Faceted Palace (Granovitaya Palata), Moscow

This Kremlin building is Moscow's oldest secular structure. It is also the only surviving part of the palace complex of Ivan III; the tsar who introduced brickwork to Moscow. Architects Marco Ruffo and Pietro Antonio Solari definitely drew on the palazzi architecture of Northern Italy for inspiration when building the palace between 1487 and 1491. The faceted limestone blocks and regularly spaced rectangular windows on the main facade conjure up images of Renaissance buildings in Italy. The palace is used for Kremlin functions and, unless you are a top-level VIP, you can only view it from the Kremlin's Cathedral Square.

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