The Patriarchal Chambers and the Church of the Twelve Apostles (Russian: церковь Двенадцати Апостолов, romanized: tserkov' Dvenadtsati Apostolov) is a minor cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, commissioned by Patriarch Nikon as part of his stately residence in 1653 and dedicated to Philip the Apostle three years later.

The rigorous outline of five helmeted domes, in keeping with Nikon's conservative architectural tastes, serves to accentuate the church's Byzantine pedigree.

The premises of the Muscovite metropolitan had existed in the Kremlin since the 14th century, Patriarch Nikon, who aspired to rival the Tsar in authority and magnificence, had them replaced with a much more ambitious residence, centered on a spacious chamber in the form of the cross, once used as a banqueting hall but now serving as a museum of applied arts.

In the years 1566–1568, on the east side, the church of the Solovetsky miracle workers was added to the mansions, the base of which was used as a main passage to the courtyard of the estate.

In 1597, the complex was renovated by Patriarch Job of Moscow, the chambers were thoroughly rebuilt, while preserving the composition of housing traditional for Russia (two dwellings on the sides of the canopy).

At the same time, another church was erected from the northern part of the courtyard the Three Saints of Moscow: Peter, Alexy and Jonah.

Under the leadership of architect Ivan Zarudny, the Church of the Twelve Apostles was divided into two floors, and the Patriarchal library was placed on the upper deck.

In the 1760s, the Church of the Three Saints collapsed, then in the early 1780s, new cracks from the upper tents were discovered in the vaults of the Mirovarnaya Chamber.

After the Russian Revolution in 1917, in which the building was nationalized the following year, restoration work was carried out, and in 1929 the 17th century iconostasis from the destroyed Cathedral of the Ascension Monastery were relocated to the church.

Currently, the Patriarchal Chambers are a two-three-story building (in one place the remainder of the fourth floor is preserved – the Peter's tent), with a front facade facing south, on the Cathedral Square.

In addition to the exhibits included in the museum's exposition, the chambers and church retain elements of the original decorations.

The museum shows artworks, religious and household items – personal belongings of patriarchs and members of the Royal Family, embroidery, books, icons, tableware, jewellery and clocks.