When the big Kremlin Palace was built. George's Hall of the Palace. Meeting Hall - the largest hall of the Kremlin Palace

Throughout its history, the Moscow Kremlin has been a citadel of power; flowed in the grand ducal and royal palaces everyday life rulers of Rus'. This life is so closely connected with the history of the state, it is such an important part of the concept of the "Kremlin" that it is impossible to bypass the local palaces in silence. Despite the fact that access to them is closed to the general public, let's at least briefly look into their past and present.

Since the time of Ivan Kalita, the princely palace has occupied the most a nice place- on Borovitsky hill overlooking the river. It was traditionally wooden and small.
Ivan III expanded his possessions in the Kremlin and ordered in 1492 the Italian architects, who deserved praise for the Faceted Chamber, to build stone halls.

Ivan the Terrible continued to expand the mansions with wooden buildings. The main attraction of the then palace was the throne Golden Chamber on the site of the current St. George's Hall.

Boris Godunov erected his wooden palace on the roof stone structure, So royal family lived at a dizzying height for those times. The sudden death of the sovereign interrupted his even larger projects.

Empress Elizabeth ordered the dilapidated Godunov chambers to be rebuilt. The new palace turned out to be pretentious and uncomfortable, so Catherine II preferred to stay in the houses of nobles in Moscow. Under Alexander I, they tried to restore order in the royal dwelling and fix it after the Napoleonic fire. In 1817, wooden walls were quickly erected on the old basement, overlaid with bricks on both sides. Even at that time it was not serious.

Nicholas I, who loved Moscow and the Kremlin more than his predecessors, undertook to correct the situation.
To build a new palace, he attracted the architect Konstantin Ton, who pleased the emperor with his project of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Both of these buildings were supposed to confirm the triumph of the Russian national idea. The imperial residence, called the Grand Kremlin Palace, was under construction for a whole decade and became a worthy neighbor of ancient monuments.

The facade of the palace is well known to us: it is one of the specific symbols of Moscow and all of Russia.

The palace was built in 1838-1849 and opened on April 3, 1849, at Easter. The length of the main facade of the building from the side of the Moscow River from west to east is 125 m, the height with a dome and a flagpole is about 50 m. From the north, the Palace is connected to the Terem Palace, from the east it adjoins the Palace of Facets, and from the west - the Armory. The building occupies about 3.5 hectares.

The architect faced a difficult task. The emphatically national tastes of Nicholas I determined the style of the new palace as Old Russian. This was in line with the environment. architectural ensemble. At the same time, the palace, intended for magnificent crowded ceremonies, inevitably had to become a huge structure, incompatible with the traditions of ancient Russian architecture. But there was a way out. Konstantin Ton used national motifs to decorate the facade, surrounding the windows with white stone carvings. The main halls of the second floor received two rows of window openings, which creates the impression of a tower with small windows. Because of this, the two-story palace looks like a three-story palace from the outside. Interior spaces palace - a riot of imperial luxury. Eclectic style, magnificent decoration, an abundance of valuable materials in the decoration - a real architectural feast.

1. Boyar site.
2. Vladimir Hall.
3. George Hall.
4. Alexander Hall.
5. Andrew's Hall.
6. Cavalry Hall.
7. Catherine's Hall.
8. State apartments of the Empress.
9. Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
10. Terem Palace.
11. Golden Tsarina's Chamber.
12. Palace churches.
13. Church of the Deposition.
14. Holy vestibule.
15. Faceted Chamber.
16. Blagoveshchensky cathedral

The Soviet era spared this building, but still made serious changes here, since some of the palace's premises were used for mass political events.

In the 1990s, the facade and two halls of the palace were returned to the form they had before the revolution. In kokoshniks under the roof above central entrance they again installed five double-headed eagles instead of the Soviet coat of arms and four letters "USSR", and above them - the coats of arms of the former kingdoms and regions of former Russia (St. Petersburg, Kazan, Moscow, Polish and others).

They say that there are about 700 rooms and halls in the palace buildings, but we will walk (at least in imagination) only through the most remarkable ones. Including the famous ceremonial halls named after the main Russian orders: Vladimir, Georgievsky, Alexandrovsky, Andreevsky and Ekaterininsky.

