Astrakhan Kremlin

The Astrakhan Kremlin (Russian Астраханский кремль ) is a former citadel of the southern Russian city of Astrakhan in lower Volga. The Kremlin appeared at the end of the 16th century, following the example of other Russian fortresses of the early modern period ( including the most famous of them, the Moscow Kremlin ). The ensemble is on an island that is washed by the Volga and three small rivers.

After in 1557 the Russian army under Tsar Ivan IV ( the Terrible ), the territories could conquer the lower reaches of the Volga from the Tatar Khanate of Astrakhan and incorporate the former Khanate of the tsarist Russia, was immediately started the construction of a Fortifikationsanlage that the new south-eastern should secure borders of the Russian state. First was a wooden-built fort on the site of today's Kremlin. This proved, however, after several attacks over the following years, it was decided not very stable, so to build a massive fortification of stone. As an example, while several previously built Russian Kremlin were used: In Astrakhan should be a thick brick wall with several towers arise. Construction of the new Citadel lasted from 1582 to 1589; partially bricks destroyed buildings in the nearby former Tatar town Sarai were used as building material here. There was an almost 1.5 km long wall with eight towers, one of which could be fired with artillery in the defense case. Unlike the Moscow Kremlin Astrakhan citadel was not designed by Italian, but the local builders, who were appointed from Moscow for this purpose.

The fortifications of the Kremlin today consists of 1487 meters long, white painted brick-built walls and seven towers built into it. The wall is depending on topographic conditions between seven and 11.5 meters high and at some points up to 5.2 meters thick. Of the seven or preserved today towers ( originally there were eight) have three drive-through on goals. The wall comprises an approximately 11 -acre area, where several buildings built in different centuries can be seen. The most famous of these is the Dormition Cathedral, which was built in its present form in the years 1698-1710. Another cathedral in Astrakhan Kremlin is the Trinity Cathedral; it was built in the late 16th century and was originally part of the same monastery, which was at that time owned by the Trinity Monastery near Moscow. A striking secular building in the Kremlin represents the former Bishop's House: Built from the late 16th century and enlarged several times until the early 18th century and remodeled.

The resulting systems of the Astrakhan Kremlin - both the Fortifikationsbauwerke as well as sacred and secular buildings inside the wall - are on the list of historic monuments throughout Russia since 1980. Since 2009, the Astrakhan Kremlin also applying for inclusion on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.