The Moscow Kremlin: Russia’s Fortified Heart

Mark Galeotti

mar 2022 · Bloomsbury Publishing

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An illustrated study of the history of the Moscow Kremlin, a metaphor for Russia, a symbol for its government and an enduring icon of the country.

A fortified complex covering 70 acres at the heart of Moscow, behind walls up to 18m high and watched over by 20 towers, the Kremlin houses everything from Russia's seat of political power to glittering churches. This is a fortress that has evolved over time, from the original wooden guard tower built in the 11th century to the current stone and brick complex, over the years having been built, burnt, besieged and rebuilt.

Starting with the initial building of a wooden watch tower on the banks of the Moskva river in the 11th century, this book follows the Kremlin's tumultuous history through rises and falls and various iterations to today, supported by photographs, specially commissioned artwork and maps. In the process, it tells a story of Russia, and also unveils a range of mysteries around the fortress, from the 14th-century underground tunnels built to permit spies to enter and leave it covertly through to today's invisible defences such as it GPS spoofing field (switch on your phone inside the walls and it may well tell you you're at Vnukovo airport, 30km away) and drone jammers.

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Dr Mark Galeotti is a world-class expert on Russian history, politics and security. He has taught in the UK, USA, Russia and Czech Republic, advised governments and corporations, and talked to everyone from Russian gangsters to Chinese marines.

Donato Spedaliere was born in Switzerland and moved to Italy. He studied at Belle Arti in Florence and he is both a 2D and 3D artist, working with publishers, museums, archaeologists, architects and military institutions.