Take a tour of one of the many castles and kremlins found in Russia.
This country is home to hundreds of castles, including both fortifications and monasteries.
Discover more about the onion domes that are significant to Russian architecture, as well as how many kremlins there are left in Russia.
Also, did you know that one of the castles in Russia is featured in an imperial Faberge egg?
Learn all about that and more with the top 10 most beautiful castles in Russia.
10 Most Beautiful Castles in Russia
Grand Kremlin Palace
The most famously known and most beautiful of all the castles in Russia has to be the Grand Kremlin Palace in the national capital city of Moscow.
Mainly, the reason this palace is so famous is that the Russian government and the president of Russia are there.
The Kremlin Palace was constructed in 1482 in the style of Neo-Byzantine and Russian Revival architecture.
Yes, this is a beautifully adorned Russian castle with onion-shaped domes on the towers.
There are several interior ceremonial halls called The Hall of the Order of St. George, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Vladimir, St. Andrew, and St. Catherine.
By the way, you cannot visit the Grand Kremlin Palace as this is the President of the Russian Federation’s Official Residence.
Moscow Kremlin Museums
The Moscow Kremlin Museums, unlike the Grand Kremlin Palace, are open to the public and welcoming to visitors.
When in the Kremlin Museums, visitors can tour the Armoury Chamber, the Patriarch’s Palace, and the Twelve Apostles Church.
Inside the Kremlin is also the Museum of Applied Art and Life Style, as well as the Church of Laying Our Lady’s Holy Robe in Cathedral Square.
This complex is considered one of the strongest representations of 17th-century Russian civil architecture.
Treasures from Russia and worldwide are showcased in the Moscow Kremlin Museums.
There are also live concerts and orchestra performances hosted in the Kremlin Museums for the general public.
Konigsberg Castle
Located in Kaliningrad, Russia is the Konigsberg Castle, featuring a medieval style of architecture.
Unlike the traditional kremlins with unique onion dome architecture distinctive to Russian Orthodox churches, this castle was made using gray stone bricks.
Unfortunately, the castle no longer stands today and the ruins are being exhumed for historical purposes.
Yet Konigsberg Castle has an extensive and lively history.
It has been blown up at least once and completely rebuilt and was taken over by Germany in World War II.
Konigsberg Cathedral, which is the burial place of philosopher Immanuel Kant, was reconstructed to be the present-day Konigsberg Castle.
In addition, the castle was constructed by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1255, which stimulated quite a lot of interest in the excavation process.
Castle Brandenburg
In Ushakovo, Russia, you can explore the preserved ruins of Castle Brandenburg.
This is another castle constructed by the Teutonic Knights, which is a highlight for all of those fans of Indiana Jones or Dan Brown novels.
Brandenburg Castle was constructed a few years after Konigsberg in 1266.
The castle was a result of a battle between the Teutonic Order and the Prussians to show honor to Otto III, Margrave of Brandenburg.
Visitors can see the ruins of a Gothic tower and castle walls.
Explore and imagine what it would have been like to live among the Russians and tzars in the Middle Ages.
Bip Castle
Bip Castle is a royal domicile in Russia located in Pavlovsk Park, Saint Petersburg.
Erected from 1795 to 1797, the castle was the project of Emperor Paul I.
If you have been to Disneyland and seen Sleeping Beauty Castle, you might be taken aback at Bip Castle.
Walking up to the beautiful Russian castle on the drawbridge paired with towers, visitors can bask at the palace built on Swedish fortifications.
This is one of the most well-maintained castles in Russia, and it is also called Bip Fortress.
Visitors can host a wedding or special event at the castle, which features a yellow butter exterior with white trim.
Appreciate the architecture of this glorious castle as the backdrop of your event photos.
The castle is one of the more extravagantly decorated in the country of Russia.
Great Gatchina Palace
The Great Gatchina Palace, also called Gattsina lossipark, features classical architecture and is one of the most grandiose castle complexes in Russia.
Located in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, this palace was constructed starting in 1766 and it took 15 years to complete the complex.
There is even a Faberge egg called the Gatchina Palace to honor both Russian royalty and the castle.
This is one of the few imperial eggs that were made to honor Russian culture and heritage–and one of the only Faberge eggs still intact and on display in a museum.
As Saint Petersburg is the royal capital, the Great Gatchina Palace was originally the principal imperial residence in 1881 for Alexander III.
Featuring classical architecture combined with Russian classicism, this palace is now a museum and serves as a public park.
