Walls and towers of the Kremlin. The history and secrets of the Kremlin towers Dismantled tower of the Kremlin

Of the five gates of the Kremlin, which connected it with the settlement, the main ones were Spassky. It was the front gate of the Kremlin. In the old days they were called "saints", and they were very revered by the people.

Through this gate, the great princes and tsars entered the Kremlin and went to Red Square to the Execution Ground for the announcement of state letters; foreign ambassadors and envoys with a large retinue arrived through them, and from the 18th century until the October Revolution, Russian emperors solemnly entered. On the days of great church holidays, a ceremonial procession of the highest clergy took place through the Spassky Gate to Red Square to the Place of Execution and to St. Basil's Cathedral, religious processions were made. It was not allowed to pass through the Spassky Gates with a covered head and ride a horse; even the kings, approaching the gates, dismounted and walked on foot, taking off their hats.

The Spassky Gates have not lost their leading role even today. They are now the front gates of the Kremlin. Every year, on the occasion of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the commander of the Armed Forces of the country travels through them to take a military parade on Red Square, through them the changing of the guard of honor to the Lenin Mausoleum passes to Red Square.

Until 1658, the Spasskaya Tower was called the Frolovskaya Strelnitsa, as it is believed, after the church of Frol and Lavr, located in the suburb not far from the tower. In 1658, by royal decree, it was renamed into Spasskaya - in the image of the Savior of Smolensk, written over the gate of the diversion archer from the side of Red Square, in memory of the liberation of the city of Smolensk by Russian troops. This ancient fresco is still preserved under a special protective layer in a white stone frame above the gate of the tower.

The Nikolskaya tower with a passage gate was named in antiquity after the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, placed in a white stone frame above the gate of the diversion archer from the side of Red Square. This ancient image in a white stone frame has also survived to this day.

The name of the tower was also associated with Nikolskaya Street, which branched off from the tower in a northern direction (now 25 October Street), on which there was a monastery with the Church of St. Nicholas the Old (on the site of the current building of the Historical and Archival Institute). Through the Nikolsky gates they passed to the Kremlin to the boyar and monastic farmsteads, which occupied the northeastern part of the Kremlin.

The name of the Trinity Gate is associated with the Trinity Compound located in the Kremlin nearby. Until the 17th century, the gates, like the tower, were called either Kuretny, then Rizpolozhensky, then Znamensky, then Epiphany. The name Troitsky has been attached to them since 1658. These gates served as passage to the patriarchal court and the female half of the royal palace, the mansions of queens and princesses.

All the economic supply of the Kremlin and the entrance to the Grand Duke's court were carried out through the Borovitsky Gates. Near them was the Grand Duke's court, and near the Kremlin wall, facing the Neglinnaya River, there were fodder, living quarters and stables. In the 17th century, the tower was renamed Predtechenskaya, but this name was not consolidated behind it.

The Tainitskaya tower on the banks of the Moskva River and the gates in it got their name from the cache-well that was in the tower. The gates of the tower were used only for passage to the Moscow River and for the passage of the procession to the blessing of water.

In the 70s of the XVIII century, the Taynitskaya Tower was dismantled in connection with the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, designed by V.I. Bazhenov. Upon the termination of construction, the tower was restored anew, but without a diversion archer. In 1862, according to the project of the artist A. S. Campioni, a retractable archer was attached to the tower, ending with teeth and a special platform inside, on which cannons were installed for firing on holidays. In 1930, the archer was dismantled, and the gates were laid. The arch of the gate, bricked up, is still clearly visible on the facade of the tower from the side of the Moskva River.

The name of the Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower and the passage gates in it is associated with the Church of Konstantin and Helena, located in the Kremlin not far from the tower. Previously, the gates were called Timofeevsky - after the name of the governor Dmitry Donskoy. In the 17th century the gates were laid. The tower and the diversion archer began to be used as a prison. In the XV-III century, the diversion archer was dismantled, and later, when planning the Vasilyevsky descent to the Moscow River, both the moat in front of the tower and the lower part of the tower with the gate were filled up. The upper part of the gate arch with a niche for the icon above the gate is still visible on the facade of the tower.

The remaining towers of the Kremlin were deaf, that is, impassable, and their name sometimes changed depending on the purpose, use, and the buildings that appeared behind them in the Kremlin. So, for example, the alarm tower got its name from the alarm bell, which was placed on it until 1771. Despite the fact that the bell on the tower has long been gone, the name has been preserved. The Beklemishevskaya Tower, whose name goes back to ancient times, is sometimes now called the Moskvoretskaya Tower, since next to it is the Moskvoretsky Bridge across the Moscow River. The Petrovskaya Tower was named in the 18th century from the Church of Peter the Metropolitan, which was moved to the tower after the abolition of the courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery, located in the Kremlin.

The name of the Annunciation tower is associated with the icon of the Annunciation placed on it, as well as with the Church of the Annunciation.

The Armory Tower is so named because of its proximity to the Armory. Before the construction of the chamber in the 19th century, it was called Konyushennaya - from the royal Stables Yard, located near the tower. The commandant's tower got its name in the 19th century, when the commandant lived behind the tower in the Poteshny Palace. Prior to that, it was called Kolymazhnaya - after the Kolymazhny yard, where wagons, carriages and chariots were kept.

After the construction of the Arsenal building in the Kremlin in the 18th century, the Corner Dog Tower became known as the Corner Arsenal Tower, and the Faceted Tower became the Middle Arsenal Tower. In the same century, the Senate Tower was also named. The 1st and 2nd Nameless towers remained without a name.

The Tsar's Tower was built in 1680 on the site of a wooden turret on which the Spassky alarm bell hung. According to legend, from this wooden tower, Ivan the Terrible watched various ceremonies that took place at the Execution Ground and at St. Basil's Cathedral.

