The Moscow Kremlin has never ceased to amaze mankind for almost four centuries. The luxurious decoration impresses with a 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. Imagine if Meursault, the character in Camus's story The Stranger, remembered in detail not his wretched little room, but these chambers.
Terem Palace in the Kremlin has become an integral part not only of Moscow, but of the whole of Russia. Few from other cities or countries have not heard of him. He deservedly claims to be the eighth wonder of the world. This is one of the symbols Russian Federation.
Build history
The Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin was built in just a year, from 1635 to 1636. Although the terms for the construction of such a scale are the shortest, this in no way affected the quality of the building. Moreover, considering that this is the first Russian stone palace, the Kremlin refuted the adage that the first pancake is always lumpy. He became an example for the construction of many other stone buildings. Firstly, the decoration of the building is traditional, like in wooden buildings. Secondly, the strength of the entire structure was difficult to surpass at the time. And not all modern buildings can compete with the palace. Hopefully, the Khrushchevs are unlikely to stand for four centuries, not only without losing their presentation, but at least preserving the foundation.
It was built by four of the best architects of that time at once: L. Ushakov, A. Konstantinov, B. Ogurtsov and T. Sharutin. The Terem Palace in the Kremlin was being erected on the time-tested foundation of the northern tier of the Kremlin ensemble, which had been laid one and a half hundred years earlier. In addition, this is the first building built of stone and has several floors.
It was built, as planned, three tiers. The first site was named boyar, 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's skill. The third tier was named Golden-Domed Teremok.
The 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, in whatever century it was built, had one purpose - to provide peace and rest for the tsar and his entire family. The upper floors were built as children's rooms. Others insist that with such a magnificent decoration he wanted to show his wealth and his country. Therefore, the premises were used to receive ambassadors from Sweden and not only. 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 the kings. They determined this opinion by the similarity with the Sultan's harem. And today this Turkish building is distinguished by luxury and wealth.
Terem Palace style
The style in which the Terem Palace was built in the Kremlin (in which century it was built, mentioned above) is also distinguished by luxury. That is, this is the birth of the Russian Baroque. And although the direction existed in many other countries, and Russia was not its founder, nevertheless it made its contribution to the history of architecture. Hence the emergence of the style, which is usually called "purely Russian".
This style is characterized by lush decoration and decoration of stone buildings like rich wooden huts.
The Terem Palace became a real example for inheritance. Although the time of construction dates back to the 17th century, houses in the Russian style are extremely popular today.
Exterior of the Terem Palace
Externally, the Terem Palace in the Kremlin resembles a pyramid of extraordinary beauty. It can even be compared to a birthday cake. It is 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 area above the second floor is the area where the festivities were held.
The window frames are painted white and are immersed in stylized images of flowers. The nature of the roof reminds 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 has eight sides. Its windows offer a magnificent view of the city.
The interior of the Terem Palace
The Terem Palace in the Kremlin surpassed the construction time not only in terms of its external characteristics. The interior of the building also strikes with unprecedented splendor.
If you describe it in three words, it is luxury, variety, wealth. If we describe all the details of the interior separately, then 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 took a liking to 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 descended from one of the rooms, where those who wished to put their requests and complaints.
There were also the royal chambers and the bathing house.
The walls of the chambers are painted with flowers and gold. The round vaults are decorated with extraordinary patterns and ornaments, real stucco, gilding, and expensive carved wood.
Unfortunately, the painting has not survived 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. Given that the paint of those times was extremely durable, the reasons for re-applying the pattern are due to the partial or complete destruction of the wall decoration. It could have been an attack by Napoleon, or a decision to redo the interior, which was never implemented.
This is the Terem Palace in the Kremlin. In what century it was built - it is known for certain. 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 the legendary film by Leonid Gaidai "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 filmed in and then only a chase scene. The royal chambers are studio sets, and the "royal clothes" are the skillful work of costume designers.
Terem Palace in what century was it built? The answer to this question is known, but opinions about the relationship of architecture to the Renaissance or Baroque era are divided.
How to get?
To date, the Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin is closed for free visits. But it is still possible to get into it.
It is necessary to register in advance in the groups for the visit. The queues are huge, therefore it is necessary to agree in advance. But this is only half the battle. After recruiting the group, it is necessary to obtain permission from a representative of the Kremlin to visit the palace. Well, once inside, just enjoy the excursion.
