(in 1961-1992 - the Kremlin Palace of Congresses) - the largest public building on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. It was built in 1959-1961, in 16 months - in the shortest possible time for those times.
Mikhail Posokhin, chief architect of Moscow, head of the Main Architectural and Planning Department of the city, became the winner of the competition for the creation of a building project and later the head of the author's team of architects. At the design stage, the building was divided into components, each of which was developed by a separate group of specialists.
In the original version, the hall was designed for four thousand seats. In the future, it was decided to increase the meeting room to six thousand seats and design a banquet hall with a maximum capacity. Many ideas for elements of architecture were brought from abroad, in particular, the interior of the UN meeting room in New York was imported to the Kremlin, lined with wooden lath, fashionable at that time.
By the summer of 1961, the building was completed and finished on the outside with white Ural marble, golden aluminum and glass, and inside with red granite, marble and patterned Baku tuff. Ash, oak, beech, Pacific walnut and hornbeam were used in the decoration of the walls and type-setting parquets. The armorial frieze made of multi-colored smalt was made according to the sketches and under the direction of the artist Alexander Deineka by the sculptor Alexei Zelensky. The curtain, which is a decorative panel with a portrait of Vladimir Lenin, was made by the masters of the Latvian Art Fund under the direction of Chaim Rysin according to the sketch of Professor Andrey Mylnikov.
On October 17, 1961, the grand opening of the Palace took place, which was timed to coincide with the start of the XXII Congress of the CPSU.
On the opening day, the audience was presented with a program of a festive concert, which included a fragment of the ballet "Swan Lake" and performances by masters of art of various genres.
In 1962, for the design and construction of the Palace, its authors - architects Mikhail Posokhin, Ashot Mndoyants, Evgeny Stamo, Pavel Shteller, engineers German Lvov, Alexander Kondratiev, Ivan Kochetov - were awarded the Lenin Prize.
As a theater and concert venue, the Kremlin Palace from the first days was placed at the disposal of the Bolshoi Theater as a second stage. For decades, opera and ballet performances of the current repertoire were staged at the Kremlin Palace and premieres were produced by the USSR Academic Bolshoi Theater with the participation of its outstanding soloists and orchestra.
The Kremlin Palace became the venue for the party and trade union forums of the 1960s-1980s. The XXII-XXVII congresses of the CPSU were held within its walls.
The State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble under the direction of Igor Moiseev, the Twice Red Banner Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrov, the State Academic Russian Folk Choir named after M. E. Pyatnitsky and many other famous groups performed on the stage of the Palace.
It was on this stage that the oath of the first president of sovereign Russia was pronounced. In 1992, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was transformed into the State Kremlin Palace.
Today the auditorium of the State Kremlin Palace is one of the best in the world. After the modernization of sound and lighting equipment, carried out in 2013, according to authoritative experts, he stood on a par with Carnegie Hall in New York, Olympia in Paris and the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon.
To date, the Kremlin Palace is under the jurisdiction of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. The post of general director and artistic director is occupied by People's Artist of Russia Pyotr Shaboltay.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources
50 years ago, an ambitious project of the then leadership of the USSR was implemented - a building appeared on the map of Moscow where thousands of events could be held. The delegates of the CPSU congress were the first to appreciate the advantages of the new stage and grandiose banquet hall in 1961. Then millions of spectators visited concerts and New Year trees there.
Half a century ago, the young architect Andrei Gozak was, to put it mildly, not delighted with the fact that he was sent to the most important construction site in the country. According to him, at that time this project seemed adventurous to many.
In March 1959, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided: "To build a building for holding congresses and other mass events on the territory of the Kremlin." This document was signed personally by Nikita Khrushchev. They say that the General Secretary was inspired by a trip to Beijing, namely the colossal Palace of Congresses for 10,000 seats. And in order to fit a similar structure measuring 120 by 70 meters on the densely built-up Kremlin territory, another decision was made at the very top - to demolish 6 buildings at once.
“These were the buildings of pre-fire Moscow,” says Galina Malanicheva, chairman of the central council of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, “in this sense, they are, of course, unique! We have very few buildings built before the fire of Moscow in 1812.”