Materials from all over were used in the decoration of the palace. Russian Empire. A wide front staircase with 58 steps and five landings, made of Revel stone (Revel - now Tallinn), leads to the second floor. Before you go up, you should turn left from the lobby and go into the so-called own half- imperial apartments. The emperor and his family stayed here when he came to Moscow from the northern capital - St. Petersburg, however most time these seven rooms were empty. Inlaid furniture, crystal chandeliers, porcelain floor lamps, malachite pilasters and bronze mantel clocks are striking. Much of this decoration was created by the work of Russian craftsmen.

We pass the dining room, the living room, the Empress's study, the boudoir, the bedchamber, the reception room and find ourselves in the emperor's study, a corner in the building. From here you have a wonderful view of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Moscow River. The walls of the study are partly upholstered in ash, and the rest - in green matter. Six paintings on the walls depict events related to the war of 1812. But no one has been working here for a long time. Let's go back to the lobby and go up the front stairs to the second floor, to the halls. Directly - the entrance to the entrance hall (entrance hall in front of the main hall). Five-meter-high doors, made of solid walnut board without glue or nails, lead into it past two huge crystal vases. Once there was a painting by Ilya Repin depicting Alexander III with a deputation from the peasants - volost elders, and since the 1950s - a canvas with Lenin's speech at the III Congress of the Komsomol. Now visitors in the entrance hall are greeted by a painting by the artist Sergei Prisekin "Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword."

From here we get, perhaps, into the most famous hall - Georgievsky which looks now as it did a hundred years ago. It is named after the military order of St. George the Victorious, founded by Catherine II in 1769, and is the largest in the palace (area - 1250 sq. m, height - 17.5 m). Some "progressive" critics at one time stated that the decoration of these halls testifies "to a pretentious, but poorly developed artistic taste and is capable of striking with its splendor only an uncultured layman." Probably, we are among the latter, because what we see is really amazing. On the marble plaques in the niches and on the walls, the names of famous military units and St. George Knights are written in gold, including Emperors Alexander II and Alexander III, great generals Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov. Names appeared on boards until the end of the 19th century. On 18 columns (nine columns on each side) are marble female figures with shields depicting the coats of arms of various lands. They symbolize the victories of Russian weapons and lands that became part of Russia over five centuries (from Perm in 1472 to Armenia in 1828, including Little Russia - Ukraine).

A bronze mantel clock against one of the walls depicts St. George the rider. At the opposite wall there is a clock in the form of a reduced model of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square. Giant bronze chandeliers are reflected in the parquet made of different types of wood - a real work of art, made according to the drawings of the academician of painting Fyodor Solntsev in the 19th century.

In the 19th century, each hall had its own meaning during palace ceremonies.
In Georgievsky, the emperor was met by Moscow officials, representatives of the nobility and honorary citizens. In 1945, a solemn reception was held in this hall of Russian military glory for the participants in the Victory Parade.

Followed by Alexander Hall. Its huge wall mirrors reflect the Moscow River and the entire panorama outside the window. This room is dedicated to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, which was established by Catherine I in 1725. In gold decorations on the ceiling and arches, there are bas-reliefs with the signs of this order and the mysterious letters "S.A.", which actually mean Sanctus Alexander, i.e. "Saint Alexander". Six oblong-shaped paintings, three above the doors on both sides, illustrate legendary episodes from the life of Alexander Nevsky, including Battle on the Ice in 1242 and the refusal to worship idols in the Horde. In the bas-relief above the doors, on one side, the prince is depicted as a warrior, and on the other, as a monk-scheme, which symbolizes his earthly and heavenly glory. In this hall, the emperor was greeted at solemn exits by city ladies.

In 1933-1934, the Alexander Hall was combined with the neighboring Andreevsky Hall to host the 17th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. The result was a long, pencil-shaped room, called the Conference Hall, where party congresses and sessions of the Supreme Council were held. In a niche arranged on the site of the imperial throne, a 10-meter marble statue Lenin. On June 12, 1990, state sovereignty was proclaimed here Russian Federation- an event that became the basis for a new holiday. The restoration of Russian statehood and the revival of national symbols have resulted in changes here as well. Both halls were completely restored in 1995-1999.

