Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin, commonly known as the Kremlin, is a fortified complex (kremlin) in Moscow, Russia. Located in the historic centre of the country's capital city, the Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and an enclosing wall along with numerous towers. Within the complex is the Grand Kremlin Palace, which was one of the royal residences of the Tsar of Russia, and is now the residence of the president of the Russian Federation. The Kremlin overlooks the Moskva River to the south, Red Square to the east, and Alexander Garden to the west.

Etymology and metonym

In the Russian language, kreml' denotes a 'fortress within a city', and there are many historical cities with a Kremlin of their own. However, the Moscow Kremlin, the best known, also serves an international-politics metonym that identifies the Government of Russia. During the Cold War (1947–1991), the term The Kremlin meant the Government of the Soviet Union and the term Kremlinology meant the study of the decisions of the Soviet leaders and of Russian and Soviet politics. When open to the public, supervised tours are offered of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

History

Origin

The site had been continuously inhabited by the Meryans since the 2nd century BCE. The Slavs occupied the south-western portion of Borovitsky Hill as early as the 11th century, as evidenced by a metropolitan seal from the 1090s which was unearthed by Soviet archaeologists in the area. The Vyatichi built a fortified structure (or "grad") on the hill where the Neglinnaya River flowed into the Moskva River.