Faceted Palace (Moscow)

Description of the Faceted Palace

The Faceted Chamber is an architectural monument in the Moscow Kremlin, one of the oldest civil buildings in Moscow. It was built in 1487-1491 by the decree of Ivan III by Italian architects Mark Fryazin and Pietro Antonio Solari. The building was used for ceremonial dinners, meetings and ceremonial receptions at the wedding to the kingdom.

 

History

15th-17th centuries
The Faceted Chamber was founded in 1487 on the site of an ancient gridiron by architect Mark Fryazin for ceremonial receptions in the Grand Duke's Palace of Ivan III. Construction was completed in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari. The name of the building was given by the front eastern facade overlooking Cathedral Square, finished with “diamond” rustication of white stone (under the “edges”), characteristic of Italian Renaissance architecture, for example, the Diamond Palace in Ferrara. At the same time, the voluminous solution of the chamber - with a high roof, an open outer porch and an entrance hall inside - fully corresponded to the Russian architectural tradition. Both the traditional type of grill, known in Russian architecture since the time of Kievan Rus, and the recently built refectory of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra could serve as prototypes of the Faceted Chamber. A row of double lancet windows with rectangular frames, made in the Italian Gothic style, and a strict classical wedding entablature added integrity to the building. The original windows may have had white stone frames (their remnants have been preserved near the round windows of the second light). An important role in the decorative design of the simple rectangular volume of the chamber was played by color: the white stone of the eastern facade was combined with the red coloring of the unplastered side and rear facades and the gilding of the high hipped roof. Over the years of growth of the cultural layer, the basement "sank" into the ground, and initially the building probably looked more slender.

Next to the Faceted Chamber (also called the Great) the Middle Golden Chamber was built. In front of it stood the Upper Porch (Front Passages), to which three stairs led from Cathedral Square:
The red porch - near the wall of the Faceted Chamber, served for the solemn exits of the king.
The middle staircase (from the end of the 17th century - the Golden Staircase or the Golden Grid) - led to the entrance hall of the Middle Golden Chamber, through which the ambassadors of non-Christian states entered the palace.
The porch of the Annunciation Cathedral - served as the entrance to the palace from the Cathedral Square

Between the stairs of the Faceted and Middle Golden Chambers were the Red Gates, which led from the courtyard of the palace to the square. Behind the Middle Golden Chamber stood the Dining log hut, broken in 1681. To the south of it stood the Embankment Chamber, which existed, like the Middle Golden Chamber, until 1753.

By the time of its completion, the central hall of the Faceted Chamber was the largest hall in Moscow. Since the 16th century, meetings of the Boyar Duma, Zemsky Sobors, solemn feasts, festivities in honor of the conquest of Kazan in 1552, the victory at Poltava in 1709, the conclusion of the Nystadt Peace with Sweden in 1721 have been held here. In 1653, it hosted the last Zemsky Sobor, after which Ukraine became part of the Muscovite state. In 1682, a well-known debate took place in the chamber between the Old Believers, headed by Nikita Pustosvyat, and representatives of the official church; this dispute, where Princess Sophia and Patriarch Joachim were among those present, is depicted in the painting by Vasily Perov “Nikita Pustosvyat. Controversy about faith.

In the 1630s, during the construction of the Terem Palace, the color scheme of the walls of the chamber probably changed to match the new structure: the white-stone parts of the entablature were painted in red and green tones, the surfaces of the slopes received grass paintings (except for window sills painted in cinnabar). At the same time, the Red Porch received barrel-shaped and tented completions of lockers.

In 1684, repair work was carried out in the Faceted Chamber, which was led by Osip Startsev. Double gothic lancet windows were hewn and replaced with existing openings, decorated with platbands with floral ornaments. A hiding place was set up above the passage for storing valuables. The copper roof was replaced with an iron one, lowered and brightly painted (this painted roof perished in a fire in 1696), a wooden balustrade was created over the cornice of the chamber, and opposite the entrance from the vestibule to the Faceted Chamber, a new portal was built with carved columns and a pediment, above which there was a two-headed eagle.

