Cathedral of the Annunciation, Orthodox cathedral in Moscow Kremlin, Russia

The Cathedral of the Annunciation is a white-limestone-faced brick Orthodox church on Cathedral Square in the Moscow Kremlin. Nine gilded domes crown the stepped structure: a tall central drum with four smaller drums at the corners, plus four chapels on the gallery vaults. Narrow arched windows, pilasters and rows of semicircular arches decorate the facades, and a gold-roofed porch projects above the main entrance.

Pskov masters Krivtsov and Myshkin built the brick cathedral with white limestone facades in 1484–1489 for Ivan III, consecrated on 9 August 1489 by Metropolitan Gerontius. After the July 1547 fire, Ivan the Terrible rebuilt it in 1564–1566: four single-domed side churches rose over the gallery vaults and two western domes were added, making nine. The 1812 French occupation left it a robbed barracks; it was restored in 1815–1820.

The building takes its name from the Annunciation feast day and served Russian rulers for baptisms, weddings, and private worship during the tsarist period. Visitors today can still view wall paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries depicting biblical scenes in traditional style.

Access is available only as part of a visit to the Kremlin Museums, with religious ceremonies taking place once a year on the Feast of the Annunciation. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as the approach includes paved walkways and some steps.

The cathedral floor is laid with jasper that Ivan IV had brought from Rostov, as recorded after the 1564–1566 rebuilding. The same works added two western domes to the main volume, bringing the total to nine, and the roofs were covered with gilded copper.