The name of the bridge tower Kutafya is still a mystery. In the old days, it was called the Borisoglebskaya, Vladimirskaya and Patriarchal Gates, but these names were not consolidated behind it. This tower closes the Trinity Bridge and is located outside the Kremlin. In ancient times, it was surrounded by a moat and had gates on the sides for passage to the bridge. Drawbridges spanned the moat from the gates of the tower. In 1780, due to decay, the brick vault covering it was dismantled, a direct passage through the tower to the Trinity Bridge was arranged, and the side gates were laid. During the restoration of the tower in 1975, the side passages were opened.

The highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin is the central vezha of the northwestern section of the wall facing the Alexander Garden. It is called Trinity, is a travel and the second most important. The tower is crowned with a ruby ​​star, and once upon a time, just like on Spasskaya Vezha (the old Russian name), chimes hung on it.

Ancient white stone Kremlin

Even Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy in 1366-1368 began to replace the wooden walls of the Kremlin. The material from which new fortifications and towers were built was most often light limestone or "white stone", which was so rich in the central regions of Russia.

From here comes the ancient designation of Moscow - "white stone". However, this building material turned out to be fragile, and the defensive structures were dilapidated. Restoration work was carried out regularly, to which there is a lot of evidence in the annals. So, in 1462, the Moscow merchant Vasily Dmitrievich Yermolin, who at that time supervised all construction work nationwide, carried out a major overhaul of the wall section from the Borovitsky Gates to the Sviblova Strelnitsa. To answer the question “which of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin is the highest”, you need to learn more about everything, including the general reconstruction of the walls and towers, which, despite major repairs, continued to “float”. For this reason, Ivan III the Great, who, by the way, increased the size of the Moscow principality by 6 times, issued a decree in the last third of the 15th century, as a result of which the Moscow Kremlin, its walls and towers underwent a radical reorganization.

New red brick Kremlin

To achieve his goal, the Grand Duke of Moscow invites famous masters of architecture from Italy, under whose leadership, since 1485, the dismantling of white-stone strands (the area between two towers) of the walls and the towers themselves begins. For ten years, on the site of the dismantled defensive structures, new ones were erected, this time from baked bricks. In the process of this reconstruction, the area of ​​the Kremlin was enlarged by adding a site in the north-west of the fortress. And now it has amounted to 27.5 hectares and has acquired the shape of an irregular triangle. This is the current outline of the fortress. The work was led by the Italians. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that the upper ends of the walls, decorated with battlements, all the towers (the old Russian name), including the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin, very much resembled Italian castles - Scaliger in the city of Verona and Milan

Towers of the Moscow fortress

In total, the Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers. Three corner towers - Vodovzvodnaya, Beglemishevskaya and Corner Arsenalnaya - are round in cross section, while the rest, including the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin, are square. From the general ensemble, sustained mainly in the same style, stands out overlooking Red Square, which in 1812 the French blew up. During the restoration work carried out according to the project of O. I. Bove, it was given a Gothic look and painted white. All towers differ in shape and height from each other. So which one is the highest. What is it and where is it located? What is her story?

Fryazhsky architects

Aleviz Fryazin (Milanese), who arrived in Moscow in 1494, took part in the overall reconstruction of the Kremlin. In 1495 he participated in the construction of the wall and towers along the Stone Chambers were also erected under his leadership (1499-1508). In 1508, he built dams on this river, which flowed along the northwestern part of the Kremlin wall. Thanks to them, the water level in the river rose enough to fill the moat created along the wall overlooking Red Square. It was dug from 1508 to 1516 under the leadership of the Milanese. And he also built the northern tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin.

It should be noted that Fryazin is not a surname, it is a nickname that the Russians gave to all Western specialists who came from Southern Europe. It came from a distorted word "franc". Because of this, there was often confusion. Aleviz Fryazin the Old, Aleviz Fryazin the Milanese and Aloisio da Caresano (or Carcano) are the same person who built the Trinity Tower, and Bon Fryazin erected the Ivan the Great Bell Tower. At the same time, Ivan III invites another Aleviz Fryazin to Moscow, but already a Venetian, or New. They even had a common name - Fryazhsky architects. In addition to the above "Fryazins" or "Fryags" invited by Ivan III the Great, there were Marco Ruffo and Pietro Antonio Solari, respectively, Mark and Peter Fryazins.

Kremlin fortifications

So, the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin was erected from 1495 to 1499 by Aleviz Fryazin of Milan. And the very first fortification of the Kremlin - the Taynitskaya tower (the central one in the southern part of the Kremlin wall) - was started on July 14, 1485. After that, the towers were commissioned almost annually.

The latest - the Tsar's Tower - was erected in 1680. The walls of the Kremlin deserve special mention, including those that ran along the Neglinnaya River. In the center of this segment is the northern tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The total length of the walls is 2235 meters, the height varies from 5 to 19 m. In the walls with a thickness of 3.5 to 6.5 m there was a passage, initially through, but then in some areas littered with debris.

Unique walls

The towers were located at a certain distance from each other, which could be overcome along the passage laid out on top of the wall. Its width reached where 2, and where 4 meters. Outside, it was protected by two-horned teeth, the height of which is 2-2.5 m, and the thickness is 0.65-0.7 m. The total number of protective teeth located along the perimeter is 1045 pieces. The archers, located on the wall, were covered by a parapet wall from the side of the courtyard. Initially, the passage was covered by a gable canopy, under which one could hide in bad weather, and he covered the wall itself from the destructive effects of rain and snow. This roof burned down in the 18th century and has never been restored.

Name history

Since the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin is called Troitskaya, it is necessary to find out why it was given such a name, especially since it was originally called Bogoyavlenskaya, then Rizpolozhenskaya, later Znamenskaya and Kuretnaya, and it received its current name only in 1658 by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in connection with the Trinity Compound located on the territory of the Kremlin. Previous names were associated with the churches of the Kremlin and the nearby royal carriage house.