 

XVIII-XIX centuries

Coronations in the Assumption Cathedral took place until the end of the 19th century, despite the transfer of the capital to St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 18th century. During the celebrations, feasts were held in the Faceted Chamber, and the throne room was decorated with additional decor. In April 1730, for the coronation of Empress Anna Ioannovna, more than five hundred precious things were transferred from the Treasury Order to the chamber. For the wedding on the reign of Catherine II, the walls were decorated with tapestries, the space above the windows was painted, and the vaults were whitewashed. The last coronation feast took place in the Palace of Facets on May 14, 1896 in honor of the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II. Among other significant events that took place in the chamber was the opening by Catherine II of the meetings of the Legislative Commission in 1767, as well as the presentation by the Empress of awards to the commanders after the Peace of Kyuchuk-Kaynardzha in July 1774.

The Faceted Chamber was damaged in the Trinity Fire of 1737: the roof, the floor in the hallway, the frames in the windows burned down, and the white stone carving was damaged. In 1753, during the construction of the new Kremlin Palace, designed by the architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli, the Red Porch was redone, preserving the old design and stone carvings.

During the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace in 1838-1849, the Faceted Chamber was included in the new complex of palace buildings and was connected to the Vladimir Hall through the Holy Entrance. In 1840, by decree of Nicholas I, a second portal was broken into the Holy Vestibule. The framing of the new opening exactly repeated the decor of the ancient portal. In the same years, the roof of the chamber was updated, laying it on metal truss structures. In 1846, the crowning part of the building was almost completely rebuilt by the merchant Fyodor Chelnokov. In the 18th-19th centuries, the eastern façade acquired a smooth plinth, and the window openings of the basement were converted into rectangular ones with a dry decor.

In 1882, for the coronation of Alexander III, a restoration was carried out. Georgy Filimonov, an archaeologist and art historian, supervised the work; architectural work was carried out under the supervision of Nikolai Shokhin. As a result of the repair, almost all the innovations of the 18th-19th centuries were dismantled: wall upholstery, baroque window decorations, and wall panels. To illuminate the chamber, bronze chandeliers and sconces in the form of chandeliers in the style of Novgorod lamps of the 15th century were created. An artel of painters from the village of Palekh, Vladimir province, restored the paintings on the walls and vaults of the chamber.

 

XX—XXI centuries

After the revolution of 1917, the chamber as part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex came under the jurisdiction of the Kremlin commandant's office and began to be used for protocol events.

In 1934, the Red Porch was dismantled and in its place, close to the southern facade of the chamber, a two-story dining room was built for members of the Congresses of the Communist Party and meetings of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and the portal of the Holy Entrance in the southern part of the facade was converted into a window.

As a result of restoration work in 1967-1968, the carved white stone portal of the western wall in the interior of the chamber and the relief decor of the central pillar were restored. In the same period, the murals were updated, cracks and gaps in the masonry and plaster were eliminated, and the gilding on the walls, portals and pillar was re-executed.

In 1992-1994, the dining room was demolished, and the Red Porch was rebuilt in the guise of the middle of the 18th century.

In 2011-2012, the foundation was strengthened, the screeds supporting the walls, the roof was completely replaced, the chandeliers were renewed, the parquet and carpets were recreated, and the frescoes of 1881 were restored. In parallel, archaeological excavations were carried out, during which about three thousand items were discovered.

As of September 19, 2020, the Faceted Chamber is part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex, which is the government residence of the president. It hosts meetings of heads of state, award ceremonies and other state events. The residence of the patriarch is equipped in the basement of the chamber.

