Russia is the most extraordinary and amazing country in the world. This is not a formula of official patriotism, this is the absolute truth. Unusual because it is infinitely varied. Amazing because it is always unpredictable. The gentle and gentle spring sun drowns in a deadly snowstorm in ten minutes, and a bright triple rainbow shines after the flying away black cloud. Tundras are combined with desert dunes, swampy taiga gives way to monsoon forests, and vast plains smoothly turn into equally boundless mountain ranges. The greatest rivers of Eurasia carry their waters through Russia - no other country in the world has such an abundance of great flowing waters. , Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, Amur... And largest lakes peace - salty Caspian and fresh. And the longest steppes in the world - from the banks of the Donets to the Amur region. Matching the geographical abundance is the diversity of peoples, their customs, religions, and cultures. Nenets reindeer herders place their tents next to comfortable high-rise buildings. Tuvans and Buryats roam with herds and yurts along federal highways. In the Kazan Kremlin, a large new mosque neighbors an ancient Orthodox cathedral; in the city of Kyzyl, a Buddhist suburgan turns white against the background of a golden-domed church, and not far from them, the breeze flutters colorful ribbons at the entrance to a shaman’s yurt...

Russia is a country where you won’t get bored. Everything is full of surprises. The beautiful asphalt highway suddenly gives way to a broken dirt road, which disappears into an impassable swamp. It sometimes takes three times longer to cover the last 30 kilometers of the journey than the previous ten thousand. And the most unexpected thing in this mysterious country is the people. Those who know how to live in the most difficult, even impossible natural conditions: in the mosquito taiga, in the waterless steppe, in the highlands and in flooded valleys, in 50-degree heat and 60-degree frost... Those who have learned to survive, I note, by the way, under the yoke of all kinds of authorities , not one of which was ever merciful to them... Who created a unique culture, or rather, many unique cultures, in these swamps, forests, steppes and mountains. Those who created great history the Russian state - a history that also consists of countless great, heroic and tragic stories.

Architectural monuments are living witnesses of the historical past, the creation of famous, and in the vast majority of cases unknown, Russians. The architectural wealth of Russia is great and diverse. It reveals the beauty of the Russian land, the ingenuity of the mind of its people, and the might of the state, but most importantly, the greatness of the human spirit. Russia was built over a thousand years in the most difficult conditions imaginable. Among the harsh and meager nature, in continuous external wars and internal struggles. Everything great that was erected on Russian soil was erected by the power of faith - faith in the truth, in a bright future, in God. Therefore in architectural monuments, with all their constructive, functional and ideological diversity, there is a common beginning - the desire from earth to sky, from darkness to light.


It is simply impossible to tell in one book about all the wonderful places in Russia - natural, historical, poetic, industrial, memorial. Twenty such books would not be enough for this. The publishers and I decided: I will write only about those places where I have been, which I have seen with my own eyes. Therefore, in our publication the Klyuchevskaya Sopka does not smoke, the islands do not rise from the Pacific waters Kuril ridge, the white cover does not sparkle... I have not been to these and many other places, I dream of visiting and writing about them. Many wonderful historical and cultural monuments were not included in the book. St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky and St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda, the Kremlins of Tula and Kolomna, the Vorobyovo estates in Kaluga and Maryino in the Kursk region, buildings local history museum in Irkutsk and the Drama Theater in Samara, the Saratov Conservatory and the “City House” in Khabarovsk... The list is endless.

In addition, we decided not to get carried away with the story about big cities, about megacities with a population of millions (limiting ourselves to a selective review of the architectural riches of Moscow and St. Petersburg), and to give preference to distant Russia, living away from the wide public roads and from the noise of business and industrial centers.



The first stone living quarters in royal palace , later called the Terem Palace, were built in 1635 - 1636. for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
The stone workers were Bazhen Ogurtsov, Antip Konstantinov, Trefil Sharutin and Larion Ushakov.
The basis for the newly erected three-story chambers was:
- the lower tier of the northern part of the palace, built by Aleviz Fryazin in 1499-1508. And
- Workshop Chambers built over it in the second half of the 16th century.



