St. Andrew's Hall amazes with its luxury and beauty, expensive decoration. And this is not surprising - the kings and queens of Russia sat in it, it has its own history and its own individuality.

From the photo of St. Andrew's Hall in the Kremlin, it is clear that a lot of work was put into its construction.

Briefly about the main thing

St. Andrew's Throne Hall in the Kremlin was built by personal order of Nicholas I in honor of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. It became the throne room of a large palace and the main hall of the Moscow Kremlin. We don’t even have to talk about the magnificent decoration of the room, which makes an impression on everyone who enters, due also to the fact that the walls of the hall are covered with moire fabric the color of St. Andrew’s ribbon.

Description of the hall

St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin is the most famous in the palace. The walls of this room are decorated with pink artificial marble and gilded on top. Along them were gilded chairs upholstered in velvet. Above the windows are the coats of arms of Russian provinces.

Ten gilded pylons decorate the hall, as well as various symbols in the form of crosses and chains. Silk curtains are in perfect harmony with the rest of the room's decoration. The tall gilded doors, decorated with order crosses, amaze the imagination. Above them are monogram images of the names of the emperors of Russia - Peter the Great, Paul the First and Nicholas the First. Peter - as the founder of the order, Paul - as the founder of the statute of the order, and Nikolai - as the builder of the hall.

At the far end of the hall there are three chairs, which were intended for the ruler, his wife and mother. This throne can still be seen in the Kremlin, upholstered in velvet and ermine fur. Hanging above the throne and above is a radiance with rays covered with gold leaf, in the center of which the All-Seeing Eye perches. On the sides of the tent hang double-headed eagles with the image of St. Andrew's cross on the chest. There are six steps leading up to the tent. Previously, back in Soviet times, there was a monument to Lenin in this place.

The floor, as in other rooms, is made of multi-colored wood and delights all tourists with its beautiful design and the enormous amount of work that went into this work of art. It should be mentioned that the last restoration of the hall was carried out in 1994-1998, when it was restored to its original form. The architect of St. Andrew's Hall was Konstantin Ton.

History of St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin

The main throne room was built in 1838-1849 by the architect Konstantin Ton. This master created temple architecture, which became widespread during the reign of Nicholas the First. From 1932 to 1934 the hall was destroyed. In its place, meetings of the Supreme Council of the USSR were held. In 1997, restoration work began. The leaders of this project were the leading architects of that time S.V. Demidova and E.V. Stepanova. The architects carried out enormous labor-intensive work with archival materials in Russia and abroad. Using past photographs of the hall, with the help of the latest technologies they were able to restore in full, down to the smallest detail, the hall as it was during the reign of Emperor Nicholas the First.

We cannot fail to mention such a restorer of the highest category as V. A. Ageichenko, who was a sculptor, an artist, and an engineer all rolled into one. For the throne room, he reproduced the coat of arms of the Russian Empire in bronze. He also created the coats of arms of Russian provinces, which were located above the windows of St. Andrew's Hall. The floors were also recreated by him. Thanks to this, the hall was restored down to the smallest detail.

Experts have found that for complete identity, twenty-three types of wood must be used to restore the floor. It was brought from all over the world, even from Africa, but nothing was changed, doing everything strictly in accordance with nineteenth-century drawings. A total of about ninety-nine companies participated in the restoration work.

The huge room was constantly filled with workers; about 2.5 thousand people worked day and night for the benefit of the people. Some ornaments did not turn out right away, for example, a double-headed eagle. The craftsmen first made a copper-colored eagle. Once established, the commission went to the opposite bank of the river to evaluate the result obtained from afar. They didn't like it because the eagle looked like a black spider. Therefore, we decided to make an eagle in the color of “wild stone”.

In St. Andrew's Hall, as in other rooms of the palace, they conduct various events, including a reception in honor of graduates of military universities. President Yeltsin began this tradition in 1999, and it continues to this day.

St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin before the revolution and after

In October-November 1917, due to an armed uprising, the Kremlin was very seriously damaged; there were detachments of cadets in it. Revolutionary troops carried out artillery shelling of the Kremlin. As a result, the walls of the palace, the clock, Nikolskaya, almost all churches located on the territory of the Kremlin, and the Small Nikolaevsky Palace were damaged.

During Soviet rule, the capital moved to Moscow, and the Kremlin began to be used as a political center. In March 1918, the Soviet government with V.I. Lenin moved into the building. The leaders of the Soviet government began to live in the palaces and buildings of the Kremlin. Free access to the structure was prohibited. Although previously anyone could visit this famous place. The Petrograd Collegium for the Protection of Antique Monuments and Art Treasures tried to get the Soviet government out of the Kremlin. The authorities did not even consider their appeal. Before the revolution, there were three thrones in the hall. Later they were searched throughout Russia. The first throne was found in Peterhof, the other two - in Gatchina. The Leningrad Museum did not want to give away the chairs, so they had to make copies.

During Soviet rule, the Moscow Kremlin suffered greatly. By order of Lenin, the monument to Prince Sergei Alexandrovich was demolished in 1918. In the same year, the memorial to Alexander the Second, which was built during the time of Nicholas the First, was also eliminated. In 1922, about 300 pounds of silver, approximately 2 pounds of gold, and a huge amount of precious stones. Congresses of councils and congresses of the Third International began to be organized in the Kremlin, a kitchen was established in the Golden Chamber, and a public dining room was made in Granovitaya. They decided to set up a gym in the Catherine Church. Such disrespect for an architectural work of art could not but affect its original appearance. It is believed that at that time the Kremlin lost more than half of its attractions.

In 1990, the Kremlin was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

All-seeing eye

Above the thrones is the All-Seeing Eye (in the St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin), made of gold. The throne room was erected in honor of the highest order of Russia - the Masonic Order. Some believe that the All-Seeing Eye means God in Christianity (in Hebrew it is translated as “master of the horde”, one of the seventy-two secret names of the Jewish Lord God).

This sign is used in many Christian churches, in Freemasonry. One dollar bills also have the All-Seeing Eye printed on them. Others believe that this biblical sign is a symbol of Divine Providence and an emblem of the Trinity. In Christianity, the All-Seeing Eye in a triangle means the Trinity and the meaning lies in the following words: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him and trust in His mercy.”

Excursion to the Kremlin

In Russia, St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin, like other halls, is often visited by tourists. The palace is a specially protected area. You cannot bring anything unnecessary to the Kremlin. It is prohibited to arrive drunk or in inappropriate appearance, with weapons that are dangerous to surrounding people. If there are things that cannot be brought in, then they must be handed over to the storage room in the Alexander Garden. You can also take photographs not everywhere, but only where it is allowed and where your guide indicates. For example, it is prohibited to photograph the Catherine Hall of the Kremlin.

