ский сад in Russian!) which was one of the first public parks in Moscow. It occupies the whole length of the western Kremlin Wall. The Neglinnaya River once flowed through where this park now stands as a Moat to the Kremlin, but the River was encapsulated into an underground pipe in 1974 after extensive flooding, and the former riverbed was turned into a public park named after the reigning emperor, Alexander I. The present day ponds are not Neglinnaya River, but an imitation as the real river now runs too deep to be properly displayed. It is dotted with statues from the Russian fables by Zurab Tsereteli.
In 1967 the Tomb on of the Unknown Solider with enternal flame was constructed in Alexander Garden as a war memorial dedicated to the Soviet Soldiers killed during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. In 1997 a Guard of Honour was restored at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider by federal law. The changing of the guard occurs every hour.The Moscow Kremlin usually referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking Moskva River (to the South) Sain Basil's Cathedral and Red Square (to the east) and the Alexander Garden (to the west). The complex serves as the official residence of the President of Russia.
The existing Kremlin Walls and Towers were built by Italian masters over the years 1485 to 1495. Originally there were eighteen Kremlin Towers, but their number increased to twenty in the 17th century. All but three of the towers are square in plan. The highest tower is the Spasskaya, which was built up to its present height of 71 metres in 1625. Most towers were originally crowned with wooden tents; the extant brick tents with strips of colored tiles go back to the 1680s.
Cathedral Square is the heart of the Kremlin. It is surrounded by six buildings, including three cathedrals. The Cathedral Square is famous as the site of solemn coronation and funeral processions of all the Russian tsars, patriarchs, and Grand Dukes of Moscow. Even today, the square is used in the inauguration ceremony of the President of Russia.
The Cathedral of the Dormition was completed in 1479 to be the main church of Moscow and where all the Tsars were crowned. The massive limestone facade, capped with its five golden cupolas was the design of Aristotele Fioravanti. In 1547 the coronation of the first Russian Tsar, Ivan the Terrible, too place in this cathedral. From 1721 it was the scene of the coronatin of the Russian emperors. The ritual installatin of the metropolitansa nd patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church also took place in this cathedral, and their tombs are found here. After the transfer of the Bolshevik government to Moscow, services in the Kremlin cathedrals were prohibited. In 1990 the Dormition Cathedral was returned to the church, although a large museum still operates within it.
The gilded, three-domed Cathedral of the Annunciation was completed next in 1489, only to be reconstructed to a nine-domed design a century later. Formerly, the cathedral was a home church of the Muscovite Tsars. Its abbothas been a personal confessor of the royal family until the early 20th century.On the south-east side of the sqaure is the much larger Cathedral of the Archangel built in 1508. Victories of the
Russian military were celebrated in the Cathedral of the Archangel. Russian Tsars and Grand Princes were buried within the Cathedral until the 17th Century, who remain there to this day (including Dmitri Donskoi, Ivan the Great, Ivan the Terrible). There are 54 burials in the cathedral and 46 ornamented whitestone tombstones. There are also a fretted wooden gilded iconostasis 14 metres high with icons of the 17-19th centuries and church candeliers of the 17th century.
There are two domestic churches of the Metropolitans and Patriachs of Moscow, the Church of the Twelve Apostles (1653-56) and the one-domed Church of the Deposition (1488). The Church of the Twelve Apostles is a minor cathedral commissioned by Patriarch Nikon as part of his stately residence in 1653 and dedicated to Philip the Apostle three years later. The Church of the Deposition was originally used by the Patriarch of Moscow, but during the mid 17th century it was taken over by the Russian royal family. It was badly damanged in a fire in 1737, but has since been restored and now houses a display of wood sculpture from the 14 - 19th century.
Russian military were celebrated in the Cathedral of the Archangel. Russian Tsars and Grand Princes were buried within the Cathedral until the 17th Century, who remain there to this day (including Dmitri Donskoi, Ivan the Great, Ivan the Terrible). There are 54 burials in the cathedral and 46 ornamented whitestone tombstones. There are also a fretted wooden gilded iconostasis 14 metres high with icons of the 17-19th centuries and church candeliers of the 17th century.There are two domestic churches of the Metropolitans and Patriachs of Moscow, the Church of the Twelve Apostles (1653-56) and the one-domed Church of the Deposition (1488). The Church of the Twelve Apostles is a minor cathedral commissioned by Patriarch Nikon as part of his stately residence in 1653 and dedicated to Philip the Apostle three years later. The Church of the Deposition was originally used by the Patriarch of Moscow, but during the mid 17th century it was taken over by the Russian royal family. It was badly damanged in a fire in 1737, but has since been restored and now houses a display of wood sculpture from the 14 - 19th century.
The other notable structure is the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (above) on the north-east corner of the square, which is said to mark the exact centre of Moscow and resemble a burning candle. Completed in 1600, it is 81 meters high. Until the Russian Revolution, it was the tallest structure in the city, as construction of buildings taller than that was forbidden. Its 21 bells would sound the alarm if any enemy was approaching. The upper part of the structure was destroyed by the French during the Napoleonic Invasion and has, of course, been rebuilt. The Tsar bell, the largest bell in the world, stands on a pedestal next to the tower. The bell, weighing 216 tons, was never rung, and during a fire in 1737 a huge slab cracked off while it was still in the casting pit.
The final part to the Kremlin history, was a tour of the Kremlin Armoury, which for me, was the most interesting part of the day. The Kremlin Armoury is one of the oldest muserums of Moscow, established in 1808. It originated as the royal arsenal in 1508. Until the transfer of cour to St Petersburg, the Armoury was in charge of producing, purchasing and 
storing weapons, jewelery and various hosuehold articles of the Tsars. In 1700, the Armoury was enriched with the treasures of the Golden and Silver chambers of the Russian tsars. The current Armoury building was erected in 1844-1851. Nowadays, the Kremlin Armoury is home to the Russian Diamond Fund - a unique collection of gems and jewellery dating back to the Russian Crown treasury instituted by Peter I in 1719. It boasts a unique collection of Russian, Western European and Eastern applied arts spanning the period from the 5th to the 20th centuries. Some of the highlights included the Imperial Crown of Russia, the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible, the Orloff diamond, the Imperial Carriages (fully intact) and the famed largest collection of Faberge Eggs.
storing weapons, jewelery and various hosuehold articles of the Tsars. In 1700, the Armoury was enriched with the treasures of the Golden and Silver chambers of the Russian tsars. The current Armoury building was erected in 1844-1851. Nowadays, the Kremlin Armoury is home to the Russian Diamond Fund - a unique collection of gems and jewellery dating back to the Russian Crown treasury instituted by Peter I in 1719. It boasts a unique collection of Russian, Western European and Eastern applied arts spanning the period from the 5th to the 20th centuries. Some of the highlights included the Imperial Crown of Russia, the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible, the Orloff diamond, the Imperial Carriages (fully intact) and the famed largest collection of Faberge Eggs. 
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