th century.
The stars of the Moscow Kremlin were eagles. During Tsarist Russia, the four Kremlin towers were crowned with double-headed eagles, which have been the Russian coat of arms since the 15th century. In 1935, the Soviet government replaced the eagles, which were melted down and replaced with the five-pointed stars we see today. The fifth star on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower was added later.
The Kremlin towers have names. Of the 20 Kremlin towers, only two do not have their own names.
The Kremlin is densely built up. Behind the 2235-meter Kremlin walls there are 5 squares and 18 buildings, among which the most popular are the Spasskaya Tower, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Assumption Cathedral, the Trinity Tower and the Terem Palace.
The Moscow Kremlin was virtually undamaged in World War II. During the war, the Kremlin was carefully camouflaged to look like a residential building block. The church domes and famous green towers were painted gray and brown respectively, fake doors and windows were attached to the Kremlin walls, and Red Square was encumbered with wooden structures.
The Kremlin is in the Guinness Book of Records. In the Moscow Kremlin you can see the world's largest bell and the world's largest cannon. In 1735, a bell 6.14 meters high was made from metal casting; the Tsar Cannon, weighing 39.312 tons, was lost in 1586 and was never used in war.
The stars of the Kremlin always shine. Over the 80 years of its existence, the Kremlin's star lighting has only been turned off twice. The first time was during World War II, when the Kremlin was camouflaged to hide it from bombers. The second time they were turned off was for the film. Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov filmed a scene for The Barber of Siberia.
The Kremlin clock has a deep secret. The secret of the accuracy of the Kremlin watches literally lies under our feet. The clock is connected to the control clock at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute via a cable.

In the very center of the capital there are witnesses to significant events of the past and places where the present is taking 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 No. 1 for any tourist.

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

Behind the exquisite façade of the palace are hidden 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 component of it are the unique cathedrals, of which only 8 have survived.

St. Basil's Cathedral

The most striking and unique of the existing churches is St. Basil's Cathedral. The peculiarity of the temple, built in 1561, is in its unique chapters, none of which repeats the design of the other, all 10 are completely different. The temple was not always so colorful. Initially the structure was made of white stone and brick, and in the 17th century. its domes and walls were decorated with colorful patterns. 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 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 directions, and 4 more between them. The entire ensemble is surrounded by a bypass gallery.

Cathedral of the Archangel

The Archangel Cathedral stands apart among the Kremlin churches. Built in the 14th century. it will not stand out for its luxurious exterior or richness of colors. The ceremonial building in the Renaissance style was originally built as a tomb and dedicated to the archangel; both the architectural features and the choice of decorative elements are subordinated 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 - a gilded hemisphere. The facade, 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 burial place of Ivan the Terrible. The sights of the cathedral are an icon depicting the Archangel Michael, the “Blessed Sky” and 56 burials of princes and kings.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

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

One of the most beloved cathedrals of princes and kings is distinguished by luxury from the floor made of jasper and agate and the most beautiful iconostasis to the golden cross that 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 Edikeev, who was entrusted with painting the temple. Nowadays there are no services 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 foundation of the cathedral, abandoned its construction, and much more. In 1479, at the direction of Ivan III, the Assumption Cathedral was erected on the site of the temple of I. Kalita, which was destined to become the most important temple for 6 centuries . It was where people were crowned, elevated to rank, prayers were served, allegiance was sworn and state acts were read out. In the Assumption Cathedral, the first of the Romanov family was crowned, and Count L. Tolstoy was excommunicated.

Construction was entrusted to the Italian Catholic Fiorovanti, who coped with the task by erecting a temple that attracts attention with its austere façade and golden helmet-shaped domes. Behind the apparent simplicity of the architecture are hidden innovative techniques that made the cathedral outstanding. Now it houses a museum, but holiday services are also held.

Ivan the Great belltower

The Bell Tower of Ivan the Great is an amazing complex that was built over about 3 centuries, from 1505 to 1815. It included the Assumption Belfry with Filaret's extension and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower itself. The first to appear was the bell tower, which served for 3 cathedrals located nearby. Then she was a little lower than 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 building in the city, as it remained until late XIX V.

