The tone is a large Kremlin palace. Kremlin. Grand Kremlin Palace. The Grand Kremlin Palace and new construction technologies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. A little more parquet.

7. There are very beautiful chandeliers here.

8. And door handles.

9. The door portals are also very richly decorated.

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

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

12. The vaults themselves are also richly painted.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24. The staircase leads to the Terem Palace.

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

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

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

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

28. The same goes for door handles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

39. Chic bronze gilded chandelier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

47. Gilded columns.

48. The view is very formal.

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

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

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

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

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

And here's another.

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

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

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

55. The design is again stucco with gilding.

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

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

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

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

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

P.S.
I usually find all archival photos on

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

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

Briefly about the main thing

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

Description of the hall

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

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

At the far end of the hall there are three chairs, which were intended for the ruler, his wife and mother. This throne can still be seen in the Kremlin, upholstered in velvet and ermine fur. Hanging above the throne and above is a radiance with rays covered with gold leaf, in the center of which the All-Seeing Eye perches. On the sides of the tent hang double-headed eagles with the image of St. Andrew's cross on the chest. There are six steps leading up to the tent. Previously, back in Soviet times, in this place stood a monument to Lenin.

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

History of St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All-seeing eye

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

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

Excursion to the Kremlin

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

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

Excursion time

A tour of the Kremlin's St. Andrew's Hall is held every day, except Thursday - this is a day off. From ten in the morning to three in the afternoon. The duration of the tour is two hours for groups of twenty people. The cost of such an excursion is 4,500 rubles, for foreign tourists - 5,500 rubles without the use of an interpreter.

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

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

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

History of the Kremlin palaces

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

At the beginning of the 18th century. the capital was moved to St. Petersburg, and the original significance of the palace complex in the Moscow Kremlin was lost. Some buildings housed employees of various government agencies, remained in Moscow, other buildings gradually deteriorated and collapsed without supervision or care.

Anna Ioannovna She visited Moscow often and her courtyard was located in Kremlin buildings. She succeeded her on the throne Elizaveta Petrovna took up the reconstruction of the imperial residence. The decision was made to build Winter Palace, where the empress and her retinue could stay during Moscow voyages. For the successful implementation of the project, several buildings had to be demolished, including the Embankment and the Middle Golden Chamber. Their ground floors later served as the basis for a new palace. Its design was created by a famous court architect Rastrelli.

Catherine II did not appreciate the beauty of Rastrelli’s Baroque palace, numbering almost a thousand rooms, halls and offices, and considered it “not consistent with imperial grandeur.” Despite the decree she issued on the preservation of the Kremlin walls and towers, some of the buildings, including the palace of Elizabeth Petrovna, were dismantled. Architect Vasily Bazheno came up with new project development of the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, which involved the construction of new structures and combining them with existing ones into a single ensemble.

Construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace

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

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

On an errand Konstantin Ton did an excellent job. In 1837, workers under the guidance of an architect dismantled old palace Elizaveta Petrovna together with the Stable Yard. The project assumed the compositional unity of the new building with the ancient Kremlin buildings. The complex of the new imperial residence was supposed to include the Amusement Palace with the Chamber of Facets, house churches and a new building of the Armory Chamber. In March 1838, a royal decree was issued on the immediate start of construction. On June 30, the first stone was laid in the foundation of the palace, and under the plinth of the corner part - a copper plate with information about the customer - Emperor Nicholas I and the contractor - architect Konstantin Tone.

Special technologies and design

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

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

The use of modern building materials - concrete and cement - allowed the architect to design and implement a grandiose construction idea suspended ceiling in St. George's Hall.

In the palace dome, equipped with four dormer windows, they installed striking clock bells, transferred to the palace from the Trinity Tower. A flagpole was placed at the top of the dome, and the spire was surrounded by a circular viewing gallery. For fire safety purposes, the dome and roof were connected with metal lightning rods.

The palace was heated using a system air heaters, which were installed in the basements. Heat from more than fifty devices was uniformly distributed to all palace premises through thermal channels.