Most original

The Kremlin (photo attached) has the following parameters: from the side of the Alexander Garden, built where the Neglinnaya River used to be, taken into the pipe, the height of the vezha is 80 meters with a star, without it - 76.35, from the inside - respectively 69.3 and 65.65 m. This tower is travel. From the moment of its foundation until the end of the 17th century, its gates were considered the second most important after the Spassky ones.

They served for passage to the courts of queens, princesses and the patriarch. In 1516, a bridge was thrown from the Trinity Tower across the Neglinnaya River, which ended with a diversion archer or barbican, called in this case, this fortification served primarily for additional protection of the gate. This is the only surviving bridge tower of the Kremlin. The Trinity Bridge coming from it, according to some connoisseurs of the history of Moscow, was erected on the site of the first stone building of this kind in the capital, built back in the 14th century.

Second in importance

What is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin and why not the main Spasskaya? Obviously, at some period of Soviet history, the significance of the Trinity Gate was added by the fact that it was through them on March 12, 1918 that V. I. Lenin arrived in the Kremlin. Through the Trinity Gate Napoleon entered here, through which he also fled from the Kremlin. The tsars returning with victory also entered through the Trinity Bridge, then they were solemnly escorted to the Spassky Gates. Initially, the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin (photo attached) played a significant role in the history of all of Moscow. It is the highest, but not the main one because it does not go to Red Square.

Similarities and differences

With the completion of the construction of this tower, work was completed on the creation of defensive structures of the entire northwestern section of the wall - from this side the Kremlin became impregnable. The huge tower ended with battlements at the top, the wooden tent was hipped. As documents from 1585 testify, this tower had chimes, which equalized its resemblance to Spasskaya. In addition, two-headed eagles were installed on both, and on Troitskaya the coat of arms of Russia was more ancient, mounted from several parts, fixed with bolts. And when in 1685 a multi-tiered top and a high stone tent, white turrets, and other white stone decorations were built on, the resemblance to the main Spasskaya Tower became very large. And a year later, new chimes were hung (when they burned down in the fire of Moscow in 1812, they were no longer restored).

Elements of church architecture

The question of which of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin is the highest can be answered: the one that is crowned by a quadrangle with an octagon, which has a through viewing part. What does it mean? The term "octagon on a quadrangle" is a type of architectural composition, mainly church buildings. An octagonal or octagonal configuration floor stands on a tetrahedral, wider base. Such a composition seemed to be directed to the heavens, which gave the building dynamism; it was, in turn, a striking feature of the Moscow Baroque. In the churches of noble estates, a bell was placed in an octagon, naturally, it was not glazed and was visible through and through. the upper tiers of which were built according to this type, looked very beautiful from the side of the current Alexander Garden. This was facilitated by the fact that various turrets and pinnacles were placed in the corners and on the archer. Some of them were removed during the expansion of the loopholes in 1707 due to the impending threat of a Swedish invasion. Part - when settling in the Trinity Tower of the archive of the Ministry of the Imperial Court. It was even rebuilt for the purpose of expansion.

Huge, eight-story

The tallest tower of the Kremlin in Moscow has six floors above ground and two underground. Deep cellars initially served defensive and military purposes. Then, in the XVI-XVII centuries, these cellars were turned into a prison. These deep underground floors themselves were discovered in 1851. Throughout its existence, the Trinity Tower has been used in various ways. Until 1895, the archive of the Imperial Court was here, and now it houses the Presidential Orchestra.

Kremlin stars

In addition, the tallest tower of the Kremlin in Moscow is one of the five topped with stars. Borovitskaya and Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Vodovzvodnaya are four more towers on which the emblems of Imperial Russia were replaced by stars. In accordance with the coats of arms, you can also ask a question that is very appropriate in a quiz: “Which of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin is the highest?” The answer will be this: the one on which the oldest double-headed eagle stood until 1935 (the time of erection was 1830). The "youngest" (1912) was located on Spasskaya. It was replaced with a star first. The first stars were gilded semi-precious and very heavy - up to a ton in weight. Therefore, the roofs of the Spasskaya, Troitskaya and Borovetskaya towers were previously strengthened. However, the semi-precious stars faded very quickly, and in 1937 they decided to replace them with luminous stars made of ruby ​​glass.

The uniqueness of the Kremlin towers

How else can you answer the question of which is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin? If you look at the plan, you can see that it is the 15th tower from Spasskaya Vezha (numbering goes counterclockwise) that is the highest - Troitskaya, the bridge departs from it alone.

Each of the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin is unique, has its own history, and one article is not enough to describe them at least superficially.

The walls and towers of the Kremlin, which still stand today, were built under the Grand Duke of All Russia Ivan III Vasilyevich in 1485-1495. They were built by Italian architects Anton Fryazin (Antonio Gilardi), Marco Fryazin (Marco Ruffo), Pyotr Fryazin (Pietro Antonio Solari), Aleviz Fryazin Stary (Aloisio da Carcano). All these architects, oddly enough, are not brothers and not even namesakes. It’s just that in Russia at that time Italians were called “friags” or “friazins”.

  Kremlin towers are divided into round and quadrangular according to their configuration. This is not a whim of the architect, but a kind of fortification technique. Located on Borovitsky Hill, the Kremlin has an irregular triangle with an area of ​​27.5 hectares, washed by the Moskva River from the south, bounded by the Alexander Garden from the northwest, and Red Square from the east. At the corners of the triangle there were round towers - Corner Arsenalnaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Beklemishevskaya, which were the most durable and allowed round-robin shelling. In the place where important strategic roads approached the Kremlin, powerful quadrangular towers with passage gates were erected - Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya, Tainitskaya, Konstantin-Eleninskaya. From the outside they were protected by archers. The remaining towers were located between the corner and travel towers and were purely defensive in nature. Until the 17th century (when the tents appeared) the towers ended with battlements, under which there were machicols - hinged loopholes for close combat. They have survived to this day on almost all the towers.