In addition, the entire complex was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1990 to further protect the palace grounds.
Vorontsovsky Palace
Vorontsovsky Palace is in Alupka, Russia, and is another well-maintained work of Russian architecture.
The style of the castle itself is quite unique, featuring an English Renaissance Revival architectural design.
Vorontsovsky Palace is also referred to as the Vorontsov Palace or Alupka Palace.
Located at the base of the Crimean Mountains in Crimea, the castle was constructed in the mid-1800s.
Today the palace is a popular tourist site that attracts visitors from worldwide.
Visitors are able to bask in the beauty of Vorontsovsky, which is a blend of Russian onion domes and English traditional brickwork.
This is truly a one-of-a-kind castle in Russia.
Visitors to the castle are able to appreciate Russian architecture at its finest.
Bykovo Estate and Vladimir Church
The Bykovo Estate near Moscow is a shining example of pseudo-Gothic architecture.
Here you have a sprawling castle that is commonly referred to as a Disney castle.
It is easy to see why when you approach the set of sidewinding staircases outside of the castle entrance.
This two-story structure is very well maintained since it is actually an active church–the Church of Vladimir Icon of Mother of God.
The castle was constructed in Bykovo village in 1789 and remains in pristine condition today.
By the way, Byk is Russian for “bull,” and the local countryside in Bykovo became rich through cattle farming.
There are lots of estates and houses surrounding the castle and estate, adding to the residential area.
Mikhailovsky Castle
Mikhailovsky Castle is otherwise known as Inzhenerny Castle, Engineer’s Castle, or Saint Michael’s Castle.
That’s a lot of names for a single structure built in the 18th century.
The architectural style is just as diverse, with a combination of Russian Pseudo-Gothic and Neoclassical architecture.
This beautiful Russian castle is in Saint Petersburg overlooking the Fontanka River.
Emperor Paul I had a hand in erecting many Russian churches.
Sadly, he was actually strangled to death in this castle, thereby adding even more mystery.
He even predicted his death by strangulation a week before the occurrence.
Today, the grand staterooms no longer house royal families.
Instead, visitors to the Mikhailovsky Castle are able to tour art collections obtained by the Russian Museum.
Ivangorod Fortress
Not exactly a castle, Ivangorod Fortress is everything you expect to find in a castle from the Middle Ages.
This fortified complex in Leningrad is constructed with four stone walls joined by two towers with spires and two crenelated towers.
The fortress was constructed by the Teutonic Knights during the 1400s for protection against enemies.
Sitting on the Narva River, Ivangorod Fortress played a key role in protecting Russia from those crossing from the Estonian border.
This is a great castle to visit in Russia if you are interested in military conquests and the history of the Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, which is best known as the Teutonic Order.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many kremlins are there in Russia?
Russia has a dozen total kremlins, which are structures you will only see in Russia.
That is because a kremlin is a type of castle fortification that is distinctive to Russian society.
There is the Grand Kremlin Palace, as well as the Moscow Kremlin, Suzdal Kremlin, and the Novgorod Kremlin.
The Solovetsky Monastery is also a kremlin, even though it is not called that by name.
The Cathedral of Assumption is Russia’s oldest kremlin, featuring white walls covered in gold.
What are castles called in Russian?
Castles in Russia are commonly referred to as kremlins, such as the Grand Kremlin Palace.
However, you can also find castles called “castles” in this country, even though the national language is Russian and not English.
Many monasteries in Russia are also housed in castles, as well as fortifications to protect Russian terrain.
Can I buy a castle in Russia if I am not Russian?
No, not actually because of dacha culture.
In Russia, estates are passed through tzars and only for the middle to upper classes.
In addition to being related to a Russian tzar, you would need to have access to funding for such a purchase.
Also, the dacha custom is a part of a feudal estate system that dates back to the Middle Ages.
Pretty much, unless you are a rich Russian, you are unable to purchase a castle in Russia.
Does Vladimir Putin live in a Russian castle?
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, does not live in the Grand Kremlin Palace as you might suspect.
Instead, Putin has positioned himself in two different residences.
This includes the Grand Kremlin Palace, but also Putin’s Palace, which is on the Black Sea coast.
The palace where Putin lives features an Italianate architectural style.
It rests somewhere near Gelendzhik in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
Russia has a rich history and a diverse range of castles and kremlins to explore, each with its own unique architectural style and fascinating stories to uncover.