Sometimes it is prohibited to take photographs in the Front Entrance, the Terem Palace and the Chamber of Facets. Entrance to the Kremlin is permitted with a passport; children over twelve years old can come with a foreign passport. However, from the age of fourteen, children can go on excursions with a Russian passport. Since the Kremlin halls are used for official events and other celebrations, it is possible that your tour may be rescheduled to a time more suitable for the palace.

Excursion time

A tour of the Kremlin's St. Andrew's Hall is held every day, except Thursday - this is a day off. From ten in the morning to three in the afternoon. The duration of the tour is two hours for groups of twenty people. The cost of such an excursion is 4500 rubles, for foreign tourists- 5500 rubles without the use of translator services.

When carrying out restoration work, the Italian master was afraid that the workers would do the modeling incorrectly, so he slept for four days on the floor in St. Andrew's Hall.

Catherine the Second also wanted to build a palace on the southern slope of the Kremlin hill, instead of a fortress wall, but her plans did not come true.

Address: Russia, Moscow, Moscow Kremlin
Start of construction: 1838
Completion of construction: 1849
Architect: K. A. Ton
Halls of the palace: Andreevsky, Alexandrovsky, Vladimirsky, Georgievsky, Ekaterininsky
Coordinates: 55°44"59.4"N 37°36"57.2"E
An object cultural heritage Russian Federation

Content:

Big Kremlin Palace- a building of extraordinary beauty, and the view and decoration of all its premises is literally breathtaking! Unfortunately, this building is a government agency and a sensitive facility, so it is almost impossible to get there on a tour.

The story about the Grand Kremlin Palace should begin with the history of its construction, which dates back several decades and many events.

However, the next empress, Catherine II, did not like the new palace - in her opinion, it was too modest and did not fully correspond to the greatness of the Russian Empire. Therefore, once again the decision was made to rebuild the Moscow imperial residence. Architect V.I. Bazhenov a project for a new palace was developed.

View of the southern façade of the Palace

The scale of the construction was supposed to be considerable - the palace was supposed to occupy the entire territory of the Kremlin near the river, starting from Borovitsky Hill and to the very bank of the Moscow River. To implement this project, several objects were destroyed on the territory of the Kremlin. For example, orders located east of the Archangel Cathedral were demolished. Part of it was destroyed Kremlin wall between the First, Second and Petrovskaya Nameless Towers and the Tainitsky Gate. The official foundation of the new palace was carried out in 1773. But, what is most interesting, already in 1774, a year after the solemn ceremony, the project was recognized as too large-scale and inappropriate for the tasks that it was supposed to meet. As a result, almost all the destroyed objects were restored, and one building was erected on the prepared site - the Moscow branch of the Senate. At the same time, they did not forget about the old palace - they decided to update it and rebuild it a little.

The story of the construction of the large Kremlin Palace does not end there. When construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior began in Moscow, the idea of ​​renovating it once again came up. The basis was the idea that the new Kremlin Palace should symbolize the renewal of the city.

The initiator of the creation of a new palace on the site of the old Senate office was the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. Architect Konstantin Ton began developing a new project in 1837. It should be noted that the same Konstantin Ton designed and built the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The Grand Kremlin Palace and new construction technologies

To build a large Moscow palace, Konstantin Ton decided to apply a number of revolutionary innovations for that time. Lightweight, long-span brick vaults and metal roof rafter structures were truly a new word in construction technologies of that time. In addition, cement was used for the first time in the construction of the large Moscow Palace.

About the decoration and halls of the Kremlin Palace

The mixture of styles used in the interior decoration of the large Kremlin Palace is executed with impeccable taste and includes both Renaissance elements and fragments of Russian-Byzantine styles. The palace includes several halls, each of which is worth telling about separately.

The Meeting Hall is the largest hall of the Kremlin Palace

Next to the St. George Hall is the largest hall of the Kremlin Palace - the Meeting Hall. The fact is that the hall turned out to be the largest as a result of the combination in 1933-1934 by the architect Ivanov of two halls at once - Aleksandrovsky and Andreevsky.

During Soviet times, the Meeting Hall had a longer name: the Meeting Hall of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In the period from 1994 to 1998, reconstruction work was carried out to restore the interiors of the combined halls, which were damaged during the redevelopment. The Meeting Hall has an area of ​​1615 square meters. m, with 18-meter ceilings, and the maximum capacity of the hall is 3000 people.

St. George's Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace

Perhaps the most beautiful of all. The hall was named in honor of the Order of St. George the Victorious. For those who don’t know, this is the highest award for officers of the Russian army, which was established in 1769. The hall is dedicated to the heroes of Russia's military glory. In the halls there are several marble boards on which the names of regiments, batteries and naval crews are imprinted. The names of more than 10 thousand holders of the Order of St. George the Victorious are also carved. By the way, among those who proudly wore this order are such famous personalities as Alexander Suvorov, Fyodor Ushakov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Pavel Nakhimov and Pyotr Bagration.

The dimensions of the St. George's Hall are as follows: length - 61 m, width 20.5 m, and height 17.5 m. The main colors are white and gold. The 18 pylons that support the ceiling are made in the form of marble statues by I. Vitali.

Fragment of the Palace facade

The lighting elements of the hall also look impressive - see 6 gilded openwork bronze chandeliers (each weighing 1.3 tons) and 40 stylish lamps located on the walls around the perimeter of the hall.

Significant events that took place within the walls of the St. George's Hall include the reception of participants in the Victory Parade in 1945 and the meeting of the first cosmonaut on Earth - Yuri Gagarin.

Vladimir Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace

The Order of St. Vladimir is the award in honor of which the Vladimir Hall is named. The hall is designed in a very interesting way - in the form of an octagon, the lighting of the hall is natural, through the glass dome on the ceiling. In fact, this hall is a key architectural element of the Grand Kremlin Palace. From it you can get to the St. George's Hall, the Faceted Chamber, the Terem Palace and many other rooms. For illumination at night, the hall has a chandelier, also made of gilded bronze. What also attracts attention is the beautiful floor, the parquet of which is made from several noble types of wood. The hall is designed in pink tones, mainly due to the wall cladding made of pink marble.

Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, beautiful building yellow color, standing proudly above the Kremlin next to the golden domes of the cathedrals, is closed to the general public. In the Kremlin you can visit the Armory Chamber and the Kremlin Cathedrals. But tickets to visit the Grand Palace cannot be purchased at the Kremlin box office. However, he who seeks will find. My review of the visit to the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Interiors of the Grand Kremlin Palace

To be honest, I don't really like visiting Red Square. But you still have to do this out of necessity, when friends come from other cities and drag you here, to the heart of the capital. However, this time, I planned to visit the Kremlin quite deliberately, because the beauty of the Grand Kremlin Palace is legendary. It is its halls that are shown on television during the presidential inauguration and the presentation of awards to prominent figures.

