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Cathedral of Nativity of Virgin in the
kremlin, Bishop's palace in center and bell tower on right. The cathedral is
the oldest building in the kremlin. The original cathedral was built by Prince
Vladimir Monomakh. But the subsequent history is in dispute. The present
cathedral was built by his great-grandson, Yuri Vsyevolodovich, in 1222-25. But
it too has undergone changes.The current cathedral is 25 meters high but it is
believed that Yuri's church was even higher. Yuri's church had 3 domes rather
than the present 5. It was rebuilt between 1528 and 1530. Atthat time the
cathedral was taken apart down to the lower level of the blind arcading and
then rebuilt. And the new building was in brick rather than stone. The
cathedral was again restored in the17th century. And in 1719 a great fire
melted the domes and roof. The present domes and a new roof replacing the
zakomaras date from 1750. The bishop's chamber was built over two and a half
centuries begining in the late 15th century. As part of it there is the
refectory church of the Annunciation built in 1559. The tall octagonal bell
tower with small church and tent-shaped roof was built in 1635. There is a
museum in the complex now that has many important icons.
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