Moscow Kremlin can rightly be called the mainlandmark of the capital of Russia. Everyone can get to it quickly and easily. There are metro stations, at the exit of which you can get to the Moscow Kremlin building pretty soon. We think it is worth listing them.
Where do I need to get out of the subway to get to the territory of the Kremlin?
Station "Alexander Garden"
Going out at this stop, you will get, as already,probably guessed in the famous Alexander Garden. Here you can see the Kutafya Tower, where tickets are sold to the territory of the Kremlin itself and to the Armory. Nearby there are many souvenir shops where you can buy memorable trivia and gifts to friends.
Station "Library named after Lenin"
You will be able to admire the Kutafya Tower, which will be located very close by, and you will only have to go to the other side.
Station "Square of the Revolution" and "China Town"
They will lead you straight to Red Square, only from different sides. In the first case, you will come out from the side of the Historical Museum, and in the second - from the Intercession Cathedral.
Station "Okhotny Ryad"
Leaving the station "Okhotny Ryad", you can also walk through the local shopping areas. Just need to prepare in advance for the fact that prices will be very "unusual" for a simple layman ...
What about prices?
What prices are expected by the person who decided to visitKremlin museum? It should be immediately noted that such a pleasure is not cheap. A walk through the Armory, which will last about one and a half hours, will cost about 700 rubles. A visit to the Diamond Fund will cost 500 rubles. If you just want to walk around the territory and look at the cathedrals, then you will need to pay 350 rubles. Excursion without inspection of the cathedrals will cost 200 rubles. But most likely, there will be such people who will be interested: why was the Moscow Kremlin built?
What is included in the sights?
The name "Kremlin" means not onlywalls and towers, as some people might think, but all that is inside it. Behind the wall you can see magnificent cathedrals, famous squares, museums and palaces. In addition, recently in the summer, on Saturdays at 12 o'clock in the afternoon, you can watch the ceremonial changing of the guard of the Kremlin regiment, which will demonstrate military skills.
Now let's talk about the history of the famous architectural complex of the capital and answer the question of why the Moscow Kremlin was built.
A bit of the history of buildings
You must understand that the word "Kremlin" isquite ancient. Under it meant that part of the city center, which was strengthened. In other words, the Kremlin is a fortress. In ancient times, times were not considered calm. So why was the Moscow Kremlin built? There were situations when cities had to fight back from unexpected attacks by countless enemy troops. It was from those times that the tradition began to gather absolutely all the inhabitants of the city under the protection of the Kremlin. Regardless of age, absolutely all people were hiding behind the powerful and high walls. Who was able to hold weapons in their hands - defended themselves by taking positions on the walls of the building.
Appearances of a fortress on a hill
История Московского Кремля начала свой отсчет about 4 thousand years ago. This fact was established by archaeologists. They were guided by fragments of clay pots, stone axes and flint arrowheads, which they found. All of these things were once used by ancient settlers.
Место, на котором было решено начать construction of the Moscow Kremlin, was chosen not by chance. The construction took place on a fairly high hill, around which the rivers flowed - the Moscow River and the Neglinnaya. Due to the high location, the fortress was able to see enemies in advance from a long distance and get ready for defense. In addition, the rivers acted as a natural barrier to enemy troops.
The Kremlin was wooden ?!
The history of the Moscow Kremlin began withconstruction of wooden structures. Around him, the settlers created a shaft of earth, thus increasing the reliability of the fortress. The remains of all these old fortifications were found during construction work, which was already underway in modern conditions.
Not so long ago it became known that the first wallswere built in 1156. The order for the construction of the fortress was given by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. How do we know this? From the monuments of written culture - the ancient chronicles. At the very beginning of the XIV century, Ivan Kalita ascended the throne. Such a nickname was given to him for the innumerable riches that he always carried with him in a small bag - waggon.
Prince, it was decided to continue not onlyconstruction of the Moscow Kremlin, but also to begin decorating and strengthening the walls to increase the reliability of the city as a whole. He gave the order to create a completely new wall. After some time, the fortress was built of oak logs of such thickness that it was impossible to wrap their arms around them.
Stone fortification
The history of the construction of the Moscow Kremlinadded new data with the arrival of the next ruler. Dmitry Donskoy completely redid the wall. It was during his reign that they became stone. Mason masters were gathered from all over the city. In 1367, work began on the construction of new walls of the Kremlin. The workers worked without interruption, and after a while on Borovitsky hill a powerful fortification appeared, completely made of stone. The thickness of the walls reached two, and in some places and three meters. During the construction was used limestone, mining took place near the city. The Kremlin impressed everyone so much with its white walls that Moscow was also called white stone.