  The total length of the Kremlin walls is 2235 m, the thickness is from 3.5 to 6.5 and the height is from 5 to 19 m. Outside, it is covered by 1045 two-horned teeth 2-2.5 m high and 65-70 cm thick, from the inside - a parapet wall. Once upon a time there was a gable wooden roof above the wall, which sheltered the archers in bad weather and protected the wall from rain, snow and wind. In the XVIII century. it burned down and was no longer restored as unnecessary. In 1973, large-scale repair and restoration work began in the Moscow Kremlin. Damaged masonry sections were replaced on some towers. On the Senate, Borovitskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Beklkmishevskaya towers, the tiled covering of the tents was replaced with sheet copper made in the form of tiles.
  The Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers. The "oldest" of them is Tainitskaya (1485), the "youngest" is Tsarskaya (1680).
  Let's look at the towers separately...

Vodovzvodnaya tower

In the southwestern corner of the Kremlin, the Vodovzvodnaya tower guards. This is one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire ensemble. The tower was built in 1488 by architect Antonio Gilardi. At first, it was called Sviblova, named after the Sviblov boyars, whose courtyard adjoined the tower from the Kremlin. The tower received its modern name in 1633 after the installation of a water-lifting machine in it and the installation of the first pressure water pipeline in Russia to supply water from the Moscow River to the Kremlin. As contemporaries testified, this machine, made under the guidance of the Englishman Christopher Golovey, cost several barrels of gold. At the end of the 17th century, a tent was erected over the tower. In 1812, French troops retreating from Moscow blew up the tower. He restored it in 1816-1819. O. I. Bove.

Borovitskaya tower

At the foot of one of the seven hills on which Moscow stands, there is a tower that differs from the others in its stepped shape. This is the Borovitskaya tower. Its name comes from the ancient forest that once covered the entire hill. The Borovitskaya Tower was built by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari in 1490. The Borovitskaya Tower has a very peculiar shape. A similar stepped pir mida can be seen in Kazan - at the tower of Queen Syuyumbek. A powerful, square base continues with three tetrahedrons decreasing upwards. The whole structure ends with an open octagon (part of the building, which has an octagonal shape in plan) with a high stone tent. The archer in this tower does not go in front, as in other towers of the Kremlin, but on the side, taking into account the rotation of the wall. Here you can see the hole through which the chains of the lifting drawbridge, dismantled in 1821, passed, and in the passage of the gate - vertical grooves for the protective lattice. Unlike the front doors of the Spassky and Trinity gates, the Borovitsky gates had a purely utilitarian purpose: they passed through them to the outbuildings - the Zhitnoy and Konyushenny yards. In 1812, during the explosion of the neighboring Vodozvodnaya Tower by the retreating French troops, the Borovitskaya Tower was damaged and the top of its tent fell. In 1816-1819 the tower was repaired under the leadership of O.I. Bove. In 1848, the throne of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist near Bor was transferred to the Borovitskaya Tower.

commandant's tower

This is a small deaf strict tower. Its construction was completed by 1495. Previously, it was called Kolymazhnaya - from the Kolymazhny yard in the Kremlin, where the royal wagons and carriages were kept. It got its current name in the 19th century: next to it in the Poteshny Palace lived the commandant of Moscow. Like all the towers of the Kremlin, it was built on in 1676-1686 with a tent with a tower. The height of the tower from the side of the Alexander Garden is 41.25 m.

weapon tower

This is a small tower. Its construction was completed by 1495. It received its modern name in the 19th century after the building of the Armory Chamber built on the territory of the Kremlin. Prior to that, it was called the Konyushennaya, since behind it in ancient times was the royal Stables Yard.

Trinity Tower

With this tower, the architect Aleviz Fryazin Stary completed the construction of fortifications from the side of the Neglinnaya River, later the Alexander Garden. The tower was built in 1495-1499. The significance of the tower for the western facade of the Kremlin is the same as that of the Spasskaya for the eastern one. The architect who built the tower in 1685 took this into account and gave its hipped top almost the same decorative decoration as that of Spasskaya. The tower is six-story, with deep two-story cellars that served for defense purposes, and later in the 15th-16th centuries were used as a prison. There is evidence that there was a clock on the tower in 1585, which lasted until the beginning of the 19th century, until it burned down in 1812. Recently, the clock on the Trinity Tower was reinstalled. The tower received its modern name in 1658 from the Trinity Compound in the Kremlin. Prior to that, it was called Bogoyavlenskaya, Znamenskaya, Karetnaya after the churches located in the Kremlin and the Karetny yard. In 1516, a stone Trinity Bridge was built across the Neglinnaya River. The gates of the tower served as a passage to the mansions of the queen and princesses, to the court of the patriarch. The Troitskaya Tower is the tallest tower in the Kremlin, its height with a star from the direction of the Alexander Garden is 80 m.

Kutafya tower

This is the only surviving of the Kremlin's bridge towers, which served to protect the bridges leading to the fortress. It was built in 1516 under the leadership of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin. Low, surrounded by a moat and a river, with the only gate that was tightly closed in moments of danger, the tower was a formidable barrier for the besiegers of the fortress. The tower consisted of two combat tiers, on the upper platform there were hinged loopholes. In 1685, the tower was decorated with an openwork decorative top. Drawbridges across the moat that surrounded the tower led to the side tower gates. To this day, at the side gate, you can see the preserved slots for chains of lifting mechanisms. It is still not entirely known where the name of the tower came from. Most likely, the name of the tower comes from its shape: as Dahl's dictionary testifies, in Russian folk dialects, the word "kutafya" meant "a clumsy, ugly dressed woman."

