Faceted Chamber

The Grand Kremlin Palace includes the oldest stone building of Moscow, the Faceted Chamber - the former throne room of the Sovereign's palace built in the late 15th century by Ivan III.

The Faceted Chamber was built in 1487-1491 by Italian architects Marco Ruffo and Pietro Antonio Solari. The Faceted Chamber facing the west side of the Cathedral Square is distinguished by its unusual main facade decoration of white faceted stone. This decor gave the name of the building, the Faceted. The building appearance was influenced by Italian late Gothic. However, the proportions and the internal layout with traditional entrance hall are characteristic of the ancient Russian architecture.

The Faceted Chamber itself is a huge square room with cross vaults with the area of about 500 square meters. The interior of the Faceted Chamber was very remarkable for that time. The magnificent and spacious 9-meter-high hall is lit by 18 windows located on three sides; at night - by 4 round massive chandeliers. They were made from bronze in the 19th century. The main role in the interior is played by painting covering almost the entire surface of the walls and vaults.

The Faceted Chamber has witnessed various major events in the life of the Russian state; it used to be the stately throne room. It was used for receiving foreign ambassadors, to solemnly proclaim heirs to the Russian throne, to hold the Zemsky Sobor, to celebrate the victories of Russian army. Even today, the Faceted Chamber is used for official ceremonies and receptions.