Terem Palace

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Façade of the Terem Palace in the mid-19th century. For a modern picture, see here.

Terem Palace or Teremnoy Palace (Russian: Теремной дворец) of the Moscow Kremlin used to be the main residence of the Russian tsars in the 17th century. Its name is derived from the Greek word τερεμνον (i.e., "dwelling"). Currently, the structure is not accessible to the public, as it belongs to the official residence of the President of Russia.

It was at the turn of the 16th century that Aloisio the New constructed the first royal palace on the spot. Only the ground floor survives from that structure, as the first Romanov tsar, Mikhail Feodorovich, had the palace completely rebuilt in 1635-36. The new structure was surrounded by numerous annexes and outbuildings, including the Boyar Platform, Golden Staircase, Golden Porch, and several turrets. On Mikhail's behest, the adjoining Golden Tsaritsa's Chamber, constructed back in the 1560s for Ivan IV's wife, was surmounted with 11 golden domes of the Upper Saviour Cathedral. The complex of the palace also incorporates several churches of earlier construction, including the Church of the Virgin's Nativity from the 1360s.

View of the Teremnoy Palace in 1797 (Quarenghi's veduta).

The palace consists of five stories. The third story was occupied by the tsaritsa and her children; the fourth one contained the private apartments of the tsar. The upper story is a tent-like structure where the Boyar Duma convened (picture). The exterior, exuberantly decorated with brick tracery and colored tiles, is brilliantly painted in red, yellow, and orange (picture). The interior used to be painted as well, but the original murals were destroyed by successive fires, particularly the great fire of 1812. In 1837, the interiors were renovated in accordance with old drawings in the Russian Revival style (picture).