Palace of Congresses 1961. Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Useful information for visitors

The State Kremlin Palace is the most prestigious and best in Moscow. It began to be called that in 1992; previously the building was called the “Kremlin Palace of Congresses”. His address is short:

Brief characteristics

The Palace is located on the territory belonging to the residence of the President of Russia. ranked among the best in the world. Its capacity is six thousand people. The huge size does not overwhelm, but creates a feeling of comfort and balance. The stage area is 450 square meters and is equipped with all the necessary equipment. In addition to the main one, the Palace has a Small Hall, otherwise known as the Reception Hall. Most often it hosts chamber concerts and performances by jazz and classical music performers.

The Kremlin Palace of Congresses has its own restaurant, which can accommodate from six hundred to a thousand people at a banquet, while a buffet can accommodate up to two thousand guests.

A little history

The idea of ​​constructing the building belonged to Khrushchev, the chief secretary of the Central Committee. It was decided that the Kremlin Palace of Congresses should be erected for the XXII Congress of the Communist Party, which was scheduled for the fall of 1961. Before they gathered at the Bolshoi Theater or in the old Kremlin Palace. Nikita Sergeevich agreed only to the Kremlin for holding high-profile events; no other place suited him. It was decided to build a luxurious Palace, which would be designed specifically for holding important, crowded events. The place chosen for this is the old Armory Chamber in the Empire style, built at the beginning of the 19th century by Egotov. Before this, buildings of the court of Tsar Boris Godunov stood on this site. Near the old Armory there was a whole chain of ancient Russian cannons, headed by the Tsar Cannon. All of them were moved towards the Arsenal to the captured French guns.

Construction

Before the construction of the facility began, some work was done in this place that made it possible to complete the history of Moscow.

The best architects took part in the creation of the building project: Shchepetilnikov, Posokhin, Stamo, Mndoyants, Steller. And also engineers: Kondratyev, Shkolnikov, Lvov, Melik-Arakelyan.

At first, the hall of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was designed for four thousand seats. In the project, it was divided into three fronts (facade, foyer, meeting room), each of which was handled by a specific group of architects. Subsequently, many received the Lenin Prize for this project.

Under the influence of Chinese colleagues who built the Palace of Congresses in Beijing with ten thousand seats, it was decided to expand the building. It was planned to create a hall with a capacity of six thousand people. At the same time, a banquet hall for 2,500 people was designed. The diagram of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses indicates that the newly increased volume was “hidden” underground, to a depth of fifteen meters. Additional floors appeared to house spectator wardrobes.

Opening of the Palace

Construction lasted only sixteen months. We had to complete the task in such a short time. During construction, the old officer barracks from the time of Nicholas I were destroyed, and a whole brigade was in operation. The grandiose construction required strict discipline and enormous responsibility. Even for a small mistake there was a chance of losing your party card and even your freedom. The Kremlin was built with state money; no expense was spared.

The discovery took place in October 1961. The luxurious party palace amazed everyone with its luxury and grandeur. The facade was decorated with white Ural marble and golden anodized aluminum. The main entrance was crowned with the coat of arms of the USSR, decorated with gilding. Later in history it was replaced by the Russian coat of arms.

For interior decoration, Karbakhtinsky red granite, Baku patterned tuff, Koelga marble, and a variety of expensive wood species were used.

One of the difficult design tasks was that the new building had to fit correctly into the appearance of the Kremlin. It was decided that the Kremlin Palace of Congresses should be consistent with the Arsenal building. For this purpose, the Palace was deepened 15 meters into the ground, which made it possible to distribute more than eight hundred rooms in the building.

Kremlin Palace of Congresses - how to get there?

The Kremlin Palace is a metropolitan landmark that does not need a special broad introduction. It is located in the very heart of Moscow - on the territory of the Kremlin. This makes it quite accessible for tourists and spectators. It is the State Kremlin Palace that is the main and most prestigious stage in Russia. Important events and concerts of the most prominent Russian and world stars take place here.

The largest flow of visitors is always observed on the New Year holiday, because this is where the all-Russian Kremlin New Year tree is held. Entrance to the Kremlin Palace is strictly by passes and tickets.

