The Armoury

The Armoury is one of the oldest museums on the Kremlin grounds and now is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace's complex. It is situated in the building constructed in 1851 by architect Konstantin Ton. The museum collections consist of precious items that had been preserved for centuries in the tsars' treasury and the Patriarch's vestry. Some of the exhibits were made in the Kremlin's craft shops; others were accepted as ambassadorial gifts. The museum was named after one of the oldest Kremlin's treasury store. The Armoury Chamber preserves ancient state regalia, ceremonial tsar's vestments and coronation dresses, vestments of the Russian Orthodox Church's hierarchs, the largest collection of gold and silverware by Russian artisans, West European artistic silver, ceremonial weapons and arms, carriages, horse ceremonial harnesses. Included in treasures are the Faberge Eggs, furniture, and the coronation crowns of the Tsars and Tsarinas. The State Armoury presents more than four thousands items of Russian, European and Eastern applied art of IV - early XX centuries. The highest artistic level and particular historical and cultural value of the exhibits have made the State Armoury of the Moscow Kremlin a world-wide known museum. Included in treasures are the Faberge Eggs, furniture, and the coronation crowns of the Tsars and Tsarinas.