Construction of the Kremlin from red brick. When was the Kremlin red and when white? How the new Kremlin was built

The Moscow Kremlin is the center of Russia and the citadel of power. For more than 5 centuries, these walls have reliably hidden state secrets and protected their main bearers. The Kremlin is shown on Russian and world channels several times a day. This medieval fortress, unlike anything else, has long become a symbol of Russia.

Only the footage we are provided with is basically the same. The Kremlin is the strictly guarded active residence of the president of our country. There are no trifles in security, which is why all Kremlin filming is so strictly regulated. By the way, don’t forget to take a tour of the Kremlin.

To see a different Kremlin, try to imagine its towers without tents, limit the height to only the wide, non-tapering part and you will immediately see a completely different Moscow Kremlin - a powerful, squat, medieval, European fortress.

This is how it was built at the end of the 15th century on the site of the old white-stone Kremlin by the Italians Pietro Fryazin, Anton Fryazin and Alois Fryazin. They all received the same surname, although they were not relatives. “Fryazin” means foreigner in Old Church Slavonic.

They built the fortress in accordance with all the latest achievements of fortification and military science of that time. Along the battlements of the walls there is a battle platform with a width of 2 to 4.5 meters.

Each tooth has a loophole, which can only be reached by standing on something else. The view from here is limited. The height of each battlement is 2-2.5 meters; the distance between them was covered with wooden shields during the battle. There are a total of 1145 battlements on the walls of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Moscow Kremlin is a great fortress located near the Moscow River, in the heart of Russia - in Moscow. The citadel is equipped with 20 towers, each with its own unique appearance and 5 passage gates. The Kremlin is like a ray of light carried through the rich history of the formation of Russia.

These ancient walls are witnesses to all the numerous events that happened to the state, starting from the moment of its construction. The fortress began its journey in 1331, although the word “Kremlin” was mentioned earlier.

Moscow Kremlin, infographics. Source: www.culture.rf. For a detailed view, open the image in a new browser tab.

Moscow Kremlin under different rulers

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan Kalita

In 1339-1340 Moscow Prince Ivan Danilovich, nicknamed Kalita (“money bag”), built an impressive oak citadel on Borovitsky Hill, with walls ranging from 2 to 6 m thick and no less than 7 m high. Ivan Kalita built a powerful fortress with a formidable appearance, but it stood less three decades and burned down during a terrible fire in the summer of 1365.

Moscow Kremlin under Dmitry Donskoy

The tasks of defending Moscow urgently required the creation of a more reliable fortress: the Moscow principality was in danger from the Golden Horde, Lithuania and the rival Russian principalities of Tver and Ryazan. The then reigning 16-year-old grandson of Ivan Kalita, Dmitry (aka Dmitry Donskoy), decided to build a fortress of stone - the Kremlin.

Construction of the stone fortress began in 1367, and the stone was mined nearby, in the village of Myachkovo. The construction was completed in a short time - in just one year. Dmitry Donskoy made the Kremlin a white-stone fortress, which enemies tried to storm more than once, but were never able to.

What does the word "Kremlin" mean?

One of the first mentions of the word “Kremlin” appears in the Resurrection Chronicle in a report about a fire in 1331. According to historians, it could have arisen from the ancient Russian word “kremnik,” which meant a fortress built of oak. According to another point of view, it is based on the word “krom” or “kroma”, which means boundary, border.

The first victory of the Moscow Kremlin

Almost immediately after the construction of the Moscow Kremlin, Moscow was besieged by the Lithuanian prince Olgerd in 1368, and then in 1370. The Lithuanians stood at the white stone walls for three days and three nights, but the fortifications turned out to be impregnable. This instilled confidence in the young Moscow ruler and allowed him to later challenge the powerful Golden Horde Khan Mamai.

In 1380, feeling reliable rears behind them, the Russian army under the leadership of Prince Dmitry ventured on a decisive operation. Having left their hometown far to the south, to the upper reaches of the Don, they met Mamai’s army and defeated it on the Kulikovo field.

Thus, for the first time, Krom became a stronghold not only of the Moscow principality, but of all of Rus'. And Dmitry received the nickname Donskoy. For 100 years after the Battle of Kulikovo, the white-stone citadel united the Russian lands, becoming the main center of Rus'.

Moscow Kremlin under Ivan 3

The current dark red appearance of the Moscow Kremlin owes its birth to Prince Ivan III Vasilyevich. Started by him in 1485-1495. the grandiose construction was not a simple reconstruction of the dilapidated defensive fortifications of Dmitry Donskoy. The white stone fortress is being replaced by a red brick fortress.