Interiors The Grand Kremlin Palace was decorated on a grand scale. The main materials used by those in charge of practical construction Fedor Richter and his team, steel valuable types of wood, Kolomna marble, Revel stone, fabrics and draperies with gold and silver threads. The furniture was made in famous Moscow factories, where experienced cabinetmakers worked. They also skillfully carved the doors of the front and residential apartments.

The Emperor highly appreciated the efforts of the architects and builders and awarded many of them with medals and prizes. The Grand Kremlin Palace was consecrated on April 3, 1849 on Easter Day in the presence of the imperial family and Metropolitan Philaret. Construction was completely completed in 1851., when the Armory Chamber and the building of the apartments of the Grand Dukes were commissioned.

Before and after the revolution

In the 19th century, the Grand Kremlin Palace continued to be rebuilt and equipped. The work also affected the ancient buildings that were part of the ensemble. So for indoors Terem Palace New furniture and window frames were made from solid oak, and its walls and vaults were re-painted.

In the Great Palace itself, the roof was primed and the plaster was renewed every year, and the safety of the throne canopies, sewn from ermine fur, was monitored. In 1883, temporary electric lighting was installed in the palace, and the coronation celebrations took place under full illumination. Own power supply system the palace received in 1895. This made it possible to provide an alarm system for the premises where especially valuable items were stored, and to install in the palace elevators. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the imperial residence in the Kremlin was connected to the city sewerage system, and its water supply and drainage communications were thoroughly reconstructed.

The year 1917 brought global changes. In the premises of the palace, despite the appeal of the People's Commissar of Education Lunacharsky, set up not only the seat of government, but also residential apartments for family members of representatives of the new government and their servants. People's Commissar Lunacharsky, as well as scientists, historians, and artists unsuccessfully tried to draw attention to the valuables and rarities kept in the palace. Ancient tapestries of the 18th century were soaked in the steam of boiling samovars, and housewives dried and ironed clothes on handmade wooden Bavarian tables. In the 30s the bulk of the residents nevertheless received apartments in the city and moved out, although the most persistent centenarians continued to remain in the Grand Kremlin Palace until 1962.

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

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

The Grand Kremlin Palace in our time

In the 90s of the last century, using the surviving drawings, it was possible to restore the original appearance Andreevsky and Alexandrovsky halls. Restorers have recreated royal seat and thrones, returned the ancient bas-reliefs to the palace facade, repaired the marble walls and steps main staircase.

Today the palace houses residence of the Russian President. During the tour, visitors to the palace get to see most rooms and halls:

The largest main hall of the palace is Georgievsky. He was named part of the Order of St. George the Victorious. This hall hosts ceremonies for presenting awards and prizes.

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

- Vladimirsky Hall It is illuminated during the day through a hole in the tent dome. In the evening, a chandelier made at F. Chopin’s factory in St. Petersburg is lit. The parquet is made of valuable wood, and the walls and pilasters are lined with pinkish marble.

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

Furniture Cavalry Hall made from plane tree. Thus, the designers paid tribute to the traditions of the Caucasian peoples, whose representatives served in the palace’s military honor guard.

On the ground floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace there are also the personal chambers of the emperor and his family, the imperial dining room, work rooms and bedchambers. On the second floor, the elegantly decorated Green living room, in which the Empress received honored guests.

(Russian: Grand Kremlin Palace; English: Grand Kremlin Palace)

Opening hours: The palace is closed to the public. You can visit it only as part of organized excursions, by prior request, with the submission of passport data and agreement on the date of the visit.

Big Kremlin Palace- one of the palaces of the Moscow Kremlin. It stands on the high Borovitsky hill. The palace was built in the period from 1838-1849. Previously, there was a palace on this site, built in the 18th century by the architect B.-F. Rastrelli, and before that - the Grand Duke's Palace of Ivan III. The first stone buildings of the Grand Kremlin Palace were built by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin in 1499-1508.

Historically, after the capital was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin palaces lost their former significance. During the reign of Tsarina Anna Ioannovna, who spent a significant part of her time in Moscow, more attention was paid to the palaces, but the large Kremlin Palace of that time was increasingly dilapidated. Under Anna Ioannovna, new imperial apartments “Winter Annenhof” - a wooden palace in the Baroque style (architect B.-F. Rastrelli) were erected on the basement of the old palace.