Andrew's Hall named after the first Russian order - St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, established by Peter I in 1698. Order chains and stars are depicted on the doors. St. Andrew's crosses - at the top of the columns. This is the throne room, the most important hall of the Kremlin palaces. Here, on the days of celebrations on the occasion of the coronation, the emperor and his wife received congratulations from their subjects. Until the end of the 19th century, the imperial chair, decorated with carvings in the Old Russian style, stood on the throne place. Then, under a canopy with an ermine canopy, three armchairs were installed - the reigning Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, the mother of the emperor. Their monograms were depicted on the backs of the thrones. Behind the canopy is a double-headed eagle, and above the canopy is the state emblem of Russia with archangels on both sides, the inscription "God with us" and the coats of arms of all kingdoms and lands. Above this place is depicted the "All-seeing eye in radiance" - the Orthodox symbol of the Trinity. One of the palace grenadiers on duty was constantly at the throne.

All the same, with the exception of the grenadier, will be seen by those who are lucky enough to visit the palace today.
By the way, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was restored in 1998 as the highest award in Russia, and a little later, the Andreevsky Hall again acquired a ceremonial function: President Vladimir Putin was inaugurated here.

In the 1930s, the bypass gallery adjacent to the Alexander and Andreevsky halls was also dismantled, which was turned into a meeting room.
In its place, a foyer of the Conference Hall was arranged. At the same time, on the site of the demolished Church of the Savior on Bor, a service building was built in the courtyard. In the late 1990s, both the foyer and the office building were completely redesigned according to the project of the artist Ilya Glazunov, who created new small front rooms in the office building (Petrovsky, Shtofny, Fireplace, Red and Green) for receptions and negotiations; the foyer has again become a gallery, even more pompous than in the days of the empire, and portraits of the rulers of Russia for ten centuries are placed on the walls - from the legendary Prince Rurik to Nicholas II (by the son of Ilya Glazunov - Ivan).

Passing further from the Andreevsky Hall and turning to the north, we find ourselves in the Cavalier Guard Hall, where during the emperor's stay in the palace there was a military guard. The bodyguards traditionally consisted of Circassians (as the highlanders of the Caucasus were then called), so the furniture in the hall - a sofa and chairs - was symbolically made from a Caucasian tree - plane trees. The picture corresponding to the place depicted a review of the troops of Alexei Mikhailovich at the Novodevichy Convent in the 17th century. In the 1930s, the hall was converted into a room where NKVD workers were located during congresses and various events. The current furniture in the hall is made of Karelian birch.

The cavalry guards, handsome officers in white uniforms, made up the honorary escort of the empress. According to etiquette, the expression “to have an entrance behind the cavalry guards” meant that a given person could enter that half of the palace where the throne room was located. Catherine's Hall and staterooms of the Empress.

In this hall, under a canopy of crimson velvet, stood the throne of the Empress (now its place near the eastern wall is free). Magnificent floor lamps remained in their places in the hall. The hall is dedicated to the Order of St. Catherine, which Peter I established in 1714 in honor of his wife Catherine I. As you know, in 1711, during the Prut campaign, the future empress helped Peter I save the Russian army from captivity by bribing the Turkish commander in chief with her jewels. The order was awarded only to ladies, and only 12 people could have the first degree signs at the same time, not counting those of imperial blood. The honorary duty of the cavalry ladies of the order was to be present in this hall at solemn ceremonies along with the ladies of the court. We can recognize in this interior the place of negotiations at the highest level - it is often shown on TV.

This is followed by apartments in greenish with gold and red tones with gilded furnishings - the front drawing room and the front bedchamber of the Empress. At the end of the suite of rooms, we pass through the front dressing room, lined with dark walnut panels, and find ourselves in the maid of honor corridor of the Terem Palace, into which the windows of the rooms of the ladies of the court looked out. At the end of this corridor, in 1959, they arranged a Winter Garden made of marble and mirrors, which has a pool with a fountain and more than 120 views. tropical plants. From here a small staircase leads to the last front hall - Vladimirsky.

The hall is dedicated to the Order of St. Prince Vladimir, established by Catherine II in 1782. The motto of the order is “Benefit, Honor and Glory”, and among the awarded are the architect Konstantin Ton, the historian and writer Karamzin and many others who have brought great benefit to the Fatherland and gained unfading honor and glory with their labors.

