Nikolai Makarov, director of the Archaeology Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences, told the President about the excavations, which had unearthed ruins of the Chudov Monastery refectory, the foundations of the Church of Metropolitan Alexis and the Church of the Annunciation, and the remains of the foundation of the Small Nicholas Palace.
The excavations began in December 2015 in a 500 sq m area. Mr Makarov has proposed to establish a chain of archaeological sanctuaries from Ivanovskaya Square to the Spassky gate.
It took seven months to dismantle Building 14. At present, the site is occupied by a 1.6 hectare park with a promenade area open to the public, Chief of the Presidential Property Management Directorate Alexander Kolpakov told the President.