The tour will take you on a fascinating
interior visit to the Kremlin, where its foundation in the 12th
century signified the birth of Moscow. You will visit the Armory Chamber,
the treasury of Russian czars with the unique collection of gold and
silver items of the 12-19th centuries, Russian arms and armor
of the 12-16th centuries, the state regalia, thrones, carriages
and coronations dresses of the 16-19th centuries, as well as
ambassadorial gifts of the 16-19th centuries, fire weapons,
table ware, Faberge eggs.
The Armoury Chamber, a treasure-house, is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex. It is situated in the building constructed in 1851 by architect Konstantin Ton.
This is the oldest museum in Russia, set up in 1511 by the Grand Prince Vassily III. At that time it was a court workshop for the production and repair of armaments and a storehouse of ceremonial armors.
In 1806, it was designated as a private court museum, but the decision did not take effect until 1812, when the treasures were evacuated to protect them from Napoleon’s approaching troops. The present building dates back to the 1850s and contains the unique collection of old arms, decorated weapons and suits of armor, coronations paraphernalia, church utensils, jewelry, rare textiles, costumes and other valuables.
There are more than 4,000 items presented in nine halls on two floors. Objects of applied art from Russia, Western Europe and Asia, dating from the 4th to the early 20th centuries, including a very famous Faberge Collection, are displayed in the building. Many artifacts in the Armory collection are ambassadorial gifts to Russian Tzars from England, Holland, Sweden and France, presented at the special ceremonies that were held in the Palace of Facets in the Kremlin.
In the Armory Chamber you can also listen to classical music concerts with cocktails (max. 150 persons)
The modern museum collections were based on the precious items that had been preserved for centuries in the tsars’ treasury and the Patriarch’s vestry. Some of the exhibits were made in the Kremlin’s workshops, others were accepted as ambassadorial gifts. The museum was named after one of the oldest Kremlin’s treasury stores.
The Armoury Chamber preserves ancient state regalia, ceremonial tsar’s vestments and coronation dress, vestments of the Russian Orthodox Church’es hierarchs, the largest collection of gold and silverware by Russian craftsmen, West European artistic silver, ceremonial weapons and arms, carriages, horse ceremonial harness.
The State Armoury presents more than four thousands items of applied art of Russia, European and Eastern countries of IV-early XX centuries. The highest artistic level and particular historical and cultural value of the exhibits have made the State Armoury of the Moscow Kremlin a world-wide known museum.
