The spiritual, artistic and ruling heart of Russia is the Kremlin – a 27.5-hectare (68-acre) triangle of land set on a high bluff overlooking the Moscow River. The original Kremlin was a self-contained city with dwellings, churches, traders and artisans. Over the years, the walls were rebuilt and the territory expanded. In 1937, the two-headed eagles that were the symbol of the imperial Romanov family were taken down and replaced by Communist red stars. The Kremlin is still the residence of the President and his administration.
The fortress’s red wall is 2.2km (1.4 miles) long, and has 20 towers and four entrances. The tallest tower is the Trinity (80m/262ft), once connected by a drawbridge stretching over the Neglinnaya River to the Kutafya Tower. This is now the main entrance for visitors. The area open to visitors is around and within the magnificent Cathedral Square. On the perimeter is the Patriarch’s Palace and Church of the Twelve Apostles, now the Museum of 17th-Century Life and Applied Art.