The idea to go on an excursion to the Grand Kremlin Palace came by chance, while viewing topics in social network. One of the users said that despite the fact that the palace is a sensitive enterprise, you can get there with a company, and indicated its name. I found the agency’s website on the Internet, and lo and behold, there was one free place for the next excursion to the Grand Kremlin Palace. The cost of the excursion is quite high - at the agency where I purchased the excursion, it cost 2900. Wow, you say. But in other agencies, the same excursion was offered at a price above 4 thousand!

For those who want to go on this excursion, by clicking “Excursion to the Grand Kremlin Palace” you can find offers from tour companies. Full prepayment for the excursion is usually required. However, the excursion is conducted only on weekdays, at an inconvenient time for working people, in the first half of the day. In addition, the date of the excursion may be postponed, because this is not a museum, but the current residence of the President.

What is included in this price? The excursion to the large Kremlin Palace lasts 1.5 hours and is carried out in a group of 20-25 people, only accompanied by a guide. During this excursion, visitors are given the opportunity to visit those halls where the president of the country and other high-ranking representatives of other countries visit. You can see the Faceted Chamber, St. Andrew's and Vladimir Halls, Alexander Hall, the famous Geogievsky Hall, Terem Palace. All these premises are located in one building.

On the eve of the excursion, the organizers fully warned the participants: they must not be late for a minute, otherwise they may not let the whole group in, they can only take photographs in the palace at the command of the guide, and of course they cannot carry any piercing or cutting objects with them. In general, they completely intimidated us.

At the Arbatskaya metro station, where we were collected an hour before the excursion, everyone was on time. The group consisted mainly of grandparents. Yes, yes, and this despite the cost. There is some explanation for this, because the excursion is conducted only on weekdays in the morning. In addition, it is carried out only a few times a month. Moreover, the date of its holding may be postponed. In general, there are many difficulties with it.

Exactly at 10-00 we were at the glass block near the Kutafya Tower, through which visitors are allowed into the Kremlin. Thus, we were one of the first on the Kremlin territory, which allowed me to take several shots of a completely empty Kremlin.


Entrance to the Kremlin

Having passed by the most beautiful ancient cathedrals, we came to the Grand Kremlin Palace.


Cathedral Square

The Grand Kremlin Palace and the Tsarina's Chamber.


Here again we had to wait a bit until we were invited inside.

The large and beautiful yellow building of the Grand Kremlin Palace was built on the initiative of Nicholas I in 1838-1850. designed by architect Konstantin Ton. The palace was used as an imperial residence during the stay of the emperor and his family in Moscow. The palace includes about 700 rooms. This palace can also be called a matryoshka palace, because the architect combined several buildings built in different centuries into one large palace. It turned out to be such a cathedral palace.


Entrance to the Grand Kremlin Palace

Next to the large Kremlin Palace there is a 16th-century building with a staircase decorated with lions.


Tsarina's fee


Grand Kremlin Palace

The staircase is decorated with figures of lions - symbols of royal power.


Lions decorating the stairs


Window decorations on the Tsarina's Square

Entrance to the palace

At the entrance to the Grand Kremlin Palace, a thorough search awaited us - everyone’s passports were checked, all things were checked on tape. When asked if anyone had weapons or piercing and cutting objects, one dandelion granny admitted that she had a gas canister. The security laughed and asked her to leave the canister with them, and on the way out they gave it all to her.

Let's get back to the excursion. We left our things in the cloakroom and waited for the tour guide. The saddest thing for me was that it was practically impossible to take photographs in the palace, so I will not be able to show the luxurious halls of the Palace of Facets, the Terem Palace, and the state chambers of the emperors in my post.

What is included in the Grand Kremlin Palace

Garnet Chamber- one of the oldest rooms in the palace. A huge chamber for the 15th century with vaults supported by a single pillar in the middle. The walls of the Garnet Chamber are painted by Palekh masters. On the ceiling are scenes from the Bible. Today, receptions are held here at a high level. Unfortunately, photography is strictly prohibited in this room.

Terem Palace- state rooms of the 16th century.

St. Andrew's Hall- the ceremonial throne room, named after the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
The Alexander Hall has luxurious golden decoration and parquet flooring made of 30 types of wood.

Very interesting Vladimirsky Hall, which unites the buildings of the Grand Palace.

St. George's Hall named in part St. George the Victorious.

Perhaps I’ll show in the post what I managed to photograph.

Vladimirsky Hall

The Vladimir Hall - its peculiarity is that it connects a number of buildings of the 15th, 17th and 19th centuries. The hall is crowned with a dome with a skylight.


Vladimirsky Hall

The ceiling of the Vladimir Hall is decorated with orders. In the photo you can see the sign of St. Vladimir. The motto of the order is “Benefit, honor and glory.”


Vladimir Hall

There is also a magnificent staircase, which can often be seen in photographs of high-ranking persons.


Main staircase of the Vladimir Hall


Chandelier in the Vladimir Hall

There were lamps in the corners of the hall.


Lamps in the Vladimir Hall

The walls of the Vladimir Hall are lined with pink marble.


Vladimirsky Hall

In the next photo you can estimate the height of the Vladimir Hall.


Vladimirsky Hall

St. George's Hall

This room made the strongest impression on me due to its size and beauty. Its length is 60 meters and its height is 17 meters. The vault of the hall rests on pylons, which are topped with statues of Victory, the work of the sculptor Vitali.


St. George's Hall


St. George's Hall


St. George's Hall


Geogrievsky Hall

The parquet in the St. George's Hall has been preserved for more than 150 years (sketches of the parquet and the design were created by Academician Solntsev). Therefore, you can only walk here strictly on paths.


St. George's Hall


Parquet fragment


Front doors


St. George's Hall

Alexander Hall


Alexander Hall



Alexander Hall


St. Andrew's Hall

Chairs upholstered in red velvet were made in our time at Russian factories.


In Andeevsky Hall

A look into St. George's Hall.


St. George's Hall

St. Andrew's Hall

The throne room, dedicated to the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, is the most pompous and solemn of the halls of the front suite.

In the western part of the hall there are three imperial thrones, and above them rises the sign of the all-seeing eye, covered with gold leaf.


St. Andrew's Hall


St. Andrew's Hall


St. Andrew's Hall

It’s a great pity that I don’t have the opportunity to show all the interiors, but for those interested, you can look at the wonderful online publication here and get a complete picture.