The towers are pushed outward in order to fire along the walls. To quickly move the defenders, a system of secret underground passages was created. Completing the system of impregnable defense, the Kremlin was made into an island. On both sides it already had natural barriers - the Moscow and Neglinnaya rivers.

They also dug a ditch on the third side, where Red Square is now, approximately 30-35 meters wide and 12 m deep. Contemporaries called the Moscow Kremlin an outstanding military engineering structure. Moreover, the Kremlin is the only European fortress that has never been taken by storm.

The special role of the Moscow Kremlin as a new grand ducal residence and the main fortress of the state determined the nature of its engineering and technical appearance. Built from red brick, it retained the planning features of the ancient Russian detinets, and in its outlines the already established shape of an irregular triangle.

At the same time, the Italians made it extremely functional and very similar to many fortresses in Europe. What Muscovites came up with in the 17th century turned the Kremlin into a unique architectural monument. The Russians just built on stone tents, which turned the fortress into a light, skyward structure, which has no equal in the world, and the corner towers took on the appearance as if our ancestors knew that it was Russia that would send the first man into space.

Architects of the Moscow Kremlin

The construction was supervised by Italian architects. Memorial plaques installed on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin indicate that it was built in the “30th summer” of the reign of Ivan Vasilyevich. The Grand Duke celebrated the anniversary of his state activities with the construction of the most powerful entrance front tower. In particular, Spasskaya and Borovitskaya were designed by Pietro Solari.

In 1485, under the leadership of Antonio Gilardi, the powerful Taynitskaya Tower was built. In 1487, another Italian architect, Marco Ruffo, began to build Beklemishevskaya, and later Sviblova (Vodovzvodnaya) appeared on the opposite side. These three structures set the direction and rhythm for all subsequent construction.

The Italian origin of the main architects of the Moscow Kremlin is not accidental. At that time, it was Italy that came to the fore in the theory and practice of fortification construction. Design features indicate that its creators were familiar with the engineering ideas of such outstanding representatives of the Italian Renaissance as Leonardo da Vinci, Leon Battista Alberti, and Filippo Brunelleschi. In addition, it was the Italian architectural school that “gave” Stalin’s skyscrapers in Moscow.

By the beginning of the 1490s, four more blind towers appeared (Blagoveshchenskaya, 1st and 2nd Nameless and Petrovskaya). All of them, as a rule, repeated the line of the old fortifications. The work was carried out gradually, in such a way that there were no open areas in the fortress through which the enemy could suddenly attack.

In the 1490s, the construction was curated by the Italian Pietro Solari (aka Pyotr Fryazin), with whom his compatriots Antonio Gilardi (aka Anton Fryazin) and Aloisio da Carcano (Aleviz Fryazin) worked. 1490-1495 The Moscow Kremlin was replenished with the following towers: Konstantino-Eleninskaya, Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Senate, Corner Arsenalnaya and Nabatnaya.

Secret passages in the Moscow Kremlin

In case of danger, the Kremlin defenders had the opportunity to quickly move through secret underground passages. In addition, internal passages were built in the walls, connecting all the towers. The Kremlin defenders could thus concentrate, if necessary, on a dangerous section of the front or retreat in the event of a superiority of enemy forces.

Long underground tunnels were also dug, thanks to which it was possible to observe the enemy in the event of a siege, as well as to make surprise attacks on the enemy. Several underground tunnels went beyond the Kremlin.

Some towers had more than just a defensive function. For example, Tainitskaya hid a secret passage from the fortress to the Moscow River. Wells were made in Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Arsenalnaya, with the help of which water could be delivered if the city was under siege. The well in Arsenalnaya has survived to this day.

Within two years, Kolymazhnaya (Komendantskaya) and Granenaya (Srednyaya Arsenalnaya) fortresses rose in orderly ranks, and in 1495 the construction of Trinity began. The construction was led by Aleviz Fryazin.

Chronology of events

All towers of the Moscow Kremlin

Why is Moscow called White Stone? The answer to this question, which is of such interest to tourists, is known, perhaps, to every resident who truly loves their city and is proud of its majestic history. This name was given to the capital by the white stone Kremlin in Moscow, built in 1367. Over the long centuries of its existence, it was rebuilt several times and became a true symbol of the city, its heart and one of the main attractions.