The Terem Palace was designed according to the type of Russian wooden houses:
- features of which are manifested both in the exterior and in the layout of the building.
- The palace is a multi-tiered building.
- New floors were erected at some distance from the old walls and rose up in stepped tiers.




Each tier seems to grow from the previous one like a pyramid:
- the talent of the palace creators was fully demonstrated
- limited by space and proximity of neighboring buildings
- they managed to create a masterpiece of architectural art, pleasing the eye with its festive splendor.




The features of Russian wooden architecture can be traced
- not only in the tiered structure, but also
- in the nature of the roof, the solution of the porch with a gable roof and the layout of the rooms,
- reminiscent of the interior of a Russian hut, which is based on a cage (a log frame usually with 3 windows along the facade)
- White stone window frames and portals are decorated with floral patterns depicting birds and animals




Window of the royal chamber:
- decorated with a high pediment, but which depicts a coat of arms supported by small columns;
- the bases of the columns are presented in the form of stone sculpted lions



Watchtower with decorative kokoshniks and 8-sided roof
- was attached to the Terem Palace on the western side
- Even before the start of construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace
- From the height of this tower there was a beautiful panorama of the city
- Portals with triangular pediments framing the tower windows with colored glass:
--- oriented to the cardinal points,
---reminiscent of the carved frames of the windows of the Terem Palace

Steep hipped roof
- with a patterned design of gilded metal and small flags successfully complements the palace ensemble

For its time, the Terem Palace was a fairly tall building
- the “golden top” is located on the 4th floor of a modern house,
- but the Grand Kremlin Palace, in the courtyard of which the TD is located, almost completely hides it from view.


Coats of arms in the Cross Chamber

Facades of the Terem Palace
- can only be seen through the windows of the Great Kremlin or State Kremlin Palaces
- Only the façade of the Queen’s Golden Chamber and the dome of the house church are visible from Cathedral Square
- From the Armory, however, you can see the gilded dome of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.




Each floor had its own purpose and its own lifestyle
- The ground floor premises were used for domestic purposes
- It contained rooms for household purposes, as well as
- supplies of water and candles, preparations of vegetables and pickles




The queen's workshops were located on the 1st floor
- All types of clothing, linen and other fabrics for the household of the royal family were prepared here
- Here, court embroiderers decorated clothes with silk, gold embroidery and pearls.




3rd room on the 3rd floor of the palace - Throne room, or royal office
- In the “red” corner of the room there is a royal chair covered with velvet
- In the 17th century, this was the most beautiful and most inaccessible room in the entire palace
- Only in the mornings did the boyars closest to the Tsar, “waiting for the time,” enter it to hit it with their foreheads




The middle window of the room, decorated from the facade with a carved white stone casing, was called Petition
- A box was lowered from it, where everyone could submit a Petition letter to the Tsar
- The common people called this box Long, since petitions lay here for a long time, unread by anyone
- This is where the saying comes from: “Don’t put things off for too long.”




The royal family's chambers were also located here during their stay in the Terem Palace.
- the rest of the time the family lived in a wooden palace,
- which, according to contemporaries, was considered more beneficial for health




The royal chambers occupied the 2nd floor of the palace
- These were 4 chambers of relatively small sizes,
- covered with closed vaults with strippings
- Passage vestibule, Cross Chamber, Altar Room and Bedchamber.
- In the layout of the rooms, as well as in the general composition of architectural volumes,
- the influence of wooden architecture, in particular, still makes itself felt
- wooden mansions, built on the principle of connecting individual cages
- The walls and vaults of the chambers were painted with floral patterns upon completion of construction
- Then, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the painting was resumed by S. Ushakov.

Existing painting
- completed in 1836 according to drawings by F.G. Solntsev and T.A. Kiseleva

The king’s personal bath was also located on the 2nd floor.
- Water was supplied here using a pump from a water tower
- A spiral staircase led from the bathhouse to the royal bedroom
- The rooms located on this floor were often rebuilt and their purpose changed accordingly
- In the 19th century. an archive was located here, in which the most important state papers were kept




On the 3rd floor were the king's personal chambers:
- large “rooms with three windows” overlooking the Moscow River
- The suite of rooms on this floor ended with the Bedroom and Chapel.




