Grand Kremlin Palace
This tour or better name it a special visit can be arranged only exclusively. Certain type of permitions to be obtained in advance in order to visit the official quaters of the Russian president. We can help you with all the arrangements. Contact our office for the details.
The stunning Grand Kremlin Palace stands on the crest of Borovitsky Hill. The palace was commissioned in 1837 by Nicholas I to his favourite architect, creator of the Armory museum and Christ The Redeemer Cathedral, Konstantin Ton. The two storey palace measures an impressive 125 meters in length, 47 meters in height and houses a total floor area of some 25,000 square meters. The extensive building encompasses the earlier Terem Palace, 9 separate churches from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries and over 700 rooms.You will see the enfilade of the parade rooms on the 2nd floor, visit The Faceted Chamber, Terem and the Tsar's private quaters on the 1st floor.
St.George Hall covers an impressive 1,250 meters of floor space. It is used for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies. In 1945 World War Two Victory Parade participants attended a reception held in this hall. It was also here that Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth in space, received his Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union in 1961.
Next to Vladimirsky (St. Vladimir) Hall , which features a steep dome, decorated with gilt stucco molding, with a magnificent three-tiered crystal chandelier. Today the Vladmirsky Hall is used principally for the signing of international treaties. Alexandrovsky (St. Alexander) and Andreyevsky (St. Andrew) Halls are beautifully reconstructed to their original design in 1999.
The Vladimirsky Hall leads to the palace's older structures - Faceted Chamber and Terem Palace. Then you will come downstairs to the ground floor of the Grand Kremlin Palace to the Imperial family's private apartments. Particulary fine is the Catherine Hall, adorned with malachite pilasters and mantelpieces so skillfully and precisely matched in color and pattern so as to have been made from a single piece of the semi-precious stone.
