Kremlin (fortification)



A kremlin (кремль, "castle", or "citadel" ) is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the most famous, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there.

The word perhaps shares a same root as kremen (кремень, "flint").

World Heritage Sites

 * Moscow Kremlin
 * Novgorod Kremlin
 * Solovetsky Monastery
 * Suzdal Kremlin
 * Kazan Kremlin

Intact

 * Astrakhan Kremlin
 * Kolomna Kremlin
 * Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin by aircraft.jpg]]
 * Pskov Kremlin
 * Rostov Veliky Kremlin (a bishop's residence, not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Smolensk Kremlin Smolensk kremlin.jpg Kremlin in 1912]] View01.jpg Kremlin]]
 * Tobolsk Kremlin (the sole stone kremlin in Siberia)
 * Tula Kremlin
 * Zaraysk Kremlin
 * Ivangorod Fortress (not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Oreshek Fortress (not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Staraya Ladoga
 * Alexandrov Kremlin (a czar residence, not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Korela Fortress (not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Izborsk Kremlin

In ruins

 * Gdov Kremlin
 * Porkhov Kremlin
 * Serpukhov Kremlin
 * Velikie Luki Kremlin
 * Torzhok Kremlin
 * Mozhaysk Kremlin
 * Fortress of Koporye (not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Vyazma Kremlin (one tower)
 * Syzran Kremlin (one tower, 1683)
 * Ufa

Existing and unwalled

 * Vladimir Kremlin (Tower Golden Gate and bank)
 * Dmitrov
 * Ryazan
 * Vologda (a bishop residence, not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Yaroslavl (two towers)
 * Pereslavl-Zalessky
 * Khlynov (Vyatka)
 * Volokolamsk

Traces remain

 * Borovsk
 * Opochka
 * Zvenigorod
 * Starodub
 * Tver – a wooden fortress was burned down in a fire in 1763
 * Sknyatino – underwater since flooding during the 1930s.
 * Yam Fortress (not formally considered a kremlin)
 * Fortress of Radonezh
 * Ryazan
 * Old Ryazan (60 km from modern Ryazan)
 * Ostrov (14th-15th centuries)
 * Belgorod (bank of fortress)
 * Vereya
 * Kaluga
 * Kleshchin
 * Kostroma
 * Pustozyorsk
 * Uglich
 * Staritsa
 * Sviyazhsk
 * Cheboksary
 * Yuryev-Polsky
 * Aleksin
 * Opochka
 * Oryol
 * Rurikovo gorodishche
 * Mtsensk
 * Raskiel

Modern imitations

 * Izmaylovo Kremlin
 * Yoshkar Ola

Kremlins outside borders of modern Russia
After the disintegrations of the Kievan Rus, the Russian Empire and the USSR, some fortresses considered Kremlin-type, remained beyond the borders of modern Russia. Some are listed below:
 * Belz, Ukraine (only traces)
 * Kiev, Ukraine (reconstructed tower of the Golden Gate)
 * Putyvl, Ukraine
 * Novhorod-Siverskyi, Ukraine
 * Chernihiv, Ukraine (only traces)
 * Kamyanyets, Belarus (shafts and Belaya Vezha tower)
 * Belgorod Kievsky, Ukraine (now village Belgorodka)

The same structure in Ukraine is called dytynets (дитинець, from dytyna – child). The term has been in use since the 11th century. The term kremlin first appeared in 14th century in Russian territories, where it replaced dytynets.

Many Russian monasteries have been built in a fortress-like style similar to that of a kremlin. For a partial list, see Monasteries in Russia.