In the bedroom
- there was a gilded carved bed with a luxurious canopy,
- embroidered in gold on a red background with numerous inscriptions

In the chapel
- 2 carved iconostases were installed,
- covered with spun gold,
- with icons of the 17th-18th centuries.




The northern wing housed utility rooms and a narrow corridor.
- According to legend, the most beautiful girls were shown here,
- among whom the king had to choose his bride.
- He had to walk down the corridor three times and
- present a towel to the happy chosen one




The 4th floor, or mezzanine, was sometimes called the golden top
- because the roof was covered with gold and silver sheets and painted in different colors
- In the spacious, well-lit room of the golden top, the wall painting attracts attention,
- made in the middle of the last century in the so-called “Russian” style.




3 galleries surrounded the palace in tiers:
- lower Boyarskaya platform, or Bed porch
- located at the level of the ceiling of the Alevizovsky basement,
- where the Vladimir Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace now stands.




From this level an open staircase led to the Front Stone Courtyard
- built on top of the aligned vaults of the Workshop Chambers,
- on which 3 floors of the Terem Palace were actually built.




The exit to the middle walkway was later closed by the Golden Grille
- representing a unique example of blacksmithing skill.

WITH east side There was a front golden porch
- along which they climbed to the 2nd floor to the king’s living quarters

The last tier of the built chambers is the golden-domed Teremok
- located in the center of the building,
- surrounds the 3rd site - the Upper stone courtyard.


The extraordinary picturesqueness and elegance of the new palace is created not only due to the complex space-planning design of the building, but also due to the rich decorative design of its facades.

Profiled pilasters between the windows, carved and majolica cornices, complex white stone frames of openings with hanging weights and triangular pediments, covered with carved ornaments, tiles and carvings in the flaps of the walkway parapets, gilded roofing - all this is harmoniously combined with the polychrome coloring of the walls and white stone details, restored during restoration of Terems in 1966-1969. Overall, the palace gives the impression of a precious piece of jewelry.

The Upper Golden Porch, topped with a tent and serving as the main entrance to the royal chambers, led from the Verkhnespasskaya platform to the second floor of the palace. With T.D. located in front of the arched basement. From the Boyarskaya platform to the Verkhnespasskaya platform, an open staircase (Lower Golden Porch) ascended, which at the Verkhnepassskaya platform was locked with a gilded copper lattice (this is why the church is sometimes called the Church of the Savior behind the Golden Lattice).


Boyar's Square and the Church of the Savior behind the Golden Lattice in the Moscow Kremlin. 1838. E. Gilbertzon.

In the western part of T.D. The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God “on Senya” is located, notable for the fact that in its basement a four-pillar white stone church from the end of the 14th century has been preserved. - the most ancient of the Kremlin buildings that have come down to us.

Simultaneously with the traditional techniques of decorative decoration - flies, ornamental wickerwork, polychrome, tiles, a carved gilded ridge on the roof ridge, the architects of T. D. used classical order forms. At this time, the Order of Stone Affairs paid great attention to familiarizing Russian architects with Western European construction experience.

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From the multi-colored glass, tiled stoves and painted walls, Teremov breathes a distant, fabulous antiquity. Furniture is in the style of the 17th century. Benches and chairs are upholstered in Venetian velvet. Once upon a time, the cabinets and shelves were filled with gold and silver dishes, which are now preserved in the Armory. Songbirds sat in golden and silver cages.

No gold was spared when painting the Terem Palace. According to the chronicles, even the roofs and gutters were painted and gilded, and the doorways were decorated with painted and gilded carvings.

Interior decoration of the chambers of T.D. it was very picturesque: bright ornamental painting with heraldic signs woven into it covered the surfaces of walls, vaults, formwork and even window sills; Biblical stories in symbolic form illustrated the monarchical idea. In the painting by T.D. (during its resumption during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich) Simon Ushakov took part. The painting has not survived.