Nikolskaya tower

This tower was built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari in 1491. Its name is sometimes associated with the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was placed above the gate of the archer. Other sources associate this name with the Nikolsky Greek Monastery, which was once located on Nikolskaya Street. As in all travel towers, there was a drawbridge across the moat, and protective bars on the gates. In the 17th century, the Nikolsky Gate served mainly as an entrance to the boyar and monastery courtyards in the Kremlin. In 1612, during the struggle against the Polish-gentry invaders, the people's militia, led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, burst through these gates and liberated the Kremlin. In 1812, the French, retreating from Moscow, blew up the tower. It was restored by architect O. Bove in 1816. In 1917, during the October battles, the tower was badly damaged by artillery fire. It was restored in 1918 by the architect N. Markovnikov.

Middle Arsenal Tower

On the northwestern side of the Kremlin wall, stretching along the Alexander Garden, by 1495 the Middle Arsenal Tower had risen. It is located on the site of the corner tower of the Kremlin of the time of Dmitry Donskoy. The tower received its current name during the construction of the Arsenal building at the beginning of the 18th century. Previously, it was called Granena - from the facade dissected on the verge. In 1680 the tower was built on. It is crowned by a see-through observation tower with a tent. In 1821, during the laying out of the Alexander Garden at the foot of the tower, a pleasure grotto was built according to the project of O.I. Bove.

Corner Arsenal Tower

In 1492, Solari completed the defense line of the Kremlin from Red Square with this tower. As conceived by the architect, it was to become the most powerful corner tower. Not far from the tower were the mansions of the boyars Sobakin, so the tower was originally called Sobakin. Only at the beginning of the 13th century, after the construction of the Arsenal, the tower received its modern name. The tower is distinguished by a wide base, powerful four-meter walls, going deep into the ground. However, the tower performed not only defensive functions. To this day, there is a secret well in the tower, which, in the event of a siege, could be used by the garrison of the fortress. In addition, there was a secret exit from the tower to the Neglinnaya River, which was subsequently laid down. During the Patriotic War of 1812, the tower was partially damaged by the explosion of the Nikolskaya Tower and the Arsenal. In 1816-1819, it was restored under the guidance of the architect O. Bove.

Senate Tower

The tower is located immediately behind the Spasskaya Tower, behind the Lenin Mausoleum. The tower was built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The Senate Tower performed a purely defensive function and protected the Kremlin from Red Square. For a long time she was nameless. The tower got its name after the building of the Senate was built on the territory of the Kremlin in 1787 by M. Kazakov, the dome of which is clearly visible from Red Square. Inside the main volume of the tower there are three tiers of vaulted rooms. The deaf, square tower in 1860 was built on with a stone tent, it is crowned with a gilded weather vane. In 1918, a memorial plaque was unveiled by V.I. Lenin on the tower in honor of the first anniversary of the October Revolution (sculptor S. Konenkov). During the restoration of the tower in 1950, the board was removed and transferred to the Museum of the Revolution. The height of the tower is 34.3 m.

The Spasskaya Tower

It is rightfully considered the most beautiful and most slender tower of the Kremlin. The architect Pietro Antonio Solari, who built it in 1491, in fact, laid the foundation for the construction of the eastern line of the Kremlin fortification with the Spasskaya Tower. From time immemorial, the gates of the Spasskaya Tower have been the main front entrance to the Kremlin. They were especially revered by the people and were considered "saints". It was forbidden to pass through them on horseback and to pass with bare head. Through them, regiments marching on the march entered and exited. Tsars and ambassadors were met at these gates. In 1624-1625, the Russian architect Bazhen Ogurtsov and the English master Christopher Galovey erected a multi-tiered top over the tower, ending with a stone tent. It was the first tent decoration in the Kremlin towers. In the 50s of the XXVII century, on top of the tent of the main tower of the Kremlin, the coat of arms of the Russian Empire, the double-headed eagle, was hoisted. Later, similar coats of arms were installed on the highest towers - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. Initially, the tower was called Frolovskaya, due to the fact that the church of Frol and Lavr was located nearby. By decree of April 16, 1658, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered her to be called Spasskaya. The new name was associated with the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, placed above the gate from the side of Red Square. The icon itself has not been preserved, but the place where it hung is clearly visible. The Spasskaya Tower has 10 floors. Three floors are occupied by the mechanism of the Kremlin chimes - the main clock of the state. The height of the tower is 67.3 m (with a star 71 m).

Royal Tower

This is the youngest and smallest tower. It was built in 1680. More precisely, this is not a tower, but a stone tower, a tent placed on the wall. Once upon a time there was a small wooden turret from which, according to legend, Tsar Ivan IV (the Terrible) liked to watch the events taking place on Red Square - hence the name of the tower. White-stone belts on pillars, high pyramids at the corners with gilded flags, a tent ending with an elegant gilded weather vane, all this gives the tower the appearance of a fairy-tale chamber.

alarm tower

This tower was built in 1495. It got its name from the alarm bell, which alerted Muscovites of impending events or danger. The tower was placed on a hill and from it a view of the southern environs was opened. On the tower, guards were on duty around the clock, watching the roads. Noticing fire or columns of smoke, which was a sign of the approach of an enemy army, the watchman sounded the alarm, and the inhabitants of the surrounding villages hurried to take refuge in a fortress or behind the walls of monasteries. The last bell for the disclosure of "bad news" was severely "punished" by Catherine II. In 1771, the Plague Riot broke out in Moscow. The rebellious citizens sounded the alarm, calling the people to the Kremlin. After the suppression of the uprising, Catherine II, who did not know who exactly rang the alarm, ordered to pull out the tongue from the bell. For more than 30 years, a dumb bell hung on the tower. In 1803, it was removed and transferred first to the Arsenal, and then in 1821 to the Armory.

Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower

This tower was built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari in 1490 on the site of the Timofeevsky Gates of the white-stone Kremlin, through which Dmitry Donskoy went to the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. The tower got its name from the nearby church of Constantine and Helena. At first, the shnya was a travel one, had a diversion archer and a drawbridge. In the 17th century, the passage was closed, and a torture chamber was set up in the outlet archer. In 1680, a tent top was built on the tower, and at the end of the 18th century the archer and the bridge were broken, and then the gates were also laid. Now the arch of the gate is clearly visible, above it there is a recess for the over-gate icon and traces of vertical slots for the bridge lifting mechanism. The height of the tower is 36.8 m.

Beklemishevskaya tower

This tower is located in the southeast corner of the Kremlin triangle. It was built in 1487 by the Italian architect Marco Ruffo. Its name is associated with the name of the boyar I. Bersenya-Beklemishev, whose court adjoined it from the Kremlin. His fate was tragic. In 1525, he was executed for speaking out against the policy of Grand Duke Vasily III, his court was transferred to the treasury and, like the tower itself, was turned into a prison. In the defense of the Kremlin, the Beklemishevskaya Tower performed a very responsible function. She was the first to take the blow of the enemy hordes, as she was at the junction of the Moskva River with a moat. In the basement of the tower, a rumor hiding place was arranged to prevent undermining. In the 17th century, the tower was built with a multifaceted high tent, which adorned and softened its severity. At the beginning of the 18th century, in anticipation of a possible offensive by the Swedes, on the orders of Peter I, earthen ramparts were poured at the foot of the tower and its loopholes were cut out to install more powerful guns. During the restoration of the tower in 1949, the loopholes were restored in their original form. The tower has another name - Moskvoretskaya. It appeared, apparently, from the Moskvoretsky bridge, which is located nearby. The height of the tower is 46.2 m.

Petrovskaya tower

The tower got its name from the church of Metropolitan Peter, located in the courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery, located in the Kremlin, next to the tower. In its architecture, the Petrovskaya Tower differs sharply from neighboring towers. A second one was placed on the lower two-tier quadruple with false hinged loopholes. It is divided into two tiers by cornices and thin semi-columns at the corners. From above, the tower ends with an octagonal pyramidal tent. The Petrovsky Tower was destroyed by cannon shots during the Polish intervention in 1612 and then rebuilt. In 1771, it was broken in connection with the construction of the Kremlin Palace, but soon restored in 1783. In 1812, the retreating French troops blew up the tower. It was rebuilt by the architect O.I. Bove in 1818 and since then it has not been changed. The Petrovsky Tower, erected "for a better appearance and strength," served for the household needs of the Kremlin's old people. Tower height - 27.15 m.

First Nameless Tower

In the 1480s, the First Nameless Tower was built next to the Tainitskaya Tower, which is notable for its stingy architectural forms. She has always performed purely defensive functions. The tower ends with a tetrahedral pyramidal bar. The architectural proportions of the tower indicate that it was built later than the Second Nameless Tower. In the 15th-16th centuries gunpowder was stored in this tower. The tower has a difficult fate. In 1547, the tower was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion, and in the 17th century it was rebuilt. Then it was built on with a hipped tier. In 1770-1771, the tower was dismantled to make room for the construction of the Kremlin Palace according to the project of V.I. Bazhenov. When the construction of the palace was stopped, the tower was built again in 1783, somewhat closer to the Taynitskaya tower. In 1812, the retreating French troops blew up the shnu, but soon it was restored in its former forms by the architect O.I. Bove. In this form, she has survived to this day. The height of the tower is 34.15 m. The Second Nameless Tower. The tower was built in the middle of the 15th century. She has always performed purely defensive functions. In 1680, this tower was built on, adding an upper quadrangle and a high pyramidal curtain with an observation tower. The tower is crowned with a small octagonal tent with a weather vane. In ancient times, this tower had a gate, later laid down. In 1771, in connection with the construction of the Kremlin Palace, it was demolished, and after the cessation of construction, it was restored anew. Inside the quadrangle there are two tiers of vaulted rooms.

Taynitskaya tower

The "oldest" tower of the Moscow Kremlin is Taynitskaya. The construction of the Kremlin fortifications began with it. Under the tower was dug a hiding place-well, to which the tower and its gates owe their name. In the event of a siege, it was possible to supply the Kremlin with water through this well and underground passage. The tower was built in 1485 by Peter Anthony Fryazin. At the end of the 17th century, a tent was erected over the tower. Unfortunately, the tower, built in the 15th century, has not reached us. In 1770, it was demolished, as the Kremlin started the construction of the Kremlin Palace according to the project of V. Bazhenov. However, already in 1771-1773, the tower was restored according to the measured drawings of M. Kazakov, followed by the addition of a tent top. In the 60s of the last century, a retractable archer was attached to the tower, where the guns of the self-propelled battery were located. In 1930, the archer was dismantled, and the gates and hiding places were laid. Its height is 38.4 m.

Annunciation Tower

The tower was built in 1487-1488. This is a low four-sided tower. At its base are slabs of white limestone. They have been preserved from the ancient white-stone Kremlin of the XIV century. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, the tower was used as a prison. At the end of the 17th century, a stone tent with a decorative watchtower was built on the Annunciation Tower. The name of the tower comes from the miraculous icon of the Annunciation that was once placed here, and is also associated with the Church of the Annunciation, attached to the tower at the beginning of the 18th century. At the same time, a bell tower was built in the watchtower, where seven bells were placed, and the weather vane was replaced with a cross. The tower served as an chapel of the church, ancient loopholes were hewn into large windows. In the 17th century, Port-washing gates were built next to the tower for the passage of palace laundresses to the Port-washing raft on the Moscow River to rinse the ports - linen. In 1813, the Portomoynye Gates were laid down, but their traces have survived to this day and are clearly visible from the inside of the Kremlin. In the depths of the tower was a deep underground. The height of the tower is 30.7 m (with a weather vane - 32.45 m).

Moscow Kremlin towers. Today it is difficult to imagine without their spiers the once fortified structure itself, and the appearance of the capital - Moscow - would lose some zest.