Unique newsreel footage: archaeologists are working on a site cleared for construction (although a small officer corps is still in place). Brickwork is the foundation of the palace of Natalya Naryshkina, mother of Peter I.
However, at first the designers did not even try to make the Palace of Congresses exactly the Kremlin. We discussed at least 7 options for the construction site, including: the embankment in the area of the current Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the island opposite the Kremlin, Sparrow Hills, the territory of VDNKh. And the hotheads even suggested demolishing the Gostiny Dvor and building a palace in its place. There was an option to keep the old building of the Armory as a facade, but it was quickly abandoned.
The photograph from the 1920s shows that the builders of the demolished buildings also took care of the unique silhouette of the Kremlin. Today it becomes clear how the architects did their best to preserve the view of the Assumption Cathedral. At first, the palace was conceived without the upper tier and could be almost higher than the Trinity Tower. They came up with the idea of plunging it into the ground by almost 15 meters - this is the height of a five-story building. But, at the last moment, Khrushchev ordered to build a banquet hall from above, on the roof. And passers-by no longer see the golden domes of the Assumption Cathedral.
However, everyone admitted that the palace turned out to be majestic: gold, glass, white marble outside. Inside all possible colors are Armenian tuff, Karelian birch and gilded smalt. Finishing materials were brought from all over the country. Mosaic emblems of 15 sister republics in the main foyer were created by Alexander Deineka. They have been preserved in their original form.
“They restored it a little and left everything,” says Pyotr Shaboltai, general director and artistic director of the State Kremlin Palace, “although there were voices that pushed for it all to be removed: this, they say, is the past, why do we need it, the Soviet Union But it's all history and we've left it as it is."
The auditorium and the incredible technical capabilities of the Palace of Congresses at that time were especially amazing. The delegates of the XXII Congress of the CPSU were the first to see all this: cosmonauts and milkmaids, scientists and machine operators. The palace was built for the people.
“I greeted Voroshilov, I greeted Budyonny. I kept thinking how everyone could drink tea or coffee during the break,” recalls Zoya Pukhova, a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
There were legends about the banquet hall of the Palace of Congresses. After all, only here a simple Soviet person could taste whipped cream and incredibly tasty julienne, and after that even take a walk along the observation deck right among the Kremlin domes. But out of harm's way, the Kremlin guards closed it almost immediately.
“We, he says, are responsible for each deputy of the Supreme Council. They are ordinary people. What if he drank too much, saw someone and shouts:“ Come here! ”, - he stumbles and falls ... No steps,” the designer explains Kremlin Palace of Congresses, Doctor of Architecture Andrey Gozak.
Alexey Novikov, an employee of the State Kremlin Palace, said that the podium from which they promised to build communism by 1980 is still the same. "Nothing changed on it, all our general secretaries supported it," he noted.
Few people know that under the stage of the Palace, a belfry, cast at the beginning of the 20th century and installed here during the construction for performances, led by a multi-ton evangelist, has been preserved.
The famous French chansonnier Charles Aznavour was just preparing for his farewell concert in Russia when Channel One asked him to say a few words about the Kremlin Palace. It turned out that for him it was not just a stage, but a part of life.
“At one time, the Soviet Union was a land unknown to us. And thanks to the fact that I spoke in this hall, the whole world learned about how the Kremlin has changed, and that the Soviet people are the most ordinary people who love good music," said Charles Aznavour.
The whole last week there was something that the audience is never shown - exhausting rehearsals of the anniversary concert. After all, people have been coming here for half a century to see the front side of life.
A festive concert in honor of the 50th anniversary of the State Kremlin Palace, in which many stars took part, Channel One will show today. The beginning - right after the program "Time".
The Kremlin Palace is called "the brainchild of the thaw". The fact is that the GKD was built in the Khrushchev era, in 1961. Posokhin himself called Nikita Sergeevich at a festive banquet the first architect of this project.
Posokhin is an outstanding architect, it was he who owned the idea of the project of the current GKD. His version turned out to be the best at the closed competition of projects for the building of the Kremlin Palace.
How many places is the GKD designed for?
