Identifier: russia00dobsrich (find matches)
Title: Russia;
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Dobson, George Grove, Henry M Stewart, Hugh, 1884-1934 Haenen, F. de
Subjects: Soviet Union -- Description and travel
Publisher: London, A. and C. Black
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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hangel Cathedral was built was alsotheir burying-place. The old church saw many astrange sight, and in it was shaved tlie head ofmany a Princess whom, for political reasons, it wasconsidered advisable to cut off from the world—alias, to lodge in a nunnery. Not a few Princesalso were here, voluntarily or against their ownwill, shorn preparatory to entering a monastery. The spot now occupied by the palace has fromthe earliest times been the site of the residenceof the Grand Dukes and Tsars of Muscovy, orRussia. In ancient times the building was calledthe Princes Court, and when the Grand Dukes ofMoscow became Tsars, the name was changed tothe Kings Court. Till the days of Ivan III.—thelatter end of the fifteenth century—the palace wasa wooden building ; however, he summoned Italianarchitects, who finished building him a stone palacein 1508. Owing to the building being constructedby Italian architects and to the influence of SophiaPala3ologus, Ivans wife, the building, l)oth exter-
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Z^ A^^^ THE TSAR C;U\, MOSCOW THE KREMLIN 181 nally and internfilly, bore a distinctly Byzantineappearance. Nearly every successive monarchbuilt on a certain amount, but these additions werein a strictly Russian style of architecture. Theonly exception was the false Dmitry, whose tasteswere entirely Polish. When the Poles overranRussia, the old Kings Court fell into almost com-plete ruin, and was entirely looted of all its trea-sures. The first of the Romanoffs, Michael (1613-1645), had to entirely restore the palace, and hissuccessor Alexis also did a great deal. Under theirguidance the palace was placed in an excellentstate, and was magnificently adorned and fitted up.Peter the Great virtually left Moscow, andresided at his estate of Preobrajensky, before hemoved to Petersburg and allowed the palace to fallinto a sad state of decay, and it was only fc^r hismarriage with Catherine that Peter had the build-ings repaired at all. However, nearly the wholepalace was burnt down in 1737. T

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