The Moscow Kremlin is not only the seat of government, but also one of the oldest architectural ensembles in Russia. On its territory there are many interesting historical monuments.
The Kremlin itself was created as a military fortification and existed even under the tribal system. The Kremlin acquired its modern look in the 15th century, when the old white stone wall was destroyed and replaced with a red brick wall with towers.
According to the architects' plan, Cathedral Square became the center of the palace ensemble. On its territory were built the oldest Kremlin churches from the surviving to this day - the Annunciation, Arkhangelsk and Assumption Cathedrals, as well as the Ivan the Great Bell Tower Church - this was the tallest building in Moscow until the 18th century. The Faceted Chamber, a structure built by decree of Ivan III, is also located in the same place. It served as a reception chamber at the palace, as well as a place for celebrating major state events.
In the 17th century, the Terem Palace was added to the Faceted Chamber. The tsar and his family lived there from the time of Mikhail Romanov until the transfer of the capital to Petersburg.
In the XVIII century, construction on the territory of the Kremlin continued. An arsenal was built to store weapons stocks. In the XIX century, it was a museum of the Patriotic War, and now it is an administrative building for the needs of the government.
In the next century, the Grand Kremlin Palace was built in the southern part of the Kremlin. Now this building plays the role of the president’s formal residence, where ambassadors are received, inauguration and other official ceremonies are held.
In the same period, the Armory was built. This is one of the most interesting museums of the Moscow Kremlin, where numerous jewels donated by foreign ambassadors and owned by the tsars are kept. One of the most famous exhibits is the Monomakh Hat.
In general, the Kremlin is a valuable monument of Russian and world history and is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.
