Suzdal Kremlin

About museum

Suzdal Kremlin has a long history, having endured raids, fires and devastation over the course of a millennium. The main buildings have survived to the present day, and the Kremlin now functions as a museum with permanent exhibitions. It was built on an elevated site and protected to the north by the Kamenka River. In the 10th century earthen ramparts and ditches were constructed, and in the 11th–12th centuries a fortress with log walls, gates and towers was built. In the 15th century the Kremlin acquired its present appearance, and in 1677 new walls with 15 towers and gates were erected. Stone buildings of the Archbishop's Chambers were constructed in the center of the main square, and opposite the cathedral stood a tent-roofed bell tower with a chiming clock. In addition, there were many wooden houses and a powder magazine near the rampart. In 1719 a fire destroyed the wooden structures, which were not rebuilt thereafter. Until the end of the 18th century the Kremlin served as the residence of the Vladimir–Suzdal bishops, and the cathedral acted as the burial place for members of the Suzdal princely and boyar families and the higher clergy.