Excavation Works to Start in the Kremlin

Administrative Department of the President of the Russian Federation has announced the plan to deconstruct the 14th Wing of the Russian Kremlin. 14th Wing is an administrative building located between the Spassky Gate and the Senatsky Palace. It was build by the Rerberg's project between 1932 and 1934th. Prior to this, two monasteries were situated on this spot - Chudov Monastery and Voznesensky Monastery - and also Nikolaevsky palace. All these buildings were destroyed after the revolution.

In 2014, the president Putin suggested to reconstruct the hystorical site of the 14th Wing building area, instead of reopening the building after maintenance. He also mentioned the possibility of reconstructing old monasteries, which were destroyed in 1930th.  Sergey Devyatov, professor of the Lomonosov's Moscow State University, says that the space under the 14th Wing building might have significant historical artifacts and there is a high chance of discovering fragments of ancient buildings.

Professor Devyatov also mentioned that excavations in the Kremlin would allow to explore great cultural layer of ancient Moscow. Excavation works were already carried out in Moscow's Kremlin in 2007; scientists were working in the lower level of the Borovitsky Hill. During those works, they found a variety of artifacts dating back to 14-18th centuries. Excavation works under the 14th Wing are promising to be even more interesting. Some historians even anticipate to find an almost completely preserved Chudov Monastery.

Administrative Department of the President of the Russian Federation has already informed UNESCO regarding the initiative of demolishing the 14th Wing building and arranging excavation works on the Kremlin territory. Even though the building itself is not under protection, the territory of the Kremlin is included in the UNESCO protection list. Therefore any excavation works should be carried out in agreement with the UNESCO organization, but comments from their side have not been received yet.