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This architecturally unique building was erected in 1636 by the Russian master-builders Bazhen Ogurtsov, Larion Ushakov, Antip Konstantinov and Trefil Shaturin. From the outside, the palace resembles a vast, unusually ornate, Russian wooden house set in stone. Its three-tiered pyramid structure is topped by a golden-roofed 'terem' or tower-chamber. The building's facades are richly decorated with cornices, pilasters and triangular pediments, and tiles cover the intricately carved design. All this, together with the gilded roofs, gives the impression of an ornate casket with untold riches inside.
The second floor of the Terem Palace once housed the Tsarina's workshops, where clothing was sewed for the entire royal family. The private chambers of the Tsar were on the upper floors, and the ground floor was used for the storage of salted foods and other winter stores. Sadly, the old layout of the interior has not survived the ages, but in the 1830s the Russian artist, F. Solntsev restored the rooms in the style of the 17th century. The building is now part of the Great Kremlin Palace complex, and hence not open to the public.
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