Russia, Moscow: Kremlin Above the City, Heavens above the Kremlin

The history of the castle is very rich. The Kremlin is said to be one of the largest castle complexes in the world (3 times larger than the Prague Castle). It is entirely believable, because if you want to go through it thoroughly, spare a whole day for it. The perimeter of its walls is 2.3 km long and in some places the height of the walls reaches up to a respectable height of 17 meters. Reinforced are 20 towers that are built in a uniform style. Except for one - the Nikol Tower, which is rebuilt into a pseudo-gothic style. Kremlin walls are built of uncoated bricks. Their red color attracts the eyes of everyone in sight.

Inside the compound you will find several important churches, which are mostly worl of Italian architects. Like the whole Kremlin. The Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is one of Kremlin's dominions. Its clear white walls contrasted with the golden domes of several towers that the temple has. This Orthodox temple was built in the 15th century and its distinctive appearance belongs to one of the Kremlin icons.

The Kremlin was also the place where the coronation of Russian tsars took place. These took place in the temple of the Assumption of Our Lady (Uspenskij). In 1547, for example, Ivan the Terrible was crowned there. Also known is the Archangelic Temple, where Russian rulers and their wives are buried. His last rest was found by the already mentioned tsar Ivan the Terrible.

In addition to the mentioned temples, the bell called Tsar Bell, which is located at the bell tower of Ivan the Great. Some visitors will be surprised why they are on the ground and not on the bell tower. The reason is simple - the bell weighs more than 200 tons, and it is not in one piece. For one and a half years, preparations were made for the bell to be cast, and for the next two years, its decoration took place. The rumor has it that not even able to leave the cast pit when a fire broke out in Moscow. During the extinguishment, the bell cooled down very quickly and cracked. The deaf, if so called more than 11 tun giant, which separated from the bell by cooling, is exposed with the bell. Tsar Bell is the largest bell of the world and is one of the major tourist attractions. Interestingly, thanks to its dimensions (6,14 m height and 6,6 m diameter) and the broken piece served for some time as a chapel.

Kromě zmíněných chrámů nás zaujal i zvon zvaný Car Kolokol, který je umístěn u zvonice Ivana Velikého. Některé návštěvníky překvapí, proč leží na zemi a není na zvonici. Důvod je prostý – zvon váží více jak 200 tun a navíc není celistvý. Rok a půl se pracovalo na přípravách k tomu, aby mohl být zvon odlit a další dva roky probíhala jeho výzdoba. Zvon ještě ani nestihl opustit odlévací jámu, když v Moskvě došlo k požáru. Během hašení se zvon prudce ochladil a praskl. Úlomek, dá-li se tak říkat více jak 11tunovému obrovi, který se v důsledku chlazení od zvonu oddělil, je vystaven spolu se zvonem. Car Kolokol je největší zvon světa a patří k hlavním turistickým lákadlům. Zajímavostí také je, že díky jeho rozměrům (6,14 m výška a 6,6 m průměr) a odlomenému kusu sloužil jistou dobu jako kaplička.

Parks line the Kremlin from almost all sides of the park, where you can make a picnic, relax with tired legs, and watch the rotation of the honor guard. Entrance fees in the castle are paid separately. If you want to visit cathedral squares and temples, you will pay 500 rubles (approx. 170 CZK).

GPS: 55°45'07.6"N 37°37'04.8"E

Text: Michal Hejl

Photos: Michal Hejl, Wikimedia Commons: Sergey Nemanov