The Chudov Monastery, named in honor of the miracle of the Archangel Michael at Conae, was built in 1358, and stood within the Kremlin walls until it was destroyed by the godless soviets in 1929. The 14th building of the Kremlin was built over the site of the Chudov and Ascension monasteries between the Spassky Gate and the Senate Palace from 1932 to 1934; the dismantling of the building began in the fall of 2015, revealing a number of archaeological treasures. Now those treasures will be on display in an underground archaeological museum, built on the foundations of the Chudov Monastery, reports the Federal Department of State Inspections.

In 2014, President Putin proposed rebuilding the destroyed Chudov and Ascension Monasteries, though it was eventually decided that there would be no rebuilding on the territory of the Kremlin. During excavations, part of the foundation of the Little Nicholas Palace and of the Chudov Monastery’s Church of the Annunciation were found. While visiting the landmark, President Putin instructed to work out proposals for turning the foundations into a museum. It was thus decided to create an archaeological museum complex on the basis of the underground structure, which will become a branch of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

The total area of the complex is more than 16,000 sq. ft. The floor over the excavations in the main hall will be clear. The exposition will consist of authentic archaeological excavations, objects found during archaeological research, preserved fragments of the Chudov Monastery cathedral, and multimedia installations. (Quelle: www.orthochristian.com, 4. September 2019)