Q 01/05

In Russian, what does the word kreml' mean?

A) A cathedral square

B) A fortress within a city

C) A royal palace

D) A ruler's residence

Answer · why

B) A fortress within a city

A fortress within a city: towns grew up around their kremlins, so the roads to the gates often became radial streets, as in Moscow.

Q 02/05

What does the Kremlin keep a team of trained falcons, hawks and eagle-owls for?

A) Ceremonial displays

B) Hunting for sport

C) Scaring off crows

D) Breeding rare species

Answer · why

C) Scaring off crows

Scaring off crows: soldiers had tried shooting the birds, and a trained falconry unit took over instead.

Q 03/05

Which Kremlin palace was the tsars' main residence in the 17th century?

A) The Amusement Palace

B) The Palace of Facets

C) The Terem Palace

D) The Grand Kremlin Palace

Answer · why

C) The Terem Palace

The Terem Palace: fires destroyed its painted interiors, and they were recreated in their old style in the 1830s.

Q 04/05

The Kremlin stands on which rise of ground, at the point where the Neglinnaya flowed into the main river?

A) Poklonnaya Hill

B) Borovitsky Hill

C) Tagansky Hill

D) Sparrow Hills

Answer · why

B) Borovitsky Hill

Borovitsky Hill: rivers guarded two of its sides, so the tallest stretch of wall rose along the eastern side, the one with no natural water barrier.

Q 05/05

Which prince greatly extended the original fort in 1156, the traditional founding era of Moscow?

A) Alexander Nevsky

B) Yuri Dolgorukiy

C) Dmitri Donskoi

D) Ivan Kalita

Answer · why

B) Yuri Dolgorukiy

Yuri Dolgorukiy: he is honoured as Moscow's founder because the first chronicle mention of Moscow, in 1147, records him hosting a fellow prince there.