After visiting the Grand Kremlin Palace, I walked around a little more Cathedral Square and photographed the Palace from the other side.


View of the Grand Kremlin Palace

Perhaps this is where I will end my story. Let me just say that I was very impressed by the beauty and power of this building. The splendor of the halls is so amazing that it cannot be expressed in words. If you ever have a desire to attend such an excursion, I recommend that you definitely take the opportunity and visit it.

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I don’t think that you have to visit the Grand Kremlin Palace every day. Therefore, we have a unique opportunity to see not only this building from the outside, but also to visit its beautiful halls. And I must say, it’s amazing.

The Great Kremlin Palace - a monumental yellow building with white platbands, a facade overlooking the Moscow River, stretching from west to east for 125 meters, was built by order of Emperor Nicholas I as a palace-monument to Russian history and the glory of the Russian army. In 1838-1849 it was built by Russian architects D.N. Chichalov, P.A. Gerasimov, A.N. Bakarev, F. Richter and others under the leadership of K.A. Ton. The palace was the temporary residence of the imperial family during its stay in Moscow. From the outside façade, the palace looks three-story, but actually consists of two floors. The ground floor projects forward and forms an open terrace above. Arched windows separated by narrow partitions give it the appearance of an enclosed gallery. The base is lined with natural stone. The two-tier facade of the second floor is divided by pilasters and completely decorated with carved white stone window frames in the style of Russian architecture of the 17th century. All photos and comments for them gborisova

Door portal of St. Andrew's Hall. St. Andrew's Order Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, the eldest of the Russian orders, established by Emperor Peter I in 1698 in the name of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, St. Baptism originally enlightened our borders. The Imperial Order of St. Andrew the First-Called has only one degree. Its signs are as follows: 1) cross of blue color in a double-headed eagle crowned with three crowns, representing St. crucified on it. Apostle Andrew and having Latin letters at the four ends: - S. A. P. R., meaning: Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae, and on the other side, in the middle of the eagle, a charter on which is written the order’s motto: “for faith and fidelity”; 2) a silver star, having in the middle, in a golden field, a double-headed eagle, crowned with three crowns, and in the middle of the eagle there is a St. Andrew's cross; in a circle, in a blue field, at the top is the order’s motto in gold letters, and at the bottom are two connected laurel branches; the star is worn on the left side; 3) blue ribbon over the right shoulder; and on the order's holiday and other days, when the cavaliers will be ordered to be in full attire, instead of a ribbon there will be an order cross on a gold chain.

When conferring the order on non-Christians, an image of St. The Apostle, his name and the cross are replaced by the image of the Imperial Russian Eagle. The badges awarded for military exploits are accompanied by two crosswise swords. The order's attire consists of: 1) A long, green velvet cap, lined with white taffeta with silver eyes, tied in silver. cords, with the same tassels; on its left side there is a more ordinary star embroidered; 2) supervest white glazet, with gold braid, the same fringe and with a cross sewn on the chest; 3) a black velvet hat, with a red feather and the cross of St. Andrew the Apostle, sewn from a narrow blue ribbon. The gentlemen of this order are all considered to be in the third class, even if they were in the service below this class, and at the same time they are made knights of St. Alexander Nevsky, the White Eagle and St. Anna of the 1st class, even if they did not have such before. - The cavaliers celebrate the day of the establishment of this order - November 30, and the order was given a cathedral named after him on Vasilyevsky Island. Petersburg are under the special care and care of the gentlemen of this order. and Moscow educational homes (St. Z. t. I, Uchr. Ord. art. 291 et seq.). Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron. - St. Petersburg: Brockhaus-Efron. 1890-1907.

St. Andrew's Hall has been the main one in the palace since its construction. In his east side three throne seats rise under ermine canopies. All parts of the royal seat: the canopy, the steps of the footstools and the thrones are covered with precious gold brocade. The canopy inside is upholstered with ermine fur (today the ermine on the royal mantle is artificial - the old mantle that covered the thrones was sold in 1925). There are three throne seats. During the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II, they were intended for the emperor, empress and dowager empress - Nicholas's mother.

The imperial throne is shaded by a tent, with an entrance of six steps. On the ceiling of the tent is the state emblem of the Russian Empire - a double-headed eagle.

St. Andrew's Throne Hall During the days of the coronation celebrations, the Emperor and Empress received congratulations in the St. Andrew's Hall. Representatives of different nationalities, classes and religions were invited to Moscow from all over the country. The Emperor and Empress greeted them standing. The throne room of Russian emperors amazes with its size and dazzling luxury. The cross vaults rest on 10 tetrahedral columns, forming three naves. The vaults, columns and pylons are covered with gilded stucco in the form of a floral pattern. And the capitals are decorated with the sign of the order - a double-headed eagle, against which there is a blue cross with the image of a crucified apostle. The walls are covered with silk moire, decorated with chains and the sign of the Order. On the frieze of the longitudinal walls there are 48 titular coats of arms of Russian monarchs. “For faith and fidelity” is the motto of this order.

Dome of the Vladimir Hall. The Vladimir Hall is named after the Order of St. Vladimir. Order of St. Vladimir was dedicated to the holy Prince Vladimir, popularly called the “Red Sun”, who brought the light of Christ to Rus'. The Order was established in 1782 as a reward for outstanding military and civil service, as well as for long service. The motto of the order is “Benefit, honor and glory.” The two-height St. Vladimir Hall, octagonal in layout, unlike the St. George Hall, is illuminated by overhead light through the dome. The vault of the Vladimir Hall resembles tents, and the arches of the bypass side galleries seem to repeat the outlines of ancient arches. The dome is crowned with a light lantern. In the evening, the hall is illuminated by a huge gilded bronze chandelier.

St. George's Hall is the largest main hall in the entire palace: length 61 m, width 20.5 m, height 17.5 m. The combination of white and gold creates a feeling of solemnity with its simplicity. Powerful pylons support the vaulted ceiling, decorated with stucco in the form of floral patterns and rosettes. All eighteen pylons are topped with marble statues (sculptor Ivan Vitali) - allegorically symbolizing the regions and kingdoms that make up the multinational state. Structurally, each pylon consists of a tall hollow zinc column, decorated with stucco and topped with a capital of the Corinthian order. On the southern and northern walls there are bas-reliefs depicting St. George and the snake (sculptor Pavel Kladsh). The parquet floor resembles a gigantic patterned carpet. The floor is laid out with a pattern of more than 20 different types of wood - birch, ash, Indian rosewood, plane tree, plane tree, etc. In the evenings, the hall is illuminated by six bronze gilded openwork chandeliers. Each weighing 1300 kg. and 40 wall lights. The signs of St. George were: a gold and white enamel cross with the image of George slaying the serpent, a black and orange ribbon and a gold star with the motto “For service and courage.” Signs of the Order decorate the upper part of the walls of St. George's Hall. The names of the St. George Knights and the names of regular military units awarded this order are inscribed in gold on the wall plaques. They were awarded to soldiers and officers for bravery and courage shown in battle, and for length of service: 25 years in the army and 18 in the navy. Over the entire existence of the order, it was awarded to over 11 thousand heroes. At the solemn consecration of the palace in April 1849, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow said: “The palace of St. George the Victorious should become a temple of the glory of the victorious Russian army.” This hall has witnessed many historical events.

