What is the Kremlin?
THE world has seen regular updates from the Kremlin throughout the Ukraine-Russia war.
As a key component of Russian politics and the country's history, here is a look into what the Kremlin is.
What is the Kremlin?
The Kremlin is a term given to a citadel within a Russian town.
The most famous is the government building located in Moscow's Red Square and is the official residence of the Russian president, where official events are held.
The citadel is made up of five palaces, four cathedrals, Kremlin towers and a wall enclosing it.
Built between 1482–1495 it most famously houses St Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, and Peterhof Palace, and sits on the Moskva River.
It was historically used as the Tsar's residence, before the monarchy was driven out in Russia.
In 1838, Tsar Nicholas I ordered the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace which was built over ten years from 1839–1849.
Most read in News
Other palaces within the walls are Ivan III's Palace of Facets, which holds the imperial thrones, and Terem Palace, which was the main residence of the tsars in the 17th century.
Part of the Kremlin is now open as a museum to the public and offers individual and group guided tours.
It has become a major tourist attraction in the Russian capital - with around three million visitors recorded in 2017.
Many of the major cities in the country have their own Kremlin such as Tula, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Tobolsk and Veliky Novgorod.
The Kremlin is also a term used for the Russian Government.
There are many members of the Kremlin in a governmental sense, with Russian President Vladimir Putin as head.
Other key influential players underneath Russia's president include:
- Mikhail Mishustin - Prime Minister
- Sergey Lavrov - Foreign Affairs Minister
- Anton Vaino - Chief of the President Administration
- Sergei Shoigu - Defense Minister
- Anton Siluanov - Finance Minister
Does Vladimir Putin live in the Kremlin?
Although, the Kremlin is the official residence of the Russian government, President Putin does not live there full-time.
He is believed to live in Novo-Ogaryovo, which is an estate in the Moscow Oblast.
The estate has always operated as the suburban property for Russian presidents.
The main house was built in the 1950s for the former leader of the Soviet Union, Georgy Malenkov, but he was removed from power before he got any chance to use it.
Not long after, the estate was a residence for the Soviet government to welcome foreign delegations but became unused after 1991.
Read More on The US Sun
This was until Putin had it renovated in 2000 - building six-metre high walls around the premises.
Although Putin doesn't own the estate, he spends so much time there that it has now been unofficially named the de facto residence of head of state.