Today the Kremlin is one of the most beautiful in the world, and its area is about 27 and a half hectares. Let's learn more about the history of this grandiose structure.

The first settlements on the site of the Kremlin. Foundation of Moscow

The first ancient settlements on the site of the Kremlin arose a long time ago. As evidenced about five thousand years ago. And already in the 6th century AD the first Slavic tribes appeared here.

Moscow was first mentioned in chronicles in 1147. It was then that he invited his cousin Prince Svyatoslav of Novgorod-Seversky to a meeting in a small border town. This event went down in history as the date of the founding of Moscow.

The history of the creation of the first Kremlin

The history of the Kremlin begins a little later - nine years later, when Dolgoruky decides to fortify the city with high fortress walls. It was a pine palisade, supported by a massive earthen rampart for greater security. By the way, the place for construction was not chosen by chance. The fact is that the fortress was located on a high hill, surrounded by the Moscow River and Neglinnaya. This made it possible to notice the enemy in time and fight back. In addition, the hill offered an extremely picturesque view of the surrounding area. Interestingly, the area of ​​the first Kremlin was about four hectares, and by now its territory has increased almost eight times!

But a significant drawback of this fortress was that it was built of wood, which means it could easily burn down during an accidental fire or arson. The next time the Kremlin was rebuilt at the beginning of the 14th century, when Moscow was ruled by Ivan Kalita. He invested a lot of money, effort and time in strengthening and decorating the city. For this purpose he ordered the construction of new fortress walls. These barriers became much stronger; they were built from powerful and durable oak trunks. And the new white-stone Kremlin in Moscow was built under Dmitry Donskoy several decades later.

Moscow during the time of Dmitry Donskoy

The next ruler of Moscow was Prince Dmitry Donskoy. He was the grandson of Ivan Kalita. It is known that Dmitry Donskoy pursued an active foreign policy, expanding and strengthening the territory of Moscow. In addition, this time was marked by furious raids of the Tatar-Mongol hordes. All this required new, more durable fortifications.

In addition, as already mentioned, the old Kremlin was built of wood. Therefore, although it was powerful enough to withstand enemy invasions, it still remained defenseless against fire. And the fire that happened in 1365 destroyed the entire city to the ground (in history it was called All Saints, as it began in the Church of All Saints). He did not spare the oak walls of the Kremlin. Then, in order to protect the city, Dmitry Donskoy orders to build a white stone Kremlin in Moscow. The year the construction began was 1367. This is mentioned in the chronicles of this period.

Construction of the white stone Kremlin

So, the construction of the white stone Kremlin in Moscow began. Throughout the winter, materials were transported to it to create a fortress. White stone for construction was mined in the Moscow region, thirty kilometers from the city. It has long been used in Rus' and was one of the most beloved materials. The white stone was durable and beautiful, but its extraction was difficult, and there were few masters of this craft. Therefore, it was not used very widely.

The white stone Kremlin in Moscow was the first such structure in Suzdal Rus'. Its construction began when all the materials were ready, namely in the spring of 1367. A strong foundation was laid under the walls of the new fortress, which still stands safely.

The construction of the white stone Kremlin in Moscow was carried out quickly (the year of its completion was 1368). This haste was entirely justified. Indeed, soon after the completion of construction, a Lithuanian army attacked Moscow. He stood under the walls of the Kremlin for three days, but was never able to take the fortress. Two years later, Olgerd again attacked the city, but equally unsuccessfully.

In 1382, the fortress was subjected to a brutal attack by Tokhtamysh, which caused enormous damage to it, but after that it was completely restored. Therefore, the construction of the white stone Kremlin, without any doubt, was an outstanding historical event that influenced the further development of the city and its establishment as a center of Orthodoxy and the residence of the great princes.

What did the white stone Kremlin look like?

Unfortunately, to date there have been no documentary reports about what the first white-stone Kremlin in Moscow looked like. This can be judged only thanks to the available information from chronicles and drawings by A. M. Vasnetsov.

It is known that stone walls and towers were built at a considerable distance from old structures. Therefore, the territory of the Kremlin expanded significantly. according to some estimates, it reached two to three meters. Also, the role of protective structures was played by a wide ditch, over which bridges were thrown.

Loopholes were installed in the walls, which were closed with strong wooden shields. Passage gates were built in six towers. The first stone bridge in Moscow was thrown over it. A century and a half later, Trinity was built in its place, which still stands today.

After construction was completed, the white stone Kremlin became the most powerful fortress in Europe. By the way, its area at that time almost reached the modern one.

