What’s shaped like a triangle, considered by many to be the largest medieval structure ever built, is located in Moscow, and houses the largest bell in the world? Another hint, in Russian the word means “fortress.” We could only be talking about the Kremlin. Arguably the Kremlin is Russia’s most famous structure – perhaps on par with the White House in Washington D.C. or the Palace of Westminster where Big Ben is located in London. What follows is a small collection of facts and figures that will hopefully inspire further investigation into this magnificent structure and even prompt you to visit it one day.

Here is a short video that you may find interesting if you’ve never visited:

The Kremlin was originally built in 1156 and has undergone more transformations over the years than the Russian government. It’s beautiful red brick walls were once made out of wood and once white. The high walls that were built between approximately 1485-1495, range from 5-19 meters high and were created as a source of protection for the city. The walls contain 20 towers with the Troitskaya Tower being among Moscow’s tallest structures. With its impressive stature, the Kremlin has long been a symbol of Russian might. The walls protect some of Russia’s most prized historical artifacts, such as Catherine the Great’s carriage, Vladimir Putin’s residence, a few churches, museums, and more mystery than you’d ever care to unlock.

Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Catherine the Great, and various tzars have all called the Kremlin home at one point or another. Today, the Russian government gets much work done in the Kremlin – some may argue this though! In 1917, it also became the headquarters of the Soviet government. Various heads of state, celebrities of all sorts, and virtually every tourist visiting Moscow will have been through this impressive structure.

Here is another link to a video of interesting facts about the Kremlin:

A few years ago, my husband and I took a trip to the Kremlin – it was his first trip. We walked around the outside and before going inside, we decided to collect a few souvenirs for our friends back home. One small section of the beautiful red brick was deteriorating a bit, making it all to tempting to just take a few pieces with us. Unfortunately, upon attempting to enter through the main gate, we were searched and the pieces were found. By some sort of divine intervention, we were allowed to keep the pieces of brick and continue with our tour. For my husband, this was the highlight of the trip. I guess being raised in Russia and visiting Moscow as many times as I have, I forget just how special the city and it’s structures are. Hopefully, this blog will have provided you with some insight and peaked your curiosity enough to learn more about this impressive structure.