The signs of St. George were: a gold and white enamel cross with the image of George slaying the serpent, a black and orange ribbon and a gold star with the motto “For service and courage.” Signs of the Order decorate the upper part of the walls of St. George's Hall. During ceremonial receptions, officers gathered, on whose chests were the same signs that decorate the walls of the hall. On the walls of the St. George's Hall there are marble plaques with the names of 545 regiments, naval crews and batteries carved in gold letters and more than 10 thousand names of officers and generals who were awarded the Order of St. George, among them such names as: Suvorov, Kutuzov, Ushakov, Nakhimov. At the solemn consecration of the palace in April 1849, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow said: “The palace of St. George the Victorious should become a temple of the glory of the victorious Russian army.” The original parquet flooring made in 1845 has been preserved in the St. George's Hall. More than 20 valuable types of wood from South-East Asia And South America. This hall hosts international conferences, diplomatic and government receptions, and award ceremonies of orders and medals.

This is one of the most impressive halls of the Kremlin Palace. Large and solemn, it is named after the Order of St. George the Victorious, established in 1769 by Empress Catherine II and which became the highest award in the Russian army. The Holy Great Martyr has long been revered in Rus' as the personification of military valor. Under Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, there was even a certain prototype of this order. A coin with the image of St. George the Victorious was awarded to soldiers for bravery. At that time it was worn on a sleeve or on a hat. St. George the Victorious, in addition, has been considered the patron saint of Moscow since ancient times. Since its foundation, the image of the saint has adorned the coat of arms ancient capital, and later became part of the coat of arms of Russia. At the solemn consecration of the palace in April 1849, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow said: “The palace of St. George the Victorious should become a temple of the glory of the victorious Russian army.” On the walls of the St. George's Hall are depicted golden stars and insignia of the order with the motto “For service and bravery.” The names of 545 regiments, naval crews and batteries and more than 10 thousand names of officers and generals awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious are carved on the marble slabs. Among them are the names of field marshals A.V. Suvorov, M.I. Kutuzov, General P.I. Bagration, admirals F.F. Ushakov, P.S. Nakhimov. On both sides of the hall there are 18 twisted columns topped with allegorical statues of victories. The ceiling is decorated with stucco in the form of floral patterns and rosettes. The parquet floor of the hall is exceptional in its beauty and virtuosity. It is lined with a pattern of 20 different types of wood - birch, ash, Indian rosewood, plane tree, plane tree, etc. In the semicircles of the transverse walls are high-relief sculptures of St. George on a horse by the sculptor Peter Klodt.

The Alexander Hall, into which gilded doors lead from the St. George's Hall, is huge: 31.5 meters in length, 21 in width and 20 in height. In the design of this hall, architect Konstantin Ton used elements characteristic of Byzantine-Russian architecture. Prince Alexander of Novgorod, patron of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, a state award of the Russian Empire from 1725 to 1917, established by Catherine I, was famous for his piety and courage. The motto of the Order “For Labor and the Fatherland” was later placed on the star.

The dome of the Alexander Hall is a hemisphere that rests on massive pylons. In its molded gilded kortushki there are signs of the Order: a cross and a star with the monogram of S.A. On the sides is the state emblem - a double-headed eagle with a royal crown, scepter and orb. A house where the world has astonishment...a green red house, cunningly created by the Honesty of the kingdoms, molded together. Its beauty is powerfully comparable to Solomon’s beautiful coat... Gold shines brightly everywhere, The royal house of being shows beauty. I always look at the writings, I learn many wonderful stories... The four parts of the world are written, Aki are cunningly sculptured on copper... Buslaev F.I. Historical anthology of the Church Slavonic and Old Russian languages. M., 1861. P. 1197.

Entrance to St. Andrew's throne room. The parquet in the halls of the palace was made in 1843 by Moscow craftsmen. Its contemporaries called it beautiful, durable and elegant at the same time. Exquisite patterns and weaves of parquet design resemble a real woven carpet. In March 1960, Peter Moller, a professor at the Academy of Arts, proposed painting a painting on the theme of the life of St. Alexander Nevsky, patron of the Order. Six historical paintings were created and mounted in the upper niches of the end sides of the hall: on the western side - the military exploits of the prince, on the eastern - scenes from his peaceful life: a builder of monasteries, an enlightened and wise ruler.

Ceiling vaults of the Alexander Hall Sail vaults, decorated with order insignia, carry a spherical dome with the same insignia, framed by state emblems in triangular patterns on four sides. A house where the world has astonishment...a green red house, cunningly created by the Honesty of the kingdoms, molded together. Its beauty is powerfully comparable to Solomon’s beautiful coat... Gold shines brightly everywhere, The royal house of being shows beauty. I always look at the writings, I learn many wonderful stories... The four parts of the world are written, Aki are cunningly sculptured on copper... Buslaev F.I. Historical anthology of the Church Slavonic and Old Russian languages. M., 1861. P. 1197.

The huge, two-tier windows of the Alexander Hall face south and literally flood all the rooms with light reflected in numerous mirrors. White and pink artificial marble is used to decorate the walls. The furniture is upholstered in red velvet in the color of the order ribbon. On the walls between the twisted columns are the coats of arms of the lands that were part of the Russian Empire.

The carved massive doors are decorated with order crosses. In the 19th century, the main hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace was the St. Andrew's (throne) hall. In the mid-90s of the 20th century, St. Andrew's 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 color of the St. Andrew's ribbon, silk moiré, decorated with chains and signs of the order. The coats of arms of the provinces and regions of Russia are placed above the windows. Notable is the dome of the hall, in the complex molded gilded patterns of which are woven order insignia with the motto “Benefit. Honor. Glory".

In addition, you have the opportunity to get acquainted with other halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace. Hall of the inauguration of the President of Russia! Red Porch. I am proud of the beauty, craftsmen, history and Russia!

(Russian: Grand Kremlin Palace; English: Grand Kremlin Palace)

Opening hours: The palace is closed to the public. You can visit it only with organized excursions, upon preliminary requests, with the submission of passport data and agreement on the date of the visit.

