12 Kremlins of modern Russia

The Kremlin is a fortified defensive structure, a citadel, a fortress, built in the city.

In the old days, such a structure was called detinets. But in the 14th century the word “detinets” became obsolete: it was replaced by the word “kremlin”.

The Kremlin is located in the center of the city, usually on a hill or near a river, and is surrounded by walls. Often the Kremlin was surrounded by a rampart or a ditch was dug. The city itself was built around the Kremlin to provide shelter from attack.

Metonymically, the Kremlin is also called the presidential administration.

Astrakhan Kremlin

The creation of the southernmost of Russian Kremlins took about 40 years. For the construction, bricks were used that remained from the ruined city of Old Saray, the capital of the Golden Horde. Initially, the fortress was decorated with 8 towers, 7 of which have survived to this day. In addition to the breathtaking panorama opening from the observation deck, the Astrakhan Kremlin boasts two luxurious cathedrals - Trinity and Assumption, as well as a unique 80-meter bell tower, which has become a symbol of the city. Over the years of its existence, it was rebuilt several times. The first belfry, erected at the beginning of the 18th century, settled down and became covered with cracks, after which it had to be dismantled. In the 19th century, a new bell tower appeared in its place, which after a few years began to resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa, tilting to the side. And only the third belfry has been standing for more than a century, although it too has suffered ground subsidence due to its considerable weight.

How many Kremlins are there in Russia?

There is information about 86 Kremlins that were located on the territory of Rus'. Now these are the territories of four states: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland. The fact is that not all of them survived: some were completely destroyed, from some only isolated fragments remained - towers, foundations or ramparts.

There are twelve Kremlins that have been preserved almost completely: in Moscow, Astrakhan, Zaraysk, Kazan, Kolomna, Veliky Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Pskov, Rostov Veliky, Ryazan, Tula and Tobolsk. They are all stone.

Moscow Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin was first built of wood in 1156 by order of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky (1099–1157).

Prince Yuri Dolgoruky (1099–1157)

Very few documents have survived about the Kremlin from that time. It is known that it burned down several times and was rebuilt.

So, after another fire in 1339, Ivan Kalita decides to build the walls of the Kremlin entirely from oak. However, these walls did not last long. It survived several fires, but in 1365 a fire completely destroyed the Kremlin.

In 1367, Prince Dmitry Donskoy rebuilt and expanded the Kremlin: instead of wooden walls, white stone walls appeared. That is why Moscow began to be called white stone.

A. M. Vasnetsov “The Moscow Kremlin under Ivan Kalita”, 1921

Moscow Kremlin made of white stone

In 1485, Ivan III decides to replace the white stone with red brick. Also, on his orders, architects from Italy were invited to Moscow, who, together with Russian architects, begin to expand the Kremlin, adding new buildings to it.

Thus, the construction of the Assumption, Annunciation and Archangel Cathedrals and the Granovit Chamber, which is part of the chambers of the Sovereign Palace, begins.

When Peter I decides to move the capital to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin is temporarily forgotten. It stands abandoned and its condition is gradually falling into disrepair.

With the coming to power of Catherine II, the Kremlin, on the one hand, begins to be rebuilt and revived. Catherine instructs the architect Vasily Bazhenov to restore the building. But on the other hand, Bazhenov’s plans were too grandiose. If Catherine had not stopped the reconstruction, perhaps the Kremlin would have changed beyond recognition.

According to guesses, the reconstruction was suspended due to a lack of funds in the treasury. Although, according to the official version, it was due to fears that the soil would not withstand such an impressive restructuring.

When did the Kremlin turn red?

The Kremlin first became red in 1485, when Ivan III ordered the walls to be lined with red brick. There are several versions of why this decision was made.

According to one thing, red brick was cheaper. According to another, during the assault on the city, the damage to the white walls was too clearly visible and the enemy knew which area was more damaged and, therefore, less fortified.

It is noteworthy that after the Moscow Kremlin turned red, its walls and a number of towers began to be whitewashed. Documents have been preserved about how Tsar Fedor III Alekseevich in 1680 asked to cover the walls with white lime.

But by the middle of the 20th century, the whitewash was practically washed away and the Kremlin became red again. Moreover, during restoration, the bricks were tinted with red paint to ensure uniform color.

White stone Kremlin, painting by an unknown artist, 19th century

How many towers are there in the Moscow Kremlin?

The Kremlin Wall, which surrounds the Moscow Kremlin, includes 19 towers. The Kutafya Tower stands separately, which was used as a loophole - a place for firing during an attack.

The Taynitskaya tower was the first to be built. She used to have a cannon that fired at noon. But in 1917 this tradition was canceled.

List of towers:

Borovitskaya;
Armory;
Commandant's office;
Trinity;
Average Arsenalnaya;
Corner Arsenalnaya;
Nikolskaya;
Senate;
Spasskaya;
Tsarskaya;
Nabatnaya;
Konstantino-Eleninskaya;
Beklemishevskaya;
Petrovskaya;
First Nameless
Second Nameless;
Tainitskaya;
Blagoveshchenskaya;
Vodovzvodnaya.

Scheme of the Moscow Kremlin

Ruby stars of the Kremlin

The tops of the five towers - Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya, Troitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya - are crowned with ruby stars. The stars have a backlight that always works.

A little-known fact: at first, namely from the mid-17th century, the spiers of the towers displayed double-headed eagles - the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. The Spasskaya Tower was the first to receive such decoration.

Double-headed eagle on top of the Spasskaya Tower

However, the Soviet government decides to replace eagles (the symbol of the Tsar) with stars. So, in 1935, metal stars with a hammer and sickle and semi-precious stones - semi-precious stones - were installed on four towers (Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya and Troitskaya).

But over time, the gems faded and ceased to make such a grandiose impression. Ruby stars replaced metal ones just two years later - in 1937. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower also received a star.

Ruby star on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin

Kazan Kremlin

The Kazan Kremlin, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, combines two completely different cultures. Islam and Christianity, East and West coexist peacefully on its territory. The oldest building in the Kremlin is the Annunciation Cathedral. The temple, crowned with sky-colored domes, appeared back in 1562. But the construction of the main Kazan Cathedral Mosque, Kul-Sharif, opened for the 1000th anniversary of the city, was completed in 2005.