How was the new Kremlin built?

The white stone Kremlin stood in Moscow for about 150 years. It was sieged many times and withstood the most ferocious attacks. But still they caused serious damage and destruction to it, as did frequent fires. The walls of the fortress had become dilapidated in many places and could no longer fulfill their protective role.

Therefore, in the second half of the 15th century, under Ivan the Third, a large-scale restructuring of the Kremlin began. For this purpose, famous Italian masters were invited to Moscow. The fortress was rebuilt gradually; new ones made of red brick were erected in place of the old white walls. In general, the reconstruction of the Kremlin took ten years. Temples and cathedrals were also rebuilt. This is how the modern architectural appearance of the Kremlin was formed.

Subsequently, it was rebuilt several times. The first changes were made during the reign of Boris Godunov, then under Peter I. The Patriotic War of 1812 caused great destruction to the Kremlin. After it, large-scale projects were carried out. Under Soviet rule, the Kremlin was also rebuilt several times, the towers were decorated with stars, and the Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell were installed on pedestals.

Moscow white stone

The white stone Kremlin in Moscow stood for almost a century and a half. It withstood more than one fierce attack and enemy siege, reliably protecting the city from the enemy. It was thanks to this fortress that Moscow acquired the name “White Stone”. By the way, she still wears it now. But few people know that the Kremlin remained “white stone” for another four centuries after new red brick walls were erected.

There is a simple explanation for this unusual fact. The walls of the fortress were specially whitewashed until the 19th century. On the one hand, this was due to concern for the safety of the brick, on the other hand, it was a kind of tribute to the memory of the first stone Kremlin, built under Dmitry Donskoy. For example, it is depicted bleached on the canvas by P. P. Vereshchagin, created in 1879.

The Kremlin today

Currently, the Kremlin is the residence of the president. In 1997, it underwent a large-scale restoration. During the work it was restored a large number of buildings and structures of the Kremlin. Nowadays, on major Orthodox holidays, ceremonial services are held there, and excursions are held around the territory and museums of the fortress.

And perhaps today not everyone remembers that the white stone Kremlin in Moscow was built under Dmitry Donskoy, but the capitals know the history of their city and are proud of it.

• The architectural ensemble of Red Square and the Kremlin is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
• If several centuries ago the walls of the fortress were whitewashed, today they are periodically tinted with red paint.
• The Kremlin is the largest surviving fortress in Europe, still in operation.
• In 1941, windows were painted on the walls. This was done in order to disguise the fortress as a residential building.

The white-stone Kremlin in Moscow has gone through many changes during its life, but remains a symbol of Moscow and a true pearl of the city’s architecture.

The Moscow Kremlin has always been red since its construction (2nd millennium BC). In the 18th century its walls were whitewashed. This was the trend of the time. Entering Moscow in 1812, Napoleon also saw the Kremlin white.

White color

White paint hid the cracks in the Kremlin walls for a long time. They were whitewashed before major holidays. Under the influence of precipitation, the whitewash was quickly washed away, and the walls became an incomprehensibly dirty color. Muscovites called it a noble patina.

Foreign guests of the capital saw the fortress differently. Jacques-François Anselot, who visited Moscow in 1826, described it as a sad spectacle that did not correspond to its historical content. He believed that by trying to give the fortress walls the appearance of youth, Muscovites were “crossing out their past.”

The Kremlin during the war

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, it was decided that the Kremlin walls should be repainted for camouflage purposes. The development and implementation of the project was entrusted to academician Boris Iofan. Both Red Square and the fortifications were disguised as ordinary residential buildings. “Streets” were built behind the Kremlin walls, and black squares of windows were painted on the walls of buildings. From the air, the mausoleum looked like an ordinary residential building with a gable roof. Strategically, this decision was the wisest. But it shows that already in 1941 Stalin was ready for enemy aircraft to circle over Moscow.

Red color

The walls of the ancient structure turned red after the end of the war. In 1947, Stalin ordered their color to be changed to the one favored by the communists. The leader's logic was simple and understandable. Red blood – red flag – red Kremlin.

WITH Today the Kremlin houses the residence of the President of Russia. In addition, the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List and the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Moscow Kremlin” is located on its territory. The total number of towers is 20.

