from a bird's eye view the oddly shaped triangle formed by moscow's kremlin could be seen as to heart of. a small state within a state these red walls seven protecting moscow's kremlin for more than five centuries. to even idea of its size so we decided to actually go around it before going inside we have to start right here at this hour time you watch. the extent of the kremlin walls is over two kilometers and if you want to go around it you better go real fast because the winters in russia a really cold it's minus ten today.

the first kremlin was built south of woods poured out a couple of times before being revealed in white stone. three hundred years later the walls in a tower square faced off with a famous red rake but if you actually pulled away the red brick you would see a wall as whites as a bridal gown and some of those walls are almost six meters thick. right here on the red square wasn't it filled with water and together with the ring of twenty towers it made the kremlin and inaccessible fortress known around the world. that the watch now the time clock wears the witness it took us twenty seven minutes to go around the kremlin walls but what about was behind them. join me on a journey to the heart of the crowd. and to places him from the tourists he's going

to meet some real criminal insiders although they may not be the usual news makers you see on t.v. . so that you're going to meet true kremlin scholar this man is practically saturated with kremlin history so good to that of the day like and finally we meet good to see you sir are going to ask a gate is the major passage into the kremlin and traditionally it has always been open for arriving visitors during the day since the time of ivan the terrible sars an emperor has used it when visiting moscow anyone entering the gates take off their high note to all of the savior of small and whose image can be seen above the gate. and tearing through games on horseback was probation a legend has it that when napoleon passed through the gate in moscow in eight hundred twelve the winds tore his famous by calling from his head confront the

savior. in nine hundred forty five the sunday uni and martial. broke both rules in one moment he entered dressed square through spassky gate to receive the first victory day parade on horseback and wearing his service cap. after giving away so when did the i can appear here the icon has been here since the sixteenth century but disappeared during the soviet era it was only a year ago that restorers discovered the icon under a layer of plaster while examining the may story almost thanks to them it was saved . in the name of the father. and the holy spirit. is busking. it was open for passage until the late

nineties but motor transport to and from the kremlin disturbed tourists walking along the red square and the kremlin walls and with the new millennium came the decision to close the gate. now opened only on special occasions during the ninth of may fixture a day parade for example or on inauguration day to receive the presidential motorcade. the only other visitor to pass through the gate is a giant christmas tree put up earlier celebrations. but could you lead me through those gates no but we can enter the kremlin through the private entrance a secret entrance for a closed circle is just around the corner. is very easy to get inside the kremlin together with you as for me i've always wanted to get to the kremlin clock and especially to the bells what was it seems a child i always stood outside looking at the clock and i thought

a magician lived there who manage the clock and also when the bells rang i was simply rooted to the ground can i get inside with more to the yes but you're not dressed warmly enough there was a strong wind up there i was very cold i think you'll have to put on something warmer. this basket tower was the heart of the kremlin's defensive line it was and to support it that any offensive would come from the southeast and that the tower would be to first attacked as a result of house rifle and artillery units in the may seventeenth century spa sky tower was the first to bear the two headed eagle emblem of russia during soviet times they were all with robbie five point eight stores. but the towers true jam as its chimes its clock face has a six meters diameter the rim numerals and clock hands are all gold plated the

total. twenty eight kilograms of gold is needed just to coat them. inside this basket tower right now we're going to meet a true tower wizard if you can those are of knows all about how to keep time in this tower. because it's so good to meet you so one clock appear in the tower. chimes we see today have been here since they seem fifty two. clocks appeared on the spot sky tower during the time of trial romanov let me tell you more about them at the top of all that i'm following you. to reach the clock one has to climb nine floors of spiral stairs. here the clock your stern steadily waking every fifteen minutes to signal the bells to strike every quarter hour for one big hit on the hours and.

fifty children know the purpose of the bells ringing previously when few people had watches the chimes informed everyone of the toy. previously the clock course operated manually but since nine hundred thirty seven three electric motors to go over everything else has been preserved in its original form. especially a tower clock is the oldest one in the. door can you see the pointer at the end of this point to regulate the speed of the clocks motion if the clock blocks behind it increases the speed tell you if it's fast the pointer slows it down so they do lag behind. why you never notice it because once it starts to pick up specialists quickly eliminate the problem acting like an ambulance so far we haven't noticed it but we're close to reeling that's right. this is an ancient bell

ringing here a mechanism for setting up melodies at this hour it's almost two and a half meters in diameter and what is sing it sing the national anthem of russia. yes yes. they'll strike the melody of russia's national anthem every six hours cables run from the drum below to the very top where the chime in the bell tower. well here are the bells yes we're in the bell tower. if you look at it don't see it still has a wooden sealer. forty eight bells hang here in imperial times but were lost during the soviet today the chimes sing the russian anthem with ten bells and a few metal beats peer attempts stories over the ground it's always very windy. we've got to go now because the main bells in us are regaining and we are risking the carrot death and also it's very cold so we're getting out of here.

