KREMLIN, Cathedral Of The Annunciation

For centuries, the Cathedral of the Annunciation was the royal family's private chapel.

To the right of the cathedral, stop for a moment to admire two important buildings of majestic beauty that are unfortunately not open to the public: the Palace of Facets and, just visible behind it, the Terem Palace, one of the most spectacular buildings in the whole Kremlin.

The first one owes its name to the particular limestone cladding of its facade that almost seems made from hundreds of protruding points. The name of the second probably recalls the building’s original purpose; in noble palaces, the "terem" was the wing intended for women and children of the family.

If it were possible to visit them you would be fascinated by the ornately decorated interior, but sadly, unless you’re an important political figure, you can only imagine what you're missing....