In 1552, the Assumption Church was erected near the bell tower, which was rebuilt into a belfry. In 1624, Filaret’s extension appeared at the belfry. The latter were destroyed during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, and rebuilt again much later. Nowadays, the bell tower houses museums, and upon climbing up, tourists find themselves on one of the best in the city observation platforms, from where an amazing view of the Kremlin opens.

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 built right in the Terem Palace. The origins of the cathedral go back to the 17th century. to house churches, when in 1627 the Catherine Church was built on the women's 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 on the men's side for the Tsar and the princes.

By the middle of the century, the Church of St. Eudokia appeared above Catherine's, which would later be reconsecrated in honor of the Resurrection of the Word. And above the chapel they erect the Church of the Exaltation of the Lord or the Church of the Crucifixion. Osip Startsev united all the churches during reconstruction. Domes were placed on the roof, mounted on drums painted with tiles by masters from the New Yersaim Monastery. Appearance The cathedral has changed little since then, but the interior has lost a lot.

Church of the Twelve Apostles

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

After the abolition of the patriarchate, the temple gradually deteriorated. Significant damage was caused to it in 1917. Now, in the only church in the city dedicated to this holiday, there is a museum, as well as in the palace itself. The unique paintings that decorated the walls of the temple have hardly survived, but visitors are offered a rich exhibition of icons.

Temple of the Placing of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae

The modest one-domed Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God in Vakhern is a memory of the miracle that became possible thanks to the Robe of the Mother of God. The Tatars who attacked the Kremlin, whose first attack was repelled by those besieged in the Kremlin, for some reason left, leaving behind the loot. In memory of this, a wooden temple was erected, which burned down in a fire. In 1486, Pskov craftsmen built a stone church, which became a home 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 being turned into covered galleries, along which the queen follows to the Assumption Cathedral.

The church was severely damaged twice: by a fire in 1737 and by artillery shelling in 1918. During the restoration, the wall paintings were restored, which, together with the iconostasis, gives the temple an intimate feel. The gallery of the restored church houses a museum of Russian sculpture.

Museums

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

museum-cathedrals where exhibitions are located: Arkhangelsk, Annunciation and Assumption
Church of the Deposition of the Robe, 12 Apostles
Bell tower "Ivan the Great"
Patriarchal and Armory Chambers

Armouries

The Armory Chamber is a centuries-old legacy 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 Great Treasury, where all the jewelry was kept, the Armory Chamber with weapons, uniforms and banners, the Stable Order with crews and the Workshop Chambers. The modern Armory Chamber occupies 2 floors in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Its exhibition is located in 9 halls and presents more than 4 thousand exhibits of decorative and applied art.

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

Diamond fund

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

After the revolution, many precious exhibits of the fund were sold. Today, the Diamond Fund's collection 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.

State Historical Museum

The red brick building located in the northwestern part of Red Square attracts attention due to its homogeneity with the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. Here, since 1883, there is a Historical Museum, the exhibitions of which tell about the history of Rus' 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 entire museum fund. Moving from hall to hall, visitors from primitive society find themselves in the present day. Among the exhibits are a wooden boat, mammoth tusks, religious building made of slabs, medieval armor, orders, etc. The interiors of the museum, on which Aivazovsky, Repin, Korovin and others worked, are also valuable.

Towers

The Moscow Kremlin has the shape of a triangle, at the vertices of which there are round towers(Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Uglovaya Arsenalnaya), the remaining 17 are rectangular in shape. Despite some similarities, all towers are unique. The Trinity Tower is recognized as the highest, the size of which, together with the star, is about 80 m, which is slightly lower than the Ivan the Great bell tower. Somewhat inferior to it is the Spasskaya Tower, famous for its chimes, when passing through it you had to dismount and take off your 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 loved to watch what was happening on Red Square from here. Another unique structure 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: Tainitskaya was the first to appear, Corner Arsenalnaya contains a spring and a dungeon, government motorcades enter the Kremlin through Borovitskaya.

Attractions

Red Square is the symbol, heart and historical center of Moscow. This is popular tourist place, where many attractions are located, is included in the program for mandatory viewing.

Zero kilometer

Zero Kilometer is a new landmark of 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 installation location. This bronze sign shows the starting point for 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 saying that before the road, every Muscovite went to bow to her, asking for intercession.

The sign is a square divided into 4 parts, symbolizing parts of the world, inscribed in a circle. The bas-relief of the square depicts animals. In its center 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 definitely come true.

Resurrection Gate

Between the building Historical Museum and the City Duma there are Resurrection Gates with a double passage through which tourists enter Red Square. The gate was rebuilt in 1995 in the same place where it was located until 1931. The first gates were erected back in the 15th century. and were called the Lions, because a gift from the English king - a cage with lions - was placed in the ditch in front of them. Later they changed several more names: Epiphany in honor of the church, Neglimensky because of the bridge over the river, for the nearby courtyards of Trinity and Kuryatny, until they became Iveron because of the icon that was met here from Mount Athos.

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

House of provincial government

Quite modest against the backdrop of the bright ensemble of Red Square, the building of the provincial government does not catch the eye. Erected in the 1730s and 40s. according to the project of P. Heyden, the building was part of the Kitaygoro Mint. Not all of its buildings have survived; new buildings, the City Duma, were built on the foundations of some. The House of the Provincial Government is a 2-story building in the Baroque style. Its façade is decorated with elegant pilasters, cornices, risalits and putti figures. In the middle there is a passage gate through which you can see the building of the Old Mint.

Inside the building, ceremonial halls were equipped for ceremonial meetings of public places; later the Moscow Duma was located here. After the revolution, the building housed communal apartments for some time. Now the premises of the house are rented to non-profit organizations, part of which is rented by a jewelry store.

GUM

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

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

Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin

The Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin is one of the most controversial buildings in Moscow. Created as a ritual tomb, it has long become a museum. The mausoleum, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is the third in a row. The first two were wooden. The last mausoleum was built in the shape of a pyramid from marble, granite, labradorite and quartz. It is a structure 12 m high and 24 m wide.

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

Execution place

One of the attractions of Red Square, Lobnoye Mesto, is not striking. A small round 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 important - from here solemn speeches were made and decrees were read, the relics of saints were enthroned and exhibited here, strikes were held and works of art were exhibited.

Although legends connect this place with public executions. In fact, no one was executed at Lobnoye Mesto; rather, the legends arose due to a false etymology. The phrase appeared when translating from Hebrew a place in the Gospel that spoke about the execution on Golgotha. And the place is called Execution because of its proximity Vasilyevsky Spusk, which in the Middle Ages was called “forehead”. Previously, this is where tourists threw a coin in order to return again; now this mission is carried out by the Zero Kilometer.

Tsar Cannon

The largest caliber cannon in the world, the Tsar Cannon, is installed on Ivanovo Square between the Church of the 2 Apostles and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. An outstanding work of artillery art was made at the Cannon Yard by foundryman A. Chokhov by order of the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible - Fyodor Ivanovich in 1586. This is a working weapon, because in the barrel there is a foundry seal, which was placed only after a test shot. The length of this giant is 5 m, and its weight is 40 tons; about 200 horses were required to move it.

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

The Tsar Bell

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

The Tsar Bell was cast in 1736, but it was pulled out of the pit only almost 100 years later due to its weight of 200 tons. Only then was a broken piece of 11 tons discovered. The bell, whose height reaches 6 m, and its diameter is about 6.6 m, was installed in the place where it stands now. Disputes about the need for restoration do not subside, but there have been 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 this, temples, arches, etc. were opened in honor of important events. To mark the 200th anniversary of the Second Militia and the victory of 1612 over the interventionists in 1803, it was proposed to create a sculptural composition. She was supposed to portray the leaders of the militia - Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and headman Kuzma Minin.

