The Moscow Kremlin is easily recognized around the world as a symbol of Russia and the seat of its president. But few people outside Russia have heard about the other Russian fortresses that are also known as kremlins. The word “kremlin” in Russian means any medieval citadel in the center of an ancient Russian city. Such a fortress was, in fact, what used to promote a rural settlement to urban status. In the 18th and 19th centuries, these strongholds lost their strategic importance and were often torn down and used for construction materials. Most of the surviving fortresses have now been turned into museums, each with its own legend living on behind its walls.