So how many towers are in the Moscow Kremlin? Their total number is 20, and in this review we will give their names, former and existing, and also briefly tell about their interesting history.

Some facts from the history of the Kremlin towers in Moscow

Each tower in the Kremlin is unique. You won't find exactly the same here. Their names also differ, which have changed several times over the centuries. Indeed, two of them First and Second- and have remained so far Nameless.

The very first tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the foundation stone of which was laid simultaneously with the construction of the Kremlin walls, became Taynitskaya tower. This name is due to the fact that it was from it that a secret passage, arranged underground, led to the Moscow River. This was necessary in case of a siege, so that it would be possible to replenish the necessary supply of water.

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The Moscow Kremlin is an invaluable architectural ensemble dating back to the 15th-19th centuries. In its shape, it resembles an irregularly shaped triangle. The southern side of the ensemble faces the Moscow River. The fortress is surrounded by a brick wall with 20 towers of different architecture. Today we will briefly introduce you to the features of each of them.

Beklemishevskaya tower

The construction of this design dates back to 1487-1488. Its author was the Italian architect Mark Fryazin. The tower is round in plan. Its name comes from the court of the boyar Beklemishev, who adjoined it. Its height is 46.7 m. However, this is not the tallest building.

Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower

Appeared in the Kremlin in 1490. It was built by the Italian architect Pietro Solari. Its name originates from the Church of Saints Helena and Constantine, located nearby. The height of the structure is slightly less than 37 m.

Nabatnaya Tower

The Kremlin towers were built at different times. For example, Nabatnaya appeared in the fortress in 1495. It was named after the bells of the Spassky alarm located in it, which were part of the Kremlin's fire-fighting system. It rises to 38 meters.

Tsarskaya Tower

The towers of the Moscow Kremlin differ not only in architectural style, but also in size. For example, the Tsarskaya Tower has a rather modest size. It was installed directly on the wall. This happened in the 1680s. She is younger than her "sisters" by almost two centuries. Previously, in its place was a small tower made of wood. According to legend, Ivan the Terrible himself, the Russian Tsar, watched Red Square from it. That's where its name came from. Height - 16.7 m.

Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin

This is one of the most famous buildings of the Kremlin. First of all, because it refers to the towers overlooking Red Square.

The Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin has a gate of the same name; the famous clock, the Moscow Chimes, is installed in its tent.

This is a grandiose building with a height of more than 71 m. The Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin appeared in the Kremlin during the reign of Ivan III (1491). The author of the project was the architect Pietro Solari.

Initially, a much smaller tower was erected than we see today. This is explained by the fact that in 1625 Christopher Galovey, an architect from England, in collaboration with the Russian architect Bazhen Ogurtsov, completed a large multi-tiered top above the tower. It was made in the Gothic style with some Mannerist elements. The tower ends with a stone tent. Fairy figurines are an original design element. They were covered with clothes made especially for this purpose.

At the end of the 17th century, the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin was decorated with the first double-headed eagle - the coat of arms of the Russian state. Much later, the symbols of the state appeared on the Trinity, Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya towers.

At all times, the gates of the tower were the central of all the Kremlin. Moreover, they were revered as saints. It was forbidden to ride through them, and men passing through them had to remove their hats. Anyone who did not follow the holy rule was obliged to make 50 prostrations to the ground.

The Spassky Gates became the main entrance to the territory of the Kremlin. Troops went to fight through them. Ambassadors of foreign states were also met here.

All the Kremlin processions went through these gates. Starting with Mikhail Fedorovich, all Russian tsars and emperors must pass through them before their coronation.

There is a legend that when the "invincible" Napoleon passed through the famous gates in devastated Moscow, his famous cocked hat was torn off by a gust of wind.

During the retreat, the French decided to burn the Spasskaya Tower, but the Don Cossacks who arrived in time were able to put out the already lit fuses.

There were chapels on both sides of the gate. On the left - Smolenskaya, on the right - Spasskaya. They were built of stone in 1802. In 1812 they were both destroyed and rebuilt according to a completely new project. At the end of October 1868, two new hipped chapels were solemnly consecrated. Both were demolished in 1925.

Kremlin chimes

Another attraction that the Spasskaya Tower is famous for is the chimes that have been decorating the tower since the 16th century. True, it should be noted that they are constantly changing. A completely new watch was made in 1625 by the English mechanic and watchmaker Christopher Galoway. They performed musical melodies, measured day and night time, which was indicated by numbers and letters. At that time, the hands on the dial did not exist.

Tsar Peter I (1705) issued a decree on the reconstruction of the Spassky Clock. They were remade in the German way. A dial appeared, which was divided into 12 sectors.

In 1770, they were replaced by an English clock, which was discovered in the Faceted Chamber. At first, they sang a simple song "Dear Augustine", referring to German folklore.

The chimes that are known to us were made by the Budenop brothers (1851-1852). They were installed on the eighth and tenth tiers of the tower. The chimes were sounded by the "March of the Preobrazhensky Regiment" at 6 and 12 o'clock. At 3 and 9 o'clock they sang the hymn "How glorious is our Lord" by D. Bortnyansky. These melodies sounded over Red Square until 1917. At first, the idea arose to dial the anthem of Russia on the playing shaft of the chimes, but Nicholas I did not allow this to be done.

In early November 1917, the clock was damaged during the Bolshevik assault. They were hit by a projectile, which interrupted one of the arrows and broke the rotation mechanism. The clock has been frozen for almost a year. In September 1918, V. I. Lenin issued a decree, according to which the clock was restored by master Nikolai Berens.

The chimes began to "sing" the "Internationale" at 12 o'clock, and "You fell a victim ..." at 24 o'clock. In 1938, the chimes fell silent for a long time. They only struck the hours and quarters.

58 years later (in 1996), during the solemn inauguration of the First Russian President B. N. Yeltsin, the Russians heard the "Patriotic Song" performed by the chimes, and every quarter of an hour - the melody of the choir "Glory".

