moscow kremlin tours

Kremlin Tour

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Kremlin Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Guided tour

Moscow Kremlin

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Many people are unaware that there is more than one kremlin in Russia - after all, "kremlin" is the Russian word for a fortress in the centre of a city. However, the Moscow Kremlin is unique: far more than a fortress, it is the historical heart of Moscow, and the spiritual and political centre of Russia. Every period of the country’s history over the last 500 years is represented here, from the 15th century walls and magnificent 16th- and 17th- century cathedrals to the grand 18th- and 19th- century palaces, and the huge Soviet-era Palace of Congresses. Many of Russia’s greatest leaders have made their contributions to the Kremlin’s architecture and history, including Ivan the Terrible, Mikhail Romanov, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Alexander I.

The Moscow Kremlin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation. We invite visitors on a sightseeing tour around the capital’s number one attraction.

Within the walls of the Kremlin you will find many fascinating and unique sights:

• Assumption Cathedral - Russian rulers were crowned and married here; and generations of tsars are buried in the burial vault of the Archangel Cathedral.
• The monumental Grand Kremlin Palace - used as a venue for official ceremonies.
• The Senate - another fine construction, which in its time has welcomed many famous statesmen and formerly housed the Imperial Senate. After the Revolution Lenin had his office here.
• The Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell, the heaviest bell and largest cannon in the world, both extraordinary examples of Russian bronze casting.
• The Arsenal, a rare example of a military building from the time of Peter the Great, which remains in use. Along the wall of the Arsenal there are many of the cannon that were captured from Napoleon’s Army as it retreated from Russia.

You will learn about the Kremlin’s rich history and its role in Russia’s history over eight centuries. This unique ensemble of majestic buildings is guaranteed to make a lasting impression!

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Meeting point On the square in front of the Kutafiya Tower, next to the Manege building

Kutafiya Tower

The Tsar Cannon

The Tsar Bell

Cathedral of the Archangel

Dormition Cathedral

Grand Kremlin Palace

End of the tour

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Moscow Kremlin Tour

Moscow Kremlin with its golden-domed cathedrals and ancient palaces will be the highlight of your trip to Moscow. A private guided tour will give you an insight into eight hundred years of Russian history and culture. 

Tour covers

• The Kremlin of Moscow  guided tour lasts 1,5 - 2 hours. An ancient city and citadel, the former residence of Russian tsars and Soviet rulers.

  Kremlin Tour Highlights

• You'll see ancient Cathedral Square , famous for its three unique cathedrals built in the 15th-16th century.
• Assumption Cathedral of Moscow Kremlin is believed to be the oldest preserved building in Moscow. All Russian tsars and emperors were crowned in this cathedral in the past.
• Archangel's cathedral was once a burial place of Rusian princes and tsars. You'll see 46 tombs of the first rulers of the country.  It is here where Ivan the Terrible, his sons, as well as the first Romanov Tsars were buried.
• Unique Icons and Frescoes are the highlights of your Kremlin cathedrals visit. You'll be amazed to see well-preserved interiors of the past as well as a number of oldest icons. Why did Russian churches have small windows? What is the significance of gold? What did medieval people think of the future? Your tour will give you some clues to medieval mentality and culture.
• Tsar Cannon weighing 40 tons is the largest artillery piece ever made. It was cast in the late 16th century.
• Tsar Bell  weighing 200 tons is another curiosity of Moscow Kremlin. The Tsar Bell has never rung; it was broken during its casting. How could it happen?
• Russian president's offices are located on the premises of the former Kremlin Senate. During the Soviet times, Lenin and later Stalin had their study rooms and apartments in this building. Today the President doesn't live in the Kremlin but the area around the administration offices is highly secured and can be seen from outside only. 
• Taynitsky Garden is a picturesque park within the Kremlin walls. While walking around you'll  take in gorgeous views of the Cathedral Square and Moscow River, find an oak tree planted by Yuri Gagarin and take a look at a helipad constructed for the use of Vladimir Putin