 

Architecture

The building of the chamber is two-storeyed: the upper floor is occupied by a square throne room with an area of 495 m², covered with four cross vaults resting on a central pillar, the lower one is a basement. The height to the upper point of the vault is 9 m. From the west, the room of the Holy Entrance adjoins the hall. The eastern facade of the chamber is decorated with faceted rustication, the decorative effect of its processing is emphasized by twisted columns placed at the corners. Excluding the eastern façade, the façades of the chamber are decorated only with columnar window casings; originally they were probably painted with red-brown red lead, which enhanced the expressiveness of the front facade. On the northern wall under the roof there is a badly preserved high-relief bust of a man, conventionally called the “portrait of a master”; according to the assumption of Moscow historian Sergei Romanyuk, this may be a portrait of Pietro Solari.

The entrance to the Faceted Chamber from the Cathedral Square is called the Red Porch and is a remake of the 20th century, built on a historical site. Two double-headed eagles are installed above its side pediments, and stone lions are placed on the spans of the railing. A small extension is attached to the north facade, in which there is a staircase.

 

Main hall

Not earlier than the second half of the 16th century, the walls and vaults in the interior of the chamber were painted with frescoes; The first information about the presence in the Faceted Chamber of "everyday painting" on allegorical subjects dates back to the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich. In 1668, after a fire, the painting was resumed by Simon Ushakov, who compiled a detailed inventory of plots and deciphered the inscriptions in 1672 at the direction of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. During the reign of Peter the Great, murals were mostly destroyed, the vaults were whitewashed, and the walls were covered with crimson velvet with embroidered golden double-headed eagles. In this form, the chamber was preserved until 1881, when the painting was resumed by Palekh icon painters, the Belousov brothers, in accordance with the inventory of Simon Ushakov. Paintings of the 16th-17th centuries have been partially preserved under the murals of the 19th century.

The portal of the main passage is framed by flat pilasters with floral carvings and completed with images of heraldic animals. The central figure of the composition is the image of a double-headed eagle, which is the oldest state emblem of Russia, as was established by O. G. Ulyanov.

The source of the plot for the painting of the Faceted Chamber was the Bible and Chronographs. There are cosmogonic compositions on the vault and slopes of the vault. On the western part of the vault there is an image of Sabaoth surrounded by nine angelic ranks, on the slopes are depicted the forefathers, prophets and evangelists. Some scenes of the wall paintings serve as illustrations for the "Legend of the Princes of Vladimir" of the 16th century. Two of these compositions are placed in the lunettes of the southern wall: a scene from "The Wedding of Vladimir Monomakh" and the image of Fyodor Ivanovich (there are scenes from the Old Testament and the image of Solomon). On the northern wall there is a story about Joseph the Beautiful, on the western wall - illustrations for the parable of the righteous and unrighteous judges. In the slopes of the window openings there are images of twenty-four representatives of the princely family of Rurikovich.

Initially, the pillar and portals were decorated with gilded white stone carvings with painting and gilding. The current carving is a plaster reproduction of the original carving, made in 1968 based on fragments of the original carving preserved under later layers. At the same time, the original red-brown background of the reliefs of the portals and the pillar was restored. Dolphins are placed in the center of the pillar, and the Russian coat of arms and images of animals are on the frieze ribbon. The latter were intended to illustrate the qualities of a worthy ruler: a deer reminds of strength and power, a crane of prudence and caution, a dolphin illustrates care for subjects, a pelican - selfless love, and a winged serpent - a combination of wisdom and strength. The pillar was previously surrounded by staves - shelves for placing various tableware (silver and gilded goblets, dishes and other utensils). Between the lower windows and the upper light windows there was originally a frieze with metopes and triglyphs.

The hall is illuminated by four dark bronze chandeliers - "khoros", made in the 1840s, as well as twenty bronze candlesticks on the walls.

 

Canopy

The holy vestibule is located in front of the entrance to the Faceted Chamber, the doors of them lead, in addition to the chamber, to the Vladimir Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace and to the Terem Palace. This is a low oblong front room, covered with cross vaults. Here the priests of the Kremlin cathedrals met the monarchs after the coronation and blessed them; here they met the guests invited to the kings.