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

How many palaces we visited in our travels. And here is the most important hometown- The Grand Kremlin Palace remained completely unattainable for us. In the Kremlin, you can officially visit the Armory, Diamond fund, cathedrals, but the most beautiful Grand Kremlin Palace for some reason is not included in the list of visits. Strange. Delegations of all kinds of foreigners and individual excursions for some organizations are led there, apparently to raise the level of patriotism. We have always dreamed of getting there, and as soon as we had the opportunity to visit the BKD, we took advantage of this opportunity with pleasure. Regime object. So here you can shoot, but here you can’t. With what it is connected, again, it is not clear. But those are the rules. As a result, it was possible to shoot in the ceremonial halls in the Faceted Chamber, but not on the first floor and in the Terem Palace. But still, what you see is amazing.
1. The Grand Kremlin Palace is one of the most massive buildings inside the Kremlin. The palace began to be built 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 buildings of the Kremlin were not lost as a result of the large construction. And as a result, the Grand Kremlin Palace is connected with the Terem Palace and the Palace of Facets and forms one whole with them.

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

3. And this room itself is the Holy vestibule. By the way, the Faceted Chamber was restored in 2012 and now appears before visitors in all its splendor. By the way, does anyone know what the thing on the right on the wall is? Maybe it's the air ducts of the ventilation or heating system.

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

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

5. Paintings in arches on religious themes. Surprisingly, during the time of Peter I, the murals were painted over and the vaults were covered with a rag depicting a double-headed eagle.

6. A little more parquet.

7. There are also very beautiful chandeliers.

8. And doorknobs.

9. Door portals are also very richly decorated.

10. Faceted Chamber. Here all the walls are painted. It can be seen, by the way, that the walls in the ward are quite thick.

11. In the middle of the chamber there is a pillar on which the vaults of the ceiling 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 a reception in honor of the coronation of Alexander III. The royal place attracts attention. A kind of podium with a canopy.

Here's something else interesting. Interior before restoration historical appearance. Draped walls, whitewashed vaults. Shelves with crockery around the post.

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

14. Now there is no interior royal place, 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 Faceted Chamber is a special place. For example, the coronation of Alexander III was celebrated here, meetings of the boyar duma were held right there, the capture of Kazan in 1552 was also celebrated here. A place with great history.

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

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

18. As I understand it, the paintings on the walls mostly tell stories from the royal life.

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

20. However, as I 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 old Russian, so to speak. Staying here was very interesting.

21. We leave the Palace of Facets and passing through the Holy vestibule we get to the Vladimir Hall.

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

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

24. The stairs lead to the Terem Palace.

Interestingly, during the Russo-Japanese War, a sewing workshop was organized in the halls of the Kremlin Palace, where things were sewn to be sent to the front. And here in the Vladimirsky hall there was a packing of things.

25. Ceiling with a translucent lantern that allows light to pass through. The vaults are decorated with gilded ornaments and images of the orders of St. Vladimir. There is also a very beautiful gilded chandelier.

26. The doors leading to the Georgievsky Hall repeat their shape to the windows on the facade of the building.

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

28. The same goes for door handles.

29. The most pompous, the most beautiful of all 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 two sides.

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

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

33. There is not as much gilding in the design of the Georgievsky Hall as in the rest of the BKD. Here everything is decided in white tones, stucco on the vaults and supporting columns. Gold here is only the image of St. George's stars.

34. Let's appreciate the awesome parquet again. A large number of varieties of wood, a complex pattern - this is a very delicate work.

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

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

37. In the ceiling, camouflaged stucco ceiling waters are visible, I think, ventilation holes.

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

39. Gorgeous bronze gilded chandelier.

40. The numbers are impressive. The hall is 61 meters long, 20.5 meters wide, and 17.5 meters high. 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. Interestingly, in Soviet times, the Alexander and the next Andreevsky halls were merged, all the beauty was dismantled.

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

42. In the mid-90s, it was decided to reconstruct the Alexander and Andreevsky 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 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 curtains to match the sash.

45. Ttu is again full symmetry, the openings on the "blank" wall repeat the window ones. Mirrors also give the effect of light pouring from the windows.

And here again is a 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. The image of the order is again on the door handle.

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 his 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 just painted miniatures on the columns at the top.

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

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

55. The decoration is again stucco with gilding.

56. Above the three throne places canopy of ermine. 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 completed 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 halls on the second floor are not available for visiting, as there are working premises of the President of Russia. And even in his absence, no one is allowed in there. 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 shoot in all these rooms, which is a pity, there is something look!

P.S.
I usually find all archival photos on

Not everyone has been there. Virtual tour of the Russian "Forbidden City".

Andreevsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace of the Moscow Kremlin. Imperial throne. via

On the site President of Russia kremlin.ru, signed "Administration of the President of the Russian Federation", where the first three sections are called: Russia. State. Putin(interestingly, is this a hint that Putin is president forever?), on the page Kremlin it says like this:

"The Kremlin is open! Welcome!
Getting into the Moscow Kremlin is not difficult. No one is forbidden.[...]" It seems to me that it is brilliantly said.

2.

Andreevsky front hall on a watercolor by Konstantin Andreevich Ukhtomsky, 1849. The decoration in the Russian-Byzantine style was designed by Fyodor Grigoryevich Solntsev. via

"But, no matter how many times you visit the Kremlin, no matter how well you get to know its sights, some places in the Kremlin have probably remained inaccessible to you. These are buildings and territories that are reserved for government agencies and services supporting the activities of the President of Russia.

Help fill this gap virtual tour. It opens hitherto, unfortunately, objects closed to tourists, which are part of the Kremlin complex of the President's residence. Moreover, it opens - in a unique pictorial detail.

The Senate Palace and the Grand Kremlin Palace will appear before you in every detail - up to the inscriptions on the spines of books standing in the cabinets Presidential Library, and barely noticeable details of the ancient murals of the Faceted Chamber. You will examine every stone, every piece of furniture, every monogram on high ceilings, every leaf in the Kremlin gardens as if you were in close proximity to them.

And according to the good old tradition: article from AD Russia magazine unchanged about the interior of the Grand Kremlin Palace:

We usually see the interiors of the Grand Kremlin Palace only on TV - as a background of political events. We brought them to the fore.

Grand Kremlin Palace

The Grand Kremlin Palace has about seven hundred rooms. Main staircase from Reval stone leads to the second floor to the five ceremonial order halls. Its walls are made of artificial marble (the columns are made of real marble), the interior is designed in the spirit of the Renaissance and allows you to appreciate the innovative construction solutions of Konstantin Ton, who blocked a large span with metal structures. Figured castings on the ceiling are made of cement - an innovative technique at the time of the construction of the palace.

3.

Vladimir Hall

The Vladimir Hall is one of the most unusual in the palace. In plan, it is a square with a side of sixteen meters, but niches arranged at the corners give it the appearance of an octahedron. The decor reproduces the colors of the Order of St. Vladimir. The hipped sixteen-sided vault is made up of hollow ceramic pots - to facilitate construction and improve acoustics. The hall is illuminated by overhead light through a special opening. The stairs lead to the old part of the complex - the Terem Palace.

4.

Andrew's Hall

Andreevsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in 1849 by Konstantin Ton, in the 19th century was considered the main one in the suite of ceremonial rooms dedicated to the main orders of the Russian Empire. Andreevsky Hall, as its name implies, glorifies the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, the very first Russian order established by Peter I in 1699. Ten gilded pylons of the hall and gilded doors are decorated with chains and crosses from the symbols of the order. At the end of the hall there are three throne places with an ermine canopy above them, above the windows are the coats of arms of the Russian provinces.

5.

Alexander Hall

The Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, founded in 1725 by Catherine II, is dedicated to the Alexander Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Its walls are lined with pink marble, the domed ceiling and the sailing vaults bearing it are covered with images of the order's emblems and stars.

6.

The same stars are woven on the backs of the chairs: the velvet of their upholstery is the same color as the sash. On the walls of the hall there are paintings from the life of Alexander Nevsky. This hall, like Andreevsky, was rebuilt in Soviet times and restored in the 1990s. Sometimes the hall is used for meetings of the State Council.

7.

St George's Hall

St. George's Hall - the first in the front enfilade Grand Palace. Its theme is the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, established by Catherine II in 1769. On the walls of the hall there are marble panels with the names of the knights of the order (golden chests with lists once stood along the southern wall of the room).

8.

The main motif of the decor is the order cross, on top of the columns there are statues - allegories of the lands and kingdoms that became part of Russia from the 15th to the 19th centuries. They were created by Ivan Vitali. In the photo below - carved doors leading from St. George's Hall to Alexander's.

9.

Anteroom

Anteroom - a small room leading from the main staircase to St. George's Hall. Central location on its light green walls is a painting by the famous French battle painter Adolphe Yvon, depicting the battle on the Kulikovo field (1850).

10.