The last restoration of the chimes took place in 1999. The numbers and hands are gilded. The appearance of the upper tiers of the tower was completely restored. At the end of the year, the chimes were finally tuned. Now they sing the national anthem of Russia, which was officially approved in 2000.

The chimes have quite impressive dimensions - a diameter of 6.12 m. They "look" at four sides. Roman numerals are 0.72 m high, the hour hand is 2.97 m long, the minute hand is 3.27 m. Previously, the watch was wound manually, but after 1937 three electric motors are used for this.

Senate Tower

The towers of the Moscow Kremlin are not all equally popular and famous. For example, the Senate - it was erected in 1491 by Pietro Solari. It was named much later (1787), when the Senate Palace was built on the territory of the Kremlin. Its height is 34.3 meters.

Nikolskaya Tower

This design is also the work of Pietro Solari. The tower was built at the same time as its Senate "sister" (in 1491). She was named after the icon of St. N. Wonderworker, which was above the gate. The tower is crowned with a red star. The huge structure rises to 70.4 m.

Arsenal tower (corner)

The Kremlin towers, located at the corners of the fortress, are more massive. Arsenal built by Pietro Solari (1492). This is one of the most powerful towers. The name appeared at the beginning of the 18th century, when the Arsenal building was built on the territory of the Kremlin. The round tower has a well inside. The height of the structure is 60.2 meters.

Arsenal tower (middle)

The second tower, named after the Arsenal, was built in 1495. Its height is 38.9 m.

Trinity Tower

This tower was considered the second after Spasskaya in its significance. It was built by the Italian Aloisio da Milano in 1495. It was renamed several times, but in the end the name Troitskaya took root (after the name of the courtyard in the Kremlin). Today it is the main entrance for everyone who wants to visit the Kremlin. The building is crowned with a red star. It should be noted that the towers of the Kremlin differ in their size. The height of the tower exceeds 80 meters. There are buildings that are more than two times lower than it.

Kutafya tower of the Kremlin

It was built in 1516. The author of the project is the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin. This is a low tower surrounded by a deep moat and the Neglinnaya River. She had a single gate, which, at the slightest danger, was tightly closed by a drawbridge. It was a serious obstacle for enemies.

In the 17th century, with the help of dams, the water level in Neglinnaya was raised high. She began to surround the tower from all sides. At first, its height above ground level was 18 meters.

Why is the Kremlin's Kutafya Tower so named? There are two versions. One of them is from the word "kut" (corner, shelter) or from the word "kutafya", which means a clumsy, full woman.

The Kutafya tower never had a top cover. In 1685, she received an openwork "crown" with spectacular white stone details.

Its height is 13.5 meters.

Komendantskaya tower

This name was given to the tower in the 19th century, when the nearby Poteshny Palace became the official residence of the commandant of Moscow. And the tower was built much earlier, in 1495. Its height is 41.25 m.

weapon tower

I must say that at the end of the 15th century, many towers of the Kremlin appeared. So the Armory was built in the Kremlin in 1495. It was named much later (1851), when the Armory was built nearby. The height of the building is 38.9 m.

Borovitskaya tower

As a rule, the Kremlin towers got their name from the location or in honor of the building located nearby. The Borovitskaya Tower appeared on the map of the Kremlin in 1490. Created by Pietro Solari. They named it in honor of Borovitsky Hill. It was on its slope that the tower was built. Today it is the main passage for the motorcades of the government and the president. The tower is crowned with a red ruby ​​star. Its height is 54 meters.

Vodovzvodnaya tower

This building was erected by the Italian architect Antonio Gilardi in 1488. The tower was round in shape, inside it there was a well, and a secret passage was dug in it, which led to the Moscow River. It got its name from the water pump installed in it in 1633, which supplied water to the gardens of the Kremlin. The beautiful structure is crowned with a ruby ​​star. The height of the tower is 61.25 m.

Annunciation Tower

In our article, we published a photo of the Kremlin. Its towers are all very different in style, shape, and size. At the same time, they surprisingly create a very harmonious ensemble. Look at the Annunciation Tower. It was built at the end of the 15th century (1488), but it still amazes guests of the Kremlin with its splendor. She received her name in honor of the icon of the Annunciation, located in the tower. Its height is 32.45 m.

Taynitskaya tower

The building was built in 1485. This is not the highest tower - Taynitskaya. Previously, it was a travel card, but later the gates were laid. It was named after the secret well located in it and the secret passage that led to the Moscow River. The Tainitskaya Tower rises 38.4 meters above the Kremlin.

Unnamed towers

Two not very high towers. Both were built in the 80s of the XV century. Their height is 34.15 and 30.2 meters respectively.

Petrovskaya tower

In honor of the nearby church of Metropolitan Peter and the courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery, another construction was named. The Petrovskaya Tower is 27.15 meters high.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

This is another attraction, dear to the heart of every Russian. Thousands of tourists from different parts of the Earth annually come to see the miracle of Nizhny Novgorod.

The length of the Kremlin is about 2 kilometers, the height is from 18 to 30 meters. When the towers of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin were being built, there were 13 of them. Only 12 have survived to this day. At the beginning of 2010, the restoration and reconstruction of the lost Zachatievsky tower began.

Each of the 12 structures has its own history, which, as a rule, is reflected in their names - Borisoglebskaya, Georgievskaya, Belaya, Zachatievskaya, Ivanovskaya, Severnaya, Chasovaya, Tainitskaya, Koromyslova, Kladovaya, Dmitrievskaya, Powder, Nikolskaya.

The exit to the open wall of the Kremlin for walking is in the Kladovaya Tower. During its long history, the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin has experienced many rebuildings and reconstructions. It is the most valuable monument of history, architecture and culture of Russia. The towers of the Kremlin attract the interest of researchers and scientists from all over the world.