Cathedral of the Annunciation, Moscow Kremlin

Situated on Cathedral Square, the Annunciation Cathedral formed part of the ceremonial and devotional life of the Moscow rulers. It is now preserved within the Moscow Kremlin Museums. The present building was constructed in 1484–1489 by masters from Pskov.

For centuries it served as the domestic church of the grand-princely and tsarist family. The Kremlin Museums record that the present cathedral was constructed in 1484–1489 by Pskov masters during the reign of Ivan III. Unlike the larger state cathedral nearby, the Annunciation Cathedral served as the private church of Moscow’s ruling household.

Its design combines architectural traditions associated with Pskov and Moscow, and later additions changed the silhouette while preserving the building’s central medieval character. The cathedral is dedicated to the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary and contains important historic icons and wall paintings.

It is now preserved within the Moscow Kremlin Museums, so visitor access is primarily heritage-oriented, while the building’s original purpose should still be described as a functioning dynastic chapel of the Orthodox court.