Terem Palace

The holy vestibule is located in the oldest part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex - the Terem Palace. It was built in 1635 by a team of Russian craftsmen - Bazhen Ogurtsov, Trefil Shaturin, Antip Konstantinov and Larion Ushakov. From the Red Porch overlooking the Cathedral Square, through the Holy Vestibule you can get to the Faceted Chamber and the Vladimir Hall.

11.

Faceted Chamber

The Faceted Chamber of the Terem Palace is the oldest building in the palace complex. It was built in 1491 by Italian architects Marco Ruffo and Piero Antonio Solari and served as the throne room for Tsar Ivan III. Zemsky Sobors and meetings of the Boyar Duma were held here, and foreign ambassadors were received. The walls of the chamber are decorated with paintings of the 16th century with religious subjects. In 1668 they were renovated by the painter Simon Ushakov with a team craftsmen from Palekh.

12.

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

main building Cathedral Square Kremlin. It was built in 1479 by the Italian Aristotle Fioravanti. In 1547, it was here that the first Russian tsar, Ivan IV the Terrible, was crowned.

13.

Original article.

It was built in 1838-1849 by order of Emperor Nicholas I by a group of Russian architects led by K. A. Ton (N. I. Chichagov, F. F. Richter, P. A. Gerasimov, V. A. Bakaryov).

Story

The new imperial palace was built on the initiative of Nicholas I in 1838-1850. on the site of the dismantled ancient grand ducal palace of Ivan III and erected on its basis in the 18th century. Palace of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Design and construction were carried out by a group of architects consisting of: N.I. Chichagov, V.A. Bakarev, F.F. Richter, P.A. Gerasimov, F.G. recognized as the founder of the “Byzantine-Russian style”.

The palace complex, later called the “Great Kremlin Palace”, in addition to the newly built building, included a part of the surviving buildings of the late 15th-17th centuries, which were previously part of the ancient grand ducal, and later the royal residence. These are the Faceted Chamber, the Golden Tsaritsyna Chamber, the Terem Palace and palace churches. After the construction in 1851 of the Armory and the building of the Apartments adjoining it from the north, connected by an air passage with the palace complex, a single ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace was formed, linked compositionally and stylistically.

By setting up new buildings, K.A. Ton, to a certain extent, reproduced the layout of the ancient ensemble, and the design of the facades developed the architectural theme old buildings. The arcade of the first tier of the palace is a remake of the basement of Aleviz; the terrace on top of the arcade repeats the old promenades and connects the ensemble in space; the winter garden over the new passage resembles the hanging gardens of antiquity; the carved figured frame of the window openings of the double-height second floor, profiled pilasters between them, the central raised part with kokoshniks, covered by a dome, echo the architecture of the Terem Palace. However, the dryness and monotony of the facades deprives the building of the picturesqueness inherent in Terems.

Nevertheless, the work of K.A. Ton is marked by innovation: long-span lightweight brick vaults, unique for Russian architecture, metal roof truss structures, the use of new building materials, in particular cement for figured castings, were highly appreciated by contemporaries.

The internal layout of the imperial palace, numbering about seven hundred rooms, includes the main vestibule with a staircase; five ceremonial order halls; reception front rooms of the Empress; living quarters of the imperial family, the so-called "Own half" and office space located on the ground floor. Luxurious interior decoration in the spirit of the times is made in different styles- from "Renaissance" to "Byzantine-Russian" and is distinguished by elegance, delicate taste and high quality of work. The palace is rightly called a museum of Russian palace interiors.

In 1933-1934. The Alexander and Andreevsky halls of the palace were rebuilt into the meeting room of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, having lost the splendor of their interiors for many years. In 1994-1998 halls, by decision of the President of the Russian Federation, were restored.

The palace, as it was conceived by Nicholas I, was a monument of Russian history and the glory of the Russian army. Five ceremonial halls on the second floor of the palace - Andreevsky, Alexandrovsky, Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Ekaterininsky - are dedicated to Russian orders, elements of which are included in the stucco decoration of each hall.

