Friday 15 September 2017

Kremlin Tour

The queue to get through security at the Kremlin.



Kay - struggling with technology.



Walking up to the entrance gate through Saviours (Spasskaya) Tower.......



... where this young Russian guard was on duty.



We were held back while they changed the guard.



Off they go back to barracks..........



....after which we were allowed inside.



Rows of 'captured' cannon barrels....



Originally the Place of Congress, this ugly building is now the State Kremlin Palace.



One of the captured cannon barrels on a dummy carriage.



I guess this was captured at Magdebourg??



The Kremlin Arsenal on the left.



The Senate Building.



GUM department store outside the Kremlin walls in Red Square.

The dome on the Senate Building is made from one continuous row of tiles - according to our guide.



The Tsar Cannon - the largest gun that never fired.



For the anoraks - it is technically a mortar due to the ratio of the barrel length to calibre.



Kay - and the Dormition Cathedral.



Dormition Cathedral.



Cathedral of the Archangel in Sobornya (or Cathedral) Square.



The Cathedral of the Annunciation in the square.



The fourth building in the square is Ivan the Great's Bell Tower.



Main entrance to the Dormition Cathedral.



The Church of the Deposition of the Robe on the right of the smaller domes of Terem Palace.



The Dormition Cathedral - with a carpet of tourists.



One of twenty towers surrounding the Kremlin.



The former British Embassy on Smolenskaya Embankment across the river.



The Tsar Bell, the Senate Building and GUM.



Presidential Helipad inside the grounds.



Strolling through the wooded gardens inside the Kremlin.



Ivan's Bell Tower



The largest bell that never rang - the Tsar Bell ..........



.... and the reason why it never rang.



The Saviours Tower - with a christmas tree flanked by two bears in the centre.



Another group of tourists arriving.... as we leave the Kremlin to board our coaches to return to the ship.