The Kremlin Presidium (The Administrative Building of the Kremlin, russian: Административный корпус Кремля, Administrativnyy korpus Kremlya), also denominated Building 14 (russian: 14-й корпус), was an edifice within the
Moscow Kremlin
The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (R ...
in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. Constructed in 1934, until 2011 it housed, first, the
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet (russian: Верховный Совет, Verkhovny Sovet, Supreme Council) was the common name for the legislative bodies (parliaments) of the Soviet socialist republics (SSR) in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) ...
, i. e. the supreme legislative body of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
until its dissolution in 1991, and, second, the offices of the
Presidential Administration of Russia
The Presidential Executive Office of Russia or the Presidential Administration of Russia ( rus, Администрация Президента Российской Федерации, Administratsiya Prezidenta Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the ex ...
. It was demolished in 2016.
Building
The Kremlin Presidium was located in the northern part of the Kremlin, adjacent to the
Kremlin Senate
The Kremlin Senate (The Senate Palace, russian: Сенатский дворец) is a building within the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin in Russia. Initially constructed from 1776 to 1787, it originally housed the Moscow branch of the Governing S ...
and forming one side of
Ivanovskaya Square
Ivanovskaya Square (russian: Ивановская площадь) is the largest Kremlin square. Its name comes from the Ivan the Great Bell Tower.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, many government bodies were situated in the Ivanovskaya Square. It ...
. The edifice of 4 storeys had 3 wings opening toward the Senate, which a central building which faced
Taynitskaya Garden to the south connected. The southern facade had an
Ionic colonnade and a gabled roof in the center, reflecting the
Neoclassical style of the adjacent Senate Building. However, the halls of the wings were much simpler and less conspicuous. The building had 3 floors and was painted in the same yellow color as many of the other administrative buildings in the
Moscow Kremlin
The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (R ...
.
History
The Presidium was on the site of the former
Chudov Monastery
The Chudov Monastery (russian: Чу́дов монасты́рь; more formally known as Alexius’ Archangel Michael Monastery) was founded in the Moscow Kremlin in 1358 by Metropolitan Alexius of Moscow. The monastery was dedicated to the mira ...
which
Metropolitan Alexius
Saint Alexius (''Алекси́й'' or ''Aleksij'' in Russian) (before 1296–1378) was Metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia (from 1354), and presided over the Moscow government during Dmitrii Donskoi's minority.
Biography
Alexius, whose n ...
of
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
founded in 1365,
Ascension Convent, and Lesser Nicholas Palace. These were among the historic edifices in the Kremlin that
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
ordered demolished as part of the
state atheism
State atheism is the incorporation of positive atheism or non-theism into political regimes. It may also refer to large-scale secularization attempts by governments. It is a form of religion-state relationship that is usually ideologically li ...
campaign, pursuant to which religious structures throughout
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
were razed.
Ivan Rerberg
Ivan Ivanovich Rerberg (October 4, 1869 – 1932, Moscow) was a Russian civil engineer, architect and educator active in Moscow in 1897–1932. Rerberg's input to present-day Moscow include Kiyevsky Rail Terminal, Central Telegraph building and ...
, a prominent architect of
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
who had designed the
Kiyevsky Rail Terminal
Kiyevsky railway terminal (russian: Ки́евский вокза́л, ''Kievskiy vokzal'') also known as Moscow Kiyevskaya railway station (russian: Москва́-Ки́евская, ''Moskva-Kievskaya'') is one of the nine railway terminals of ...
, was assigned to design a new administrative building for the Soviet government, and its construction began almost immediately.
The new edifice was completed in 1934, two years after Rerberg's death. Initially it was not named, and it hosted the Red Commanders School, which was a military academy for
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
leaders. The School was relocated in 1935, and from 1938 the building housed the offices of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (russian: Президиум Верховного Совета, Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a body of state power in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).[de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...]
''
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
.
From 1958-61, part of the building was converted into the 1,200-seat Kremlin Theatre (Кремлёвский театр). However, it proved to be an awkward venue, and its functions were transferred to the newly built
State Kremlin Palace
The State Kremlin Palace (russian: Государственный Кремлёвский Дворец), formerly and unofficially still better known as the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (Кремлёвский Дворец съездов), is a ...
.
Demolition
In 2001 the Presidium was slated for repair. After the relocation of the Presidential Administration to the
Staraya Ploschad
Staraya Square (russian: Старая площадь ''Staraya Ploshchad’''), literally "Old Square", connects Ilyinka Street with Varvarka Gates Square in central Kitai-gorod area of Moscow, Russia. It is not a square in a true sense, but a str ...
in 2011, important renovations began that were originally planned to be completed by 2015. Despite several years of renovation work, which was criticized as an imprudent expenditure of public funds, alternative proposals were made. It was decided to discontinue the renovation and demolish the building entirely.
In 2014 President
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
proposed the restoration of the former
Chudov Monastery
The Chudov Monastery (russian: Чу́дов монасты́рь; more formally known as Alexius’ Archangel Michael Monastery) was founded in the Moscow Kremlin in 1358 by Metropolitan Alexius of Moscow. The monastery was dedicated to the mira ...
,
Ascension Convent, and Lesser Nicholas Palace. This proposal, if approved, would radically change the plan of the Kremlin and restore the historical vista of
Ivanovskaya Square
Ivanovskaya Square (russian: Ивановская площадь) is the largest Kremlin square. Its name comes from the Ivan the Great Bell Tower.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, many government bodies were situated in the Ivanovskaya Square. It ...
. At the same time experts doubt the possibility of such an authentic reconstruction.
Meanwhile a plan to build a new park on the site was announced. In April 2016 the Presidium was demolished. A little earlier the closed public entrance through
Spasskaya Tower
The Spasskaya Tower ( rus, Спасская башня, Spasskaya Bashnya), translated as 'Saviour Tower', is the main tower on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin which overlooks Red Square.
History
The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 by th ...
was opened to allow direct passage between
Red Square
Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...
and
Alexander Garden
Alexander Gardens (russian: Александровский сад) was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow, Russia. The park comprises three separate gardens, which stretch along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for between ...
; it was closed to the public after the Bolshevik Government relocated there after the Revolution.
References
*Klein, Mina. ''The Kremlin: Citadel of History''. MacMillan Publishing Company (1973).
*Tropkin, Alexander. ''The Moscow Kremlin: History of Russia's Unique Monument''. Publishing House "Russkaya Zhizn" (1980). ASIN: B0010XM7BQ
External links
Official webpage (Archive)
{{Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
Buildings and structures built in the Soviet Union
Government buildings completed in 1934
Demolished buildings and structures in Moscow
Buildings and structures demolished in 2015
1934 establishments in the Soviet Union