The Terem Palace, located behind the Faceted Chamber, breathes with distant fabulous antiquity. Unfortunately, the palace itself with Cathedral Square not visible. Best overview the tower opens from the inner palace courtyard or from the Ivanovskaya bell tower, but there is no access there.
History of the Terem Palace
The Terem Palace, three stories high, was built in 1635-1636 over two levels of the chambers of the times of Vasily III and Ivan IV (XVI century). Subsequently, due to numerous alterations, the lower floors lost their ancient appearance. Tsarevich Alexei Mikhailovich was the first to settle in stone chambers, while his father continued to live in wooden chambers, believing that it was healthier. In 1637, the new stone mansions were finally finished: the walls were painted with paints on a gold and silver field, and multi-colored mica windows by master Ivan Osipov were inserted into the windows. Architects define the appearance of the Terem Palace as a motley combination of Old Russian and Italian style (in Russia it was called Lombard).
The Terem Palace stood on the territory of the Tsar's court, which occupied a fairly large area and included many different chambers, churches, chambers, orders, workshops and courtyards. Most of the buildings were wooden, and almost every representative of the royal family had their own house or a little house with elaborate decorations. The Tsar himself and his sons lived in the Terem Palace. The chambers of the queen and princesses were located on the north side and have not survived to this day. The front façade of the palace buildings was not the southern one, as it is now, facing the Moskva River, but the eastern one overlooking Cathedral Square.
The Tsar's court, together with the Terem Palace, reached its highest prosperity in the second half of the 17th century. At that time, according to the testimony of foreign travelers, the roofs of the towers were gilded. On the buildings along Borovitsky Hill, greenhouses and gardens were arranged in the image of the famous gardens of the Babylonian Queen Semiramis. During the 18th century, the Terem Palace and the rest of the old Tsar's court gradually fell into decay. In the big fire under Anna Ivanovna in 1737, almost all buildings burned down and the tower was badly damaged. At the behest of Elizaveta Petrovna, the architect Rastrelli built a new Tsar's palace, which stood on the site of the present Grand Kremlin. The palace servants with their families settled in the rooms of the towers.
In 1812, Napoleon stayed in the Elizabethan Palace, and then the palace burned down along with other buildings. As already mentioned, in 1838-1849, at the behest of Emperor Nicholas I, Konstantin Top built the current Grand Kremlin Palace, combining it with the towers. For the 200th anniversary of the towers, their appearance and interior decoration were recreated according to ancient models and drawings from the times of Alexei Mikhailovich. Somewhat later, in the 1870s, the artist Timofey Kiselev, based on drawings by Academician Fyodor Solntsev, made the current murals on a gold background. The previous painting of the 17th century by Simon Ushakov, with the exception of some fragments, has not survived. Multi-colored glass instead of mica was inserted in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The device of towers
- Basement.
- Household services.
- The golden porch.
- Golden-Domed Teremok
The Terem Palace has five floors. The two lower ones, as before, are occupied by economic services. The third, where in the 17th century the royal soap (bathhouse) and rooms of the royal children were located, before the revolution was used as an archive of old government papers, now it is also an official one. On the fourth, the furnishings of the royal chambers were restored - the Front (or Refectory), Krestovaya (or Duma) chambers, the sovereign's office, the bedchamber (bedrooms). On the fifth floor there is the Golden-Domed Teremok with an open gallery around it, arranged by Mikhail Fedorovich for his sons.
Throughout the building, the character of an old wooden choir has been preserved. It resembles several huts, stacked on top of each other. Almost all the rooms in the living quarters are the same, each with three windows traditional for huts. Only the uppermost floor - the Golden-Domed Teremok - consists of one bright room.
The Golden Lattice is now located at the entrance to the premises, which was formerly an open area in front of the Golden Porch. Until the end of the 17th century, no one entered the living quarters, located on the fourth tier of the towers, except for the tsar and his family. First, the staircase leads to the Verkhospasskaya platform, fenced off by the famous Golden Lattice. Since few Russians were fortunate enough to observe the lattice up close, a legend arose that it was cast from depreciated copper money withdrawn from circulation by Alexei Mikhailovich in 1662 in order to stop the Copper Riot. (Such an original way of fighting inflation.) In fact, it is masterfully forged from iron and gilded. From a distance you can see a floral ornament, and close up - fantastic fish, birds and monsters.