You can enter through There is a checkpoint, as well as a storage room. You can get to the Kremlin territory by passing the Trinity Bridge, Trinity Tower and the gate of the same name.

Address: Russia, Moscow, Moscow Kremlin
Start of construction: 1960
Completion of construction: 1961
Capacity: large hall for up to 6000 people
Coordinates: 55°45"05.1"N 37°36"55.9"E

Until 1992, the newest of the palace buildings of the Moscow Kremlin was called the Palace of Congresses. For several decades it was used to hold party and trade union forums and other national events. Today, the representative palace serves as a venue for theatrical performances and concerts. Anyone can view it from the outside, but people are allowed inside the building only with spectator tickets.

The palace from Ivanovskaya Square

History of construction

Until the 60s of the last century, party congresses were held in the Hall of Columns of the House of Unions and in the Grand Kremlin Palace. However, over time, the scale of these important meetings increased, and the country's leaders came to the conclusion that a more modern venue was needed to hold them. The initiator of the construction of the new building was the party leader of the Soviet state - N.S. Khrushchev.

When the decision was made, we thought about the question - where to build a new palace? The designers proposed several possible sites - the territory of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy, a place on Vorobyovy Gory near the university and the embankment where the Cathedral of Christ the Savior now stands. They even wanted to demolish the famous Gostiny Dvor for the palace. But in the end the choice fell on the Moscow Kremlin. This place was perceived as the heart of the capital and a symbol of statehood, so the Kremlin territory was most suitable for a monumental building.

Then they held a closed competition for architectural designs for the new palace. And among 12 applicants, Mikhail Vasilyevich Posokhin won, who became the leader of the large-scale construction project. In addition to him, several more architects and engineers were included in the team of authors, and all of them were awarded the Lenin Prize upon completion of construction.

The Palace from the Trinity Tower

To prepare a larger site, six buildings from the 15th to 19th centuries were demolished in the Kremlin. These were the so-called “pre-fire” buildings, that is, they were erected before the great fire of 1812. Among other houses, the old mansion, which was formerly occupied by the Armory, was liquidated. The three-story building in the Empire style was built at the beginning of the 19th century under the leadership of the famous Russian architect Ivan Vasilyevich Egotov. Old cannons stood along it, and they were moved to the Kremlin Arsenal. And the largest Tsar Cannon was installed on the spacious Ivanovo Square.

The construction of the new palace took place in record time. It was built in just 16 months and opened in 1961. It is interesting that during this short time the project was radically redesigned several times, adapting it to new needs.

Initially it was proposed to build a meeting hall with a capacity of 4 thousand seats. However, N.S. Khrushchev, impressed by the new Palace of Congresses in Beijing for 10 thousand spectators, ordered to enlarge the hall in the new Kremlin palace. His request was granted, and the conference hall was expanded to 6 thousand seats. In addition, a large banquet hall was built, designed for 2.5 thousand seats or 4.5 thousand guests during receptions. As a result, the interior space of the new building grew so much that some of the floors had to be removed underground.

South-eastern facade of the palace

The grand opening of the palace took place in the fall of 1961. At a banquet on the occasion of this event, the new building was called “the brainchild of the thaw.” Guests invited to the opening were able to see a concert program with an excerpt from the ballet by P.I. Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" and performances by artists of various genres.

Features of architecture and interior decoration

The Palace of Congresses is one of the few Kremlin buildings that are not included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It measures 120 by 70 m, consists of six floors and therefore obscures the golden domes of the Assumption Cathedral from the view of those entering the Kremlin.

The underground part of the palace is deepened by 14 m, which corresponds to the height of a 5-story building. The State Kremlin Palace and the Grand Kremlin Palace, which houses the office of the President of Russia, are connected by a system of ground passages.

The outside of the building is lined with marble brought from the Urals, beautiful anodized aluminum and glass panels. Previously, above its entrance there was a gilded coat of arms of the USSR, but now the coat of arms of Russia is fixed in this place.