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

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

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

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

The new residence was built on the initiative of Nicholas I. The design of the palace was entrusted to the famous architect Konstantin Ton, the author of the design of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. As a model for the stylistic solution of the proposed palace, Thon was instructed to take the design solution of the Kolomna Palace (1836, architect Stackenschneider, the project was not implemented), which developed the composition of the Kremlin Terem Palace in monumental forms.

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

The palace building forms a rectangle with a courtyard. Externally, the palace is decorated in the style of previous centuries: its facades are decorated with carved white stone pediments, and the windows are decorated with carved frames with double arches and a weight in the middle, as in the towers of the 17th century. From the main façade the building appears to be three stories high, but in reality it has only two floors. Thanks to the arched windows separated by thin partitions, this first floor of the palace looks like an enclosed gallery. In the center of the palace above the roof there is a tribune, completed with a gilded balustrade.

The length of the Kremlin Palace is 125 meters, height - 47 meters, and total area– 25,000 m². The palace complex, known as the Grand Kremlin Palace, in addition to the building of the palace itself, also includes some buildings from the period of the 15th - 17th centuries, which in the past were part of the grand duke and then the royal residence (the Faceted Chamber, the Golden Tsarina Chamber, the Terem Palace, palace churches) .

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

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

P The grand entrance of the Grand Kremlin Palace is inconspicuously located in the southern facade of the building, that is, from the side of the Moscow River, from where the visitor enters a marble vestibule with monolithic columns made of Serdobol granite (Serdobol is a city on the bank Lake Ladoga). On the left side of the vestibule is the so-called Own Half of Their Imperial Majesties, stretching in a long suite of rooms along the main facade. A remarkable decoration of the main palace entrance were four bronze floor lamps, cast and assembled in Moscow at the Krumbugel factory.

A staircase consisting of sixty-six gentle steps leads to the second floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace, to the state halls. The main staircase is decorated with yellow Kolomna marble, which is used to line the columns along the flights and flights of the stairs. The pointed arches of the main staircase are installed on this marble colonnade. The flights of stairs are illuminated by twelve bronze chandeliers, made in the same style as the floor lamps of the Grand Entrance Hall.

On the second floor, on both sides of the main staircase, ten pylons made of yellow Kolomna marble frame the side platforms - galleries. On the right hangs a painting depicting the battle of Dmitry Donskoy with the Tatars on the Kulikovo Field in 1380. It was painted in 1850 by the French artist A. Yvon, a student of P. Delharosh. The left platform leads to the State Rooms.

The magnificent interior decoration of the palace is made in different styles, from the Renaissance to the Byzantine-Russian style. The most beautiful hall is St. George's, named after the Order of St. George the Victorious - the highest and most revered order in the Russian army, established by Empress Catherine II in 1769 to reward officers and generals. The motto of the order is “For service and courage.” This was the most honorable award for the military, the highest order of the Russian army. The appearance of the St. George's Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace thus turned the imperial residence into a monument to the military exploits of Russian weapons. This hall does not amaze with its boundless luxury, but rather with its severity and scale.

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

St. George's Hall is the largest room of the palace. Its length is 61 meters, width – 20.5 meters, height 17.5 meters. White and gold are the main colors of the St. George's Hall, white are the vaults, walls and sculptures, gold are the names of the St. George's Knights and military formations on the boards and edges of the piols. The hall is decorated with 18 powerful twisted columns, covered with ornaments and crowned with statues of victories with laurel wreaths and memorable dates. The marble statues, on pylons, allegorically symbolize the regions and kingdoms that make up the multinational state. On the southern and northern walls of the room there are bas-reliefs depicting St. George and the serpent, their author is Pavel Kladsh. The insignia of the order decorate the upper part of the walls of the snow-white St. George's Hall.

During ceremonial receptions, officers gathered in the hall, on whose uniforms the same signs that decorated the walls of the hall sparkled. In 1945, in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, gala reception participants of the Victory Parade on Red Square. Here, the world's first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, was greeted with honors.

To illuminate the hall, there are six openwork gilded bronze chandeliers, weighing 1,300 kilograms each, 40 wall sconces, and gilded furniture upholstered in silk, the colors of the St. George's ribbon. The ceiling is decorated with stucco in the form of floral patterns. The original parquet flooring, made in 1845, has been preserved in the St. George's Hall. To complete it, 20 rare types of wood were required: Indian rosewood, African padauk, beech, ash, plane tree and many others.