Zaraisky Kremlin

Unlike other fortresses, the Zaraisky Kremlin has survived to this day in its original form. Due to its small size, it looks like a toy against the background of its stone brothers. Despite this, the Zaraisk Kremlin became a participant in many historical battles. Dmitry Pozharsky served as governor here, and here he gathered the people’s militia to liberate Moscow from the Poles.

Kolomna Kremlin

The powerful Kolomna Kremlin, which served as a defender of the southern borders of Moscow, was founded in 1525. Its appearance is reminiscent of the castles of medieval Europe. It is not for nothing that they call it the younger brother of the Moscow Kremlin - there are many similar details present in the design of their multi-tiered towers and stone walls. Experts agree that the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin took part in the creation of both fortresses. One of the Kremlin towers is called Marinkina. According to legend, it was here that the famous prisoner of Kolomna, Marina Mnishek, spent her last years. Although rumors circulated among local residents for a long time that the famous troublemaker deceived the guards and, turning into a black crow, slipped out of the tower window.

Kremlin Cathedrals

The historical center of the Kremlin consists of Cathedral Square and three cathedrals.

The Assumption Cathedral was built in 1479. It was built on the model of the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral. The construction was supervised by the architects Myshkin and Krivtsov. The architects spent several years building the structure, and when the cathedral was almost completed, it collapsed. It is believed that the cause of the destruction of the structure was poor-quality mortar connecting the stones. They decided to build the cathedral after all, this time the Italian architect Fioravanti was invited. The Italian was not only an architect, but also an engineer; he was involved in laying canals, building and repairing bridges.

The coronation of all Russian tsars took place in the Assumption Cathedral. Today the cathedral is a museum, but on especially solemn Orthodox holidays services are held here.

The Archangel Cathedral was a tomb for members of the family of Russian tsars. The temple was built at the beginning of the 16th century. The architect of the building is called the Italian Aleviz Fryazin. White stone was used for construction. The architecture of the cathedral is reminiscent of European temples. 46 Moscow kings and princes are buried in the cathedral. In the 17th century, all the tombstones were renewed. Today the cathedral houses a museum.

Cathedral of the Archangel

The Annunciation Cathedral was built by Russian architects Myshkin and Krivtsov. After the unsuccessful construction of the Assumption Cathedral by these architects, an investigation was carried out, which established, despite some shortcomings, that the architects were not to blame for the destruction of the temple. Therefore, they were entrusted with a new project. Construction lasted 5 years and in 1489 the temple was completed and consecrated. Today the cathedral operates as a museum. Among the exhibits: weapons, armor, precious jewelry, icons and much more.

Novgorod Kremlin

The first wooden fortress on the site of the Kremlin appeared in the middle of the 10th century, but a strong fire that engulfed the entire city wiped it off the face of the earth. New stone walls were built already in the 15th century. The heart of the Kremlin is considered to be the St. Sophia Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Russia, the construction of which was completed in 1045. The Kremlin houses the miraculous icon of Our Lady of the Sign, which, according to legend, saved Novgorodians during the siege of the city by the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky.

Moscow Belokamennaya

CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST STONE KREMLIN UNDER DMITRY DONSKY

In 1366-1367
By order of Dmitry, the capital was fortified with the first white stone Kremlin in Rus'. If for the khan's ambassadors its gates were hospitably open (Dmitry preferred to pay them off with rich gifts), then for other neighbors and rival princes the Kremlin became a powerful defensive fortress. When, in November 1367, on the Trosna River, the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who was the son-in-law of the Tver prince Mikhail Alexandrovich, defeated the Moscow regiments. Dmitry Ivanovich said: “I won’t let you go to the great reign!” Indeed, the presence of the Kremlin became a reliable defense for the Moscow capital: in 1368, Mikhail Tverskoy’s attempt to besiege the Kremlin and take it failed. Encyclopedia "Around the World"

WHITE STONE FORTIFICATIONS OF THE MOSCOW KREMLIN 1367

In 1343, 1354, 1365, approximately once every 10 years, Moscow became a victim of terrible fires, during which, undoubtedly, the fortifications of the oak Kremlin of Kalita burned out. Apparently, these fires were not “accidents”, but sabotage organized by the enemies of Moscow. Therefore, the next year after the fire of 1365, at the beginning of the winter of 1366, “the great prince Dimitrei Ivanovich, having told fortunes with his brother, with the prince with Volodymer Andreevich and with all the oldest boyars, decided to build the city of Moscow, and even if he had planned it, he did it . But winter brought the stone to Gordow.” By the spring of the following year, 1367, the reserves of stone were sufficient to begin the construction of a white-stone fortress. Its laying aroused fear and anger among the enemies of Moscow.

Construction was carried out with exceptional speed; The chronicle notes that after the foundation of the Kremlin “we began to work without ceasing.” By 1368 it was ready. The Lithuanian army could not take it: “Olgerd stood near the city for three days and three nights, the rest of the suburbs burned down, he burned many churches and many monasteries and retreated from the city, but did not take the city of the Kremlin and went away.”

The area of the Kremlin has now expanded significantly in the northeastern and eastern directions, capturing within the boundaries of the new walls the trading territory located under the walls of the Kalita fortress. In general, the perimeter of the walls now almost coincided in plan with the walls of the Kremlin of Ivan III... Data from written sources make it possible to reconstruct with relative accuracy both the outline of the walls and the location of the towers of the Kremlin in 1367. Let us consider these data, starting from the south-eastern corner and the eastern “approach” walls.

At the southeastern corner of the fortress there should have been a corner round tower that protected the southern section of the eastern wall and the approaches to the coastal lowland in front of the southern wall. This tower stood on the site of the Beklemishevskaya tower. “The Legend of the Massacre of Mamayev” names three passage towers of the eastern wall through which troops marched to the Kulikovo Field: Konstantino-Eleninskaya, Frolovskaya (Spasskaya) and Nikolskaya.

The information about the Frolov Gate is also accurate. During the siege of Moscow by Tokhtamysh, the famous Adam the cloth maker was “above the gates above the Frolovskys.” A century later, in a fire in 1488, “three bridges” burned at the Frolov Gate, that is, the wooden flooring of 3 tiers of the tower battle, which allows us to judge the structure and great height of the tower covering the gate. The chronicle's story about the construction of archers at the Frolovsky and Nikolsky gates in 1491 notes that the latter “did not lay the latter on the old basis,” which, therefore, the Frolovskaya tower became on the old basis of the tower of 1367.

Thus, the southern section of the eastern wall of the Kremlin from 1367 exactly coincides with the modern Kremlin wall, just as 3 towers stand in the old places.

