Kolomenskoe

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The Kolomenskoe museum-reserve located to the South from the centre of Moscow has an ancient history. Not far from Kolomenskoe the most ancient settlement on the territory of Moscow – Dyakovo settlement which appeared about 2,5 thousand years ago is situated.

One of the earliest mentions of Kolomenskoe settlement refers to 1328. In Ivan Kalita's will it belonged to the number of his native settlements. In the ancient times Kolomenskoe was the province of princes and later - summer residence of Moscow tsars. 

According to legends Kolomenskoe was founded in the end of 1230 by Kolomna dwellers who escaped Batu Khan (1237-1238). Refugees called their settlement Kolomninskoe which later changed to Kolomenskoe. In 1530 the son of the prince Vasily III, a long awaited heir, future first tsar of Russia – Ivan the Terrible, was born. To memorialize this event Vasily III founded the famous church of Voznesenie in Kolomenskoe on the high hill, over the very precipice to the Moscow River. This temple is 62 m high and the thickness of walls brickwork is 2,5-3 meters.It was built for two years: 1530-1532. In the eastern part of the Gallery of the Church of Voznesenie the white stone throne – tsar seat is situated. 

Near the Church of Voznesenie a round two-levels Georgievskaya bel tower was built in the first half of XVI century.

 

 

 

Not far from the Church of Voznesenie Water giving tower – household construction was built in the middle of XVII century. The water giving tower had a mechanism which provided the palace with water.

 

 

 

The Front two level gate served as the main entrance to Tsar's yard. The chamber called Organ chamber was situated over the gate. The chamber was equipped with the mechanism which started the lions set at the gate. The line were made of copper and covered with mutton skin. They growled, opened their mouth, terribly spinned their eyes

 

And moved their paws.

Prikaznie (Order) chambers joined the Front gate from the North, Polkovnichyi (Colonel) chambers and the building of Sytny yard – from the South. Immediately behind the Front gate we can see the church of Kazan Mother of God, the monument of the architecture of XVII century.

Already in XIV century the palaces of great princes were set in Kolomenskoe. This wooden palace of the great prince and other buildings covered the top of Kolomensky hill. 

In 1606 Kolomenskoe was a headquater of Ivan Bolotnikov and in 1610 of False Dmitry II.

 

 

 

The prosperity of Kolomenskoe is connected with reigning of Aleksey Mihailovich – Kolomenskoe was his favorite residence. In 1667 a splendid wooden palace which had 270 rooms was built; the palace was surrounded with fence and garden and buildings of orders, gates with tower clock, etc. The events of Copper Rebel are connected with Kolomenskoe. Later young Peter I used to stay near Kolomenskoe in Kozhukhovskoe field, he organised well-known „mock fights“.

 

 

 

After the death of Aleksey Mihailovich and transferring the capital to Saint Petersburg Kolomenskoe came in decline. While Ekaterina II reign savaged palace was dismantled and on its place a new one (wooden as well) was built. The empress stayed there while being in Moscow. Ekaterina's palace in its turn was dismantled while Nikolay I reign, from the building of latter just a wing saved. 

In 20-ies of XX century the museum-estate Kolomenskoe was turned into the museum of wood architecture under the management of architect P.D. Baranovsky. The number of wooden buildings was transferred there (for example, the house of Peter I from Arkhangelsk, tower of Bratsky ostrog, wooden building of honey cooking factory from Preobrazhenskoe settlement).

 

Museum-reserve Kolomenskoe occupies the territory of 390 ha.