IN architectural ensemble The Terem Palace also includes the Golden Tsarina Chamber of the 16th century and house churches (Resurrection of the Word, Savior, Crucifixion chapel, etc.), which in 1682 were brought under one roof and 11 domes were placed on it on necks decorated with tiles. Construction work supervised by the architect Osip Startsev, the drawings for the majolica and crosses were made by the carver, Elder Ippolit.

All restoration work was carried out based on the architectural support of N.G. Mukhin (Mosproekt-2, workshop No. 13) and on the recommendations of TsNRPM technologist M.P. Ievleva.

The original interior decoration of the chambers, with the exception of some fragments, has not been preserved and was made again under the direction of the artist F.G. Solntsev in the style of the 17th century. These works were carried out in 1836-1837. during the restoration of an ancient monument, which was subsequently included during the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace in a new complex of palace buildings.


Alekseev F.Ya. View in the Kremlin of the Terem Palace and the Church of the Savior on Bor. 1800s


Fedor Yakovlevich Alekseev. Boyar platform in the Moscow Kremlin (1801)


Boyarskaya site in the Moscow Kremlin. (until 1838)



Terem Palace in the Moscow Kremlin. 1635 - 1636. South facade. Engraving from the 1870s.

Located on a high Kremlin hill, the TD building
- the main façade was facing south, towards the Moscow River
- Topped with a gilded attic roof
- surrounded by open walkways with hipped porches
- TD dominated the Kremlin chambers and mansion building and
- formed an integral part of the entire Kremlin palace ensemble

Currently TD
- as part of the Grand Kremlin Palace
- is the Presidential Residence Russian Federation
________________________________________ _____________________
Some photos.

One of most beautiful buildings Russian capital. Built in the 17th century, which has undergone many changes and transformations, today it is part of the Grand Kremlin Palace, is the Residence of the President of the Russian Federation and a true masterpiece of Russian architectural art. We can say that the Terem Palace is the result of a harmonious synthesis of traditions and features inherent in Russian wooden architecture, and the enfilade construction of premises, completely new and unusual for that time.

History of the Terem Palace

The Terem Palace, which was then simply called the Tsar's Palace, was built in 1635 - 1636 by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. A new building was built by masters Larion Ushakov, Bazhen Ogurtsov and Trefil Sharutin under the leadership of Antipa Konstantinov. The basis for the future palace was the lower tier of the northern part of the grand-ducal palace built in the 15th century and the Workshop Chambers built above it in the next century.

The new palace went down in history as the first royal chambers made of stone. He also became the “ancestor” of the enfilade construction. For its construction, the latest technologies at that time using iron “connections” were used. This made it possible to reduce the thickness of the walls and, accordingly, increase the width of the space.

The first tier of the new palace had an economic purpose; it also housed the chambers of the queen and the heirs to the throne. The third was located on a flat roof (gulbishche) and was a large tower - the same “Golden-Domed Tower” in which meetings of the Boyar Duma were held.

The second tier, in which the royal chambers were located, was considered the “main” one. Each of the chambers had its own name - “Passage Hall”, “Chamber of the Cross”, “Bedchamber”, “Altar Room”. On the southern side of the palace there was a front Bed Porch, to which the Golden Staircase led from Boyarskaya Square, which in turn overlooked Verkhnespasskaya site.

The Verkhnespasskaya site got its name due to the fact that the royal house church of the Savior “on Seny” was located on it. This church was also called the “Church of the Savior behind the golden bars,” since the staircase leading to it was locked with bars. Not gold - iron, but the gilding was applied so flawlessly that the grille really seemed golden. And in the western part of the palace there is the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady “on Senya”, built on the foundation of a church built at the end of the 14th century. The Church of Catherine, over which the Church of the Resurrection of the Word was erected, and the Church of the Crucifixion are also located on the territory of the Terem Palace. The crucifix in the chapel of the Church of the Crucifixion is the creation of the hands of the monastic elder Hippolytus. But there are legends about the image of the Savior in the church of the same name that it appeared there without human intervention.

Painting of the Terem Palace

The walls of the Terem Palace were painted with fancy ornaments, heraldic patterns, and decorated with paintings on biblical themes and scenes illustrating monarchical ideas. The original painting has not survived. In 1836 - 1837, 200 years after the construction of the palace, during the restoration work and construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, the interior painting was done anew under the strict guidance of the artist F. Solntsev. The new wall decoration was in the style of the 17th century.