Palace facade

The huge palace consists of 800 rooms and corridors of different sizes, and it has 23 elevators and one large lift that can accommodate an entire car. The spacious stage, measuring 40 by 23 m, can accommodate up to 1,000 artists at the same time. In 2013, the stage facilities were completely modernized, and now they meet the most modern requirements.

The interior decoration of the Palace of Congresses is made of red Karbakhtin granite, patterned tuff from Baku and snow-white Koelga marble. In addition, panels made of ash, oak, hornbeam, Pacific walnut and beech were used in the decoration of rooms and halls. Due to such varied decoration, the interior of the palace looks restrained and solemn.

The stage curtain is made of thin sheets of metal minted by craftsmen of the Art Foundation of Latvia. And the coat of arms frieze in the main foyer is made of colored smalt according to the drawings of the famous Soviet artist Alexander Alexandrovich Deineka.

What can you see in the palace

Nowadays, performances of the Kremlin Ballet Theater are shown on the palace stage. This theater group was founded in 1990, and the leading soloists of the country's Bolshoi Theater danced in its first productions.

Today, musicians from the most famous orchestras in Russia participate in the theater’s performances. The Palace of Conventions shows classical ballets “Macbeth”, “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, “The Nutcracker”, “La Bayadère”, “Swan Lake”, “The Magic Flute”, “Don Quixote”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Giselle”.

In addition, festivals of ballet, children's and student creativity, charity programs and creative evenings are held here. Famous orchestras, choirs, chamber music groups, popular actors and famous soloists perform on stage. Jazz and rock are played here, art and folk songs, popular music and romances are heard, and choreographic ensembles demonstrate their skills.

Every year, the main New Year tree of Russia is organized at the State Kremlin Palace. In the Soviet years, tickets for it were almost impossible to get, so they were distributed among the children of the nomenklatura and among the excellent students of Moscow schools. Performances from the Christmas tree were broadcast on television, and gifts for participants were packed in beautiful plastic boxes made in the shape of the Kremlin’s Spasskaya Tower.

Arsenal reflection

Useful information for visitors

The ticket office of the State Kremlin Palace is located near the Kremlin, on the street. Vozdvizhenka, 1. They are open every day, seven days a week, from 12.00 to 20.00.

You can only enter the Kremlin through checkpoints. Ticket access to the Palace of Congresses begins 1 hour 45 minutes before the start of the concert or performance. Backpacks, briefcases, packages and bulky luggage are not allowed into the building. If you have such luggage, it must be left in a paid storage room, which is located on the territory of the Alexander Garden.

Please note that the use of mobile phones, camcorders and cameras is not permitted during events inside the palace.

How to get there

The State Kremlin Palace stands in the western part of the Moscow Kremlin. They reach it through the territory of the Alexander Garden, the squat Kutafya Tower and the Trinity Bridge. And the entrance to the Kremlin territory can be reached on foot from the Moscow metro stations “Alexandrovsky Sad”, “Lenin Library” and “Borovitskaya”.

Kremlin Palace of Congresses

Until the early 60s, congresses of the CPSU and other similar events were held in two places: the meeting hall of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in the Grand Kremlin Palace or in the Hall of Columns of the House of Unions, the former Assembly of the Nobility. Under Stalin, on especially solemn occasions, the party and Soviet elite gathered at the Bolshoi Theater. This continued until Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev decided that a separate building needed to be built for party congresses - it was no good, they say, for communists to “take over other people’s corners” for their meetings.

So, in 1959 the issue was decided unequivocally - there would be a new palace of conventions. But where to build? On the territory of the Kremlin? Khrushchev insisted on this because, as he said, the center of the state is located there, which means that party congresses should be held at this place. Architects, historians, and people from the Secretary General’s inner circle tried to object to this (as far as possible). Even non-specialists understood that the new modern building would not fit into the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, and its construction, one way or another, would require the demolition of historical buildings. There was a proposal to build the Kremlin Palace on the site of the bombed Cathedral of Christ the Savior. But Khrushchev made the decision virtually single-handedly. Later this was recalled to Nikita Sergeevich as one of the manifestations of that very “voluntaristic style of leadership.”