Behind the bars is a porch with statues of two lions on the sides. The lions are holding shields with the monogram of Nicholas I, since rebuilding took place under him, and the porch, which used to be outside the towers, turned out to be in the inner room. It is called Golden because it once adjoined the Golden Chamber, where church utensils were made. From the arch above the porch stairs hangs a weight in the form of a lion's head holding an apple in its mouth (this symbolizes the keeping of palace secrets).
The first room with low vaults and tiled stoves is called the Front Room and is painted with images of saints kings and princes - Constantine and Helena, Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga. The ancient tiles on the stoves have not changed their brightness for hundreds of years; to this day, the secret of their manufacture has been lost. Here the boyars expected the arrival of the tsar, and then followed him to the Cross Chamber and sat down on the benches according to their gentility.
In the Cross Chamber in the morning, the tsar took the priest's blessing, and in the afternoon, sitting on the throne, discussed state affairs. Sometimes he received ambassadors here, but only from Christian powers. Until 1918, two caskets with historical letters remained in the chamber - on the election of Mikhail Fedorovich to the kingdom (1613) and on the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia (1589).
Further - the third room, which in the 17th century was called just that - a room, but not a simple one, but a Golden one. In the modern sense, this is an office, albeit a special one, which you will not find now. Its doors were covered with gilded leather with images of plants and animals. In the left front corner near the window is the royal throne. Before him is a carpet embroidered by princesses. The walls are painted with gold on a bright red background. In the middle of the vault, the Savior is depicted on the throne, around him are the ecumenical and Moscow saints. Along the perimeter of the walls are the coats of arms of the Russian kingdoms and lands. Here the most delicate issues were resolved, for example, about the deprivation of the patriarchal dignity of Nikon. Sometimes the tsar treated the closest boyars in his study, and at other times he fed the beggars and "his" pilgrims. These pilgrims lived near the choir on full support. Leading godly lives, they sometimes lived up to a hundred years or more.
The Golden Room has another interesting detail. Its middle window, near which the royal throne stood, overlooks the courtyard on the so-called Boyar area (or Bed porch) and is marked on the facade by a carved white-stone platband with a double-headed eagle. It is called petition - from here a box was lowered on a rope, into which petitions were put directly to the king (petitions).
The fourth room is a bedchamber, that is, a bedroom. On the walls there are medallions with touching themes of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Savior, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in infancy, and others. The Russian tsar rested on a small carved bed with a curtain made of Chinese silk and a canopy at the head of the bed, on which the "magic" words from the 44th psalm of the Prophet David were embroidered in Greek. The young squire sang this psalm before King Saul, removing his blues and fatigue. Under the bedchamber there is a "soapy", otherwise - a bath or shower, where you could go down a twisted staircase. The floor and walls were brazed with lead plates for watertightness.
A side door leads to the Prayer Room.
On the wall there are two gilded icon cases with ancient icons, crosses and panagias that belonged to Alexei Mikhailovich. On the lectern, near which the king prayed, lay a handwritten Gospel of the XIV century. In the window frames of two adjacent rooms, mica - "Russian glass" has been preserved. They say that a buffet was located here, where, among other things, there were Malvasia and Rhine - the favorite wines of Mikhail Fedorovich and Alexei Mikhailovich. It is likely that they treated their boyars with them.
From the vestibule you can go to a narrow twisted staircase that leads to the last, fifth tier, to the Golden-Domed Tower. This is one large chamber on the flat roof of the Terem Palace, surrounded by a gallery. From the west, the so-called Lookout Tower is attached to it with multi-colored glass in the old windows. Carved decorations for the amusement of princes and princesses depict fabulous and mythological creatures - centaurs with bows, seilenos with tails and hooves, parrots in bunches of grapes and the like.
How Russian tsars lived in the Kremlin
In the 17th century, the spirit of Byzantium permeated the walls of the Terem Palace. There was a strict routine and hierarchy in everything. Any violation of etiquette and even an obscene word uttered here could be perceived as an insult to the king and lead to disgrace. To discourage conspiracies and intrigues, caches were set up everywhere.
