Inside the Kremlin: Administrative buildings
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The apex of political power, the Kremlin, is the kernel of not only Moscow, but entire country.
It was from here that Ivan the terrible orchestrated his terror, Napoleon watches Moscow burn, Lenin fashioned the proletariat dictatorship, Stalin purged his ranks, Khrushchev fought the cold war, Gorbachev unleashed perestroika and Yeltsin concocted the New Russia. (Lonely Planet)
The Moscow Kremlin (RU: Московский Кремль, MR: मॉस्कोव्स्की क्रेम्ल्), sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River. I spent about four hours inside the Kremlin in my second day in Moscow and once again few days later when I visited the place to watch a Ballet show.
What’s a Kremlin?
Kremlin wall and a tower. The Kremlin 18 towers, some being quite distinct and significant.
Kremlin is the fortified power center of a town, and several Russian towns have a Kremlin. The Kremlin at Moscow has a 2.25km long red wall, east of which is the Red Square. Foundation of this Kremlin was laid around 1150 CE.
Former Senate building
Hot spot of Russian Government, the Senate.
This triangular building used to be the office of the Russian president. I don’t know if that’s still the case. But it seems that the building is full of bureaucrats, since everyone was hurrying out as the clock ticked 5pm.
Yellow triangular Senate building
Former Supreme Soviet Building and the Savior Gate Tower
Supreme soviet building. The Savior Gate Tower is seen behind. To the right is the Tsar Tower.
The Savior Gate Tower is the official exit from Kremlin to the Red Square. The clock is huge, distinct and forms an important identity of Kremlin and the Red Square. The clock itself takes 3 floors of the tower, and its chime can be heard everywhere every 15 minutes. You might remember the picture of this tower against the St. Basil’s cathedral from my previous post. The Tsar tower nearby is believed to be the place from where Ivan the terrible watched executions.
I liked the look of this building against the massive tower, especially the flag and the five-pointed red star make a nice complimentary scene against the blue backdrop. I must have stood here for a long time, asking people to take a picture of me, but often people cut my feet (from the picture I mean), or didn’t frame it properly.
Supreme soviet building and the Savior Gate Tower (and me).
Great Kremlin Palace
Residence of the President. Mr. Putin lives here! Guards will shoo you off if you linger around.
This place was the imperial residence for about 10 years. It’s now the official residence of the president and a place to host state visits and receptions.
Great Kremlin Palace to the south-west entrance gate (Borovitskaya Tower). Big shiny black cars with important looking people will zoom past here.
Armory
Outside the Armory. One lines up here.
The Armoury houses ‘numbingly opulent’ collection of treasures accumulated over the centuries by the Russian State and the Church. I got a ticket because I heard wonderful things about the museum. Sadly, it was a huge disappointment to me, and if you are not keen about going to a museum that has instructions only in Russian, and displays expensive but not awe-inspiring stuff, then don’t go there. There are some ok detailed jewelery, locomotive, wagons, lamps, dresses,
Information
Entrance ticket for visiting the Kremlin is RUR 300 (USD 15) for adults and RUR 150 (USD 7.5) for students. Photography permit costs extra, but I didn’t buy it, but I still took pictures as you can see! All instructions at the ticket office, located at the Alexandrovsky Garden (west side of Kremlin), are exclusively in Russian. Surprisingly, ticket prices are same for domestic or foreign tourists.
One has to deposit their luggage at the luggage office which is inconspicuously located in a shack under the main street level, just below the ticket office. Cost RUR 40 (USD 2). I suggest not to part with your camera, money and expensive stuff because the place looked kinda shady to me. It took me 20 minutes to figure out the directions people were giving me. I think they were unable to speak my level of Russian. 
Ticket to Armoury, costs RUR 300/175 (adult/student) extra.
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[...] Tomb of the Unknown Soldier This post is part of a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Russia. Here are the other posts! « Previous post: Charming Onion Domes | Next post: Inside the Kremlin: Administrative buildings [...]
↵Priyank I always thought of it as the Kremlin!
And I didn’t understand a bit about how to watermark my pictures
↵Oh just email me your questions and we can go ahead with it.
↵The President’s house is grand. Why do Presidents need such big houses?
Maybe its a way to give employement to 100s of people.
↵hahahha… I know, I wonder the same. Do they even know what’s in those rooms??
↵Interesting. So the “Kremlin” actually referred to a complex of buildings, I never knew that before. I thought it was just a metonym that stood for the Russian government (i.e., I am having lunch with the Kremlin).
I suppose I have a hard time trying to find a parallel of the Kremlin with other countries, since the government of the countries that I have visited don’t have this one big complex of buildings where everything government-related can be found.
↵Kremlin is the power center of a town. Moscow’s Kremlin is thus the power center of Russia. So I think you could say that you are having lunch with the Kremlin; it implies that you are having lunch with the Government.
There is the Raj-path (King’s way) in Delhi, India which houses some important ministries. Its also the most important streets in the country. But the Kremlin reminds me of something they had in older days – a fortress with the palace in it.:)
↵I love the picture of the Senate doom and the long Kremlin building. Unique colors too! Buildings are often grey elsewhere in the world.
↵Oh it was pretty common architecture there I think… But the dome with the flag looks very nice!
↵These posts have been quite informative and educational!
That looks like a certain Mr. Priyankovich standing there!
↵Thanks Mahendra!
↵and Priyankovich… LOL
Very interesting and great images, I’m taking lessons from you how to do a travel post, what to say kind of thing for my China posts, somewhat different since I was on a tour. I never had anyone take pictures of me beside stuff while I was there, but I did get an image of me with the farmer who discovered the Terra-Cotta Warriors.
↵Oh I like your style – you mix humor into your posts very well!
You met the guy who discovered the warriors?? amazing!!
↵[...] Me ← Inside the Kremlin: Administrative buildings : Older post Newer post [...]
↵You went to Russia?? When and how??
I love the buildings over there. It’s just different.
I don’t understand why Presidents/leader’s needs huge, palatial and expensive place to live? Looking at the brighter side, it provides employment during this hard times. What is the economical condition in Russia currently?
ps: On a separate note, have you thought about completing your MBA?
↵Hi Kiran!
Nice to see you back. I was in Russia in October-November 2008. How? I flew, lol… well I just had a vacation and I was trying to find something on my way to India.
Russia, like other countries, is also suffering a great deal due to the recession, but its a growing country afterall so things are not as bad. I just have a cursory idea of the country though.
MBA?
I’ll finally be finishing it this december. 
↵[...] Square: Kremlin to your left, GUM to your [...]
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