Kremlin
Kremlin (Russian: Кремль, Kreml Russian pronunciation: [krʲɛmlʲ]) is the Russian word for "fortress", "citadel" or "castle" and refers to any major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there. Outside Russia, the name "Kremlin" is sometimes mistakenly thought of as being Saint Basil's Cathedral because of its distinctive environment, although this is not a part of the Moscow Kremlin.
The name Kremlin (or Kreml) has been allocated to various Soviet Navy vessels during construction. In each case, the name was changed prior to commissioning. Vessels which have briefly carried this name included Admiral Kuznetsov and Ulyanovsk.[1]
Russia's presidential administration is located in the Moscow Kremlin. During the Soviet era the government of the USSR was located in that kremlin, but now the Russian government occupies a building outside it.
Short list of Russian cities and towns with kremlins
- In ruins
- Gdov Kremlin
- Porkhov Kremlin
- Serpukhov Kremlin
- Velikie Luki Kremlin
- Torzhok Kremlin
- Mozhaysk Kremlin
- Fortress of Koporye
- Vyazma Kremlin (one tower)
- Syzran Kremlin (one tower, 1683)
- Ufa
Dubious
- After disintegration of the Kievan Rus, Russian empire and the USSR, some fortresses concerning type of Russian kremlin, remained behind borders of modern Russia. Here are some of them, in different degree of safety:
- Belz, Ukraine (only traces)
- Kiev, Ukraine (reconstructed tower of the Golden Gate)
- Chełm, Poland (only traces)
- Putyvl, Ukraine
- Novhorod-Siverskyi, Ukraine
- Grodno, Belarus (only traces under the castle)
- Chernihiv, Ukraine (only traces)
- Kamyanyets, Belarus (shafts and Belaya Vezha tower)
- Belgorod Kievsky, Ukraine (now village Belgorodka)
Many Russian monasteries have been built in a fortress-like style similar to that of a kremlin. For a partial list, see Category:Monasteries in Russia.
The scientific literature on Old Russian fortresses (Kremlins)
- Воронин Н. Н. Владимир, Боголюбово, Суздаль, Юрьев-Польской. М.: Искусство, 1967.
- Кирьянов И. А. Старинные крепости Нижегородского Поволжья. Горький: Горьк. книжн. изд., 1961.
- Косточкин В. В. Русское оборонное зодчество конца XIII — начала XVI веков. М.: Издательство Академии наук, 1962.
- Крадин Н. П. Русское деревянное оборонное зодчество". М.: Искусство, 1988.
- Раппопорт П. А. Древние русские крепости. М.: Наука, 1965.
- Раппопорт П. А. Зодчество Древней Руси. Л.: Наука, 1986.
- Раппопорт П. А. Строительное производство Древней Руси (X—XIII вв.). СПб: Наука, СПб, 1994.
- Сурмина И. О. Самые знаменитые крепости России. М.: Вече, 2002.
- Тихомиров М. Н. Древнерусские города. М.: Гос. изд. полит. лит-ры, 1956.
- Яковлев В. В. Эволюция долговременной фортификации. М.: Воениздат, 1931.
See also
References
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