The daily routine of the Moscow tsars was traditional. We got up at dawn, with the first rays of the sun, at four or five, and in winter - at the latest at seven in the morning. In the Cross Chamber, candles were already burning in front of the icons, on the analogion (a stand for icons) there was an icon of a festive event or that saint whose memory day was celebrated on that very day. For about a quarter of an hour, the king prayed, then received the blessing of the priest, who sprinkled him with holy water, specially brought to the court from remote monasteries and holy places. After that, the tsar himself or with the tsarina went to one of the palace churches, where he listened to Matins, and sometimes even early Mass. On big holidays this took place in one of the Kremlin cathedrals. The dinner lasted two hours. In the days of Great and other fasts, Alexei Mikhailovich stood at the service for five hours and sometimes made a thousand bows.
No breakfast existed in the present sense - simply because it was not accepted to eat before the service, and after it it was soon time for lunch. Then the king would begin his current affairs and finish them at about 12 noon. At the same time, the tsar sometimes received foreign ambassadors. Representatives of the Christian powers entered it through the Annunciation Cathedral, which was connected to the palace, and non-Christians - along a separate staircase that stood between the Annunciation Cathedral and the Faceted Chamber.
Having finished the business, the sovereign went to the meal. On fasting days, they ate only oatmeal mash with rye bread, washed down with wine, beer or apple juice, and on ordinary days about 70 dishes were served at the table, including caviar, stews, roasts, and so on. During large fasts (four a year), they ate meagerly three times a week, and on other days they limited themselves to a salted mushroom or cucumber and half a glass of beer.
After the meal, the tsar went to bed and usually slept until three in the afternoon, as is customary in the East, where noon is the hottest time of the day. After sleep, the courtiers again came to the king, with whom he went to Vespers in the temple, and after that he discussed matters for an hour or two. Then the tsar communicated with the household, read soulful books, listened to the stories of pilgrims about pilgrimages to distant lands, about sphinxes and people "with dogs' heads" seen somewhere in Egypt. Sometimes he played chess or watched the performances of circus performers in the Amusement Chamber. After the evening meal, I went to evening prayer in the Cross Chamber, with which I began my day.
The way of life of queens and princesses was also traditional. In addition, they were very rarely allowed to go outside the palace, even on the territory of the Tsar's court there were strict restrictions for them. All those close to them, with the exception of the tsar, communicated with them not directly, but only through the trusted boyars. The joy of the queens and princesses was the solemn exits to church services, where they could appear in all the splendor of their outfits, but in deserted churches, since no one was allowed into the Kremlin at that time. This continued from century to century, until Peter I. Under him, this order was disrupted, and the life of the imperial court in a new place, in St. Petersburg, went on a European style.
Photo: Terem Palace of the Kremlin and Verkhospassky Cathedral
Photo and description
The first royal chambers made of stone, which appeared on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin at the beginning of the 17th century, were built by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich and named the Terem Palace. The Tsar's Residence The Terem Palace and the Verkhospassky Cathedral, which since 1636 has been part of the complex of house churches of the Russian tsars, are part of the architectural ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Grand Ducal Chambers over Borovitsky Hill
The great Moscow princes always settled in a high place. Their residences were built over Borovitsky hill, from where there were magnificent views of the countryside. The first to build a palace on a hill Ivan Kalita... Later, on the edge of Borovitsky Hill, mansions were erected for Sophia Vitovtny, wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir Basil I.
At the end of the 15th century Ivan III undertook a global reconstruction of the Kremlin buildings. Under him, the old walls, built of white stone, and began to lay new, brick ones. Several new structures were built on the territory of the Kremlin, which are now included in the lists of the most important sights of Moscow. Stone residential buildings also began to be erected at this time, and in the Kremlin, in addition to the Assumption Cathedral, the Faceted Chamber and the Archangel Cathedral, at the end of the 15th century, the buildings of the Tsar's court appeared. Their project belonged to Aleviz Fryazin, an Italian who worked for the great Moscow princes for a long time.
Construction of the Terem Palace
The Time of Troubles, which devastated the Russian land, brought a lot of destruction to Moscow. The Kremlin palace of the sovereign fell into disrepair by 1630 and was actually abandoned. The first king of the Romanov family Mikhail Fedorovich ordered to rebuild new apartments. Subsequently, the royal stone residence was named Terem Palace.