It was originally planned to build a Palace for 4,000 seats. However, Khrushchev was amazed by the Beijing Palace of Congresses for 10,000 seats (which was built in 1959) and decided to make adjustments to expand the Palace.
As a result The GKD was built with the expectation of 6,000 seats.
The acoustics of the hall is good, but due to the fact that the hall itself is huge, the back rows are equipped with a special sub-sound system. Carry binoculars with you so you can see the finer details on the stage.
The scene of the GKD is also majestic. So,
- its width is 23 meters;
- its length is 40 meters;
- it is equipped with 16 lifts;
- in the center of the stage there is a rotating circle, its diameter is 17 meters.
The GKD is not only one of the largest cultural buildings in Europe, but also one of the most prestigious.
The State Kremlin Palace is the most prestigious and best in Moscow. It began to be called that way in 1992, earlier the building was called the "Kremlin Palace of Congresses". Brief address:
Brief characteristics
The Palace is located on the territory belonging to the residence of the President of Russia. ranked among the best in the world. Its capacity is six thousand people. Huge sizes do not suppress, but create a feeling of comfort and balance. The stage area is 450 square meters, it is equipped with all necessary equipment. In addition to the main one, the Palace has a Small Hall, otherwise it is called the Reception Hall. Most often, it hosts chamber concerts, performances by performers of jazz and classical music.
The Kremlin Palace of Congresses has its own restaurant, which can accommodate from six hundred to a thousand people at a banquet, while a buffet table can accommodate up to two thousand guests.
A bit of history
The idea of building the building belonged to Khrushchev, the chief secretary of the Central Committee. It was decided that the Kremlin Palace of Congresses should be erected for the XXII Congress of the Communist Party, which was scheduled for the autumn of 1961. Until they gathered at the Bolshoi Theater or in the old Kremlin Palace. Nikita Sergeevich agreed only to the Kremlin for holding high events, no other place suited him. It was decided to build a chic Palace, which would be designed specifically for holding important, crowded events. The place chosen for this is the old Armory in the Empire style, built at the beginning of the 19th century by Egotov. Before that, buildings of the court of Tsar Boris Godunov stood at this place. Near the old Armory there was a whole chain of old Russian cannons, headed by the Tsar Cannon. All of them were moved towards the Arsenal to the captured French guns.
Construction
Before starting the construction of the facility, they produced in this place which made it possible to replenish the history of Moscow.
The best architects took part in the creation of the building project: Shchepetilnikov, Posokhin, Stamo, Mndoyants, Shteller. As well as engineers: Kondratiev, Shkolnikov, Lvov, Melik-Arakelyan.
Initially, the hall of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses was designed for four thousand seats. In the project, it was divided into three fronts (facade, foyer, meeting room), each one was handled by a specific group of architects. Subsequently, many for this project received the Lenin Prize.
Under the influence of Chinese colleagues, who rebuilt the Palace of Congresses in Beijing for ten thousand seats, it was decided to expand the building. It was planned to create a hall with a capacity of six thousand people. At the same time, a banquet hall for 2500 people was designed. The scheme of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses indicates that the newly increased volume was "hidden" underground, to a depth of fifteen meters. Additional floors appeared, where spectator wardrobes were placed.
Opening of the Palace
Construction lasted only sixteen months. In such a short time it was necessary to complete the task. During the construction, the old officer barracks from the time of Nicholas I were destroyed, while a whole brigade operated. The grand construction required strict discipline and great responsibility. Even for a small oversight, there was a chance to part with the party card and even freedom. The Kremlin was built with state money, no expense was spared for it.
The discovery took place in October 1961. The chic party palace impressed everyone with its luxury and grandeur. The facade was decorated with white Ural marble and golden anodized aluminum. The main entrance was crowned with the coat of arms of the USSR, decorated with gilding. Later in the course of history, it was replaced with the Russian coat of arms.
Karbakhty red granite, Baku patterned tufa, koelga marble, various expensive wood species were used for interior decoration.
One of the difficult constructive tasks was that the new building had to properly fit into the appearance of the Kremlin. It was decided that the Kremlin Palace of Congresses should be coordinated with the building of the Arsenal. For this, the Palace was deepened 15 meters into the ground, which made it possible to distribute more than eight hundred rooms in the building.
