Grand Kremlin Palace
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The Grand Kremlin Palace (Большой Кремлевский дворец Bolshoi Kremlyovski Dvorets) in Moscow, Russia was built in 1837 on the site of the estate of the Grand Princes, which was established in the 14th century on Borovitsky Hill, by a team of architects under the management Konstantin Ton. Konstantin Ton was also the architect of the Kremlin Armoury and the Church of Christ the Savior. Its construction lasted 11 years! Also translated into English as the Great Kremlin Palace, it was intended to emphasize the greatness of Russian autocracy.
The Grand Kremlin Palace was formerly the tsar's Moscow residence. It is 125 meters long, 47 meters high, and has a total area of about 25,000 square meters. It includes the earlier Terem Palace, nine churches from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, the Holy Vestibule, and over 700 rooms. The buildings of the Palace form a rectangle with an inner courtyard. The building appears to be three stories, but is actually two. The upper floor has two sets of windows. The west building of the Palace held state reception halls and the imperial family's private chambers.
Its five reception halls (Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Aleksandrovsky, Andreyevsky, and Ekaterinsky) are named for orders of the Russian Empire: Order of Saint George, Order of Saint Vladimir, Order of Saint Alexander, Order of Saint Andrew, and Order of Saint Catherine. Georgievsky Hall is used today for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies. Vladimirsky Hall is used for the signing of international treaties. It also leads to the Palace of Facets, the Tsarina's Golden Chamber, Terem Palace, the Winter Palace, and the Palace of Congresses. Aleksandrovsky Hall and Andreyevsky Hall were combined in Soviet times and are used for meetings and conferences of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and later for the Russian Federation.
The buildings of the Palace were often destroyed by fire and enemy raids, but were always replaced. The Grand Kremlin Palace is a unique and magnificent part of Russia's history.