The Alexander Hall was built in honor of the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, established on May 25, 1725 by Empress Catherine I. The motto of the order is “For Labor and the Fatherland.” Six historical paintings were created and mounted in the upper niches of the end sides of the hall. On the western side are the military exploits of the prince, on the eastern are scenes from his peaceful life, a builder of monasteries, an enlightened and just ruler.

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

The huge, two-tier windows of the Alexander Hall face south and literally flood all the rooms with light reflected in numerous mirrors. The walls are decorated with white and pink artificial marble, red velvet, and the furniture is upholstered in the color of the sash. The luxurious gilded decoration of the hall is in harmony with the unique parquet floor made of 20 types of trees.

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

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

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

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

St. Andrew's Hall is illuminated through eighteen windows and two balcony doors to the southoh walls, cut into two tiers, strictly one above the other. On the opposite side there are doors leading to the Cavalry Hall and the Antechamber. The most solemn events of national importance are held in the St. Andrew's Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Mirrored doors in the northern wall of the St. George's Hall lead to the Vladimir's Hall. The Vladimir Hall conveys the history of the Order of St. Vladimir - one of the first Russian princes. It was established in honor of the Kyiv prince Vladimir, under whom the baptism of Rus' took place. The motto of the Order of St. Vladimir is “Benefit, honor and glory.” Many honored citizens were awarded the order, including one of the creators of the Kremlin Palace, architect Konstantin Ton.

This tall, octagonal hall from the 19th century ties together palaces from five centuries. The walls and pilasters of the Vladimir Hall are lined with pink marble. The Vladimir Hall amazes with its artistic design: pink marble walls and pilasters, molded gilded ornaments of vaults and cornices give this hall a fabulous beauty. The vault of the Vladimir Hall resembles Russian tents, the arches of the bypass side galleries seem to repeat the outlines of ancient arches.

The wide arches of the first tier give way to the triple, tighter arches of the second tier to go into the vaults of the dome covered with solid, gilded stucco. This molded gilded ornament was made, as on the cornices, by the molders the Dylev brothers.

In this hall during the day, light penetrates the glass lantern on the dome arch, and in the evening it is illuminated by a huge bronze gilded chandelier, the weight of which is about three tons. It is lowered to the height of the galleries of the second tier, and seems to float in the center of the space. The floor, according to a drawing by Academician F. G. Solntsev, is made of numerous valuable types of wood. From the hall you can get to the Faceted Chamber, St. George's Hall, Terem Palace and other rooms of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

On the Front half of the palace there is the Catherine Hall - in the past it was the throne room of Russian empresses. It is located somewhat away from the enfilade of ceremonial order halls on the second floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The Order of St. Catherine was established by Peter I in 1714 - this is the only women's order in Russia, its motto was “For love and the fatherland.” In the middle of the 19th century, this is where the throne of Her Imperial Majesty was located.

The Catherine Hall is relatively small - its length is 21 meters. The splendor of this hall is successfully combined with the special sophistication of decoration, comfort and intimacy. Badges of the order with the motto “For Love and the Fatherland”, sprinkled with large artificial diamonds, are located on the walls and doors of the hall. A gilded image of the Order of St. Catherine, placed on a silver field, also decorates the doors of the Empress's throne room.

The hall is illuminated by bronze gilded chandeliers and six crystal candelabra, unusual in design and beauty, made at the Imperial Glass Factory in St. Petersburg. The walls are covered with gray moire and a scarlet border of an order ribbon. On the massive pillars there are pilasters decorated with a pattern made of small pieces of malachite. The vaults and cornices of the hall are decorated with gilded stucco. The parquet of the Catherine Hall is of high artistic value.

Directly adjacent to the Catherine Throne Hall is the Green Living Room. It is intended to receive especially honored guests.