The new location of the Nikolsky Gate shows that the northern part of the “approach” wall of 1367 does not coincide with the existing one. Their place is easily and accurately determined by the chronicle indicating that the Church of the Introduction, built in 1458 in the courtyard of the Simonov Monastery, was located “at the St. Nicholas Gate”...

The least is known about the western wall of the fortress built in 1367. The existing wall facing Neglinnaya, which began construction in 1495, was built “not according to the old basis, but the city was added.” Therefore, the chronicle records about the construction of this wall do not report anything about the wall of 1367 that remained aside and its towers. There is no random mention of her by the chronicler. The western front of the fortress was well covered by the wide swampy bed of the river. Neglinnaya, and the approach to the wall was difficult. It is possible that this large section of the wall up to the Borovitsky Gate did not have a tower. However, there is reason to believe that here, approximately at the site of the Trinity Gate, the wall of the fortress of 1367 was interrupted by a passage tower, bearing the name of the Rizpolozhensky or Bogoroditsky Gate, with a stone bridge across Neglinnaya, leading to the Novgorod Volotsk road...

Borovitskaya gate tower, the presence of which we assumed already in the fortress of the 12th century. and the Kalita Kremlin, in the fortress of 1367 there was no doubt. The record of the construction of the Church of John the Baptist “on the forest” in 1461 indicates that this tower stood “at the Borovitsky Gate.” The southwestern corner tower was built in 1488 “up Moscow, where the Sviblova Strelnitsa stood,” which was the corner tower of the fortress of 1367. Thus, the southern wall of 1367, secured by corner towers, coincides with the wall of the current Kremlin. The Taynitskaya tower of this wall also coincides, built in 1485 “at the Cheshkova Gate,” that is, on the site or near the Cheshkova passage tower of 1367, which led to the water, to the Moskvoretsky “podol.” We believe that the Moskvoretsky “ship shelter” under the walls of the fortress was covered with side walls that blocked access to this area in case of military danger.

This is how the plan of the fortress of 1367 is reconstructed. In this form, its perimeter was about 2000 m. The fortress undoubtedly had 8 towers, and maybe 9 towers (if we assume the presence of one tower in the middle of the western wall). Of these, five were concentrated on the eastern “step” wall. This concentration of towers on the most threatened front is a characteristic technique of military engineering of the 14th century. (cf., for example, Izborsk). However, it is highly interesting that three of the 5 towers are drive-through; they all acted as gates even in extreme danger. During the heroic defense of Moscow from Tokhtamysh, the townspeople “stood on all the city gates and shibahu stoned from above.” With all the combat power of the gate towers (three-tier battles) and the presence of “iron (i.e., iron-bound) gates” in the towers, it is obvious that such a technique, which weakened the “approach” wall, was used deliberately in anticipation of the active defense of the fortress, the tactics massive attacks on the enemy through the simultaneous deployment of significant military forces at three points. On the other hand, in peaceful conditions, these numerous “gates” of the capital of the Moscow principality, through which roads led to the Kremlin, seemed to symbolize the centralizing power and importance of Moscow, which gathered scattered Russian lands under its mighty hand.

One might think that, like other Russian fortresses built before the advent of firearms, the Moscow fortress of 1367 had relatively thin walls. Because of this, during frequent fires that destroyed the wooden connections of the stone walls, the walls partially collapsed and were replaced with wooden ones. Thus, during the fire of 1445, which caused great destruction to the Kremlin, “the hail walls fell in many places,” and during the raid of the Tatars of Tsarevich Mazovsha, the besiegers concentrated their efforts on those areas “where there were no stone fortresses.” It is clear that after many coverings with wood, the Moscow fortress seemed “wooden” to Ambrose Contarini.

Apparently, the walls of 1367 were also relatively low. The description of the siege of the Kremlin by Tokhtamysh’s troops in the Ermolin Chronicle notes that the Tatars managed to knock down its defenders from the walls “even before the city began to exist.” This evidence should be understood not as an indication of the unfinished construction of 1367 as early as 1382, but as an explanation made by the scribe of the chronicle list, who compared at the end of the 15th century. old fortress walls with walls “renovated” by Ermolin in 1462, and the walls of the new Kremlin, the construction of which began in 1485 from the archery at the Cheshkov Gate, reaching a height of 12-13 m.

The nature of the completion of the walls is not entirely clear. Sources talk about wooden parts at the top of the walls (in the fire of 1445, “not a single piece of wood remained in the city”) and about wall “fences,” i.e., like wooden parapets that ran along the top of the walls. One might think that the last term should be attributed to the poetic language of the author of “Zadonshchina”, and not to the real wall of the Moscow Kremlin. Most likely, its walls had a crenellated top, as is known, for example, from the Porokhov Fortress. Undoubtedly, the battle move was covered by a “hail roof.” The towers also had a crenellated top and wooden hipped roofs.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

It is not for nothing that the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is considered a unique structure of its time: due to the complex terrain, its parts were built at different heights. There were rumors that during the Soviet years they wanted to demolish the fortress and build a road to the Volga in its place. Fortunately, these plans were not destined to come true. There is a legend according to which, in the catacombs of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, Tsar Ivan the Terrible hid a unique Byzantine library, which he inherited from his grandmother Sophia Paleologus. One way or another, due to the peculiarities of the construction and turbulent underground waters, it has still not been possible to find it.

Secrets of the Kremlin

The Kremlin has always attracted attention not only with its history and architecture, but also with its secrets and legends.

Borovitsky Hill

The place where the Kremlin rises today was called Borovitsky Hill. Traces of ancient settlements were found on the territory of the fortress. The established age of the finds is the 2nd century BC.

The Vyatichi, who settled here in the 10th century, apparently did not choose a deserted place. In pagan times, the hill was called Witch Mountain ; there was a temple here and rituals were held.

The Kremlin was built on the site where the temple was located . Borovitsky Hill was ideal for building a fortress. This place had land and water routes.

Secret passages

In addition to the visible structure, there is a Kremlin, about which little is known - underground . Many researchers have tried to unravel the secrets of the Kremlin dungeons. Explorer and speleologist Ignatius Stelletsky , who devoted most of his life to this, argued that the Kremlin and buildings of the 16th-17th centuries. located within the Garden Ring are connected by underground labyrinths.

This is interesting. Ignatius Stelletsky was a very enthusiastic explorer, speleologist and archaeologist. He was interested in the era of Ivan the Terrible and the missing library. He managed to work in the Kremlin dungeons. The speleologist was also present during the construction of the Moscow metro tunnels. Stelletsky wrote that time and people have brought the dungeons into a very deplorable state and the opening of one passage will not allow passage through all the dungeons. He called the journey underground Moscow - a race with significant obstacles.

Stelletsky claimed that there is a system of 350 dungeons and from the Kremlin, through an underground passage, you can get to different points in Moscow, even to the Sparrow Hills.

Liberia of Ivan the Terrible

One of the main mysteries of the Kremlin is the library of Ivan the Terrible . For centuries, historians have been trying to solve this historical mystery and find a unique Liberia. Ancient books and manuscripts were the dowry of Sophia Paleologus, which she brought from Byzantium. Historians found an inventory of Liberia, only 800 titles, but the books themselves disappeared without a trace. Some researchers are sure that the library was destroyed by fire or stolen during the Time of Troubles. But many historians adhere to the version that Liberia is hidden in the Kremlin dungeons.

This point of view has a right to exist, since it is known that Sophia ordered the construction of a spacious dungeon under the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary to store books. Who knows, perhaps this historical mystery will someday be solved.

Pskov Kremlin

The Pskov Kremlin is one of the oldest Russian fortresses - wooden structures in its place arose in the 8th century. In the 13th century they were replaced by buildings made of stone. In the very heart of the Kremlin stands the Trinity Cathedral, famous for its unique belfry with ancient bells that still ring today. At one time, the Pskov Kremlin was known as one of the most impregnable: it withstood 26 sieges, protecting the city from foreign invaders.

Other Kremlin sights

The Armory is located in a building built in the 19th century. It was part of the Kremlin Palace complex. The museum has 9 halls with very interesting exhibitions. The most famous exhibit of the museum is Monomakh's hat. The museum displays historical clothing, precious items, carriages, the royal throne, historical weapons and much more.
The Tsar Cannon was cast for military purposes, but the weapon was never fired. Although in the 80s, employees of the Academy named after. Dzerzhinsky conducted a study of the cannon channel and, based on a number of signs, concluded that at least one shot was fired from this gun. Be that as it may, the Tsar Cannon has long become a landmark that attracts many tourists.
The Tsar Bell was made in the 18th century. Today, like the Tsar Cannon, it is a fairly popular tourist attraction. Its original purpose is not entirely clear, since the bell was never used for its intended purpose due to its too heavy weight (202 tons).

This is interesting. In 1941, a communications center was placed in a huge bell. The bell was repainted for camouflage.

The Diamond Fund is located in two halls in the Armory Chamber. The museum's exhibits are displayed in display cases. Visitors can see both precious nuggets and amazing jewelry. According to reviews from tourists, the exhibition of this museum is worth seeing.

Rostov Kremlin

Unlike other Kremlins that served as outposts, the Rostov Fortress never performed a defensive function. At first, the residence of the Metropolitan was located here, which was then replaced by a number of museums. The first to appear within the Kremlin walls was the Museum of Church Antiquities, which was replaced after the revolution by the Museum of State Antiquities, and later by the Museum of Local Lore. Also, the Rostov Kremlin forever inscribed itself in the history of Soviet cinema, becoming the film set for the wonderful comedy “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession.”

Tula Kremlin

Built at the beginning of the 15th century, the Tula Kremlin differs from its counterparts in its amazing location: it was built not on a high hill, but in a swampy lowland on the left bank of the Upa River. Two cathedrals have been preserved on the territory of the Kremlin: the Assumption and the Epiphany. Here you can also get acquainted with some of the exhibitions of the Tula Armory Museum. According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, in 2021 there will be a large-scale celebration of the 500th anniversary of the main fortress of Tula.

Tobolsk Kremlin

The only Kremlin in the Siberian expanses, built of durable stone, appeared at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. The white-stone fortress, the appearance of which combines the features of Baroque and Renaissance, is a unique example of ancient Russian architecture. The Kremlin ensemble includes 32 buildings, including one of the oldest Siberian churches - the Sophia-Uspensky Cathedral, as well as Gostiny Dvor and a number of museums. The Tobolsk Kremlin is often captured by tourists. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was no exception: the photograph he took was sold at a charity auction for $1.7 million, becoming one of the most expensive in the world.

In Ancient Rus', any large city had a fortified territory - the Kremlin. Consequently, Kremlin is the name of city fortifications in Ancient Rus'. Currently, there are 12 Kremlins left in Russia, which have been well preserved over the centuries and have not changed their urban status.

The modern walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin were built in 1482 - 1495 by Italian architects from red brick, replacing white stone ones; they were completed in the 17th century. Number of surviving towers: 20, number of gates - 4, height of walls: from 5 to 19 meters, thickness of walls - from 3.5 to 6.5 meters. In the Moscow Kremlin there are the Assumption, Archangel, Annunciation Cathedrals, several churches, patriarchal chambers, the Terem Palace, the Garnet Chamber, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and other buildings. The Moscow Kremlin has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.

2. Rostov Kremlin

The Kremlin complex was built by Rostov Metropolitan Jona Sysoevich as a bishop's house on the shores of Lake Nero in 1670-1683. The fortress walls have 11 surviving towers, including four entrance towers. The Kremlin houses the 5-domed Assumption Cathedral, built at the end of the 16th century, the cathedral belfry with the famous 13 Rostov bells, as well as several beautiful churches and chambers. The Kremlin is a unique architectural complex of the late 17th century. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

3. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

The Kremlin walls with 12 surviving towers (originally 13) were built in 1508 - 1515, probably by the Italian architect Pyotr Fryazin. The number of gates is 5, the height of the walls is from 12 to 22 meters, the thickness of the walls is from 3.5 to 4.5 meters. The Kremlin contains the Archangel Michael Cathedral, built in 1631 in honor of the victory of the militia in 1612, where Kuzma Minin is now buried, several civilian buildings, and a monument to Minin and Pozharsky.

4. Tula Kremlin

Brick walls and towers were built in 1514 - 1520 as a defensive fortress on the southern borders of the country. Number of surviving towers: 9, number of gates - 4, height of walls: from 12.7 meters, thickness of walls - from 2.8 to 3.2 meters. The Kremlin withstood the siege of the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey in 1552, and in 1608 the rebels of I. Bolotnikov withstood the siege of the tsarist troops in the Kremlin for four months. The Kremlin houses the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in 1762 - 1764, the Epiphany Cathedral (1855 - 1863), and a monument to Peter 1.

5. Novgorod Kremlin

Modern fortress walls and towers were built in 1484 -1490 on the foundations of old walls from the beginning of the 14th century. (Detinets itself has existed on the territory of the modern Kremlin since the 10th century). Nine of the towers have survived to this day, including the 30-meter Kokuy Tower, built at the end of the 17th century. The number of gates is 3, the height of the walls is from 8 to 15 meters, the thickness of the walls is from 3.6 to 6.55 meters. The Kremlin houses the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral of the mid-11th century, the oldest stone structure in Russia, the Chamber of Facets and other buildings. In 1862, the monument “Millennium of Russia” was inaugurated in the Kremlin. The Novgorod Kremlin has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

6. Kazan Kremlin

This Kremlin was built in the 10th-16th centuries by Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiray in the Pskov architectural style. Number of surviving towers: 8, number of gates - 2, height of walls - from 8 to 12 meters. The walls and towers were reconstructed in the 17th and 19th centuries. On the territory of the Kremlin there are the Annunciation Cathedral, built in 1562, the Syuyumbeki watchtower (buildings of unknown date), and also built in the 1990s. Kul Sharif Mosque. The Kremlin withstood the siege of Pugachev's troops in 1774. The Kazan Kremlin has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

7. Astrakhan Kremlin.

Located on a high hill on the banks of the Volga. It was built in 1562 - 1589 by Mikhail Velyaminov and Dey Gubasty. Number of surviving towers: 7, number of gates - 2, height of walls - from 3 to 8 meters, thickness of walls - from 5 to 12 meters. The white stone walls of the Kremlin include seven towers - three travel towers and four blind ones. On the territory of the Kremlin there are the Trinity and Assumption Cathedrals, the Cyril Chapel, and the bishop's house. The Prechistensky Gate is crowned with a tower with a bell tower and a clock (height 80 m).

8.Zaraisky Kremlin

Built in 1528 - 1531 by order of Vasily III. Number of surviving towers: 7, number of gates - 4. Being a border city, part of the line of fortifications on the southern border of the Russian state, Zaraysk was subjected to repeated attacks by the Horde, and in 1608 it was captured by Polish troops. In 1610, the governor of Zaraysk was Prince D.M. Pozharsky. The brick Kremlin is lined with white stone on the outside. Of the 7 towers, three are travel. The Kremlin houses St. Nicholas Cathedral and the late Church of John the Baptist.

9. Tobolsk Kremlin

This is the only stone Kremlin in Siberia. Construction time: 1683-1799. Number of surviving towers: 7. Built by G. Sharypin and G. Tyurin: stone walls and towers so-called. Sophia Courtyard and the five-domed Sophia-Assumption Cathedral (1681 - 1686) - the oldest stone structure in Siberia. In 1700 - 1717, Semyon Remezov built the secular part of the Kremlin - the Small or Voznesensky Town. The cathedral bell tower (height 75 m) was built at the end of the 18th century, the Intercession Cathedral in the 1740s. Other structures of the Kremlin were built in the 18th - 19th centuries. Under Boris Godunov, the famous Uglich bell was “exiled” to Tobolsk, for which a special stone belfry was built in the Kremlin.

10. Kolomna Kremlin

Built in 1525 - 1531. under Vasily III on the site of a wooden Kremlin destroyed by the Tatars. The walls and towers have been partially preserved. Number of surviving towers: 7, number of gates - 6, height of walls - from 18 to 21 meters, thickness of walls - from 3 to 4.5 meters. Of the towers, the “Marinka Tower” especially stands out, in which, according to legend, Marina Mniszech was imprisoned. The Kremlin houses the Assumption Cathedral (late 17th century), Resurrection Church (rebuilt in the 18th century), Trinity Church (late 17th century) and other buildings.

11. Pskov Kremlin

The time of construction of this Kremlin: the end of the 11th - beginning of the 12th centuries. Towers - 7, Gates - 1 (through the zahab), wall height: from 6 to 8 meters, wall thickness - from 2.5 to 6 meters. The Pskov Kremlin is called “Krom”. It is located at the confluence of the Velikaya and Pskov rivers. The walls and towers were built in the 12th century. made of limestone and are the oldest Kremlin fortifications preserved in Russia. The five-domed Trinity Cathedral of the late 17th century is located on the territory of Krom. and a seven-sided bell tower of the same time, built at the beginning of the 19th century.

12. Ryazan Kremlin

This Kremlin was built in the 15th century. And at the end of the 17th century, the walls and towers of the Kremlin were demolished due to dilapidation and the lack of need to defend the borders. Only the rampart and ditch have survived. The Ryazan Kremlin is a complex of historical and architectural monuments located on the territory of the original Pereyaslavl-Ryazan fortress, located between the Trubezh and Lybid rivers. The structures are surrounded by an earthen defensive rampart of the 12th -17th centuries. On the territory of the Kremlin there is the Assumption Cathedral, built at the end of the 17th century. in the style of “Naryshkin Baroque” by Y. Bukhvostov, a four-tier bell tower (late 18th - early 19th centuries), the Nativity and Archangel Cathedrals (16th century), bishops' chambers (17th - 19th centuries) - the so-called. the chambers of Prince Oleg, other churches and civil buildings.

photo from the Internet

Ryazan Kremlin

The Ryazan Open Air Museum collected on its territory 18 historical and architectural monuments, the construction of which lasted from the 11th to the 19th centuries. The main symbol of the Kremlin is the Assumption Cathedral, the restoration of which was completed in 1995 for the 900th anniversary of the city. But the defensive walls of the fortress themselves, unfortunately, did not survive: they were demolished due to their disrepair as soon as the city lost its status as an outpost of the southern border. Today tourists can only see the ditch that protected the Ryazan edge and a fragment of the rampart.

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Moscow – the phantom museum of the “white stone”

There are many poetic epithets in all areas of activity, history and urban planning of the capital of our Motherland: “Moscow is the capital of the three seas”, “Moscow is the first throne”; “Golden-domed Moscow” and so on. However, a literate resident of the capital will be especially pleased to explain to a curious foreign tourist looking at the red brick walls and towers of the Kremlin why, first of all, Moscow is “white stone”, and that it is not at all a “phantom” (French fantome - ghost) of white stone in the capital’s architecture .

Already in the 14th century, a volunteer chronicler from Novgorod, sexton Ustin, wrote: “Moscow is a city of stones and white.” The name “White Stone Moscow” was given to the capital by the Kremlin, built in 1367, made from available local natural building material – white stone.

Summarizing and clarifying concepts

In this work, “white stone” strictly encyclopedically means light carboniferous limestone (Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era), occurring in the central region of the European part of modern Russia.

In the construction literature, it often includes sandstone, dolomite, Volga limestone of Permian age, and numerous types of limestone, travertine and alabaster found in Transnistria. Hence the broader definition of white stone - as any easily processed white-yellowish stone with a non-shiny surface that is not marble or shell rock.

White stone is not a ghost in architecture

Limestone and dolomites played a huge role in shaping the architectural image of our country - thanks to these rocks, not only Moscow, but all of Rus' was called “white stone”.

Limestone, as a unique natural material with a long history, has a breathable structure due to a special principle of formation. This material is not subject to destruction and does not deform over time; its history goes back millions of years.

For various construction and finishing purposes, lump limestone, crushed stone, mineral chips, powder or cotton wool, facing slabs, and crushed sand are used. Piece (wall or saw) and rubble stones are also used. Another type of material is limestone flour.

The combination of positive structural qualities makes white stone incredibly easy to process and relevant for construction, and the white color adds visual appeal to the stone - white stone near Moscow . Due to their ease of processing, limestone is used for carving and creating small decorative details.

The most authoritative scientist I.E. Zagraevsky in his historical works always emphasizes that the “white stone” had enormous historical significance for Ancient Rus'. It was not just a building material, it was an expression of state power and imperial ideology.

And all the enormous difficulties of extracting and processing white stone (in the masterpiece of Russian literature of the early 13th century - “The Prayer of Daniel the Sharper” - there is a proverb: “It is better to chisel a stone than to teach an evil woman”) were more than compensated by the exceptional importance of white stone construction for the state prestige of Ancient Rus' .

White stone chronicle of Russia

There is a fairly long period in the history of Russia when public buildings were erected from white stone - limestone, using rubble foundations made of dolomite.

Temples, palaces and other buildings built from it harmoniously fit into the surrounding nature and over the centuries became an integral part of the Russian urban landscape.

The White Stone Chronicle was written by all the people over the centuries. And although many works of ancient building art have not reached us or have reached us badly damaged by human ignorance, what remains brings to us the breath of past eras.

The meaning of this white stone miracle did not suddenly emerge. Back in the 18th century, it was believed that we did not have an original book of works of stone architecture that could take a worthy place in world culture, so they did not receive the attention of specialists, much less research. It took the efforts of more than one generation to begin to understand and appreciate our past, including its white stone chronicle.

What is white stone?

Limestone is the most common and high-quality construction material in the history of mankind. The most ancient buildings that have survived to this day are made of such rock as limestone: the pyramids of Egypt, Ephesus and Palmyra, located in Syria, the fortified cities of the great Mesopotamia. Most buildings in Europe and Ancient Asia are also built from limestone. Traditionally in Russia, limestone began to be called “white stone”.

The formation of limestone in the ground occurs due to the remains of the vital activity of all kinds of fauna of warm tropical seas. The rock accumulates over millions of years and then, under the pressure of its weight, becomes denser and turns into solid rock.

The age of the current limestone is relatively small and ranges from 400 to 20,000,000 years. That is why limestone is found almost on the surface of the earth and is a kind of “blanket” for other older rocks. Carbonate sedimentary rocks, which include limestone, make up 80% of all rocks that are accessible to humans, which is why their use is so developed.

White stone - Myachkovsky limestone of the Moscow region has long established itself as a durable building material that is easy to process. But this stone turned out to have a secret and is not easy to get into your hands. But this will be discussed separately in our other materials.

Was the Moscow Kremlin made of white stone?

It is reliably known that the white stone walls in Moscow were built in 1367. At that time, Moscow had to wage a difficult struggle not only with the Tatar horde, but also with the Lithuanian state and with the rival Russian principalities of Tver and Ryazan.

The enemy approached the Moscow walls almost every year. Reliable fortifications were needed. And so, after one of the severe fires, during which the oak fences (dams) of the Kremlin burned out, the sixteen-year-old Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich, “having told fortunes with his brother, with Prince Volodimir Andreevich and with all the elder boyars, he decided to build the city of Moscow, and even thought of it.” , then I will do it. The same winter carried the stone to the city,” the chronicler wrote.

There are deposits of white stone in the Moscow region both above the Kremlin along the river - in the Dorogomilov area - and below it, about fifty kilometers, in the Myachkov area.

Moscow was built mainly from Myachkovsky stone. And they carried it to the city in winter along the ice of the river: in summer it was more difficult to deliver against the current. The stone was loaded onto a sleigh and transported to the city in convoys.

In Moscow, ditches were dug along the line of the future city for the foundations of walls and towers. The total length of these ditches was almost two kilometers. The builders had to lift and move more than seventeen and a half thousand cubic meters of earth.

In order to build the Kremlin walls, approximately one thousand nine hundred meters long, two meters thick and eight meters high, plus nine towers, it was necessary to extract, bring and lay at least fifty-four thousand cubic meters of stone.

Hundreds of people were engaged in mining and transporting stone. But more workers were needed to prepare lime and mortar. A lot of people worked on laying the base and body of the walls and towers.

Every day at least two thousand people had to work on the construction of the white-stone fortress in Moscow.

Now the walls and towers of the Kremlin now distinguished Moscow from all Russian cities of that time, where there were usually wooden and earthen fortifications.

Even in the 19th century, Moscow continued to be called “white stone”. This nickname became, as it were, the second name of the Russian capital. The Decembrist poet Fyodor Glinka wrote, remembering the difficult year of 1812:

You burned like a martyr, White Stone! And the river boiled in you, wildly flaming! And under the ashes you lay full,

And from the ashes you rose unchanged!.. Thrive with eternal glory, City of temples and chambers! The city of the middle, the city of the heart, the city of Root Russia!

White stone in the temple building of Moscow

This amazingly beautiful material also predetermined the development of Russian stone architecture. Structures built from white stone are not only the pride of ancient Russian architecture, but they are also our history.

The ancient churches of Suzdal, Vladimir, Yuryev-Podolsky, Pereslavl-Zalessky, the mighty cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin, the strikingly beautiful churches of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery in Zvenigorod, the Luzhitsky Monastery near Mozhaisk, and the Church of the Sign were built from white stone, mainly of the Myachkovsky type. in Dubrovitsy near Podolsk and a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl near Vladimir.

In the Moscow region alone there are at least a hundred white-stone churches that have adorned cities and villages with their unique appearance.

Myachkovsky limestone was also used to make carved parts and decorations. For the first time, Vladimir craftsmen began to use notches on it in the 12th century. The walls of the Assumption and Demetrius Cathedrals are covered with beautiful “plant” and “animal” carvings. The Church of St. George in Yuryev-Polsky of the 13th century and the Church of the Sign of the 17th century are especially notable for their decoration.

But a special scope of sculptural portraits was achieved during the decoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. There were forty-eight sculptural high reliefs made of protopopovsky limestone, which turned out to be dolomite from the Podolsk horizon.

Many of the famous sculptors of St. Petersburg and Moscow in the 18th and 19th centuries preferred Myachkovsky limestone for sculpting large sculptures and sculptural compositions.

White stone heritage needs protection

Today, this magnificent white stone heritage needs to be protected from destruction. Despite the fact that limestones belong to the same group of rocks composed of calcium carbonate, they differ in physical and mechanical properties, history of formation and content of various impurities.

Therefore, both repair and restoration must be carried out taking into account all components, namely not only the geological and petrographic, but also the physical and mechanical properties of the stone from which the monument is built. When constructing new buildings, these requirements are not canceled. Neglect of such a seemingly simple rule leads to an acceleration of the destruction of the monument as a whole.

Frost resistance of white stone is one of the main properties required of building materials in our harsh climate. In typical stone testing, 25 cycles of alternating freezing and thawing are performed. This figure was adopted by GOST in 1984. But, as further research has shown, for many cases the number of cycles should be increased, since during this time there is a kind of preparation for the destruction of the white stone and it suddenly collapses or loses some strength, which crumbles in the form of crushed stone.

In 1975, the last quarry for the extraction of wall and facing stones of the Myachkovsky type was closed in the Moscow region. In return, limestone mining began in Crimea near the village. Bodrak. In color and texture, Bodrak limestone is no different from Myachkovo limestone, and this was enough for them to start transporting it to Moscow and other cities for restoration.

Crimean limestone, like Myachkovsky limestone, lends itself well to processing, but Crimean limestone has poor frost resistance. Destruction begins after 10-15, and in some types of rocks after 5 cycles of freezing and thawing. By collapsing itself, it negatively affects neighboring blocks of Myachkovo stone.

Neither the protests of specialists nor the press for a long time could stop the flow of Crimean limestone to the central regions of Russia, where the climate is completely different than on the fertile peninsula.

There is another important secret of the Myachkovo stone, and not only of it: a change in properties under the influence of moisture, which is estimated by the soaking coefficient and characterizes the loss of strength of rocks in a water-saturated state.

The reason for this lies in the heterogeneity of the composition or is associated with the weathering process. And if the heterogeneity of composition is due to the presence of moisture in the rock of clay minerals, then in the presence of moisture there are bonds between crystals or fragments. These two factors have a rather dramatic effect on the durability of limestone.

When constructing buildings made of white stone, the quality of the mortar used also plays an important role.

Having thrown off the Tatar-Mongol yoke under Grand Duke Ivan III, rapid construction began in the Moscow Principality. During the construction of stone churches, more than a hundred structures fell, including the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin.

Our ancestors were in a hurry to assure all surrounding peoples of their self-sufficiency. And obviously, the white stone was not rejected based on age or composition.

But this was not the only reason; the second mistake was a poor-quality solution. As the Pskov craftsmen invited to Moscow later noted, the solution was “not adhesive.”

Now we know that to prepare a lime mortar, “fat” lime must be used, in which the CaO content must be at least 97%. A solution with such a binder only becomes stronger over time.

But as soon as you take “lean” lime, where the CaO content is below 97%, the solution loses its positive qualities, which the masters Krivtsov and Myshkin, who contracted for the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, did not take into account or did not know.

The Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti took these mistakes into account, and the Assumption Cathedral, built by him in 1479, still stands today.

Dolomite is also a white stone

In addition to limestones, dolomites from the same Myachkovsky horizon were also taken for buildings. These carbonates contain a high MgO content (20-22%), while limestones contain only 1-2%. Usually, due to magnesium, dolomites acquire a light yellow color when freshly fractured.

Based on their origin, two types of dolomites are found in the Moscow region.

Primary sedimentary dolomites are formed as a result of chemical precipitation of the mineral dolomite in a saline basin. This genetic type is the most durable and frost-resistant. Their tensile strength reaches 150-195 MPa.

They are composed of very small (0.01-0.07 mm) grains of dolomite. Despite significant porosity (10-14%), due to their fine-grained structure they can be polished. They were usually used for laying walls, cladding, making window sills and steps for staircases.

In the city of Kargopol, several churches were built from dolomite in the 17th century, which still stand without repair. Having served for three hundred years in the ornament, even in small protruding parts there are no recesses or chips. Dolomite deposits are located around the city of Kargopol, its reserves are huge.

The second type of dolomites and chisel limestones is much more widely developed. They were formed during the process of dolomitization, which is superimposed on already formed limestones. Depending on the degree of change in composition, they range from weakly dolomitized through all intermediate varieties up to dolomites.

Where and how was the white stone mined?

Modern villages of Nizhny, as well as upper Myachkovo in the middle of the 12th century are the most likely places for the extraction of white stone. Since the territory of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality later increased, the regions for limestone mining became much wider.

Even in pre-Mongol times, the advance of all quarries in the southwestern territory was directed closer to modern Domodedovo and Podolsk, starting from the territory of Myachkov.

In the 14th century, the regions of Kolomna, Mozhaisk and Serpukhov became part of the Moscow Principality and the territory for the extraction of white stone expanded even further. Stone mining became available in the region, which was located between the Moscow River, Naroy and Oka.

In earlier times, limestone was mined by hand. The first task at the quarry was to raise layers of limestone deposits. Workers removed limestone deposits to the surface of the earth using crowbars. After that, it was split and immersed to be sent for processing.

The resulting blocks were removed using a gate operated by a team of workers numbering from 10 to 20 people. Small fragments were brought to the surface by hand.

The division into the required elements and processing of the limestone was carried out using an ordinary iron saw, chipping tools, a cast iron trowel, graters and ordinary river sand.