Armoury Visit Highlights

• ​ Faberge Easter Eggs collection is one of the gems of the Armory museum tour. You’ll find 10 eggs with surprises inside. Among very unusual ones is an egg with a model of a Trans-Siberian train, an egg with the model or the Kremlin as well as a clock egg topped by a bouquet of white lilies.
• Royal crowns as well as other symbols of power include Monomakh’s Cap, which was the main coronation cap for over 200 years. You’ll discover many other jewel-studded crowns of Ivan the Terrible and Romanov Tsars that will surprise you with a glittering abundance of rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds.
• The thrones of the Russian Tsars include the oldest one dating to the late 16th century, the diamond throne of Tsar Alexis (decorated with over 900 diamonds), and the double silver throne of half-brothers Ivan and young Peter (later Peter the Great).
• Coronation dresses will truly be a surprise. How could Catherine the Great survive wearing a 47cm waist-span wedding dress? What is the heaviest dress and how much does it weigh? You’ll learn the most intriguing facts about Russian tsars during the Armoury tour.
• A collection of royal carriages  is the second largest in the world. The oldest one was made in the late 16th century. You'll find unique carriages decorated with paintings, adorned with gems, upholstered with precious fabrics. 
• Armour, weapons from Russia, Europe, as well as Eastern Empires give you another reason to visit this unique museum. Don’t miss the chain mail of Boris Godunov, lavishly decorated Russian firearms, and luxurious Iranian shield.

Kremlin visit  notes

• We book Kremlin and Armory tickets in advance so you won’t have to wait at the ticket office. However, no one can skip the line to pass through a security check before entering the Kremlin.   
• The tour doesn’t include a visit to the Diamond Fund , but we can add it upon request.  
• The tour doesn’t include the Grand Kremlin Palace , which is the Official Residence of the President and is not open to the general public. A private exclusive tour is possible but it is rather costly and has to be booked a long time in advance.  
• During the Moscow Kremlin tour, It is allowed to take pictures only outside. Photography inside churches and museums is not permitted.  

• Tour available: every day except Thursday
• Activity level: moderate
• Transportation: walking/metro
• Duration 4 hours
• Private guide (4 hours)
• Kremlin and Armoury admissions
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off

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Moscow Kremlin: skip-the-line tickets and 8 things not to miss

• July 6, 2023

The Moscow Kremlin, symbol of Russi! It’s the Kremlin’s wall that you can see on Red Square. The Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin are both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites . We visited the Moscow Kremlin several times, with skip-the-line tickets and without, with my family, but also with my colleagues when I was living in Moscow.

Visit the Moscow Kremlin: tips and practical information

I will give here the key info to save time (and money) before the visit and once there:

• Map, how to get there, opening hours
• Entry tickets to the Kremlin and the Armoury Chamber, including skip-the-line entry tickets
• Guided tours

Map of the Moscow Kremlin, how to get there and opening hours

The Kremlin is large, so I have created a map to help you find your bearings which you will find below. If you are interested in other Moscow maps, find them in Free Moscow Maps.

How to get there? Where is the entrance to the Moscow Kremlin?

• The nearest metro station is Biblioteka Imeni Lenina (point 1 on the map) on the red line. On the other hand, even if we all have in mind, the image of the Kremlin on Red Square, the entrance is NOT located directly on the square. There is an entrance on the Red Square, but it is for stuff only.
• The entrance to the Kremlin is on another side of the Kremlin (point 3 on the map).
• Check also our blog post about Where to stay in Moscow? to be sure to stay in the most interesting districts of Moscow.

Opening hours

The Kremlin is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thursday.

Good to know! It is not possible to enter the Kremlin territory with suitcases, bulky bags or animals. If you come with a suitcase anyway, there is a free concierge not far from the cash desks. The total dimensions must not exceed 150 cm (total, that is to say if we add the height, width and thickness). See the rules on the Kremlin website .

How to buy the entry tickets to visit Moscow Kremlin?

Several tickets. Later in the article I will describe in more detail what is behind the walls of the Moscow Kremlin, but we can already divide the Kremlin into several parts: the architectural ensemble of the Cathedral Square, the Armoury Chamber, the Diamond Fund and the Ivan-The-Great Bell Tower. There are entry tickets for each of these parts. So you have a choice. What is most visited is the architectural ensemble of the Cathedral Square.

Armoury Chamber. The number of entry tickets to the Armoury Chamber is limited, to make the visit more pleasant for visitors. As with the Cathedral Square, the entry tickets can be purchased online (see below). And I would recommend to buy tickets to the Armoury Chamber in advance.

There are two options for visiting the Kremlin without a guide : buy tickets in ticket offices once there OR then buy them on the Internet, then take them at the ticket offices on site with less queuing. On the other hand, if you want to have more information about the Kremlin, a guided tour can be interesting: skip-the-line, accompaniment and not necessarily expensive for many.

Buy tickets for the Kremlin on site

The ticket offices are open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day, except Thursday . They are located in the Alexandrovsky Garden which runs along the walls of the Moscow Kremlin ( point 2 on the map above). It is possible to pay by bank card or in cash (rubles). See the post How to pay in Russia ?, if you need more info.

