KREMLIN ARMORY

Description

Essentials about the Kremlin Armory in brief

For those interested in militaria and the life of Russian nobles and the Tsar’s family, a visit to the Kremlin Armory is absolutely worthwhile. The Armory is one of the most important museums of applied art and displays a diverse collection of historical exhibits from princely robes to complex weapons and armor to valuable jewelry. The building of the Armory is located in the southwestern part of the Kremlin in close proximity to its entrance via the Borovitsky Tower. In the same building there is also Diamond Fund, but it is a separate exhibition.

The history of the Kremlin Armory

The origins of the Kremlin Armory

Originally, the Kremlin Armory was a large collection of workshops in the Moscow Kremlin, where particularly prestigious blade and firearm specimens, as well as shields, helmets, armor or chain armor, were produced for the Russian tsar’s court located there. The Kremlin Armory was probably founded around the change from the 15th to the 16th century and was first mentioned in a written document of 1547, when a conflagration destroyed large parts of its holdings.

The Kremlin Armory under the first tsars

In the 17th century, under the rule of the first tsars from the Romanov dynasty, selected artists of iron, silver and goldsmith craft as well as jewelers and icon painters from different regions of the Russian tsardom and also from other European countries worked in the Armory. Even at that time, the Armory produced not only weapons and their accessories, but also representative everyday objects. All the products made in the Armory had in common their artistic decoration – often using precious metals and precious stones – which to this day shows every observer the former splendor and luxury of the tsar’s court.

The Kremlin Armory under Peter I.

The transformation of the original court workshop, with its masterpieces of applied art accumulated over centuries, into a museum began in the early 18th century, when the tsar’s court was moved from the Moscow Kremlin to the new capital, Saint Petersburg, under Peter I. The tsar’s court was also moved to Saint Petersburg. Since that time, everyday objects and regalia for the tsar’s court were also made in Petersburg. However, the historical products made in Moscow were not originally intended for public viewing. It was not until the reign of Alexander I – also on the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin – that a separate building was first constructed for the storage and display of the Armory’s holdings. This building, an early classicist palace, was erected between 1806 and 1812.

The Kremlin Armory under Nicholas I.

However, the museum building soon proved to be too small for the growing holdings of the Armory. Therefore, already three decades later, under Tsar Nicholas I, it was decided to construct a new building for the exhibition. The well-known Moscow architect Konstantin Thon was entrusted with the conception and execution. At about the same time, Thon was also commissioned to build a new Moscow residence for the tsar in the Kremlin. A spacious plot of land near Borovitsky Gate was made available for both. The Tsar’s Palace, which has since become part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex, was built by Thon in 1838-1849, and the new two-story armory was built right next door in 1844-1851.

Both buildings were executed by Thon in a stylistically similar manner, namely in a strict classicist style of a representative administrative building with uniform rows of ornamented window surrounds and not very abundant decorative details on the facades. The interiors were decorated in an exceedingly sumptuous manner, in the manner of a palace. The parade halls on the second floor, where the greater part of the exhibition is located today, are characterized by high vaults supported by columns, with colors varying from hall to hall, and wall ornaments with marble representations of Russian princes and tsars.

The Kremlin Armory under Soviet Rule

After the October Revolution in 1917, the holdings of the Armory, like other treasures of the Kremlin, came under the control of the new Bolshevik state power. The museum remained closed for several years, but reopened in 1924 as the “Museum of Applied Arts.” The historical products of master jewelers and blacksmiths were joined by a large number of exhibits transferred here from now-disowned churches and palaces of the Kremlin. During World War II, the museum closed as most of its holdings were evacuated to the Ural region in case of a possible capture of Moscow by the German Wehrmacht. In the mid-1950s, the museum was reopened and has since regained its historical name – the State Armory.

The first floor of the Kremlin Armory

On the second floor of the Armory are exhibited masterpieces of Russian embroidery, including particularly representative parade robes of Russian princes, tsars, emperors and church leaders. For example, there are mitres and patriarchal robes, as well as parade robes of Russian tsars, such as the one worn by Catherine II (the Great) at her coronation ceremony. In addition, on the second floor are exhibited state regalia of the Russian tsar’s court, some of which were also used at coronation ceremonies.

One of the most famous items is the so-called Monomakh’s Cap, a crown made around the 14th century from gold, precious stones and sable fur of all Moscow Grand Princes and Russian Tsars up to Peter the Great. In addition, several original thrones of Russian monarchs can be seen in this hall, including a throne of Ivan the Terrible made in the 14th century and covered with ivory plates, and a double throne from the 17th century extensively ornamented with silver, intended for the two tsareviches Ivan and Peter. Finally, in the Equipagen Hall on the second floor, more than a dozen of the former tsar’s carriages from the 17th and 18th centuries can still be seen (including even a sleigh carriage for the winter).

The second floor of the Kremlin Armory

The focus of the exhibition on the second floor of the Armory is on historical weapons as well as ornately crafted everyday objects, goldsmith’s and silversmith’s wares and church paraphernalia from the period from the 11th to the 20th century, which formerly belonged to the tsar’s court or the Kremlin’s palaces, churches and monasteries. Large parts of the exhibition in the first hall occupy holdings from the Kremlin churches, which were transferred to the Armory in the course of the nationalization of the churches after the October Revolution.

Probably the most famous pieces of jewelry in the Armory are the world-famous unique Easter eggs made by Fabergé from the 18th to the early 20th century. The Armory’s collection of historical weapons and military equipment is worth a look, and not just for weapons aficionados. They were once made as parade pieces or belonged to tsars or other monarchs. For example, a life-size model of a knight on horseback in parade armor is on display. In addition, there is a variety of captured rifles, bladed weapons and armor from both European countries and the Orient.