The original design of the premises is almost not preserved, the existing one refers mainly to the 19th century. So, during the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, a Carrara marble fireplace appeared in the pier of the northern wall, carved decoration of windows and doors was made, six door portals (three of which are false) were decorated with paintings and gilding; Heraldic images of a lion and a dragon have been preserved on two portals. From the original decor of the entrance hall, a white-stone entrance portal decorated with a Renaissance carved pattern, as well as double windows at the ends (the only ones that were not affected by the restructuring of the 1680s, their original decor was preserved on the facades), have been preserved. Wall paintings on biblical and historical scenes were made in 1846-1847 by the artist Fyodor Zavyalov. Some of the murals were made with the preservation of the old iconography, according to the 17th century inventory of the icon painter Simon Ushakov (“Old Testament Trinity”, “The Appearance of the Archangel Michael to Joshua”, “The Dream of Constantine”). Two plots are connected with Russian history (“Sergius of Radonezh blesses Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo”, “The choice of faith by Prince Vladimir of Kyiv”).

 

Cache

The hiding place is an elongated room with a window opposite the throne place, from where the queen watched the ceremonies (until the 1680s, a small room was used for this purpose in the northern end of the Holy Entrance, where a separate entrance decorated with a portal led from the Boyar site). A viewing grate was inserted into the window, which was hung with a curtain. A description of the cache from the 1730s has been preserved:
... the walls and ceiling are upholstered with yellow damask, and the door is with red cloth, the image of Sophia the Wisdom, the salary and crowns are silver, in the windows there are glass windows, at the sill window there is a valance and floors of Chinese gold and silver brocade and with various silks, overlaid with a gold braid in two rows, near the floor there are two silk cords, two pillows with yellow damask floors, under the pillows on the window it is upholstered with red cloth.

In a fire in 1737, the building burned down, it was restored for the coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna, which took place in 1742. In 1882, elements of the decoration of the chamber of the 1840s, removed during the resumption of murals, were moved to the hiding place: wall upholstery, chandeliers and sconces in the form of double-headed eagles. In 2010-2011, the walls, the vaulted ceiling were restored and the painting was updated, window sill marble boards were again made.

 

Red porch

The Red Porch is an open stone staircase leading from the Cathedral Square to the main passage to the Faceted Chamber. It adjoins the southern facade and has three marches. A carved white stone portal faces the top of the stairs, through which you can get into the vestibule.

In the 17th century, a permanent guard was stationed on the Red Porch, guarding the entrance to the palace from the Cathedral Square. Under the vaults of the stairs were rooms for employees. It consisted of 32 white stone steps covered with iron plates. Three rests were arranged on the stairs, on each landing there was a stone gilded figure of a lion, on the left side there were stone railings. The staircase was covered with a copper roof in the form of tents, which ended with figures of eagles. During the fire of 1696, it burned down and was no longer restored. During the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich, the staircase was called Golden, in the 17th century it was also mentioned as Big and Red.

In 1753, during the construction of a new palace, the white-stone arcade on the upper platform in front of the Holy Entrance was dismantled. The stairs and arches were rebuilt in their former forms. Once again, the porch was dismantled in 1841, then restored again. Stone work was led by Mikhey Ivanov, the figures of lions were made by the artist and sculptor Santino Campioni. Then they were painted by Anton Langerotti.

After the porch was demolished in the 1930s, it was restored in 1992-1994 under the guidance of architect Nikita Mukhin. For the reconstruction, drawings made during the demolition, a model of the chamber from the Museum of Architecture were used.

 

Basement

The basement - the lower floor of the Faceted Chamber - consists of several rooms covered with vaults; these rooms are formed by one longitudinal and two transverse walls. The eastern crosshair of the walls is a support for the pillar of the chamber. The basement has largely retained the original architecture, although the premises in the western part, under the Holy Entrance, have undergone significant alteration. All rooms of the space were used as service rooms and did not have elegant decorative finishes. It contained pantries and a stove that heated the Faceted Chamber. In the 17th century, the Kremlin guard service was located in the basement, in the 19th century it was a guardhouse, and now part of the premises is used as the Kremlin residence of the patriarch.