Russian Presidential Palace Grand Kremlin Palace Moscow Russia
The place called the Kremlin in Moscow, the capital of
Russia, is very famous worldwide. In the heart of Moscow, it is actually a
fortress-like location where many splendid buildings are located. Russia has
many such fortresses, but Moscow’s Kremlin is very well-known. The Kremlin’s
complex includes five palaces, four cathedrals, the Kremlin’s defensive wall,
and the Kremlin’s towers or spires. In this fortress-like place, there is also
the Grand Kremlin Palace, which used to be the residence of former Russian
emperors in Moscow, but now it is the official residence of the Russian
president, and some of its parts have been transformed into a museum. To see
this museum, Russian and foreign tourists come here in large numbers. In 2017,
nearly 3 million tourists visited the Kremlin. To the south of the Kremlin
flows the Moscow River, to the east is Saint Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square,
and to the west is Alexander Garden, which invites tourists to admire.
The linguistic meaning of Kremlin is “Castle inside
the City,” and often the term Kremlin is also used for the Russian
government. From 1922 to 1991, the Kremlin referred to the government of the
Soviet Union. Another term, “Kremlinology,” is used, which means the
study of Soviet and Russian politics. The Kremlin complex covers almost 68
acres, which includes at least 15 buildings, 20 towers, gardens, and more than
1.25 miles of long walls, which are painted in red color. Some parts of these
walls are up to 21 feet wide. Just as the official residence of the President
of the United States is the White House, similarly, the “Grand Kremlin
Palace” is the official residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but
he does not live there. His residence is in a posh area located to the west of
Moscow called “Novo-Ogaryovo.” This residence is also protected by
high walls and is guarded by armed security personnel, and patrols are active
around the perimeter.
For the protection of the Kremlin, there is an elite military
regiment known as the “Presidential Regiment.” To be part of the
Presidential Regiment, one must possess very specific qualities. Not everyone
is accepted into this military unit. According to the Russian newspaper ‘Russia
Beyond,’ candidates for the Presidential Regiment must meet the standards of
the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate) and should be between 5 feet 7 inches
and 6 feet 2 inches in height. They should also have the ability to hear sounds
up to 20 feet away.
The construction of the Moscow Kremlin took place between
1482 and 1495. This fortress-like structure was built on an elevated location
on the left bank of the Moscow River, where another river, the Lena, also joins
the Moscow River. The current red walls and towers of the Kremlin were built
between 1485 and 1516. Along with the walls, there are 20 towers or spires,
with the tallest being the “Troitskaya Tower.” Another tower is the
“Spasskaya Tower,” on which a melodious chime clock with Russian
chimes rings in the New Year. The construction of the Moscow Kremlin began with
red bricks in the late 15th century. At that time, Russia was under the rule of
Ivan III, and he had invited Italian architects to come to Russia to oversee
the construction of the Kremlin.
The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of the city of
Moscow. To enter this fortress-like complex, one must pass through the
Spasskaya Gate. Within this complex are the Cathedral Square and the Cathedral
of the Dormition, where the coronations of all Russian emperors took place for
almost 300 years.
The most important building in this complex is the
“Grand Kremlin Palace,” and the path to reach this beautiful building
passes through the Nikolskaya Tower. This palace-like building is the official
residence of the Russian President. Nearby is the “Ivan the Great Bell
Tower,” which at one time held the distinction of being the tallest bell
tower in Russia. Russian emperors are often referred to as “Tsar of All
Russia.” In a royal family, the emperor was called the tsar. A Russian empress’s
title was tsarina, a prince’s title was tsarevich, and a princess’s title was
tsarevna. Tsar ruled Russia from 1547 to 1917. Inside this building is also an
enormous bell known as the “Tsar Bell,” which is placed on the
ground. It is considered the largest bell in the world, weighing approximately
200 tons. It is said that this bell was never rung because it broke during
construction. Near it, the famous “Tsar Cannon” from the past is on
display. This massive cannon, built in 1586, is considered the largest cannon
in the world. It’s unclear how many shots it has fired or how many people have
climbed it. Currently, this cannon is a point of interest for tourists.
The Kremlin complex attracts a daily influx of tourists
for sightseeing. Near the Kremlin walls, there is a ticket office at the
entrance to the “Trinity Tower.” Although tourists are not allowed to
enter the presidential residence and administrative buildings of the Kremlin,
they can purchase tickets to tour the complex’s wonders, historical buildings,
and cathedrals. However, even for this, they often have to endure long waits.
Tickets can be bought for different parts of the Kremlin, including the Armory
Chamber, which costs 1000 rubles or approximately $15, for a tour of the Architectural
complex in Cathedral Square, it costs 700 rubles or $10.50, for temporary
exhibitions, it’s 500 rubles or $7.50, to see the New Kremlin Square, you need
to pay 250 rubles or $3.75, and for entry to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower
complex, it’s 350 rubles or $5.25.
Before entering the walls of the Kremlin, there is a
security checkpoint that one must pass through for about 25 minutes. If you
have any bags or purses, they will go through conveyor belt screening, and
after that, you may pass through a full-body scanner machine. After passing
through the Trinity Tower, tourists will first encounter a secretive,
Soviet-style building known as the State Kremlin Palace. This is the newest
building within the Kremlin complex, constructed in 1961, where Soviet-era
state events and Communist Party congresses used to take place. However, these
days, it is used for various events and musical performances. It is said that a
significant portion of this building has been constructed underground, up to a
depth of 50 feet. The State Kremlin Palace seamlessly blends in with the
historic buildings of the Kremlin.
Grand Kremlin Palace, the most beautiful building in the
Moscow Kremlin, served as the official residence of Russian emperors until a
large part of the 19th century. The design and construction of this building
were completed by a team of architectural experts under the supervision of
Konstantin Thon. Construction of this palace began in 1837 and was completed in
1849. This magnificent palace is 124 meters long, 47 meters high, and covers a
total area of 25,000 square meters.
Within this palace, the former Terem Palace consists of 9
cathedrals dating back to the 14th, 16th, and 17th centuries, with over 700
rooms. The palace is rectangular in shape, with an open courtyard in the
center. It appears to have three stories from the outside, but in reality, it
has only two stories. Instead of windows, double windows were installed on the
upper floor. The western part of the palace was used for official receptions
and private chambers of the royal family. There were five halls reserved for
official receptions, named after Russian emperors.
In the present era, the Georgievsky Hall is used for
state and diplomatic receptions. Signing ceremonies for international
agreements take place in the Vladimirsky Hall. In recent times, the Grand
Kremlin Palace has been used as the residence of the Russian President.
However, President Vladimir Putin prefers to reside elsewhere. When the Russian
President travels from one place to another in Moscow, a motorcade accompanies
him, causing difficulties for the city’s residents. To alleviate this issue,
Putin had a helipad built within the Kremlin complex, which was completed in
May 2013. Now, the Russian President arrives and departs from the Kremlin using
the 8-Mil-Mi helicopter. The location for the construction of the helipad was
carefully selected to ensure that historical buildings were not damaged by
helicopter flights.
In
1990, the United Nations organization UNESCO designated the Kremlin and Red
Square as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Interestingly, during the Second World
War, Moscow was heavily bombed by German bombers, but the historical buildings
of the Kremlin suffered relatively little damage because they were camouflaged
using “kimono flags,” and many false windows and doors were added to
confuse the pilots, making the palace buildings appear as residential
buildings, diverting them from becoming targets.
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