Palace of Facets

palace, Moscow, Russia

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June 26, 2026

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The Palace of Facets is a historic palace located within the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Built between 1487 and 1491 by Italian architects, it is named for its exterior finish of faceted, white stone squares. This palace was part of the larger Kremlin complex, which has served as the seat of Russian power for centuries. The Palace of Facets was used for celebrations and state affairs during the tsarist era and is now a popular tourist attraction within the Kremlin.12

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Moscow
The Kremlin of Moscow
The Palace of Facets—so called from the exterior finish of faceted, white stone squares—was built in 1487–91. Behind it is the Terem Palace of 1635–36, which incorporates several older churches, including that of the Resurrection of Lazarus, dating from 1393. Both became part of the Great…
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The Palace of Facets—so called from the exterior finish of faceted, white stone squares—was built in 1487–91. Behind it is the Terem Palace of 1635–36, which incorporates several older churches, including that of the Resurrection of Lazarus, dating from 1393. Both became part of the Great…
Read More

Western architecture
Eastern Europe
…and erected within them the Granovitaya Palace (1487–91). This was a two-story blocklike palace with a rusticated exterior, as its name (granovitaya, “faceted”) indicates, in the manner of early Renaissance palaces of Bologna and Ferrara. Cultural contacts with the West then diminished under the impact of rising nationalism until the…
Read More
…and erected within them the Granovitaya Palace (1487–91). This was a two-story blocklike palace with a rusticated exterior, as its name (granovitaya, “faceted”) indicates, in the manner of early Renaissance palaces of Bologna and Ferrara. Cultural contacts with the West then diminished under the impact of rising nationalism until the…
Read More