Officially, the design and construction of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was supervised by Alexey Nikolaevich Kosygin, then deputy chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers and chairman of the USSR State Planning Committee. But everyone understood that the “construction of the century” was under the direct control of Khrushchev himself. Naturally, the best architectural forces of the country were brought in to design the Kremlin Palace. First of all, it was necessary to determine the preliminary dimensions of the building. And here the requirements of the main customer grew with amazing speed. At first it was planned to build something quite modest and small. However, then the project grew like a snowball, because in addition to the meeting room itself, the palace had to have a large number of office premises, rest rooms, wardrobes, buffets and restaurants, toilets, etc. A lot of space was also occupied by support systems - a separate electrical substation, an air conditioning system , elevator facilities. In addition, the designers received another task - the palace will be used not only for meetings, but also as a structure for theater and ballet performances. Consequently, it was necessary to provide space for a stage and stage equipment, artistic dressing rooms, and rooms for decorations. As a result, the modest building turned into a huge multifunctional complex.

At the design stage, by personal order of Kosygin, several groups of architects and designers were sent to Europe, the United States and China. They say that the idea of ​​​​building the palace came to Khrushchev after traveling abroad and visiting buildings of this type. The Secretary General was especially impressed by the building of the National People's Congress, built in 1959 for the 10th anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, with a huge conference hall with 10 thousand seats.

As the designers recalled, the controversy surrounding the project of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was quite heated. Several groups of architects submitted their proposals for approval. A competition was held, and as a result, the project of a team of four people - Mikhail Posokhin, Ashot Mndoyants, Evgeny Stamo and Pavel Steller - was approved by order of the Moscow City Council. It must be said that Mikhail Vasilyevich Posokhin was appointed chief architect of the Kremlin Palace not by chance - it was Khrushchev’s personal choice. Khrushchev and Posokhin knew each other well; Mikhail Vasilyevich built government dachas, including for the Secretary General. In the midst of construction of the palace, Mikhail Posokhin was appointed chief architect of the capital.

The construction site was chosen next to the Trinity Gate of the Kremlin; opposite these gates was the main entrance to the palace. Archaeologists were the first to appear on the construction site. It must be said that the designers tried to intervene as carefully as possible in the historical development of the Kremlin, and therefore serious archaeological excavations were carried out at the site of the future foundation pit. The archaeologists' conclusion was unequivocal - there are no objects of particularly historical value at the construction site of the Kremlin Palace. True, as some experts now claim, then archaeologists “did not notice” the underground parts of the so-called “chambers of Natalya Kirillovna,” the mother of Peter the Great, which existed until the mid-18th century. During the excavation of the Palace of Congresses, the basements of the chambers were excavated and destroyed. And on the surface it was not possible to do without losses: during the construction of the Kremlin Palace, builders demolished the old building of the Armory Chamber and several service premises of the 18th–19th centuries, including the Cavalry (suite) buildings of the imperial palace.

16 months from the start of design to the commissioning of the facility - such a short period of time was given to designers and builders for the construction of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. In the spring of 1961, the XXI Party Congress was supposed to take place, which was planned to be held in the new palace. The gigantic volumes of work and record-breaking short construction times required uninterrupted financing and provision of necessary materials and equipment. From the very beginning of the construction of the Kremlin Palace, Khrushchev regularly appeared at the construction site. Naturally, with such a patron and such control, the performers never had problems with financial and material support.