Kremlin Palace of Congresses - how to get there?
The Kremlin Palace is a landmark in the capital that does not need a special broad introduction. It is located in the very heart of Moscow - on the territory of the Kremlin. This makes it quite accessible for visiting tourists and just spectators. It is the State Kremlin Palace that is the main and most prestigious stage in Russia. It hosts important events, concerts of the most prominent Russian and world stars.
The largest flow of visitors is always observed on the New Year holiday, because it is here that the All-Russian Kremlin New Year tree is held. Entrance to the Kremlin Palace is strictly by passes and tickets.
You can enter through There is a checkpoint, as well as a left-luggage office. You can get to the territory of the Kremlin by passing the Trinity Bridge, the Trinity Tower and the gates of the same name.
I had to destroy the old buildings - officer barracks from the time of Nicholas I. A guide to architectural styles
The first plan of the architect Posokhin was to demolish even more buildings - part of the Kremlin wall and. But limited themselves to small victims. And in order to justify the new construction, a rumor was spread in society that the Palace of Congresses would take the place of a dirty household yard in the Kremlin.
The architects of the State Kremlin Palace faced a difficult constructive task - to fit the new building into the architectural appearance of the Kremlin. To do this, it was necessary to correctly calculate the height. They decided to coordinate the KDS with the building, and to increase the internal space, the palace was deepened by 15 meters (this is the height of a five-story building!). The wardrobe and most of the office space are located not only below ground level, but also outside the ground walls. This made it possible to place more than 800 rooms and a banquet hall for 2,500 guests inside the palace, and increase the capacity of the auditorium of the Palace of Congresses to 6,000 people. Therefore, this huge building only seems small.
The construction time was short - only 16 months, so they hired a whole "team" of architects. For any oversight, one could pay with a party card, a career, and even freedom. But they did not spare any money for the construction of a new palace - engineers were sent abroad, for example, to China, where Mao Zedong demonstrated a new conference hall with 10,000 seats.
There were also unpleasant incidents. When a sample of the steel of the load-bearing structures was taken, it turned out that the metal has a high carbon content - that is, it cannot be built from it. And most of the building was ready! They took another sample - the same indicators. The architects have already “sprinkled ashes on their heads”, but decided to take the samples to another laboratory. It turned out that a faulty device was to blame for the frightening results.
The strength tests of the building were especially exciting: 15,000 soldiers were placed in the wardrobe, in the halls, on the roof, and forced to march in front.
Kremlin: mini-guide to the territoryIt seemed to someone that the floor "walks". A new test was appointed - a “dance evening”, to which a troupe and 600 pairs of Komsomol members were invited. And the building withstood Krakowiak performed by more than a thousand people. For the construction of the KDS, 7 out of 13 architects received Lenin Prizes.
Khrushchev was pleased and even suggested calling the building not a house, but the Palace of Congresses. But he did not enjoy the meetings in the DPT for long: in October 1964, Khrushchev vacated all posts. And the Palace of Congresses remained, but now it is a concert hall.
They say that......during the construction of the KDS, I had to resort to a trick: to send specialists to Belgium, ostensibly to prepare for the mass purchase of aluminum products. In fact, engineers studied the secrets of using this metal in construction, since there was no such experience in the USSR.
... the foundation of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses upset the hydrological balance of the entire Borovitsky Hill, and in order for the hill not to “float away”, hundreds of cubic meters of concrete had to be pumped into the ground.
... at the beginning of 1964, the artistic council saw anti-party notes in the film “Welcome, or no strangers allowed”: mockery of corn, the similarity of Kostya Inochkin’s grandmother with Khrushchev and the anti-Soviet bias of the scene with her imaginary funeral. The tape was "put on the shelf." And then for the May holidays, Khrushchev requested some new comedy film. I had to give "Welcome, or strangers are not allowed to enter." GenSeku liked the picture. The tape was released on October 9, and Khrushchev was removed from all positions on October 14. This is how the legend appeared that the new leaders of the USSR released the film as an anti-Khrushchev film.
... after the construction of the Palace of Congresses