The Grand Kremlin Palace is one of the palaces of the Moscow Kremlin. It stands on the high Borovitsky hill. The palace was built in the period from 1838-1849. Previously, there was a palace on this site, built in the 18th century by the architect B.-F. Rastrelli, and before that - the Grand Duke's Palace of Ivan III. The first stone buildings of the Grand Kremlin Palace were built by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin in 1499-1508.

Historically, after the capital was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin palaces lost their former significance. During the reign of Tsarina Anna Ioannovna, who spent a significant part of her time in Moscow, more attention was paid to the palaces, but the large Kremlin Palace of that time was increasingly dilapidated. Under Anna Ioannovna, new imperial apartments “Winter Annenhof” - a wooden palace in the Baroque style (architect B.-F. Rastrelli) were erected on the basement of the old palace.

Under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the imperial court again lived in St. Petersburg, but in the Kremlin, anyway, it was decided to build a new royal residence. The new building externally resembled the Great Peterhof Palace.

When Catherine II ascended the throne, this palace was recognized as not corresponding to the greatness of the Russian Empire, and it was decided to replace it with a new building. New Palace was supposed to be located throughout the riverine territory of the Kremlin, spreading from the bank of the Moscow River to the entire Borovitsky Hill.

On June 1, 1773, the ceremonial laying of the new palace took place. However, it soon became clear that such large-scale construction was impractical and work was stopped in 1774. The destroyed Kremlin wall and towers were restored, and instead grand palace Only a building was built for the Moscow branch of the Senate.

Until 1812, there were no new attempts to renovate the palace, but the start of construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior again raised the question of building a new Kremlin palace, which would symbolize the renewal of Moscow.

The new residence was built on the initiative of Nicholas I. The design of the palace was entrusted to the famous architect Konstantin Ton, the author of the design of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. As a model for the stylistic solution of the proposed palace, Thon was instructed to take the design solution of the Kolomna Palace (1836, architect Stackenschneider, the project was not implemented), which developed the composition of the Kremlin Terem Palace in monumental forms.

Initially, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory were considered as a single complex, which was to be built simultaneously. In 1842, construction was divided into two phases.

The palace building forms a rectangle with a courtyard. Externally, the palace is decorated in the style of previous centuries: its facades are decorated with carved white stone pediments, and the windows are decorated with carved frames with double arches and a weight in the middle, as in the towers of the 17th century. From the main façade the building appears to be three stories high, but in reality it has only two floors. Thanks to the arched windows separated by thin partitions, this first floor of the palace looks like an enclosed gallery. In the center of the palace above the roof there is a tribune, completed with a gilded balustrade.

The length of the Kremlin Palace is 125 meters, height is 47 meters, and the total area is 25,000 m². The palace complex, known as the Grand Kremlin Palace, in addition to the building of the palace itself, also includes some buildings from the period of the 15th - 17th centuries, which in the past were part of the grand duke and then the royal residence (the Faceted Chamber, the Golden Tsarina Chamber, the Terem Palace, palace churches) .

The total number of rooms in the palace complex reaches 700. Five halls of the palace (George, Vladimir, Aleksandrovsky, Andreevsky and Catherine), named after the orders of the Russian Empire, are currently used for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies, and the palace itself is the ceremonial residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

When constructing the palace complex, Konstantin Ton to some extent repeated the layout of the previous palace, and the architectural design echoes the legendary architectural structures of antiquity. For example, the arcade of the first tier of the palace is a remake of the Aleviz basement; the terrace on top of the arcade repeats the old walkways and connects the ensemble in space; the winter garden, above the new passage, resembles hanging gardens antiquities; carved figured frame of window openings of the two-story second floor, profiled pilasters between them; the central elevated part with kokoshniks, covered with a dome, echoes the architecture of the Terem Palace. But Ton was not afraid to introduce innovations in the construction of the palace - it was the first structure in Russian architecture with long-span lightweight brick vaults and metal truss roof structures.

P The grand entrance of the Grand Kremlin Palace is inconspicuously located in the southern facade of the building, that is, from the side of the Moscow River, from where the visitor enters a marble vestibule with monolithic columns made of Serdobol granite (Serdobol is a city on the bank Lake Ladoga). On the left side of the vestibule is the so-called Own Half of Their Imperial Majesties, stretching in a long suite of rooms along the main facade. A remarkable decoration of the main palace entrance were four bronze floor lamps, cast and assembled in Moscow at the Krumbugel factory.

A staircase consisting of sixty-six gentle steps leads to the second floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace, to the state halls. The main staircase is decorated with yellow Kolomna marble, which is used to line the columns along the flights and flights of the stairs. The pointed arches of the main staircase are installed on this marble colonnade. The flights of stairs are illuminated by twelve bronze chandeliers, made in the same style as the floor lamps of the Grand Entrance Hall.

On the second floor, on both sides of the main staircase, ten pylons made of yellow Kolomna marble frame the side platforms - galleries. On the right hangs a painting depicting the battle of Dmitry Donskoy with the Tatars on the Kulikovo Field in 1380. It was painted in 1850 by the French artist A. Yvon, a student of P. Delharosh. The left platform leads to the State Rooms.


The magnificent interior decoration of the palace is made in different styles, from the Renaissance to the Byzantine-Russian style. The most beautiful hall is St. George's, named after the Order of St. George the Victorious - the highest and most revered order in the Russian army, established by Empress Catherine II in 1769 to reward officers and generals. The motto of the order is “For service and courage.” This was the most honorable award for the military, the highest order of the Russian army. The appearance of the St. George's Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace thus turned the imperial residence into a monument to the military exploits of Russian weapons. This hall does not amaze with its boundless luxury, but rather with its severity and scale.


The longitudinal walls of the hall are cut with deep niches. In the niches and on the walls there are marble plaques on which the names of famous military units and the names of the St. George cavaliers are written in gold letters. Here are the names of 545 regiments, naval crews and batteries and more than 10,000 names of officers and generals awarded this order. Among the holders of the Order of St. George are such people as Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Pyotr Bagration, Fyodor Ushakov, Pavel Nakhimov.


St. George's Hall is the largest room of the palace. Its length is 61 meters, width – 20.5 meters, height 17.5 meters. White and gold are the main colors of the St. George's Hall, white are the vaults, walls and sculptures, gold are the names of the St. George's Knights and military formations on the boards and edges of the piols. The hall is decorated with 18 powerful twisted columns, covered with ornaments and crowned with statues of victories with laurel wreaths and memorable dates. The marble statues, on pylons, allegorically symbolize the regions and kingdoms that make up the multinational state. On the southern and northern walls of the room there are bas-reliefs depicting St. George and the serpent, their author is Pavel Kladsh. The insignia of the order decorate the upper part of the walls of the snow-white St. George's Hall.