The builders tried their best to complete the construction of the Kremlin Palace by the spring of 1961, in time for the opening of the 21st Party Congress. The work went on almost around the clock; naturally, the emergency pace could not but affect the quality of construction - there were a lot of shortcomings. If the project had not been delivered on time or the State Commission had not accepted it due to numerous deficiencies, many would have lost their posts. But the builders were lucky - there was very little time left before completion, when the opening of the 21st Congress was postponed to the fall. It was just a gift - the builders had a break, an unexpected opportunity to bring the project to fruition. By August 1961, the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was ready to be handed over to the State Commission. The commission members had no serious complaints. Particularly impressive were the tests of the building's roof for snow loads, as well as the floors in case of large crowds of people. At the end of summer, snow could not be found even for the main party palace, and therefore it was decided to conduct tests with the help of soldiers (previously, the reliability of the roof of the sports complex in Luzhniki was tested in the same way). According to the designers' calculations, in order to conduct full tests, it was necessary to involve 30 thousand people! This was too much even for the most important party palace. It would have taken a lot of time to let such a huge mass of people through the Kremlin gates, and it would also have been necessary to block traffic in the center of Moscow for a long time. In the end, they decided to halve the number of “testers” at the Kremlin Palace. On the roof, the “role” of the fallen snow was played by two thousand soldiers, eight thousand were placed in the banquet hall, the remaining five were placed inside the hall and on numerous balconies. The commanders ordered “Right!” March, step by step!”, and in a single impulse, thousands of feet dressed in heavy tarpaulin boots stomped. The builders watched what was happening with bated breath. But everything turned out well, and by an act of the state commission the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was accepted into operation.

Since then, the Kremlin Palace has become the main ideological platform of the Soviet Union. All party congresses, meetings and events dedicated to various special occasions, and international conferences took place within its walls (the meeting room was equipped with acoustic equipment, which made it possible to translate speeches into 12 languages). Famous musicians, theater and ballet artists performed on the stage of the Kremlin Palace. And for the younger generation, the Palace of Congresses was associated with the famous Kremlin New Year tree, a ticket for which, along with a trip to Artek, was considered the most desirable reward for every Soviet schoolchild.

Located in the heart of the capital of Russia - in the ancient Moscow Kremlin, the State Kremlin Palace was built in 1961 in 16 months - in the shortest possible time at that time - with the active support of the First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev. Choosing a site for the construction of the Palace was a particularly important task. The location of this monumental structure had to correspond to its socio-political role. The construction of the Palace on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, a place sacred to Russian people, most fully met these high requirements. The Moscow Kremlin is not only an outstanding historical and architectural monument of the past, but also, above all, the center of our capital, the center of the highest authorities of the country. It was here that it was decided to implement the idea of ​​​​building the Palace. A closed competition has begun to create a building design. Among the twelve proposed project options, Mikhail Vasilyevich Posokhin became the winner and, subsequently, the head of the team of architects. This outstanding architect, awarded the Lenin Prize for the project of the Kremlin Palace, was at that time the chief architect of Moscow and the head of the city’s Main Architectural and Planning Department.

The team of authors included: architects A. A. Mndoyants, E. N. Stamo, P. P. Steller, N. M. Shchepetilnikov; engineers G.N. Lvov, A.N. Kondratyev, S.Ya. Shkolnikov, T.A. Melik-Arakelyan and many others, who were later also awarded the Lenin Prize for this project. At the design stage, the building was divided into three main components, each of which was developed by a separate group of people. The hall was created by E. N. Stamo and his team. The foyer was designed by the group of P. P. Steller, and the facades were developed under the leadership of A. A. Mndoyants. When detailed development of the project began, construction zones became significantly larger. The government, “closed” part was created by the KGB architect G.V. Makarevich. The winter garden was designed by K. Zakarian. The facade facing the Terem Palace was created by V. Loktev.

In its original version, the hall was designed for 4,000 seats. In the future, it was decided to increase the scale of the Kremlin Palace. The indirect “culprits” for this turned out to be Chinese architects. In 1959, the founding of the People's Republic of China was celebrated in China, and therefore, it was decided to build ten large buildings in Beijing, among which the Congress Palace was also planned, designed for 10,000 seats with a huge banquet hall. N. S. Khrushchev, who was present at the celebrations, was amazed by this structure and told M. V. Posokhin about it.

A new stage of work has begun. It was decided not only to increase the meeting room to 6,000 seats, but also, most importantly, to design a banquet hall with maximum capacity. To get acquainted with the experience of constructing such buildings, a group of main authors traveled to Germany and the USA. Many ideas for architectural elements were then brought from abroad, in particular, the interior of the UN meeting room in New York, lined with wooden slats that were fashionable at that time, was practically imported to the Kremlin. A less representative delegation was sent to Beijing to learn from the experience of designing a banquet hall. The building grew. Another level was added on the Arsenal side and several floors underground to accommodate the increased spectator cloakrooms. They eventually decided to build the banquet hall at the top of the building, right above the auditorium.