Architects Bazhen Ogurtsov, Antip Konstantinov and Trefil Sharutin used a lot of new technologies in their work. "Iron ties" allowed them to strengthen the walls, leaving them thin enough. Innovations contributed to an increase in the internal area of the building, which was a very progressive trend in ancient Russian stone architecture.
The walls and foundation remaining from the chambers of Ivan III were taken as the basis for the Terem Palace. Two tiers of the old building were enlarged with three new ones, and a teremok appeared at the very top. The interiors were decorated in a rich and whimsical way. The roof of the chorus was painted with silver paints and gold leaf, the window openings were closed with mica translucent glass, and the walls and ceilings of the chambers were painted by an artel of icon painters, which was led Simon Ushakov- a highly developed and talented artist, technically much ahead of his time.
The new royal mansions looked like a very large and even monumental structure. The architect skillfully combined features of Old Russian classics and elements of Italian architecture:
- The palace is mostly built of bricks, but platbands, portals, parapets and pilasters are made of white stone.
- In the decoration applied traditional techniques of Russian stone architecture- tiled tiles on the eaves of the fourth floor, ornamental stone braids, carved window frames, flys on the parapets of gulbis, pilasters in the walls between the windows and a gilded ridge on the roof.
- Tier stepped design buildings demonstrates the typical features of mansion buildings erected by ancient Russian architects. However, the interior rooms were located in the form suites, which is typical for the later period of Russian stone architecture.
- The palace was heated by the system ovens... Every stove has been decorated glazed tiles different colors and shapes.
- To the front rooms led The golden porch, which connected the Verkhospasskaya platform and the second floor of the Terem Palace. The entrance, painted with gold, was crowned with a pyramidal tent.
The Terem Palace became one of the buildings of the Tsar's court, which occupied a large territory and included many buildings, including the Faceted and Dining Chambers, Bed mansions of the royal family, Embankment chambers and several house churches.
What to see in the Terem Palace
Each of five floors The Terem Palace had its own purpose. The three lower floors, located on the basements of the 16th century, were used for household needs... In basements and storerooms, supplies and food were stored here, and jewelers, goldsmiths, gunsmiths and lacemakers worked in the workshops.
Royal chambers located on the third and fourth floors. The first premises where the sovereign and members of his family entered were checkpoints canopy... They were blocked by low arches, and the front was illuminated by paired lancet windows. The walk-through canopy was heated by stoves decorated with tiles. In the living room, the tsar communicated with the boyars and sometimes received foreign ambassadors.
Golden chamber was the most richly decorated room of the royal residence. The walls of the chamber were decorated with gold painting, the vaults were painted with images of the Savior and saints, and the royal throne, which stood in The throne chamber, was covered with velvet. The long box adage was born here. In the Golden or Throne Chamber there was a box where petitions were submitted. Since petitions were considered for a very long time and reluctantly, the box began to be called "long".
A unique painting in the form of ornamental patterns has been preserved on the walls of a room adjacent to the Golden Chamber. He was called pantry and kept dishes and cutlery in it.
V royal bedchamber there is a bed made by skilled woodcarvers and decorated with a natural silk canopy. The royal bed was made in the 19th century, when one of the renovations of the residence took place.
On the top floor of the Terem Palace there is a stone attic, which was called Golden-Domed Teremkom... Its roof was covered with gilded sheets, which gave the name to the attic. The meetings of the Boyar Duma were held in the Golden-Domed Mansion. Adjacent to the tower Watch tower, in the windows of which old colored glass has been preserved.
Verkhospassky Cathedral
The complex of house churches of the Moscow Kremlin includes Cathedral of the Image Not Made by Hands, more often called Verkhospassky. The temple was built in the first half of the 17th century and is located above the throne palace chamber on the upper tier of the Terem Palace in its male half. From the north side Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov ordered to build a small adjoining church for Evdokia Lukyanova- his second wife and mother of the prince.