During ceremonial receptions, officers gathered in the hall, on whose uniforms the same signs that decorated the walls of the hall sparkled. In 1945, in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, a ceremonial reception for participants of the Victory Parade on Red Square was held. Here, the world's first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, was greeted with honors.


To illuminate the hall, there are six openwork gilded bronze chandeliers, weighing 1,300 kilograms each, 40 wall sconces, and gilded furniture upholstered in silk, the colors of the St. George's ribbon. The ceiling is decorated with stucco in the form of floral patterns. The original parquet flooring, made in 1845, has been preserved in the St. George's Hall. To complete it, 20 rare types of wood were required: Indian rosewood, African padauk, beech, ash, plane tree and many others.


The Alexander Hall was built in honor of the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, established on May 25, 1725 by Empress Catherine I. The motto of the order is “For Labor and the Fatherland.” Six historical paintings were created and mounted in the upper niches of the end sides of the hall. On the western side are the military exploits of the prince, on the eastern are scenes from his peaceful life, a builder of monasteries, an enlightened and just ruler.


The hall has a rectangular shape and occupies the central part of the second floor, along the southern facade of the Grand Kremlin Palace. In the central part of the hall there is a large elliptical dome resting on four powerful pylons. In the golden bas-reliefs of the dome, the insignia of the order with the monogram S.A. - Sanctus Alexander - St. Alexander stands out clearly. At the corners of the dome and above the massive gilded doors there are double-headed eagles.


The huge, two-tier windows of the Alexander Hall face south and literally flood all the rooms with light reflected in numerous mirrors. The walls are decorated with white and pink artificial marble, red velvet, and the furniture is upholstered in the color of the sash. The luxurious gilded decoration of the hall is in harmony with the unique parquet floor made of 20 types of trees.


According to the project of academician F.G. Solntsev, in the St. Petersburg workshop of Yegor Skvortsov, enfilade swing doors covered with wooden carvings and gilding were made. An important decorative element in the decoration of the hall was the gilded and silver-plated copper coats of arms of the provinces and regions of the Russian Empire made by Vasily Krumbugel, painted with oil paints on gold and silver boards to look like enamel.


St. Andrew's Hall (throne room), which was the main hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in the 19th century, has been recreated in its original splendor. St. Andrew's throne room was erected in honor of the highest order of Russia - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, established by Peter the Great on March 10, 1698. The motto of the order is “For faith and fidelity.” St. Andrew's Hall has gilded doors with order crosses and chains of the Order of St. Andrew, 10 bronze chandeliers and 35 sconces, two unique fireplaces made of gray-violet jasper, as well as three thrones under ermine and a unique parquet mosaic made of many valuable types of wood. The walls of the hall are covered with blue silk fabric the color of St. Andrew's Order Ribbon.


This is one of the five ceremonial order halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace, located along the main ceremonial southern facade of the palace. Its huge space is strictly organized by five pairs of powerful supports. They divide its entire volume into three naves - large, central and smaller side ones. With its gilded pointed arches, two rows of majestic tetrahedral pylons, with the image of the All-Seeing Eye, in golden rays, above the imperial throne, the hall resembles a temple.


Three throne seats rise against its eastern wall, under ermine canopies. During the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II, they were intended for the emperor, empress, and dowager empress - the mother of Nicholas II. The imperial throne is surrounded by a tent, with an entrance of six steps, and covered with gold brocade. The tent is decorated with a magnificent ermine mantle. On the ceiling of the tent is the state emblem of the Russian Empire - a double-headed eagle. The wall above the tent is also decorated with the image of the state coat of arms, and on the sides of the tent there are double-headed eagles with St. Andrew's cross on the chest.

St. Andrew's Hall is illuminated through eighteen windows and two balcony doors to the southoh walls, cut into two tiers, strictly one above the other. On the opposite side there are doors leading to the Cavalry Hall and the Antechamber. The most solemn events of national importance are held in the St. Andrew's Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.


Mirrored doors in the northern wall of the St. George's Hall lead to the Vladimir's Hall. The Vladimir Hall conveys the history of the Order of St. Vladimir - one of the first Russian princes. It was established in honor of the Kyiv prince Vladimir, under whom the baptism of Rus' took place. The motto of the Order of St. Vladimir is “Benefit, honor and glory.” Many honored citizens were awarded the order, including one of the creators of the Kremlin Palace, architect Konstantin Ton.


This tall, octagonal hall from the 19th century ties together palaces from five centuries. The walls and pilasters of the Vladimir Hall are lined with pink marble. The Vladimir Hall amazes with its artistic design: pink marble walls and pilasters, molded gilded ornaments of vaults and cornices give this hall a fabulous beauty. The vault of the Vladimir Hall resembles Russian tents, the arches of the bypass side galleries seem to repeat the outlines of ancient arches.


The wide arches of the first tier give way to the triple, tighter arches of the second tier to go into the vaults of the dome covered with solid, gilded stucco. This molded gilded ornament was made, as on the cornices, by the molders the Dylev brothers.


In this hall during the day, light penetrates the glass lantern on the dome arch, and in the evening it is illuminated by a huge bronze gilded chandelier, the weight of which is about three tons. It is lowered to the height of the galleries of the second tier, and seems to float in the center of the space. The floor, according to a drawing by Academician F. G. Solntsev, is made of numerous valuable types of wood. From the hall you can get to the Faceted Chamber, St. George's Hall, Terem Palace and other rooms of the Grand Kremlin Palace.


On the Front half of the palace there is the Catherine Hall - in the past it was the throne room of Russian empresses. It is located somewhat away from the enfilade of ceremonial order halls on the second floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The Order of St. Catherine was established by Peter I in 1714 - this is the only women's order in Russia, its motto was “For love and the fatherland.” In the middle of the 19th century, this is where the throne of Her Imperial Majesty was located.


The Catherine Hall is relatively small - its length is 21 meters. The splendor of this hall is successfully combined with the special sophistication of decoration, comfort and intimacy. Badges of the order with the motto “For Love and the Fatherland”, sprinkled with large artificial diamonds, are located on the walls and doors of the hall. A gilded image of the Order of St. Catherine, placed on a silver field, also decorates the doors of the Empress's throne room.

The hall is illuminated by bronze gilded chandeliers and six crystal candelabra, unusual in design and beauty, made at the Imperial Glass Factory in St. Petersburg. The walls are covered with gray moire and a scarlet border of an order ribbon. On the massive pillars there are pilasters decorated with a pattern made of small pieces of malachite. The vaults and cornices of the hall are decorated with gilded stucco. The parquet of the Catherine Hall is of high artistic value.