Prince Dmitri was known as a rather brave man.He fought only in the first rows, and it was he who led the army against the Mongol yoke. In 1380, the army under his leadership in a devastating battle won on the Kulikovo field near the river Don. It was after the momentous battle of the prince that they began to call Donskoy.
The white-stone wall was unshakable for a long period of time.
The Kremlin with white walls stood about 100 years.During this period of time, much has changed. The Russian lands finally united into a fairly strong state, and Moscow became the capital. All these changes occurred during the reign of Prince Ivan III. From that moment on, it was called Great. Historians called him "the collector of the Russian land".
Именно Иваном III были призваны лучшие мастера.In addition, he invited the best architects from Italy - Aristotle Fioravanti, Anthony Solario and other equally well-known experts in their field. Under the guidance of guest masters, the history of the emergence of the Moscow Kremlin began to grow with new events. To prevent the city from being left without a fortress during the works, the Kremlin was built in parts: first, a certain section of the white-stone wall was dismantled, and then a new brick building was built in its place. Clay, which was used during construction, was taken not far from the capital. The brick before laying was fired, resulting in hardening.
During the years that construction was underway, the Italianmasters have ceased to be perceived as strangers. Their names are even altered in the Russian way. For example, Antonio became Anton Fryazin. This surname was given to him only because the Italian lands were called ancestors of our ancestors fryazhskimi. Naturally, people from this land were called Fryazins.
New construction
Construction of the new Kremlin lasted about 10years old. The fortress was protected by rivers from two sides. At the very beginning of the XVI century, a rather wide ditch was dug from a third party, which connected the two rivers with each other. Currently, the Kremlin is fully protected from all sides by water hazards.
What can tell the history of the towers of MoscowThe Kremlin? Similar structures erected one after another. They were immediately equipped with side gunners in order to increase their defenses. In addition to updating the walls of the fortress, the masters immediately rebuilt such famous cathedrals as the Annunciation, the Archangel, and the Assumption.
Accelerating the construction of the Kremlin
After the Romanovs took the throne,construction of new walls of the fortress went new, more heightened pace. Masters designed Philaret belfry near the Ivan the Great bell tower. Also, such buildings of the Moscow Kremlin as the Teremnaya and Poteshny palaces, the cathedrals of the Twelve Apostles and the Patriarchal Chambers appeared. During the reign of Peter I, the Arsenal building was erected. But at the moment when the capital was decided to be moved to St. Petersburg, the construction of new facilities ceased.
When Catherine II ascended the throne, they were torn downsome buildings of the Moscow Kremlin, as well as one of the parts of the southern wall. This was done in order to be able to build a new palace. But work after some time were canceled. Most likely, the reason for this was the lack of funds. But there is also an unofficial version. It concerns the negative attitude of people towards this type of work. In the period from 1776 to 1787 the Senate building was erected.
It could not do without damage
The description of the Moscow Kremlin has negativedata. Enormous damage to the entire structure was caused by the invasion of Napoleon. At that time, numerous churches were looted and desecrated by enemy troops. During the retreat, the wall, towers and buildings were partially destroyed. After the war, restoration work began, and by 1917, about 31 churches were built on the territory of the Kremlin.
During the October Revolution, the Kremlin wassubjected to bombardment. The year 1918 was marked by the transfer of the RSFSR government to the Senate building. During the reign of Soviet power in the Kremlin, the Palace of Congresses was erected. In addition, stars were installed on the towers, and the Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell were placed on the pedestal. During this period, the restoration of both individual walls and all the structures of the Kremlin was carried out.
Powerful and majestic heritage of Russia
Now you understand why the Moscow Kremlin was built? Naturally, over time, he began to be perceived not from a position of strengthening, but as a landmark of the whole country.
The construction process of the Moscow Kremlin lastedfor about eight centuries, and it can be said that quite a lot of significant events happened during this time. Not all of them favorably affected the fortress. However, the Kremlin was able to withstand all the hardships. He continues to amaze people from all over the world with his greatness. The power and beauty of this structure can not be described in any words, and for good reason the Kremlin was included in the UNESCO heritage list.
The history of the Kremlin is very closely intertwined withimportant events of the life of the state. With the growth of this building, there was a growth first of the city, and then of the entire state. The life of the Kremlin is firmly connected with the political upheavals: it is in it that the highest authorities are located and the most important decisions of a historical nature are made. The building is one of the most beautiful monuments of Russian culture, which in the whole history of its formation has lost a lot, but also gained a lot. This did not prevent him from becoming a real attraction.
In the article we made an attempt to explain who built the Kremlin of Moscow, and what role this building played and plays to this day in the history of the Russian state.
