Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Street-by-Street: The Kremlin

124 NORTH EASTERN EUROPE

The Kremlin is home to the Russian president and the
seat of his administration. As a result less than half of it is
accessible to the public, but highlights including the State
Armoury, the Patriarch’s Palace and the churches in Cathedral
Square (Ivanovskaya ploshchad) are open to visitors. Christians
have worshipped on this site for more than eight centuries,
but their early stone churches were demolished in the 1470s
to make way for the present magnificent ensemble of cathe-
drals. In imperial times, these were the setting for great state
occasions such as coronations, baptisms and burials.

Trinity Tower was the gate

Napoleon used to enter the

Kremlin after his triumph in

1812. He left after his defeat
      a month later 1

Terem Palace

has a cheq-

uered roof and 11

golden cupolas topped

by crosses – the only

visible part of this

hidden building.

Great Kremlin Palace

The palace contains several

vast ceremonial halls. The

splendid stuccowork of

St George’s Hall provides

a magnificent backdrop

for state receptions. Its

marble walls are in -

scribed with the names

of military heroes.

. State Armoury
The State Armoury was designed to
complement the Great Kremlin Palace.
Constructed in the 19th century, it is
now a museum. It houses the impe rial
col lec tions of decorative and applied
art and the State Diamond Fund 6

0 metres

0 yards

50

50

Ticket

office

KEY

Suggested route

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp160–61 and pp162–3

STAR SIGHTS

. State Armoury
. Cathedral of
the Assumption