In the 19th century, the main hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace was Andreevsky(throne room. In the mid-90s of the XX century, the Andreevsky Hall was restored to its original splendor. The hall is decorated with 10 gilded pylons and gilded doors with order crosses and chains of the St. Andrew's Order, established by Emperor Peter I. The walls are covered with blue, the colors of the St. Andrew's ribbon, silk moire, decorated with chains and signs of the order. The coats of arms of the provinces and regions of Russia are placed above the windows. 10 bronze chandeliers and 35 sconces illuminate the hall. A worthy decoration of the interior of the hall and the entire palace are two fireplaces made of gray-violet jasper. Three throne places under an ermine have been restored near the eastern wall. On especially solemn occasions, the highest military ranks gathered here. Today it is the venue for the most solemn events of national importance.

Adjacent to Andreevsky, Aleksandrovskiy The hall was created in honor of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, established in 1725 by Empress Catherine I. The walls of the hall are finished with pink artificial marble. Along them are gilded chairs, upholstered in velvet the color of a sash with a sash star woven on their backs. The sail vaults carry a spherical dome, also decorated with order signs and state emblems. Moller's paintings depicting scenes from the life of Alexander Nevsky are hung on the walls of the hall.

Georgievsky- the largest and solemn hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The hall is dedicated to one of the most honorable royal awards - the military order of St. George, established in 1769 by Empress Catherine II. The huge vaulted ceiling of St. George's Hall rests on eighteen massive pylons, decorated with sculptures by Ivan Vitali. The snow-white walls and vaults of the hall are decorated with a relief ornament, in which images of the signs of the order are inscribed. On the marble walls and boards covering the walls and pylons, the names of the regiments awarded the Order of St. George, and the names of the Knights of St. George. In the semicircles of the transverse walls are high relief statues of St. George on horseback by sculptor Pyotr Klodt.

At present, the entire complex of the Grand Kremlin Palace, except for the Armory, is main residence President of the Russian Federation.

Photos

George Hall. Interior

Vladimir Hall. Interior

Catherine's Hall. Interior

Alexander Hall. Interior

Andrew's Hall. Interior

Guest annex. Anteroom

Guest annex. Petrovsky Hall

Guest annex. damask hall

Front apartments. green living room

Front apartments. red living room

own half. Drawing room of the Empress

own half. Empress's office

own half. Emperor's office

own half. bedchamber

The Grand Kremlin Palace is located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. The building of the palace was built in 1838-1849 by Russian architects under the direction of K.A. Ton. The group of architects included: Richter, Gerasimov, Chichagov, Bakarev and Shokhin. The construction of the palace was started by order of Emperor Nicholas I. The length of the palace is about 125 meters, and the height of the palace is 47 meters. The palace building is rectangular in plan, with a large courtyard.

The construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace began simultaneously with the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, entrusted to the same architect Ton. The building of the palace was supposed to symbolize the revival of Moscow after the war of 1812. The architecture of the palace was supposed to organically connect with the old buildings of the Kremlin. For a style sample, Konstantin Ton was instructed to take architectural project Kolomna Palace by the architect Stackenschneider, which was not brought to life. So the project of a monumental building was born.

IN palace complex, in addition to the constructed building, buildings of the 16-17th centuries were included - the Faceted Chamber, the Golden Tsaritsyna Chamber, the Terem Palace and palace churches. The main facade of the building is located along the Kremlin embankment. The exterior decoration of the building is made in the traditions of Russian architecture. The windows are decorated with double arches and carved architraves.

The palace was conceived as a monument to the glory of the Russian army. 5 halls were equipped: Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Aleksandrovsky, Ekaterininsky and Andreevsky. The halls are named after orders of the Russian Empire. The design of the halls is designed in the style corresponding to the name.

Andreevsky Hall, by order of Nicholas I, was dedicated to the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. This is the throne room of the palace and the main imperial hall of the Kremlin. The last restoration of the hall was carried out in 1994-1998. Andrew's Hall was restored to its original form.

The Alexander Hall adjoins the Andreevsky Hall. The hall was named in honor of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. This order was established by Catherine I in 1725. The hall was restored to its original form in 1994-1998.

Vladimir Hall is named after the holy Prince Vladimir. The hall is located in the center of the palace and leads to other rooms of the palace: to the St. George's Hall, to the Faceted Chamber, to the Terem Palace and other rooms. The hall is illuminated through the dome. The cladding of the walls of the hall is made of pink marble.

St. George's Hall is the most ceremonial of the halls of the palace. Named in honor of the Order of St. George the Victorious, which was established by Catherine II in 1769. This order became the highest award of the Russian Empire.

Nowadays, the Kremlin Palace is the main residence of the President of the Russian Federation. It hosts state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies.