1 May 2013 - THE KREMLIN - Moscow

THE 

KREMLIN

- Moscow -

G'day guys,

  

What better day to feature the Moscow Kremlin - May 1st! So, what is it?

Moscow Kremlin is a group of fortifications and civic and religious buildings in the heart of Moscow, opposite the Moscova River in the south, the Red Square in the East and the Alexander Garden in the west.
 

The Kremlin includes four Russian and four palace cathedrals, grouped inside an enclosure delimited by the walls of the Kremlin, including the towers of the Kremlin.

In the eleventh and twelfth centuries it was a Slav population, with a small town, the fortified home of the local boyars Kuchka. In ancient times the word "kreml" was used to describe the walls in the center of a city. 

In 1147 Moscow was mentioned first in the annals. In 1156 a trench was dug and built, plus a wall of earth. By the end of the twelfth century a fortress was built, around a strong colony of merchants and artisans who gathered in Moscow as a haven. Moscow then occupied the entire third part of the area of the current Kremlin. In 1238 the city opposed  the Mongol hordes. Then, in the thirteenth century, while the country recovered from the devastation by the Mongols and the Tatars, Moscow gained prominence.

In the seventeenth century the old buildings of the Kremlin were modified and subjected to an overhaul. From 1635 to 1656 were built the Houses of the Patriarch and the small Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. The fire of 1710 destroyed all the wooden buildings in the northwestern part of the Kremlin. 

 Moscow in 1713 gave the site to the new capital, St. Petersburg and the Kremlin became the temporary residence of the czarist court. In 1812, Napoleon's forces occupied the Kremlin. Between 1815 and 1835 restoration work was carried out with the best architects of the time: O. Bové, K. Rossi and D. Gilardi. From 1838 to 1850 was built the Great Hall of the Kremlin and the Kremlin Armory.

After the Great October Revolution of 1917, Moscow again became the capital. In March 1918 the Soviet government moved from Petrograd to Moscow and held the Kremlin. The Kremlin was closed to visitors and the ancient monasteries (Chúdov and Ascension) were demolished and replaced by a government building (1932-1934). In 1935 the two-headed eagle was removed from the towers of the Kremlin and in each of the five towers was placed star rubies. 

 From 1946 to 1958 the cathedrals, palaces and other monuments of the Kremlin were restored. Since 1955 the Kremlin has been open to the public and since 1990 the Kremlin has been listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.

Morning, comrade - sir!

In 1991 the State Museum of History and Culture of the Kremlin was established, consisting of the Armory, Assumption Cathedral, Archangel Michael Cathedral, Annunciation Cathedral and Museum of Applied Arts.

In the building there are three buildings which are used as official residences of the president of the Russian Federation, plus the Senate, the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Military School building. 

'Kremlin' is the word often used to refer to the government of the Soviet Union (1922-1991) and its senior members (such as general secretaries, heads of state, presidents, ministers and members of the commissar). Just as Downing Street refers to the English government or the White House refers to the U.S. government. To some extent Kremlin is also used to refer to the policy of Russia.

Clancy's comment:  May 1st is celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival or as an international day honouring workers. It is International Workers’ Day, a holiday founded to honour the long and bloody struggle of working people throughout the world against their oppressors. And, it is the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker.

Mm ... it also happens to be your blog host's birthday. Most people who know me reckon it is no wonder I became an activist, aggitator, negotiator and social justice campaigner for the downtrodden, having been born on this day. Maybe so, but who dares wins, eh?

Life's short ... use it ... there's plenty to do.

I'm ...