It was they who organized resistance 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 in one go, became a real decoration of the square.

Arsenal

Between the Nikolskaya and Trinity towers, close to the Kremlin wall, is the Tseykhgauz or Arsenal. This building, erected by decree of Peter I in 1736, was supposed to serve not only as a weapons warehouse, but also as a museum in which captured military banners, weapons and uniforms were exhibited. The two-story trapezoid-shaped building with a large courtyard took more than 30 years to build. In 1812 it was blown up. Reconstruction work was carried out until 1828. Now its façade is decorated with deep arched windows arranged in pairs and friezes.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Everyone has already heard that the Kremlin was white. Many articles have already been written about this, but people still manage to argue. But when did they start whitewashing it, and when did they stop? On this issue, statements in all articles diverge, as do the thoughts in people’s heads. Some write that whitewashing began in the 18th century, others that at the beginning of the 17th century, and still others are trying to provide evidence that the Kremlin walls were not whitewashed at all. The phrase is widely circulated that the Kremlin was white until 1947, and then suddenly Stalin ordered it to be repainted red. Was it so? Let's finally dot the i's, fortunately there are enough sources, both picturesque and photographic.

Let's understand the colors of the Kremlin: red, white, when and why —>

So, the current Kremlin was built by the Italians at the end of the 15th century, and, of course, they did not whitewash it. The fortress retained the natural color of red brick; there are several similar ones in Italy; the closest analogue is the Sforza Castle in Milan. And whitewashing fortifications in those days was dangerous: when a cannonball hits a wall, the brick is damaged, the whitewash crumbles, and a vulnerable spot is clearly visible, where you should aim again to quickly destroy the wall.

So, one of the first images of the Kremlin, where its color is clearly visible, is the icon of Simon Ushakov “Praise to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Tree of the Russian State. It was written in 1668, and the Kremlin is red.

The whitewashing of the Kremlin was first mentioned in written sources in 1680.
The historian Bartenev, in the book “The Moscow Kremlin in the Old Time and Now” writes: “In a memorandum submitted on July 7, 1680 to the Tsar, it is said that the Kremlin fortifications “were not whitewashed”, and the Spassky Gate “were painted in ink and white in brick". The note asked: should the Kremlin walls be whitewashed, left as is, or painted “in brick” like the Spassky Gate? The Tsar ordered the Kremlin to be whitewashed with lime..."
So, at least since the 1680s, our main fortress has been whitewashed.

1766 Painting by P. Balabin based on an engraving by M. Makhaev. The Kremlin here is clearly white.

1797, Gerard Delabarte.

1819, artist Maxim Vorobyov.

In 1826, the French writer and playwright Francois Anselot came to Moscow; in his memoirs he described the white Kremlin: “With this we will leave the Kremlin, my dear Xavier; but, looking back at this ancient citadel again, we will regret that, while correcting the destruction caused by the explosion, the builders removed from the walls the centuries-old patina that gave them so much grandeur. The white paint that hides the cracks gives the Kremlin an appearance of youth that belies its shape and obliterates its past.”

1830s, artist Rauch.

1842, daguerreotype of Lerebourg, the first documentary image of the Kremlin.

1850, Joseph Andreas Weiss.

1852, one of the very first photographs of Moscow, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior is under construction, and the walls of the Kremlin are whitewashed.

1856, preparations for the coronation of Alexander II. For this event, the whitewash was renewed in some places, and the structures on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower were given a frame for illumination.

The same year, 1856, view in the opposite direction, the one closest to us is the Tainitskaya tower with the archery facing the embankment.

Photo from 1860.

Photo from 1866.

1866-67.

1879, artist Pyotr Vereshchagin.

1880, painting from the English school of painting. The Kremlin is still white. From all the previous images we conclude that Kremlin wall along the river was whitewashed in the 18th century, and remained white until the 1880s.

1880s, Konstantin-Eleninskaya tower of the Kremlin from the inside. The whitewash is gradually crumbling, revealing the red brick walls.

1884, wall along the Alexander Garden. The whitewash was very crumbling, only the teeth were renewed.

