Speaker A
Who built the Kremlin? Look! Yuri Dolgoruky builds a simple wooden fortress in 1177. In 1177, when Moscow is sacked and burned, Ivan Kalita answers with mighty oak, building it stronger and sturdier.
A rapid history of the Kremlin's construction and transformations from 1177 to 1947, highlighting key events and architectural changes.
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Key Takeaways
- The Kremlin evolved through multiple materials: wood, oak, white stone, and red brick.
- Fires and wars repeatedly damaged the Kremlin, prompting rebuilds and redesigns.
- Foreign influence, especially Italian, shaped its architectural style.
- Political changes influenced the Kremlin's symbolism and structure, especially under Soviet rule.
- Camouflage during WWII preserved the Kremlin by making it visually unrecognizable from the air.
What the video covers
- The Kremlin began as a wooden fortress built by Yuri Dolgoruky in 1177.
- After multiple fires, Ivan Kalita rebuilt it with oak, and later Dmitry Donskoy switched to white stone.
- Italian engineers were brought in under Ivan III to rebuild the Kremlin in Italian style.
- A major fire in 1547 caused an explosion in the First Unnamed Tower, leading to reconstruction.
- By the late 17th century, the Kremlin was whitewashed, turning it dazzling white.
- Catherine II planned a grand palace but canceled the project, restoring the walls.
- During Napoleon's 1812 invasion, the Kremlin was damaged and later rebuilt by architect Osip Bove.
- Nicholas I added the Grand Palace and Armoury building; whitewash deteriorated by 1900.
- Soviet rule in the 1930s reshaped the Kremlin, replacing symbols and demolishing parts.
- In 1941, camouflage efforts hid the Kremlin from German aircraft; red bricks were repainted in 1947.
Chapters
- 00:00Origins and Wooden Fortress (1177)
- 00:11Transition to Oak and White Stone Fortifications
- 00:21Italian Rebuild and 1547 Fire
- 00:31Reconstruction and Whitewashing in the 17th Century
- 00:40Catherine II's Palace Plans and Wall Restoration
- 00:52Napoleon's Invasion and 19th Century Rebuild
- 01:15Soviet Era Changes and WWII Camouflage
- 01:45Post-War Restoration and Final Appearance
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
In 1365, the oak burns too. Dmitry Donskoy decides: enough wood. He orders it built from white stone. From white stone. A century later, the limestone crumbles like an old man's teeth. So Ivan III calls in
Speaker A
Italian engineers. Their task: build it bigger, better, stronger. The foreigners rebuild the chief symbol of Rus' in Italian style. In 1547, the city is engulfed by a great fire. By a great fire. And the First Unnamed Tower is being
Speaker A
used to store gunpowder. It explodes. Red-hot bricks fly toward the Moscow River. The garden burns and the bridge. The tower and part of the wall are rebuilt from scratch. By the late 17th century, the red brick is whitewashed,
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is whitewashed, protecting it from moisture. The Kremlin turns dazzling white. Dazzling white. Catherine II feels cramped in the Kremlin. Bazhenov designs for her a colossal palace along the south side. To clear the foundations, they make room: dismantling the wall.
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Then the woman changes her mind. Construction is cancelled, the breach is bricked up. Sometimes the greatest building project is putting everything back as it was. In 1812, the French army enters Moscow. The city burns. Who started it— is still debated.
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Is still debated. Napoleon waits for negotiations, Alexander I gives no answer. Napoleon orders them to blow up the Kremlin. No door to slam— so he blows up the towers. Architect Osip Bove rebuilds them from scratch. Nicholas I builds
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the Grand Palace and a new Armoury building. By 1900, the whitewash peels off in strips. The Kremlin's grand appearance ends before the Empire. Before the Empire. In the 1930s, Soviet rule, Soviet rule reshapes the Kremlin in its own image.
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It swaps eagles for stars, monasteries for a military school. The bridge is dismantled too and rebuilt and rebuilt farther downstream. They don't argue with the past— they simply demolish it. In summer 1941, to hide, to hide the Kremlin from
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German aircraft, architects paint windows on its walls, and roofs over the squares. The domes are darkened. From the air, the seat of power becomes an ordinary city block. The country's most recognizable symbol is saved by becoming unrecognizable. Only in 1947
Speaker A
is the red brick painted with red paint into the shade we know. So.
Topics:КремльисторияМоскваархитектураИван КалитаДмитрий ДонскойИван IIIНаполеонСоветский СоюзВторая мировая война
