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The Kremlin

Well, folks this is the biggy! Yep, the Kremlin - home to Russia's political power, seat of the ancient Russian Orthodox Church and the historical heart of the country. Here we can virtually explore the intriguing home of Soviet power, the majestic residence of the Russian Tsars, and the world of all those nail-bitingly tense Cold War thrillers and block-buster spy films! Come with me and have a look at one of the most famous attractions in the world!

The Kremlin - a brief and fascinating history of the architectural development of Moscow's seat of political and spiritual power and the famous leaders who have resided and ruled from there.

Kremlin Walls and Towers, Moscow, Russia

Kremlin Walls and Towers - the gradual development of the citadel's impressive fortifications from the 15th to the 17th centuries and the influence of European architectural styles on their design and construction.

The State Armory - the oldest museum in Russia and home to a staggering collection of priceless Imperial artifacts and royal treasures dating as far back as the 14th century and encompassing everything from the crown jewels to a magnificent collection of Imperial carriages.

Cathedral of the Assumption, Moscow, Russia

Cathedral of the Assumption - the oldest of the Kremlin's cathedrals and the protector of the Russian Orthodox faith since the seat of the Church was transferred to Moscow from Vladimir in 1326.

Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, Moscow, Russia

Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel - five-domed Italian-designed cathedral and the exulted burial place of the rulers of Muscovy, from the Grand Duke Ivan I (1328-1341) to Tsar Ivan V (1682-1696), the half-brother of Peter the Great.

Cathedral of the Annunciation, Moscow, Russia

Cathedral of the Annunciation - the beautiful private church of Russia's Grand Dukes and Tsars, where the ruling family were married, their newborn heirs to the throne baptized and their confessions heard.

Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Moscow, Russia

Ivan the Great Bell Tower - 16th century bell tower, built to be the voice of the Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation Cathedrals, and soaring to a height of 81 meters above the Kremlin's Cathedral Square.

Church of the Deposition of the Robe, Moscow, Russia

Church of the Deposition of the Robe - This church was built by craftsmen from the ancient city of Pskov in the 1480s to be the private chapel of the Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Russia's Orthodox Church.

Great Kremlin Palace - Sumptuously decorated private palace of the Russian Tsars, commissioned by Tsar Nicholas I in 1837 and boasting a stunning, yellow-and-white Russo-Byzantine facade.

State Kremlin Palace - Imposing modernist concrete and glass structure built in the 1960s to host Communist Party congresses. It now regularly hosts performances by the Kremlin Ballet Company and various Russian pop and rock artists.

Patriarch's Palace - The traditional private residence of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, dating from the 17th century and chiefly associated with Patriarch Nikon, whose ecclesiastical reforms during the mid-17th century caused an irreparable schism in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Faceted Palace - Built in the 1840s by Italian architects, the Faceted Palace is one of the three marvelously ornate Imperial palaces within the Kremlin walls and is the oldest surviving secular building in Moscow.

Terem Palace - This ornate multi-tiered building consists of two medieval churches built one on top of the other, two levels of service quarters and the main residence of the Tsars until the capital was transferred to St. Petersburg in 1712.

The Arsenal - Commissioned by Peter the Great in 1701 to store weapons and military equipment and later used as a museum to celebrate Russia's military glory, the arsenal features an impressive collection of military paraphernalia most of which is now on display in the Kremlin's Armory.

Presidium - Neoclassical building constructed in 1934 to house a school for "Red Commanders", but subsequently home to the Presidium of Communist Russia's Supreme Soviet and today host to various government offices.

Senate Building - Imposing Neoclassical building, commissioned by Empress Catherine the Great and built in the 1770s by the renowned Moscow architect Matvei Kazakov. In 1991 it became the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Tsar Bell and Tsar Canon, Moscow, Russia

Tsar Bell and Tsar Canon - Two of the Kremlin's more curious and less practical structures! Curious in that the 18th century 200 ton bronze bell has never been rung and the 16th century 40 ton 890 millimeter caliber canon has never been fired!