1897, artist Nesterov. The walls are already closer to red than to white.

1909, peeling walls with remains of whitewash.

The same year, 1909, the whitewash on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is still holding up well. Most likely it was whitewashed for the last time later than the rest of the walls. From several previous photos it becomes clear that the walls and most of the towers were last whitewashed in the 1880s.

1911 Grotto in the Alexander Garden and the Middle Arsenal Tower.

1911, artist Yuon. In reality, the walls were, of course, a dirtier shade, the stains from the whitewash were more obvious than in the picture, but the overall color scheme was already red.

1914, Konstantin Korovin.

The colorful and shabby Kremlin in a photograph from the 1920s.

And the whitewash on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower was still in place, mid-1930s.

Late 1940s, the Kremlin after restoration for the 800th anniversary of Moscow. Here the tower is clearly red, with white details.

And two more color photographs from the 1950s. Somewhere they touched up the paint, somewhere they left peeling walls. There was no total repainting in red.

1950s These two photos are taken from here: http://humus.livejournal.com/4115131.html

Spasskaya Tower

But on the other hand, everything turned out to be not so simple. Some towers stand out from the general chronology of whitewashing.

1778, Red Square in a painting by Friedrich Hilferding. The Spasskaya Tower is red with white details, but the walls of the Kremlin are whitewashed.

1801, watercolor by Fyodor Alekseev. Even with all the diversity of the picturesque range, it is clear that the Spasskaya Tower was still whitewashed at the end of the 18th century.

And after the fire of 1812, the color red was returned again. This is a painting by English masters, 1823. The walls are invariably white.

1855, artist Shukhvostov. If you look closely, you can see that the colors of the wall and the tower are different, the tower is darker and redder.

View of the Kremlin from Zamoskvorechye, painting by an unknown artist, mid-19th century. Here the Spasskaya Tower is whitewashed again, most likely for the celebrations of the coronation of Alexander II in 1856.

Photograph from the early 1860s. The tower is white.

Another photograph from the early to mid 1860s. The whitewash of the tower is crumbling in some places.

Late 1860s. And then suddenly the tower was painted red again.

1870s. The tower is red.

1880s. The red paint is peeling off, and here and there you can see newly painted areas and patches. After 1856, the Spasskaya Tower was never whitewashed again.

Nikolskaya Tower

1780s, Friedrich Hilferding. The Nikolskaya Tower is still without a Gothic top, decorated with early classical decor, red, with white details. In 1806-07, the tower was built on, in 1812 it was undermined by the French, almost half destroyed, and restored at the end of the 1810s.

1823, fresh Nikolskaya Tower after restoration, red.

1883, white tower. Perhaps they whitewashed it together with Spasskaya for the coronation of Alexander II. And the whitewash was renewed for the coronation of Alexander III in 1883.

1912 The White Tower remained until the revolution.

1925 The tower is already red with white details. It became red as a result of restoration in 1918, after revolutionary damage.

Trinity Tower

1860s. The tower is white.

In the watercolor of the English school of painting from 1880, the tower is gray, the color given by spoiled whitewash.

And in 1883 the tower was already red. Painted or cleaned of whitewash, most likely for the coronation of Alexander III.

Let's summarize. According to documentary sources, the Kremlin was first whitewashed in 1680; in the 18th and 19th centuries it was white, with the exception of the Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Trinity towers in certain periods. The walls were last whitewashed in the early 1880s; at the beginning of the 20th century, the whitewash was updated only on the Nikolskaya Tower, and possibly also on Vodovzvodnaya. Since then, the whitewash gradually crumbled and was washed away, and by 1947 the Kremlin naturally took on the ideologically correct red color; in some places it was tinted during restoration.

Kremlin walls today

photo: Ilya Varlamov

Today, in some places the Kremlin retains the natural color of red brick, perhaps with light tinting. These are bricks from the 19th century, the result of another restoration.

Wall from the river side. Here you can clearly see that the bricks are painted red. Photo from Ilya Varlamov's blog