Directly adjacent to the Catherine Throne Hall is the Green Living Room. It is intended to receive especially honored guests.


The ceiling of the semicircular hall is painted with floral patterns, and the walls are upholstered in fabric (artist Giuseppe Colombo Artari). The arrangement of furniture here was thought out and coordinated with the architectural features of the living rooms.


The main decoration of the living room is richly inlaid furniture, bronze crystal chandeliers and floor lamps. In the front living room there are three huge candelabra, two of which are made in the Chinese style and one in the Japanese style. The furniture was covered in gold brocade with a green pattern. The same fabric was also used for wall upholstery.


Behind the Catherine Hall, in the Front half, there are the former royal State drawing room and the State bedchamber. The interior of the State Drawing Room (now the Red Drawing Room) is exceptionally elegant. It has an alcove with monolithic columns made of gray-green marble, which harmonize well with the bright crimson upholstery of the walls and furniture. For cladding the fireplace, jasper of a green-blue tone with a beautiful wavy pattern is used, well presented by the Russian master stone-cutter, who managed to highlight the advantages of the Ural ornamental stone.


The red living room is decorated in the Renaissance style. Its design uses white, pinkish-gray and green marble. In the 19th century, the walls and “Gambs” furniture were covered with silver brocade with golden flowers. They were fully combined with pilasters, friezes and columns supporting the vaults. Rosewood doors inlaid with gilded bronze and mother-of-pearl in the boule style lead to the adjacent Green Living Room and the Catherine Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.


Its own half, intended personally for the emperor and his family, is located on the first floor of the palace. The enfilade of residential premises of the Own Half is stretched along the main facade of the palace, and consists of seven main living rooms and four small passage rooms intended for duty and waiting for courtiers. The interiors of the Own Half correspond to the monumental architecture of the palace, and at the same time, they are characterized by intimacy and homeliness. In the design of these premises, decorators used artistic methods of Baroque, Rococo, and Classicism styles.

Its own half consists of seven rooms: Dining Room, Living Room, Empress's Study, Boudoir, Bedroom, Emperor's Study and Reception Room. Despite the fact that each room has its own style, all rooms together represent one whole. Its own half is a museum of Russian residential palace interiors, almost entirely preserved without significant alterations or additions.

The artists who decorated the palace paid great attention not only to architectural details, but also to the selection of furniture, candelabra, fireplaces, and chandeliers. The fireplaces are made of malachite and marble. The Boudoir, Living Room, Study and Bedroom are decorated with a variety of porcelain items - vases, floor lamps, a chandelier that looks like a luxurious bouquet topped with a pineapple fruit. A significant place in the former living rooms of the palace is occupied by bronze objects - clocks, candelabra. On the fireplaces made of malachite and marble there are clocks of French work - they were ordered specifically for the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Lighting was important. It was supposed to add even more splendor to the interiors, which is why each crystal chandelier in the palace is original, each with its own design and shape of pendants. Huge mirrors, as well as gilding, inlay, modeling, carving, give the palace rooms an unusually solemn and pompous look. Interior doors made of valuable wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and tortoise shell, are made on spikes without a single nail. The door patterns in the palace are never repeated. To cover the walls, as well as for curtains and other things, fabric of a certain color was used in each room. Those that were especially dilapidated were remade by craftsmen from Pavlovsky Posad.

The enfilade of the Own half opens with the huge Dining Hall. Its walls are lined with white and yellow artificial marble. The vaulted ceilings, with stucco decoration, rest on a massive central pillar, which visually connects the appearance of this room with the architectural design of the Chamber of Facets. Decorative principles of classicism are used in the decoration of the Dining Room. There is a calm combination of artificial marble tones, white marble statues of the mythological characters Leda and Hymen, and vases in the Borghese style.


The Empress's boudoir is created in soothing colors, the walls and furniture are upholstered in pink silk. Boudoir furniture includes 24 items of different shapes: sofas, tables and chairs. The furniture is made of walnut wood.


In the boudoir there is also one of the most beautiful fireplaces in the palace; it seems to be hewn from solid stone - the malachite plates are so tightly fitted and polished. The shape, proportions, smoothly curved lines of all its designs only emphasize its beauty, and the applied gilded decorations add special sophistication. Mantel clocks attract attention with their intricate shape and fancy mechanism. The enamel circle is a calendar that shows the months, days of the week and the phase of the moon (the lower part of the watch). Above it is a vase-shaped clock with a fixed lizard-shaped hand and two rotating dials. Arabic numerals showed minutes, and Roman numerals showed hours. All this is in bronze and gilded design.


Behind the Empress's Boudoir is the Bedchamber. Blue-pearl tones, combined with white and gold, create the feeling of a clear night sky. The bedchamber is dominated by two colors – blue and gold. The Empress's bedchamber is luxurious and sophisticated at the same time. An atmosphere of peace and piety reigns here.


The entirely gilded furniture set is created in the Renaissance style. This set contains 31 items. The fireplace, made of white Carrara marble, is decorated with a clock called “Night”.


The “Night” watch has a dial in the form of a dark blue ball with applied numbers, stars and two bronze figures of cupids on the sides, stands on a gilded stand, with cast gilded female figures.


The Empress's office is emphatically decorative and decorated in the "boule" style. The dominant color is dark crimson, in tune with the spirit of the interior of French palaces of the late 17th - early 18th centuries. Huge mirrors, the production of which began in Russia precisely at this time, and the chandelier repeatedly reflected in them increase the feeling of pomp and fabulous luxury.


The elegance of the interior is given by gilded stucco decorations on the walls and vaults, doors superbly made of valuable wood, and inlaid with tortoiseshell, bronze, and mother-of-pearl. Unknown craftsmen made them without nails or glue, on spikes. The furniture here is upholstered in silk and gold fabric. Gilded exquisite clocks and vases complement the decoration of the Cabinet.


The Empress's living room is snow-white and gold, eight plaster bas-reliefs are symbols of art, and four more, depicting the seasons, decorate it. The furniture set, in the Louis XV style, made of turquoise wood, is also gilded and upholstered in patterned damask. The furniture here is of soft curving designs, in the Rocael style, abundantly decorated with whimsical curls and flowers.


The main decoration of the living room are porcelain products - vases and floor lamps. The ceiling is decorated with a large chandelier with stucco flowers, reminiscent of a lush bouquet topped with a pineapple fruit. It was made by ceramists of the St. Petersburg Imperial Porcelain Factory, in a single copy, especially for the interiors of the Grand Kremlin Palace.


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