Kremlin

President of Russia

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DISCOVERING THE KREMLIN |

The White Stone Kremlin of Dmitry Donskoi

The reign of Dmitry Donskoi (1340-1389) marked an important period in the history of Moscow and a new stage in the Kremlin’s construction.

Ivan Kalita’s Kremlin lasted only 30 years, but the white stone walls built by Dmitry Donskoi stood for more than a century. As the walls were built, the Kremlin’s territory expanded almost to its present size. The building of a stone Kremlin was a major event for the whole of northeastern Russia, testifying to the growing power of Moscow and its ability to lead the Russian people in their fight for independence.

With the town growing in importance, it was to be expected that its ruler would want a palace reflecting his status. Dmitry Donskoi had a new palace built near the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Bor.

This palace, the gold-roofed Embankment Chamber, so called because it faced the river, was reputed for its exceptional beauty and design. In the 15th century, the Embankment Chamber was the site of royal receptions and meetings. The palace was located where the Faceted Palace stands today and the tower chamber, the Terem, had frescoes painted by the legendary Theophanes the Greek.

Overall, Moscow craftsmen built at least 10 white stone churches during the second half of the 14th century.

Under Dmitry Donskoi, the Kremlin came under the definitive influence of architectural traditions that had their roots in the traditions of Vladimir-Suzdal, and took shape as an architectural ensemble.

[Next... The Kremlin in the 15th - 17th Centuries]

| The Histiry of the Kremlin |  | The Era of Peter the Great
| The Origin of the Kremlin |  | The Second Half of the 18th Century
| The “Small Wooden Town” on Borovitsky Hill |  | 1812 and the Restoration of the Kremlin
| The Kremlin in the 13th Century |  | Construction Work in the Kremlin in the 19th Century
| A Residence Fit for Princes |  | The 20th Century: the Kremlin’s Losses
| The White Stone Kremlin of Dmitry Donskoi |  | The Most Recent History of the Ancient Kremlin
| The Kremlin in the 15th - 17th Centuries |  |

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