Good to know! Saturday is a day to avoid because there are many more people than the other days, especially in the morning. In general, the crowds are higher in the morning.

Moscow Kremlin guided tours

As tickets for the Armoury Chamber are limited, to go anyway you can go through guided tours, in groups or with a private guide. Certified guides have fast-track tickets and may still have seats. In addition, a guided tour in the Kremlin is worth it: you learn a lot and with many it is not so expensive, especially now with a fairly weak ruble.

With a private English-speaking guide

Only a certified guide is allowed to show you the Moscow Kremlin.

From June to September, the Kremlin is very visited and even official guides cannot have tickets. During this period, one of the solutions for a guided tour is a group visit.

Moscow Kremlin group tour in English

The second solution is to visit the Kremlin and the Armoury Chamber in a group. This is surprising, but it is not necessarily more economical than with a private guide. However, if there are no more entry tickets, this is a good solution.

Can we take pictures inside the Moscow Kremlin?

According to the Moscow Kremlin website , “it is forbidden to take photos and videos” inside the Armoury Chamber and the cathedrals”. There is no restriction for the exterior. You can still try to take photos inside the buildings, but the guards, often guards, will quickly point you out to stop.

Estimated visit time

A visit to the Kremlin and the Palace of Armor takes around 4 hours with a guided tour. If you go alone (without guide), it’s more or less equivalent. If you have fast-track tickets or you visit the Kremlin and the Palace of Armor with a certified guide, you also save a little time.

Good to know. There is nothing to eat inside the Kremlin, except maybe small snacks or ice cream. On the other hand, there are a few fast food restaurants near Okhotny Ryad station, but above all a lot of addresses on Nikolskaya Street , near Red Square and the Bolshoi Theater.

The Moscow Kremlin: what to see?

Kremlin means fortress in Slavic. The Moscow Kremlin is therefore not the only Kremlin in Russia. Nevertheless, it is the best known kremlin. It housed first the residence of the tsars, then the seat of the Soviet government, and today the Russian government. Finally, what is behind its walls?

• Cathedrals and churches;
• Exhibitions and museums;
• Palace of the Patriarch;
• State buildings which are not to be visited.

Most of the Kremlin to see is located on the Cathedral Square .

Cathedrals and churches of the Moscow Kremlin

Dormition cathedral.

(point 4 on the map, often called the Cathedral of the Assumption)

Built in 1475 and 1479 under the direction of an Italian architect, it was built in place of a small church erected by Ivan I to mark the accession of Moscow to the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. The first stone church in Moscow, it was used for the coronation and marriage ceremonies of the Czars, as well as for important events of the heads of the Church.

Annunciation Cathedral

(point 5 on the map)

Built in 1489, this cathedral has also preserved magnificent fragments of paintings from its time. The floor is in jasper. The cathedral was a private place for the Czars to gather and confess. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the chaplain was the personal confessor of members of the Tsar’s family .

Archangel Saint Michael’s Cathedral

(point 6 on the map)

Built in 1508 by an Italian architect (again!), One finds outside and inside the cathedral of Venetian Renaissance features. 46 tombs continue the necropolis of the cathedral. It is the necropolis of the princes of Moscow (independent principality of Moscow), and the first tsars of Russia. Here are the photos (author: poznamka).

Church of the Deposition-of-the-Robe

(point 7 on the map)

Built from 1484 to 1485, the church was built in honor of the relics of the Virgin brought from Palestine to Constantinople in 452.

Ivan The Great Bell Tower

(point 8 on the map)

The bell tower is 81 meters high. Built in 1508 and blown up by Napoleon’s army in 1812, the tower and the bell tower were rebuilt soon after. Also note that a beautiful panoramic view opens from the bell tower over the city.

Museums of the Moscow Kremlin

Armoury chamber.

(point 9 on the map)

This museum of applied arts brings together an exceptional collection of the treasures of the tsars. There we find jewelry, crowns, costumes, diamonds, thrones, weapons and armor, all the riches of Russian princes and tsars accumulated during their centuries of reign.

Kremlin Museum of Treasures and Antiquities

(point 10 on the map)

This museum is located in the basement of the Annunciation Cathedral. It contains objects found during archaeological excavations on the territory of the Kremlin. They are mainly objects from medieval Russia.

Patriarch’s Palace

(point 11 on the map)

Built on the orders of Patriarch Nikon in 1655, this palace includes several rooms and a church, the Church of the Twelve Apostles. The particularity of this place is the cruciform room of 300m² which has no pillars. There are also objects that occupied the rooms: furniture, the gospels, icons.