being from the noises of the bells just a few minutes later i find myself near the kremlin central square where people are preparing for a special event so right now we're in a cathedral square where a giant fir tree is being decorated for near celebrations these streets between the palaces a warship and the palaces all the stars and can just tell you something one hundred years old which basically means that it was worn when the last start was still alive. one can see that this. christmas tree has won a very demanding seasonal beauty pageant. gardner spent several months searching

moscow regions for the right candidate at least thirty meters tall pyramid shaped and displaying to employ. once these criteria is where match the judges ignored the weight and. is especially ordered for this christmas tree and it's scary to straight into the kremlin. it's not dirty or manners high it's like twenty times my height and in no time this tree is going to be wearing at the apartments or walls jewelry and decorations about two thousand. one thousand five hundred meters of garland that's like almost enough to surround the kremlin into. the trees decorations from top to bottom to begin with the large star of bethlehem on top it is a quarter of the size of the rubbish stars atop the kremlin towers but during the holiday season it is the most important one of all. though they look oversized

the ornaments are light kremlin old timers believe that if you have a chance to hang at least one piece on to the tree and make a wish balance to come true. so now we're going to top it just like decorate this privately you or your tree. i wonder how long it's. obsolete but so sergey for how long have you been decorating christmas trees. well this is the first time that i'm just curious in this tree for the past four years i've been working with christmas trees at cathedral square so who decides how to decorate a christmas tree which is a design project is drawn up to clearly define how to handle these decorations by the way the total weight of the decorated christmas tree is thirty tons and four hundred kilos. well if this size of the tree is any indicator the presence under is also promised much.

please. please.

please liz. i live. keep it is easy easy easy easy easy easy if easy feel. a little eat.

eleven . but. a little bit but let us. thank you. the next point of my journey is the grand kremlin palace usually it is a very for important state ceremonies mostly dignitaries are invited here but in

the past children were also received thousands of them came to celebrate the nearest festivities. the tradition of a raging college is for children in the kremlin they expect to more than fifty years the first reception was the new ground kremlin palaces largest hall st george's in one nine hundred fifty four. back then and christmas tree most tracks directly up the stairs through their front door without much thought for the ancient interior over sixty meters deep st george's hall is the size of a football page a giant fir tree used to be mounted right here in this massively have the object is to be dragged across this park here for that was originally late in eight hundred forty five. when it's scraped that chandelier so each one weighing three tons by the way and it's tinkling produced an almost surreal eerie chime also large nails were hammered into this floor to fix this huge christmas tree the kids who danced

and sang in this hall where we're asked not to shuffle because it would ruin the floor nevertheless the interior was heavily damaged even i was asked to come in with soft indoor shoes and i tried my best. these wrongs honor the memory of heroes who received the order of st george for their courage and this is a second generation home custodian is also a fine but a fighter to preserve the homes reconstruction stood what has changed after the reconstruction but i still support the park it has definitely changed do you suppose most become a data point hard to brownish to make it bright. it's very rare it's going to percent of the park can't survive since eight hundred forty five when it was laid. this is percent of the flooring was it plays during restoration in one thousand sixty eight nine hundred sixty nine it took. to restore.

the. children's parties were moved to a new building in the early sixty's the kremlin palace of congress built on the shelf it's obvious that this building is from the soviet era and it stands in stark contrast with the kremlin's architectural character the palace used to be a key side for communist forums and now it's the most prestigious musical venue in this country and also a stage for the world's greatest artists show as now or staying elton john tina turner here they made they've all been here. right now her stores are under way in the state kremlin palace for one year years before lease for thousands of kids. inside we have an appointment with the kremlin oldtimer children's writer alexander mcqueen the script at the very first children's knew we were party in one thousand fifty three minutes and when i think

we've broken the soviet tradition of staging performances here at the kremlin before the above with. the tree would light up then kids would be shown to play with the revolution we speak. with them and change the plot for what it was about a boy toy out of his current situation so in the story he sent him to a different time. but on one occasion when i came to the new year policy there was no coverage on the floor i also had gone with the roof it turned out to the during the show some of the children had wet themselves on the carpet out of fear. to be washed and hung out to dry off to prove. how one day stay here your performances are more predictable but still very colorful nevertheless. by tradition at the end of the show the main character of the new year celebrations makes his grand entrance was in the.