The "Red" Kremlin has replaced " White » The Kremlin of Dmitry Donskoy. Its construction (during the reign of Grand Duke Ivan III) was determined by the events that took place in Muscovy and on the world stage. In particular: 1420-1440 - the collapse of the Golden Horde into smaller entities (uluses and khanates); 1425-1453 – Internecine war in Rus' for the great reign; 1453 – fall of Constantinople (its capture by the Turks) and the end of the Byzantine Empire; 1478 - the subjugation of Novgorod by Moscow and the final reunification of Russian lands around Moscow; 1480 - standing on the Ugra River and the end of the Horde yoke. All these events influenced the social processes of Muscovy.

In 1472, Ivan III married a former Byzantine princess Sofya Paleolog, which, to one degree or another, contributed to the emergence of foreign masters (mainly Greek and Italian) in the Moscow State. Many of them arrived in Rus' in her retinue. Subsequently, the arriving masters (Pietro Antonio Solari, Anton Fryazin, Marco Fryazin, Aleviz Fryazin) will supervise the construction of the new Kremlin, while jointly using both Italian and Russian urban planning techniques.

It must be said that the mentioned Fryazins were not relatives. Anton Fryazin's real name is Antonio Gilardi, Marco Fryazin's real name was Marco Ruffo, and Aleviza Fryazin's name was Aloisio da Milano. “Fryazin” is a well-established nickname in Rus' for people from southern Europe, mainly Italians. After all, the word “Fryazin” itself is a distorted word “Fryag” - Italian.

The construction of the new Kremlin lasted more than one year. It happened step by step and did not involve the immediate demolition of white brick walls. This gradual replacement of the walls began in 1485. New walls began to be erected without dismantling the old ones or changing their direction, but only retreating slightly from them outward. Only in the northeastern part, starting from the Spasskaya Tower, the wall was straightened, and thereby the territory of the fortress increased.

The first one was built Taynitskaya Tower . According to the Novgorod Chronicle, “On May 29, a strelnitsa was laid on the Moscow River at the Shishkov Gate, and a cache was placed under it; Anton Fryazin built it...” Two years later, master Marko Fryazin laid the corner Beklemishevskaya tower, and in 1488 Anton Fryazin began building another corner tower from the side of the Moscow River - Sviblov (in 1633 it was renamed Vodovzvodnaya).

By 1490, the Blagoveshchenskaya, Petrovskaya, first and second Nameless towers and the walls between them were erected. The new fortifications primarily protected the southern side of the Kremlin. Everyone who entered Moscow saw their inaccessibility, and they involuntarily began to think about the strength and power of the Moscow state. At the beginning of 1490, the architect Pietro Antonio Solari arrived in Moscow from Milan, and he was immediately instructed to build a tower with a passage gate on the site of the old Borovitskaya and a wall from this tower to the corner Sviblova.

...on the Moscow River, an archer was laid at the Shishkov Gate, and a hiding place was placed under it

The Neglinka River flowed along the western wall of the Kremlin, with swampy banks at its mouth. From the Borovitskaya Tower it turned sharply to the southwest, going quite far from the walls. In 1510, it was decided to straighten its bed, bringing it closer to the wall. A canal was dug, starting near the Borovitskaya tower with its exit into the Moscow River at Sviblova. This section of the fortress turned out to be even more difficult to access militarily. A drawbridge was thrown across the Neglinka to the Borovitskaya Tower. The lifting mechanism of the bridge was located in the second floor of the tower. The steep, high bank of the Neglinka formed a natural and reliable line of defense, so after the construction of the Borovitskaya Tower, the construction of the fortress was moved to its northeastern side.

In the same 1490, the passage Konstantino-Eleninskaya tower with a diversion archer and a stone bridge across the moat was built. In the 15th century, it was approached by a street that crossed Kitay-Gorod and was called Velikaya. On the territory of the Kremlin, a street was also built from this tower, crossing the Kremlin hem and leading to the Borovitsky Gate.

Until 1493, Solari built passage towers: Frolovskaya (later Spasskaya), Nikolskaya and corner Sobakina (Arsenal) towers. In 1495, the last large gate tower, the Trinity Tower, and the blind ones were built: Arsenalnaya, Komendantskaya and Oruzheynaya. The Commandant's Tower was originally called Kolymazhnaya - after the nearby Kolymazhnaya yard. All work was supervised by Aleviz Fryazin.

The height of the Kremlin walls, not counting the battlements, ranges from 5 to 19 m, and the thickness from 3.5 to 6.5 m. At the base of the walls on the inside there are wide embrasures covered with arches for firing at the enemy from heavy artillery guns. You can climb from the ground to the walls only through Spasskaya, Nabatnaya, Konstantino-Eleninskaya,