The development of architectural solutions for the facades also caused a lot of controversy. Many options were considered: from almost closed with arcades to completely transparent. This is how the well-known silhouette of the Kremlin Palace was gradually formed. Simple, geometrically pure and clear architectural forms determined the solemn, noble coloring of the Palace’s interiors. The majesty and restraint of decoration, so typical of ancient Russian architecture, allowed the Palace to fit perfectly into the ensemble of buildings of the Moscow Kremlin - an ensemble in which each century has left its unique white stone features. By the summer of 1961, the huge building of the Kremlin Palace was constructed and decorated on the outside with white Ural marble, golden anodized aluminum and glass, and inside with red Karbakhtin granite, Koelga marble and patterned Baku tuff. Ash, oak, beech, Pacific walnut and hornbeam were used in wall decoration and inlaid parquet flooring. The coat of arms frieze made of multi-colored smalt was made according to sketches and under the direction of the famous artist A. A. Deineka. The curtain, which is a decorative panel made of thin chased metal sheets, was made by craftsmen of the Latvian Art Foundation under the direction of H. M. Rysin according to a sketch by Professor A. A. Mylnikov.

At a banquet dedicated to the completion of the Palace of Congresses, Posokhin called the first architect of this global project... Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev, and the Kremlin Palace - “the brainchild of the thaw.” On the memorable opening day of the Palace, October 17, 1961, the audience was presented with a festive concert program, which included a fragment of the ballet “Swan Lake” and performances by masters of art of various genres.

From the first days of operation, the Kremlin Palace, as a theater and concert venue, was placed at the disposal of the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR as a second stage. For decades, the Kremlin Palace hosted opera and ballet performances of the current repertoire and premiered the Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR with the participation of its outstanding soloists and orchestra. Built primarily for mass socio-political events, the Kremlin Palace became the venue for party and trade union forums of the 60s - 80s. The XXII - XXVII Congresses of the CPSU were held within its walls. In addition, legendary singing and dancing groups, such as the State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble under the direction of Igor Moiseev, the Twice Red Banner Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrov, and the State Academic Russian Folk Choir named after M. E. Pyatnitsky, Academic Choreographic Ensemble “Berezka” and many others. The stage of the Kremlin Palace remembers the virtuoso dance of Olga Lepeshinskaya, Maya Plisetskaya, Natalia Bessmertnova, Ekaterina Maximova, Lyudmila Semenyaka, Maris Liepa, Vladimir Vasiliev, Mikhail Lavrovsky; unique timbres of the voices of the famous soloists of the Bolshoi Opera: Galina Vishnevskaya, Elena Obraztsova, Tamara Milashkina, Irina Arkhipova, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Bella Rudenko, Makvala Kasrashvili, Zurab Sotkilava, Vladislav Piavko, Alexander Vedernikov, etc. Many historical and memorable events took place in the building Palace. The first congresses of deputies were held here, when the formation of the young Russian democracy took place in a fierce battle. It was on this stage that the oath of the first President of sovereign Russia was taken. In 1992, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (KDS) was transformed into the State Kremlin Palace (GKD). Today, the Kremlin Palace is under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.

The State Kremlin Palace has firmly secured its title as the country's central theater and concert venue. Its special status is due to the fact that it is located on the territory of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation - in the Moscow Kremlin. This implies greater social significance of the events held here.

Today the auditorium of the Kremlin Palace is one of the best in the world. After a comprehensive modernization of sound and lighting equipment carried out in 2013, it stood, according to authoritative experts, on a par with such famous halls of the world as Carnegie Hall and Irwin Plaza in New York, Shrine Auditorium "in Los Angeles, Olympia in Paris, Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, Stravinsky Hall in Montreux.