The first stone residential chambers in the royal palace, later called the Terem Palace, were built in 1635-1636. for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich of stone craftsmen Bazhen Ogurtsov, Antip Konstantinov, Trefil Sharutin and Larion Ushakov. The basis for the newly erected three-story chambers was the lower tier of the northern part of the palace, built by Aleviz in 1499-1508, and those built above it in the second half of the 16th century. Workshop chambers.

The tiered construction of the volume of the new building with open walkways, platforms, porches and stairs reflected the traditional features of Russian wooden architecture. Nevertheless, this was a new type of multi-storey stone residential building for its time, in which the enfilade construction of interior spaces, which became characteristic of later palaces, was already emerging.

Three galleries surrounded the palace in tiers: the lower Boyarskaya platform, or Bed porch, was located at the level of the ceiling of the Aleviz basement, where the Vladimir Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace now stands. From this level, an open staircase led to the Front Stone Courtyard, built on top of the leveled vaults of the Workshop Chambers, on which the three floors of the Terem Palace were actually built. The exit to the middle walkway was later closed by a Golden Grille, representing a unique example of blacksmithing. On the eastern side of the Terems there was the Front Golden Porch, along which one ascended to the second floor into the king’s living quarters. The last tier of the built chambers - the golden-domed Teremok, located in the center of the building, is surrounded by a third platform - the Upper Stone Courtyard.

The extraordinary picturesqueness and elegance of the new palace is created not only due to the complex space-planning design of the building, but also due to the rich decorative design of its facades. Profiled pilasters between the windows, carved and majolica cornices, complex white stone frames of openings with hanging weights and triangular pediments, covered with carved ornaments, tiles and carvings in the flaps of the walkway parapets, gilded roofing - all this is harmoniously combined with the polychrome coloring of the walls and white stone details, restored during restoration of Terems in 1966-1969. Overall, the palace gives the impression of a precious piece of jewelry.

The original interior decoration of the chambers, with the exception of individual fragments, has not been preserved and was made again under the direction of the artist F.G. Solntsev in the style of the 17th century. These works were carried out in 1836-1837. Subsequently, during the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, the ancient monument was included in a new complex of palace buildings.

Currently, the Terem Palace as part of the Grand Kremlin Palace is the Residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

The Moscow Kremlin has never ceased to amaze humanity for almost four centuries. The luxurious decoration impresses with its variety of forms. The large size of the building and the wealth of decorations make it possible to come and be surprised every time, to discover something new, unnoticed before. Just imagine if Meursault, the character in Camus’s story “The Stranger,” remembered the details not of his wretched little room, but of these chambers.

The Terem Palace in the Kremlin has become an integral part not only of Moscow, but of all of Russia. Few people from other cities or countries have not heard about it. It deservedly claims to be the eighth wonder of the world. This is one of the symbols of the Russian Federation.

History of construction

The Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin was built in just a year, from 1635 to 1636. Although the time frame for construction of such a scale is the shortest, this in no way affected the quality of the construction. Moreover, considering that this is the first Russian stone palace, the Kremlin has refuted the proverb that the first pancake is always lumpy. It became an example for the construction of many other stone buildings. Firstly, the decoration of the building is traditional, as in buildings made of wood. Secondly, the strength of the entire structure was difficult to beat at the time. And not all modern buildings can compete with the palace. I would like to hope, but it is unlikely that the “Khrushchev” buildings will stand for four centuries, not only without losing their presentation, but at least maintaining the foundation.

It was built by four of the best architects of that time: L. Ushakov, A. Konstantinov, B. Ogurtsov and T. Sharutin. The Terem Palace in the Kremlin was built on the time-tested foundation of the northern tier of the Kremlin ensemble, which was laid one and a half hundred years earlier. In addition, this is the first building built of stone and has several floors.

Three tiers were built, as planned. The first site was called the boyars', in which the master's sleeping quarters were located. She was on the first floor. The second one is intended for walking and is connected to the first floor by a staircase. The entrance is a golden lattice, a masterpiece of blacksmith craftsmanship. The third tier was called the Golden-Domed Teremok.

Purpose of the Terem Palace

Today historians argue why the tsar ordered the construction of the Terem Palace in the Kremlin. Scientists disagree. Some argue that the Terem Palace in the Kremlin, no matter what century it was built, had one purpose - to provide peace and relaxation for the Tsar and his entire family. The upper floors were built as children's rooms. Others insist that he wanted to show his and his country’s wealth with such magnificent decoration. Therefore, the premises were used to receive ambassadors from Sweden and others. Also here, in their opinion, important meetings of the boyars were held.

Some historians even express such absurd ideas that the chambers were intended to contain the mistresses of kings. They based this opinion on its similarity to the Sultan’s harem. And today this Turkish building is distinguished by its luxury and wealth.

Style of the Terem Palace

The style in which the Terem Palace in the Kremlin was built (in which century it was built is stated above) is also distinguished by its luxury. That is, this is the birth of Russian Baroque. And although the movement existed in many other countries, and Rus' was not its founder, it nevertheless made its contribution to the history of architecture. Hence the emergence of a style that is commonly called “purely Russian.”

This style is characterized by lush decoration and design of stone buildings as rich wooden huts.

The Terem Palace became a real example for inheritance. Although the construction dates back to the 17th century, Russian-style houses are still extremely popular today.

Exterior of the Terem Palace

Externally, the Terem Palace in the Kremlin resembles a pyramid of extraordinary beauty. You can even compare it to a birthday cake. It's so bright.

Each upper tier is slightly smaller than the previous one, which made it possible to use the remaining platforms for various purposes. For example, the platform above the second floor is the territory where the festivities were held.

The window casings are painted White color and are buried in stylized images of flowers. The character of the roof is also reminiscent of wooden huts - it is a gable structure, decorated with patterns of different colors.

The attached watchtower is decorated with amazing kokoshniks, and the roof consists of eight sides. Its windows offer a magnificent view of the city.

Interior of the Terem Palace

The Terem Palace in the Kremlin surpassed its construction time not only in its external characteristics. The interior of the building also amazes with its unprecedented splendor.

If you describe it in three words, it is luxury, diversity, wealth. If you describe all the interior details separately, it will take a lot of time and more than one

Each tier of the building had its own purpose. The basement was intended for storing supplies. The queen chose the first floor - her workshops were located there. The second is the reception, in modern terms, where guests and ambassadors from different countries. A large box was lowered from one of the rooms, where those who wished to place their requests and complaints.

There were also royal chambers and a bathhouse.

The walls of the chambers are painted with floral patterns and gold. The round vaults are decorated with unusual patterns and ornaments, real modeling, gilding, and carved expensive wood.

Unfortunately, the painting has not been preserved in its original form. It was restored according to the drawings of the great artist - archaeologist, painter Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev - and his student Kiselev already in the 19th century. Considering that the paint of those times was extremely resistant, the reasons for re-applying the pattern are explained by the partial or complete destruction of the wall decoration. It could have been Napoleon's attack, or the decision to remodel the interior, which was never implemented.

This is the Terem Palace in the Kremlin. It is known reliably in what century it was built. But few buildings have survived from those times. Today it is in almost the same condition as it was almost four centuries ago.

Many believe that Leonid Gaidai’s legendary film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession” was filmed in the Kremlin. This is partially true. But the Terem Palace in the Kremlin (photo presented in the article) has nothing to do with the film. The film was shot in only a chase scene. The royal chambers are studio sets, and the “royal clothes” are the skillful work of costume designers.

Terem Palace was built in what century? The answer to this question is known, but opinions are divided regarding the relationship of architecture to the Renaissance or Baroque era.

How to get?

Today, the Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin is closed to the public. But it is still possible to get into it.

You need to register in advance for groups to visit. The queues are huge, so it is necessary to make arrangements in advance. But this is only half the story. After recruiting a group, you must obtain permission from a Kremlin representative to visit the palace. Well, once inside, just enjoy the tour.