№ 2590. 500th Anniversary of the Tula Kremlin

The Tula Kremlin is an outstanding monument of the Russian defense architecture of the 16^th century. It was built on a strategic approach of great significance and for several centuries, it used to protect the southern frontiers of the Russian state from Crimean Tatar raids and was a major element of the Great Abatis wale. It was founded in 1507 when construction of a “stone town” commenced in Tula under the decree of Grand Prince Vasily III. The construction works lasted for 13 years and were completed in 1520. 

Nowadays, the Tula Kremlin is one of the most frequented museums of Russia. It is annually visited by thousands of Russian and foreign tourists. In addition to ancient walls and towers, the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin includes the Cathedral of the Assumption (18^th century) with its unique monumental painting of Yaroslavl painters (1765−1766), a cathedral bell tower recreated in 2013–2014, the Epiphany Cathedral (19^th century), and merchants’ rows (19^th century). In 2017, a museum-and-exhibition complex with modern multimedia expositions opened after reconstruction in the territory of the Kremlin. It comprises four showrooms and temporary displays where one can see muskets, sabers, crossbows, broadswords and other types of weapon.

The postal block provides images of the buildings of the Tula Kremlin: the Tula Museum of Samovars, the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Tower of Odoevsky gate, and the Tula State Museum of Arms (the former Epiphany Cathedral).