The architects who worked on the project and its implementation were well known in Russia. Bazhen Ogurtsov, who led a team of builders and architects, worked in the Moscow Kremlin for about ten years. He participated in the reconstruction of the Assumption Cathedral, erected a powder warehouse, supervised the construction of an extension in the bell tower of Ivan the Great, but his main creation is called the Terem Palace and the Verkhospassky Cathedral under him.
In the 60s of the 17th century, a refectory, and on the flat roof of the lower chambers - porch, connecting the chambers of the sovereign with the cathedral. At the same time, the facades were painted, the five chapters of the church were gilded, and a few years later the walls inside the church were painted by icon painters led by Simon Ushakov. In 1670, a gilded copper lattice was installed, blocking the staircase from the royal chambers, which led to the cathedral. The temple began to be called Savior behind the Golden Bars.
All the house churches of the Terem Palace were brought under a single roof in 1682. The complex was crowned with eleven chapters with carved crosses. To strengthen the structure, the architects had to build an arch on wide pylons.
In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the temple was restored and repaired more than once. The reason for starting the next work was most often fires... One of them, Troitsky, damaged the iconostasis and had to be made anew. Large funds for the repair of the Verkhospassky Cathedral were allocated by the maid of honor Matrona Saltykova. Thanks to her, the altar frescoes were restored in the church, new royal doors were made and the iconostasis was covered with frames with silver niello.
V 1812 year the French plundered many churches, and the Verkhospassky Cathedral was among the victims. Fortunately, we managed to evacuate the most valuable church utensils in advance, but a lot had to be restored.
The house church at the Terem Palace was re-painted in 1836 year... The order for the next restoration came from the sovereign Nicholas I... The subsequent construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace also introduced some changes to the layout of the Terem Palace and the Verkhospassky Cathedral. The staircase adjacent to the temple was dismantled, the Verkhospasskaya platform was blocked, and the Golden Lattice was inserted into new arched openings. The wall of the refectory facing the west was moved. Now it had three doors, each of which was decorated with decorative grilles stylized as the 17th century.
The corner of the cathedral, damaged by artillery shelling during the armed rebellion of 1917, was restored in 1920, but by that time the temple was already closed and since then there have been no divine services.
The iconostasis of the Savior behind the Golden bars
The author of the iconostasis of the Verkhospassky Cathedral is a cabinetmaker Dmitry Shiryaev who skillfully carved it out of wood in the 18th century. In the central part of the iconostasis stands out a setting of blackened silver, made in 1778 at the expense of maids of honor Saltykova.
The most valuable icons of the Verkhospassky Cathedral were painted by artists S. Kostromitin and L. Stepanov... They are located in the local lane. Draws particular attention image of the Savior Not Made by Hands surrounded in the margins by twenty separate compositions called hagiographic stamps.
In the aisle of the cathedral, consecrated in honor of John the Baptist, you can see ancient images painted in the 17th century. The most revered of them are - icons of the Mother of God of Smolensk and St. John the Baptist.
Let's admire the interiors of the Terem Palace of the late 19th century. Today it is the residence of the President of Russia.
The interior of the Faceted Chamber with prepared tables for the meal (dignitaries, higher clergy, military and civilians), held after the end of the ceremony of the solemn coronation of Nicholas II
Interior of the Golden Tsarina's Chamber (built in the 16th century, painted in the 1580s) in the Kremlin
View of the Romanov Gallery in the [Terem Palace] of the Kremlin (built in 1635-1636 by Bazhen Ogurtsov, Antip Konstantinov, Trofim Sharutin, Larion Ushakov)
View of the bedchamber in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin. Moscow
View of the chapel in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin.
View of the front porch of the Duma Chamber in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin.
View of the front corridor in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin.
The interior of the Cross Chamber in the Romanov Palace.
View of the bedchamber of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in the Romanov Palace.
Interior of the Golden Patriarch's Chamber in the Kremlin.
Interior of the Golden Patriarch's Chamber
View of a part of the living room in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin
View of the office in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin.
Interior of the Faceted Chamber (built in 1487-1491 by Italian architects Mark Fryazin and Pietro Antonio Solari)
Interior of the Faceted Chamber
The interior of the throne chamber in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin (the former cabinet of the tsar or the Golden Chamber ")
View of the carved gilded icon cases in the royal chapel of the Terem Palace
The interior of the [Duma Chamber] in the Upper Teremok building in the Kremlin
The interior of the Romanov Gallery in the [Terem Palace] of the Kremlin (in the ceiling painting - portraits of Russian emperors)
The original interiors of the palace have been lost. In the thirties of the 19th century, the walls of the palace rooms were painted in the "Old Russian style". The windows were decorated with stained-glass windows, tiled stoves were installed. In 1992, the restoration of the facades of the Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin was carried out.
