The waters of the majestic Moskva River slowly flow along the walls of the Kremlin. Its coasts are clad in gray granite slabs. The picturesque Kremlin Embankment is laid along the left bank of the Moskva River, colossal bridges with wonderful architectural forms hang over the quietly splashing waters.
A wide avenue-embankment stretches along the southern Kremlin wall with multi-tiered towers crowned with pointed spiers. It is separated from the river by a beautiful parapet. Between the wall of the Kremlin and the roadway of the avenue stretches an alley formed by relic lindens with wide dense crowns.
This marvelous Moscow corner is the Kremlin embankment. A photo of the avenue with the Kremlin, taken from the Bolshoi Kamenny or Moskvoretsky bridge, shakes to the core.
Location
The embankment stretches along the left bank of the Moskva River. It borders on Vasilyevsky Spusk and Lenivka. The length of the banks, dressed in granite, is almost equal to the length of the southern wall of the Kremlin. The avenue adjoins the Zotov Chambers and the Alexander Garden. The mouth of the Neglinka comes out to it.
Pribrezhnaya Street is adjacent to Red Square, the Russian Book Chamber, Moskvoretskaya Embankment and Prechistenka. The embankment street is separated from Moskvoretsky prospect by the bridge of the same name. Prechistenka intersects with the Kremlin Embankment in the area of the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge.
How to get there
The length of the avenue is quite large. Muscovites and guests of the capital are simply solving the problem of how to get to the Kremlin embankment. They go down to the subway. They get on trains going to the Lenin Library or Borovitskaya metro stations, where they walk along the southern fortress wall of the Kremlin, relax in Alexander and Tainitsky gardens.
Kremlevskaya embankment is adjacent to Manezhnaya Square and Okhotny nearby. How to get to this quarter with many interesting sights? Take the metro and get off at one of the following stations: Aleksandrovsky Sad, Okhotny Ryad, Lenin's Library, Borovitskaya.
From the trade route to the luxurious waterfront
In the XII-XIV centuries, near the Kremlin walls, where the Moscow River was forded, there was an intersection of two roads. The road that stretched along the coast gained commercial importance. First, the boats of Eastern merchants stopped at the ford, from whom Muscovites received overseas goods in exchange for honey and furs.
And then Russian merchants began to transport their goods along the river and overland roads that run fromdifferent sides of the Kremlin. One of the roads along the coast became known as the Kremlin embankment. Moscow in the Kremlin area was rapidly changing. On the Moskva River, just below the ancient ford, a massive wooden bridge was erected. The Kremlin was surrounded by brick walls and towers. By the end of the XIV century, the embankment became the center of life, it was built up with trading huts, chests, shops, collapses and other things.
Rise and fall
In 1693, instead of a wooden bridge, the Big Stone Bridge will appear. By 1708, earthen ramparts and bastions would be built on the coast of the river in order to protect against the invasion of Swedish troops. But the Swedes will not unleash hostilities. The Russian capital will be moved to St. Petersburg, and the Kremlin embankment will become a place of desolation for many years to come. Muscovites will arrange a garbage dump on it.
The new transformation of the coastal street will begin in 62 years. V. I. Bazhenov will develop a project for its improvement. The banks of the river will be lined with logs, but they will not be a very reliable flood protection.
And only two decades later, F. M. Kazakov will create another project for the improvement of the Kremlin environs. River banks will be strengthened with stone, a through roadway will be created and many trees will be planted. The Kremlin embankment will be the first in Moscow to acquire stone robes. It will become the center of festivities and festivals for a long period of time.
In 1836, the granite decoration of the Kremlin embankment will be completed. At the end of the 19th century, a horse-drawn tram would be launched along it. And in 1911, on the formed Boulevard Ring,run trams, which have become a worthy replacement for the horse-drawn carriage. The tram route will be affectionately called "Annushka".
Now the Annushka tram line covers only three boulevard rings out of ten. In addition to the traditional carriages in which passengers travel, the tram-cafe "Annushka Tavern" runs along the line.
Attractions
Scenic Avenue is surrounded by many interesting sights, historical sites and squares. It is adjacent to the Kremlin and other embankments of the Moscow River. There are wonderful walking places here - Senate, Ivanovskaya, Palace, Cathedral, Manezhnaya and Red Squares, Vasilyevsky Spusk, Chistye Prudy. There is a necropolis near the Kremlin wall. The Kremlin embankment is surrounded by museums, cathedrals, monasteries and churches.
Kremlin Fortress
Initially, the Moscow Kremlin played the role of a defensive structure. Its 20 towers were independent fortresses with deep cellars filled with ammunition and loopholes from which the defenders defended the city. Now the Kremlin is a majestic government residence that has retained museum functions. Behind the Kremlin wall are the iconic sights of Moscow.
Moscow River
On the coast of the Moskva River, cozy cafes are interspersed with marinas and apple orchards. Pleasure boats depart from the pier from time to time. The river excursion lasts about 40 minutes, filling the soul with pleasant emotions. Festivities with great show programs are organized in parks and gardens.
Alexander Garden
Three alleys run along the Kremlin's fortress wall and Manezhnaya Square along the favorite walking corner - the Alexander Garden. The park is replete with luxurious compositions of lindens, maples and blue firs, original arrangements of beautifully flowering shrubs, luxurious flower beds and fancy fountains. Massive gates, cast iron and covered with military paraphernalia, open the main entrance to the park. They are an imperishable reminder of Russia's military triumph.
There are many cultural and historical monuments in the park. Alexander Garden, fulfilling the mission of a memorial complex, is proud of the Italian Grotto with an observation deck, the Kutafya tower, the Romanov obelisk, the sculpture of Patriarch Hermogenes and monuments dedicated to the wars of 1812 and 1941.
