QUANTITY	EXCURSION MAINTENANCE, EURO/GROUP	ENTRANCE TICKETS, EURO/PERSON
1-3 people	950	-
4-10 people	950	-
10-20 people	950	-

The palace was built at the order of Tsar Nicholas I by renowned Petersburg architect Konstantin Ton in 1838-1849. Eminent Moscow architects F.Rikhter, N.Chichagov and P.Gerasimov took part in building the palace. Renowned artists and sculptors were brought in to decorate the interiors: F.Solntsev, I.Vitali, P.Klodt and O.Loganovsky.

The palace’s main facade faces the Moscow River. The facade is decorated with carved white stone pediments, and the windows have carved coverings with double arcs and a small weight in the middle, like in the towers of the 17th century. The Annunication entrance of the Great Kremlin Palace gives on to the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin.

The palace, as Nicholas I conceived it, is a monument to Russian history and the glory of the Russian army. Five of the ceremonial halls on the second floor of the palace – the Andrew, Alexander, Georgy, Vladimir and Catherine halls – are dedicated to Russian orders, elements of which are included in the stucco moulding of each hall.

In the 19th century the main hall of the Great Kremlin palace was the Andrew (throne) Hall. In the mid 1990s, the Andrew Hall was restored to its original splendour. The hall is decorated by ten gilded pylons and gilded doors with crosses and chains of the Order of Andrew, which was founded by Tsar Peter the Great. The walls are upholstered in blue silk moire, the colour of the Andrew ribbon, and decorated with chains and symbols of the order. The coats of arms of the provinces and Oblasts of Russia hang above the windows. The hall is illuminated by ten bronze chandeliers and 35 lamp brackets. Two hearths of grey-purple jasper make a worthy adornment for the interior of the hall and of the entire palace. There are three throne seats upholstered in ermine by the east wall. On special occasions, important military officials gathered here. Today this is the place where the most ceremonial events of state importance are held.

Adjoining the Andrew Hall; the Alexander Hall was created in honour of the order of St. Alexander Nevsky, founded in 1725 by Empress Catherine I. The walls are of artificial pink marble, and lined with golden chairs upholstered in velvet, which is the colour of ribbons of the order, with stars of the order attached to the backs. The pendentive arches are crowned with a spherical dome, which is also decorated by symbols of the order and state coats of arms. On the walls are paintings by Moller of scenes from the life of Alexander Nevsky.

The Georgy Hall is the largest and most ceremonial hall of the Great Kremlin Palace. The hall is dedicated to one of the most honorary of the Tsar’s decorations – the military order of St. Georgy, founded in 1769 by Empress Catherine the Great. The enormous vaulted ceiling of the Georgy Hall rests on 18 massive pylons, decorated by figures by sculptor Ivan Vitali. The white walls and the arches of the hall are decorated by relief ornaments which have symbols of the order engraved in them. On the marble walls and plaques that cover the walls and pylons, the names of the regiments decorated with the order of St. Georgy and the names of the Georgy cavaliers are engraved in gold letters. In the crescents of the cross walls are relief sculptures of St. Georgy on his horse by sculptor Pyotr Klodt.