Features of processing limestone and dolomite

The stone was also sawed by hand; its flexibility made it possible to work with an ordinary metal saw. To further speed up the process, the process was accompanied by the addition of abrasive and water - the stone was watered with a hose and sand was added, and this helped to cut quickly.

The main part of the white stone was used for the construction of buildings, and the slabs were used for facing work. Individual stones were used to make sculptures, carved decorations, bas-reliefs and finishing and facing ornaments.

Special tools were used to shape the limestone. A cast iron smoother made it possible to polish the stone, a special device gave the stone the required shape, and graters were used to form special shapes.

To make the stones even stronger after processing, they were dried in ovens or in the sun.

Before the advent of complete mechanization of the extraction and processing of limestone, all the labor involved in its extraction and processing was carried out by human hands. Perhaps this is what left that unique imprint that was preserved in ancient architecture.

Modern features of the use of white stone in restoration and new construction Now Moscow is returning to its original white stone flavor. Unfortunately, despite the development of industrial methods for producing elements from white stone, restoration in Moscow and suburban construction in the near Moscow region are experiencing a shortage of qualified white masons (stone carvers), sculptors and masons capable of implementing large projects of stone cladding of facades on a turnkey basis.

Although in recent years there has been a turn for the better in the field of white stone work. Large teams of white masons have appeared in Moscow, capable of implementing restoration and construction projects of any degree of complexity.

The problem for many architectural firms is the optimal selection of stone. As pointed out by P.V. Florensky and L.I. Zvyagintsev, the reliability of limestone in building facades will be maximum if the stone material is selected in accordance with the conditions in which it will serve.

The problem of expanding the range of limestones, dolomites and sandstones of the Russian Platform for construction and restoration work is also being gradually solved. However, now white Myachkovo stone is incidentally mined only at the Afanasyevsky quarry near the city of Voskresensk in the Moscow region.

The Church of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow is faced with Afanasyevsky white Myachkovsky limestone. The forty-two-meter white stone splendor shining with a golden dome greets everyone who enters the capital from the west.

To meet the ever-increasing demand for white stone, there is a need to expand production in other quarries, where Myachkovsky stone is used for crushed stone.

It is also necessary in other quarries, where the useful strata are composed of limestones and dolomites of other horizons, such as the Domodedovo Gzhel, Kasimov, Venev, etc. select layers suitable for extracting building and facing stones.

Subjective “white-stone” reflections

The “white stone” of the Moscow region - limestone and dolomite - have a significant past, an unenviable present and a very promising future.

This building material is aesthetic, durable and healthy. In ancient times, it was believed that limestone could cure many diseases. Today, these assumptions about the properties of the stone have acquired scientific justification. This material has bactericidal characteristics, and it can also purify air and water from harmful substances.

Until the invention of ceramic bricks for the construction of structures, for many millennia limestone served as the basis for temple building and urban planning activities. And since limestone is located almost on the surface of the earth, it was a generally available building material.

When extracting this stone, people did not throw away limestone crumbs and dust; they collected it for firing, after which they obtained lime, which they used as a binding component. So, lime was used until the 19th century, until Portland cement was invented.

Due to the appearance on the markets of other structural synthetic materials, which cost much less than natural limestone, this type of stone gradually began to acquire only a finishing function, since the use of stone as the main building material is expensive. Now the building's cladding, made of limestone, emphasizes the exclusivity and beauty of the building, just like marble and granite.

The largest underground mine workings in the Moscow region: the Volodarskaya and Nikitskaya systems, Silicates and Syans, more than thirty in total, are abandoned and do not even have legal status.

The pace of individual construction is increasing every year. The unbridled imagination of architects and designers allows the use of natural stone to create unique interiors and facades of city apartments and private houses. In order to work with limestone, you need to know its features and characteristics.

The color range of this material is very diverse. It is characterized by shades of gray, white, green, yellow and pink. Such a diverse color spectrum allows the designer to play up the visual reduction or increase in the volume of buildings, and to harmoniously fit the structure into the surrounding landscape.

White limestone, for example, oxbow white stone, gives the building splendor, festivity, increases volume, and brings a feeling of cleanliness and coolness. Many architectural masterpieces were built using white limestone.

Pink limestone creates a feeling of coziness, warmth, transparency of space, and also visually increases the height of the building. Gray color reflects the solidity and monumentality of the building, emphasizes the severity of forms, and visually increases the volume of the building.

Yellow limestone brings warmth, tranquility and increases volume. Green color, on the contrary, reduces volume and cools. This color brings a feeling of harmony with nature and coolness.

In conclusion about the White Stone Museum in the Moscow region

Natural “white stone” has stood the test of centuries with honor. Majestic white stone structures with carved decorations and ornaments have embodied the aesthetic originality and technical skill of Russian architects for more than eight centuries.

White limestones, yellow dolomites, and beige sandstones add severity and individuality to the facades and interiors of buildings. There is something in the stone that you can always stop your gaze on. Elements of white stone perfectly emphasize the “main lines” of facades, combining well with facing brick, plaster, and wood. Products made from white stone from the Moscow region are unique and individual. They are a symbol of durability, strength and beauty.

The richness of the color palette, variety of shapes and textures are the reasons why “white stone” has become very widespread and recognized throughout the world. In a number of countries, museums of white stone have been opened on the sites of former underground mine workings, in most cases as part of geoparks. Moreover, this was done in such “depressed” states as Venezuela, Honduras and Colombia.

How much does it take to create such a white-stone museum? Not at all, answer museum experts. And indeed – the bare minimum.

It is enough to select a demonstration area of 1 (one) hectare on the day surface of the quarries and create an exposition of samples of limestone and dolomite, as well as products made from them: “royal step stone”, wall and base stones, columns and capitals, facade semi-finished products, tombstones, monuments and etc.

The creation of the white stone museum itself can be accompanied by a permanent exhibition. The modern white stone industry is a matter of exclusively private initiative of large metropolitan companies.

In the passport of the State Program of the Moscow Region “Culture of the Moscow Region”, approved by Decree of the Government of the Moscow Region of August 23, 2013 No. 654/33 in the amount of 18,000 words, there is not even a hint about the White Stone, the geological and mining-industrial heritage of the Moscow Region.

One thing is good - “white stone” has been used, is used and will be used by people in various forms “forever and ever” because both professionals and ordinary people receive equal aesthetic pleasure from the beauty of a real white stone.

Boris Skupov