Churches and icons of the Terem Palace
V architectural ensemble The Terem Palace also included other buildings, making it rightfully one of the most important historical monuments Russian architecture of the 17th century. For example, in the western part of the Terem Palace there is the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God "on the Senyi". The temple was rebuilt several times. Of the remarkable features is the almost completely preserved white-stone four-pillar church. The construction of this church was carried out at the end of the XIV century by order of Princess Evdokia, the widow of the notorious prince Dmitry Donskoy. This church belongs to one of the most ancient buildings that are part of the Moscow Kremlin and are well preserved to this day.
There are a number of churches on the territory of the Terem Palace: the Church of Catherine (built by J. Thaler in 1627), the Church of the Resurrection of the Word built over it and the so-called Crucifixion Church. The roof with majolica and painted crosses, under which 3 churches are united - the Crucifixion, Savior and Resurrection of the Word, were made by the monastic elder Hippolytus, the famous carver of that time. By the way, the ancient wooden crucifix installed in the prayer room of the Church of the Crucifixion is also the work of Hippolytus.
The house church on the male half of the Terem Palace was built in 1636, when the construction of the entire complex was almost completed. The church was lit in honor of the "Savior Not Made by Hands" (it is believed that the image of the Savior appeared by itself, without human participation), and a little later the church began to be called in a new way - the Verkhospassky Cathedral. The same 4 architects who built the entire complex of the Terem Palace worked on the temple. The mural, which can be seen in the cathedral, was created 30 years later, starting in 1660. Sometimes the cathedral is called "Savior Behind the Golden Bars" and here's why. The fact is that the Verkhospassky Cathedral and the Terem Palace were decided to be divided by a lattice - not gold, of course, but made of iron. However, the gilding that covers the lattice is applied so carefully and carefully that many people think that it is really made of gold! The Church of the Crucifixion of the Terem Palace has a very beautiful and monumental iconostasis. His icons are made on silk fabric using the applique technique. The author of the icons is the famous master of the Armory Chamber Vasily Poznansky. The Verkhospassky Cathedral also has an iconostasis made in the 18th century in baroque forms. However, in the lower row of the iconostasis of the Verkhospassky Cathedral there are icons that are even more ancient, the work of the masters of the 17th century: these are the Centurion Longin, Theodore Stratilat and the Savior Not Made by Hands with 20 hallmarks on the theme of the lives of the saints. The iconostasis of the Church of the Resurrection of the Glorious is made of wood and decorated with carvings with gilding. And the clock that adorns the temple is a gift from the Swedish king Karl 9.
One of beautiful buildings the Russian capital. Built in the 17th century, having 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 real 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
Terem Palace, which was then called simply royal palace, was built in 1635 - 1636 by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. A new building was built by craftsmen 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 over 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 formation. For its construction, the latest technologies at that time were used with the use of iron "ties". 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 (gulbische) and was a large tower - the same "Golden-Domed Tower", in which the Boyar Duma meetings 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 canopy", "Cross chamber", "Bedchamber", "Altarpiece." Verkhnespasskaya site.
The Verkhnespasskaya site got its name due to the fact that the royal house church of the Savior "on Senyakh" was located on it. This church was also called "the Church of the Savior behind a golden grill", since the staircase leading to it was locked with a grill. Not gold - iron, but the gilding was done so flawlessly that the grille really looked like gold. And in the western part of the palace is the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady "on the Senyi", erected on the basis 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 crucifixion in the prayer room 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 participation.
Painting of the Terem Palace
The walls of the Terem Palace were painted with bizarre ornaments, heraldic patterns, decorated with paintings on biblical themes and subjects that illustrated monarchist ideas. The original painting has not survived. In 1836 - 1837, 200 years after the construction of the palace, during the restoration work and the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, the painting of the interior was performed anew under the strict guidance of the artist F. Solntsev. The new wall decoration was in the style of the 17th century.