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

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

Behind the Catherine Hall, in the Front half, there are the former royal State drawing room and the State bedchamber. The interior of the State Drawing Room (now the Red Drawing Room) is exceptionally elegant. It has an alcove with monolithic columns made of gray-green marble, which harmonize well with the bright crimson upholstery of the walls and furniture. For cladding the fireplace, jasper of a green-blue tone with a beautiful wavy pattern is used, well presented by a Russian master stone-cutter, who managed to highlight the advantages of the Ural ornamental stone.

The red living room is decorated in the Renaissance style. Its design uses white, pinkish-gray and green marble. In the 19th century, the walls and “Gambs” furniture were covered with silver brocade with golden flowers. They were fully combined with pilasters, friezes and columns supporting the vaults. Rosewood doors inlaid with gilded bronze and mother-of-pearl in the boule style lead to the adjacent Green Living Room and the Catherine Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

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

Its own half consists of seven rooms: Dining Room, Living Room, Empress's Study, Boudoir, Bedroom, Emperor's Study and Reception Room. Despite the fact that each room has its own style, all rooms together represent one whole. Its own half is a museum of Russian residential palace interiors, almost entirely preserved without significant alterations or additions.

The artists who decorated the palace paid great attention not only to architectural details, but also to the selection of furniture, candelabra, fireplaces, and chandeliers. The fireplaces are made of malachite and marble. The Boudoir, Living Room, Study and Bedroom are decorated with a variety of porcelain items - vases, floor lamps, a chandelier that looks like a luxurious bouquet topped with a pineapple fruit. A significant place in the former living rooms of the palace is occupied by bronze objects - clocks, candelabra. On the fireplaces made of malachite and marble there are clocks of French work - they were ordered specifically for the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Lighting was important. It was supposed to add even more splendor to the interiors, which is why each crystal chandelier in the palace is original, each with its own design and shape of pendants. Huge mirrors, as well as gilding, inlay, modeling, carving, give the palace rooms an unusually solemn and pompous look. Interior doors made of valuable wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell, are made on spikes without a single nail. The door patterns in the palace are never repeated. To cover the walls, as well as for curtains and other things, fabric of a certain color was used in each room. Those that were especially dilapidated were remade by craftsmen from Pavlovsky Posad.

The enfilade of the Own half opens with the huge Dining Hall. Its walls are lined with white and yellow artificial marble. Vaulted ceilings, with stucco decoration, rest on a massive central pillar, which visually connects the appearance of this room with the architectural design of the Chamber of Facets. Decorative principles of classicism are used in the decoration of the Dining Room. There is a calm combination of artificial marble tones, white marble statues of the mythological characters Leda and Hymen, and vases in the Borghese style.

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

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

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

The entirely gilded furniture set is created in the Renaissance style. This set contains 31 items. The fireplace, made of white Carrara marble, is decorated with a clock called “Night”.

The “Night” watch has a dial in the form of a dark blue ball with applied numbers, stars and two bronze figures of cupids on the sides, stands on a gilded stand, with cast gilded female figures.

The Empress's office is emphatically decorative and decorated in the "boule" style. The dominant color is dark crimson, in tune with the spirit of the interior of French palaces of the late 17th - early 18th centuries. Huge mirrors, the production of which began in Russia precisely at this time, and the chandelier repeatedly reflected in them increase the feeling of pomp and fabulous luxury.

The elegance of the interior is given by gilded stucco decorations on the walls and vaults, doors superbly made of valuable wood, and inlaid with tortoiseshell, bronze, and mother-of-pearl. Unknown craftsmen made them without nails or glue, on spikes. The furniture here is upholstered in silk and gold fabric. Gilded exquisite clocks and vases complement the decoration of the Cabinet.

The Empress's living room is snow-white and gold, eight plaster bas-reliefs are symbols of art, and four more, depicting the seasons, decorate it. The furniture set, in the Louis XV style, made of turquoise wood, is also gilded and upholstered in patterned damask. The furniture here is of soft curving designs, in the Rocael style, many decorated with whimsical curls and flowers.

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

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

We recommend reading

Bridges

Aircraft wing mechanization

Estate museums

Montego Bay, a city in Jamaica: description, attractions

Interesting

Where did the Kremlin towers get their name from?

Blog

Alaska in literature What seas is Alaska washed by?

Answers

Map of France with surrounding countries

Attractions

Saturn holiday home. Recreation center Saturn. We guarantee the best prices