case. children always leave kremlin with gifts however the greatest drama is after the show when parents surround the new year straight to pick the children up who risk to disperse like ants in kremlin inner sanctum. she so how did you like this show was it a kid did it give you a shock. all right so now it's about time to find out where one can even hear the really kitchen is not far on the fifth floor of the state criminal palace and we're on our way to meet with a nun kremlin chef foot. high you know so you go to rice to meet you say the new chef everyone's talking about just what's here so this is the train where we prepare most of you are the. order of fruit vegetable

wars i can show you all short let's go let's over their issues or let's make sure that's where we lose you put the hots for me cools. it with you so if you fake people that so you're the chef and you're thirty five boys are they scared of you. you did yeah. so this is where all the sugar since take place on the week before last week were. so good and they want to show you where i have the privilege to work for all. those who usually are told me the kitchens are in the basement you cannot promise me to teach how to cook when a president favorite dishes. and i want you to make some kind of many. european touch i won't use russian produce any make you turn your french.

but this stuff kraft made is mixed with a batch of those and salad greens that it is split on two in the world so closer down shipping them by hand is art. i don't think i'm doing a very good job closing it. just recent tresham presidents prefer healthy food and smaller portions to come in chaff and meats that you need to read. it is very fond of fish and seafood for example lobster salad. also prefers fish or meat in the kitchen they told us that she loves unsophisticated dishes like bread with herring never refuse these local delicacies on a business trips so when someone in the country side street same with pickled cucumbers also a traditional russian delicacy you security officers break into a cold sweat as a rule only you are very carefully checked before it reaches the presidential mouth . so when you when you heard the person you have like secret service guy

you do that with the goggles x. raying your food. they call him and take you. to just some busy committees and make sure that most news. in this full of v.a.p. people. alcohol is served only on festive occasions and me to be a little on holidays they prefer beer and wine but it's yeltsin was a lover of liquors and cognac secretary of state of the soviet union. personally promoted vodka at international receptions thanks to him. with prepared cream sauce with parmesan cheese to go with ravioli i guess i can say that i can feed the president now are you going to have some. i only live in crime when this is so good. after lunch and there is an order

perhaps in sars spared from us i decided first to acquaint myself with those who watch over the peace and quiet in the kremlin. a whole regiment of young soldiers live here guarding the kremlin and the president the bandits. presidential regiment is rehearsing a performance with weapons. are not only soldiers but also honor guards they protect the tomb both the unknown soldier at the eternal flame. i thought you can please show me some special tricks if you like and if you want all right let's do it command is. b. i'm going to unfold the bayonet if you go let me show you the superman then the to the shoulder. to the foot hold the carbine with the right term i'm not going to cut myself i might get what you want cut yourself i'm told that which is almost

recovered now shoulder the weapon sure but could lift it up if you were told with your left. holding it if you're going to be of be careful and should not lean on the left shoulder. this is the position in which we start be on our guard on the fourth. young men between eighteen and twenty or selected across the country for the presidential regiment. one can see that they are russia's elite in perfect health with a good background and professional appearance. as well the guards there we handsome young man of similar hates are chosen so that they look like twins. for their emergency situations when people break the existing rules for example if people step over the chains we warn them with this kind of signal where they're going with signal and tapping the rifle on the ground the public immediately understands what this noise means and don't go any further. the most frequent

violators of the rules are young girls that always try to flirt with the guards but this is to no avail the guards are not allowed to move never mind smile. so here is your signature move what is about we would raise the leg about seventy eighty degrees move the body forward and put the full foot on the ground there with various makes the food you step with and bend a little. quick march. first you're doing it well you could join our company in a couple of months. to the right. it's time for the guys to prepare for the changing of the guard but i couldn't miss a chance to take a look at their uniform wardrobe. when it is cold we wear ceremonial overcoats the overcoats are very warm with a strong color of. course you can. when the temperature is twenty degrees below

zero we were warmer uniform cold the because. it is made of plus it is very warm for it feels hot and it even when it's minus twenty. hard journey into the heart of kremlin is coming to an end thanks time for me to move behind the kremlin walls so i can make it for the changing of the guards cigar change every hour daily from eight am to eight pm these guys rape anyone either minus thirty winter or torrential rains outrageous hits in the summer but of course the hardest part is to stand there motionless no matter what but hey that's the price you pay to live rent free inside the kremlin.

could be somebody ever after. going. under left nothing to live. so all the love and care for precious children. play on minds rajiv shoulders. leave it to die. on are too. blind. to be soon which brightened if you knew no bounds phone from phones to impressions. whose friends don't totty dot

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wish. things are misleading good at least. just see. him. come out of my mind i'm a little.