State Kremlin Palace

Official website of the State Kremlin Palace kremlinpalace.org

The State Kremlin Palace (until 1992 - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses) was built in 1961 under the leadership of the architect Mikhail Vasilyevich Posokhin (the project was also developed by Ashot Ashotovich Mndoyants and Evgeniy Nikolaevich Stamo) and with the support of Khrushchev. The building was designed as a venue for social and political events. So, in the 1960s - 80s, its walls hosted delegates of the XXII-XXVII Congresses of the CPSU. In addition to various socio-political forums, the State Kremlin Palace is also used as a stage for concerts and theatrical performances. For some time it was at the disposal of the Academic Bolshoi Theater.

Currently there is a theater on its territory "Kremlin Ballet" . Every winter, within its walls is held main New Year tree of the country . The State Kremlin Palace, built in the 1960s of the 20th century, like the 14th building of the Kremlin, is an identified object of cultural heritage in the Moscow Kremlin and not entered to the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.

KREMLIN PALACE OF CONVENTIONS (from the 1964 guidebook)

The Kremlin Palace of Congresses is an outstanding work of Soviet architecture, which reflects the greatness of our era and the latest achievements of science and technology. The opening of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses took place on October 17, 1961. On this day, the historic XXII Congress of our Communist Party began its work there.In plan, the building is a rectangle measuring 120X70 m. Its volume is 40,000 cubic meters. m. The palace has more than 800 different rooms equipped with the most advanced equipment.

The facades of the building consist of slender white marble pylons with stained glass windows between them. This gives the monumental construction of the palace an impression of lightness and solemnity.

The main entrance to the palace is from the Arsenal.

The palace auditorium is designed for 6 thousand spectators. In terms of size and technical equipment, it surpasses all auditoriums in Europe. 4,500 electric lamps and colored fluorescent lamps located in the suspended ceiling illuminate the hall, creating an original lighting effect.

The huge stage, the largest of the theater stages in the world, is separated from the presidium seats by a decorative metal curtain, made according to the sketch of Professor A. A. Mylnikov. In the center of the curtain on a scarlet banner, as if fluttering in the rays of the rising sun, is a monumental bas-relief of V. I. Lenin. The curtain was made by the workshops of the Latvian Art Foundation under the direction of Kh. M. Rysin.

The presidium and podium are mounted on a special platform that can be lowered to create a place for the orchestra.

The acoustics of the hall provide high-quality reproduction of human speech, symphonic music, concerts, operas, etc. This is achieved through the use of a new system of electronic equipment for sound amplification, sound recording and sound transmission. 7 thousand loudspeakers are secretly placed in various places in the auditorium. A significant part of the walls and ceiling is covered with special sound-absorbing material.

For the development of a system of acoustic and sound engineering equipment, a group of workers was awarded the Lenin Prize.

Special radio equipment allows transmission to the auditorium in 29 languages.

The 7 m high banquet hall, located above the auditorium, seats 2,500 people. Its suspended ceiling is supported by rows of side columns clad in marble and hammered anodized aluminum. The hall is surrounded on three sides by an open terrace, which offers views of the Kremlin and Moscow.

The Kremlin Palace of Congresses is a worthy building of our era. Its architecture is modern, distinguished by expressiveness and severity of forms. This majestic building, extremely complex in architectural and engineering terms, was created by the builders in record time - less than two years. The palace harmoniously entered into the architectural ensemble of the ancient Kremlin.

In the construction of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, new equipment and technology were used, new domestic and foreign construction and finishing materials were used.

For the design and construction of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses the Lenin Prize was awarded to M. V. Posokhin, A. A. Mndoyants, G. N. Lvov, A. N. Kondratyev, E. N. Stamo, P. P. Steller, I. I. Kochetov.

The Kremlin Palace of Congresses hosts congresses of the CPSU, international congresses, meetings and festivals.

In December 1961, the V World Congress of Trade Unions took place in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, in April 1962 - the XIV Congress of the Komsomol, in 1963 - the World Congress of Women, the 3rd International Film Festival and the XIII Congress of Trade Unions of the USSR, in 1964 - World Youth Forum.

The best theater groups of the country perform in front of the audience on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses.

The doors of this building, as stated in the greeting of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR to the builders of the Palace, are hospitably open to all workers.