Other Kremlin attractions

There are other interesting attractions you can see during your visit to the Moscow Kremlin. For example, you can take a refreshing break in the Taïniski garden. In addition, in a small corner of the garden is a platform for helicopters, it can be used by the Russian President in an emergency!

Tsar Pouchka (point 12) is also an attraction (especially well known to Russians). It’s a gigantic cannon that weighs almost 40 tonnes! The Guinness Book of Records considers it the largest howitzer ever built.

In the same spirit, you can also see Tsar Kolokol (point 13) , a gigantic bell tower which is located very close to the bell tower of Ivan the Great.

Around the Moscow Kremlin

I have summarized everything around the Kremlin and Red Square in this blog post:

• Red Square: everything you need to know

Interesting in Moscow:

• Where to stay in Moscow?
• How to get from airport to Moscow?
• Things to visit in Moscow: what to do and to see in Moscow?
• Visit Novodevichy Couvent and cemetery

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Visit Kremlin tour

Everyone who is coming to Moscow should include a visit to the Moscow Kremlin in their travel plans . It is the oldest part of the city, its geographical, historical and spiritual center. A Kremlin guided tour will allow you to see one of the greatest architectural treasures in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So, what is the Kremlin in Russia? A kremlin means “fortress” or “citadel”. Some other old regional centers of Russia have their own kremlins. The origins of the Moscow Kremlin are found in its central square deep within the walls, where six beautiful cathedrals rise up with gleaming domes and dazzling white facades. Their foundations were laid, and the word 'kremlin' first used in the early fourteenth century. For centuries the Kremlin was a residence of Russian tzars and all of them are buried inside the Kremlin. In the times of the USSR the fortress became a workplace for Communist leaders. Nowadays it is an office of the Russian president.

Why should I visit the Kremlin?

The Kremlin is the site of many stirring events. During its long history the fortress was more than once raided by nomads, it was the stage of numerous feudal wars and devastating fires, but each time it was burnt to the ground or taken it came back greater than ever before. A 1.5 hour (kremlin tour) will take you on a ride along the twisting path of Russian history. Your Kremlin guide will tell you about some of the greatest and most terrible figures in human history and their life in the Kremlin. During the Kremlin private tour you get to see seven gorgeous 500-year-old cathedrals and churches, the giant Tsar-Bell and Tsar-Cannon and take a walk in the Kremlin Gardens. All these sights are included in our Kremlin guided tour. Standing in middle of the incomparably beautiful Cathedral Square and looking around, you can learn from your Kremlin private guide about the significance of each building which encircles it.

What else can I see during a Kremlin visit?

For a more rounded experience, a Kremlin tour may be combined with a visit to the Armoury – an outstanding museum of jewelry, regalia of state, weapon and carriages. Your Kremlin guide can conduct a tour of this museum too, just book it in advance. Another famous museum, The Diamond Fund, has a stunning collection of raw diamonds, golden nuggets, other precious stones and priceless pieces of jewelry, including the Crown of the Russian Empire made for the empress Catherine the Great. The Diamond Fund is located inside the Armoury, but is a separate museum. You can buy tickets on the spot (500 RUB).

How can I organize a visit to the Kremlin by myself?

The first thing you should do to visit the Kremlin is to go to the ticket office located in the Alexander Garden, near the entrance to the Kremlin. During high season queuing can take a long time. You can buy the tickets online on the Kremlin website. Then you still need to exchange the e-tickets for paper tickets at the ticket office. However the guided tour will take your experience of this visiting the Kremlin to a whole new level. With the guide's help you will be able to learn about the background of everything you see and to get much closer to the life of the Russians of 15-17th centuries. The tour includes visiting two cathedrals inside the Kremlin. The guide will clarify the rich symbolism and ritual of the Russian Orthodox church. While wandering among the tombstones of Russian rulers, you will learn more about the varied past of the country from your Kremlin guide.

How is a Kremlin guided tour organized?

After you book one of our tours which include a Kremlin visit, we will send you a request via PayPal so that you can make a prepayment for the tickets. We will buy the tickets in advance, the name of your Kremlin guide will be printed on them. On the day of the tour your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby. A tour of the Kremlin and the Armoury or the Kremlin and Red Square takes three hours. The Kremlin guided tour should be booked in advance as we would need to make sure of the tickets. Please book at least three days before the date; during high season, especially if you want to include the Armoury, two-three weeks ahead can guarantee you a tour.