Question: “How many towers does the Moscow Kremlin have?” interests many. The answer is known - there are 20 of them in total. This article will consider all the buildings in order, presenting a photo of each of them with captions, as well as a message about each interesting features and facts. If you are interested in the question: “What is the purpose of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin?” — let’s answer it: defensive. In the old days they played the role of defense hubs.
The architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, which consists of bright walls and tall structures, is an old-timer. His age exceeded the bar of five centuries. Today it is impossible to imagine a once fortification building without their spiers, and the appearance of Moscow would lose its original flavor.
Prince Ivan III began construction work. The difference in size and shape features in each case was determined by the location and protective capabilities. Each structure contained its own exits, which went to the attached spindles of the walls.
This made it possible to walk around the entire perimeter without having to go down to the ground. The final decoration was merlons, otherwise known as “dovetails”. Behind them were archers hiding on the upper parts of the structure.
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History of the towers
On this moment Residents and visitors of the capital can see twenty towers. These buildings have seen many historical events. The military actions of 1812 brought them particular harm, when many defensive structures were completely destroyed by explosions.
Therefore, a huge amount of restoration work was done. The fortification structures owe their current appearance to Boeve’s excellent architectural skills.
During restoration efforts at the Kremlin complex, they were able to highlight its antiquity and even add to all this romantic notes and decorative details in the manner of the Middle Ages. The bastions built during the reign of Peter the Great were eliminated, and the ditch that crossed Red Square was buried.
Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) tower
The structure has a round shape and is located next to the Moskvoretsky Bridge. It is wonderfully visible from Red Square. In those distant times, this defensive structure successfully withstood the onslaught of advancing enemies.
A hiding place was built in front of the fortress, and in the 18th century the pylon was decorated with a tent. This added harmony to the composition and removed some of the serf-like severity.
During the battle with the Swedes, bastions were built and the dimensions of the loopholes were expanded. In the middle of the last century, a major restoration was carried out, and the loopholes acquired their original shape.
Taynitskaya Tower
During the construction of the Kremlin, this building was one of the first to be completed. The design received its name due to the presence of a hidden passage underground.
It connected the defense structure with the river. It was used to deliver water in case of an enemy blockade.
The object rises almost forty meters. Over its history, it has undergone many changes.
After the destruction caused by Napoleon's army, the fortress was restored. And closer to the half of the last century, the archery was completely dismantled, the well was filled in and the gates for passage were blocked.
Vodovzvodnaya Tower
Another name for this building is Sviblova. It was formed by the name of the boyar, whose yard was located nearby, and the machine that stood here and served to supply water.
This water supply operated for a very long period until the mechanism ended up in St. Petersburg, where it filled the fountain with water.
Together with the star, the structure reaches a height of 62 meters. And during restoration efforts, elements of classics and pseudo-Gothic were introduced into it.
Borovitskaya Tower
Borovitsky Hill was once covered with shadow from a pine forest. This 54-meter building, crowned with a star, is also located here. The building is otherwise called Predtechenskaya.
At first it served the needs of the Zhitnoy and Konyushenny yard, located nearby. The passage gate played the role of the Kremlin's back gate.
The upper part of the piloton was decorated with an open figure of eight and a large stone tent.
Weapon Tower
Previously, next to this building there were workshops producing weapons. The craftsmen here also made dishes and items that served as decorations.
The old name “Konyushennaya” was quickly replaced by “Armory”, and this happened when the Armory Chamber appeared in this place. At that time, it became a treasury; uniforms and other things of Russian soldiers were preserved in it.
The structure rises 32 meters high and is a storage place, and the extreme side of the Alexander Garden is its entrance.
Trinity Tower
In terms of protective capabilities, this structure took second place (the first belongs to the protective building of Spasskaya). It also has the highest height.
The quadrangle of six tiers has a basement at the base, which in turn is made in two tiers. Stairs help you move comfortably from tier to tier. Over its history, the name of this protective structure has changed several times.
It had the following names:
- Epiphany;
- Znamenskaya;
- Karetnaya.
In the end, the royal decree turned it into Trinity. The entire building rises eighty meters.
Kutafyeva Tower
Many years ago there were two guard buildings, they guarded the entrance to the Kremlin. Only one has survived to this day.
It is also known as Predmostnaya, and it is the lowest of the entire list of towers in the Moscow Kremlin. It was located next to the Trinity Bridge, where it was surrounded by a moat and a river.
One gate was built in a low pylon, which, if necessary, could be closed by the lifting side of the bridge, which created great difficulties for penetration from the outside. The structure stood out with special power.
Now this building, made in two colors, rises thirteen meters, and becomes an organic addition to the entire architectural ensemble.
Corner Arsenal Tower
The lower massive part of the structure consists of sixteen faces, which are expanded by the base.
Below, underground, there is a basement room, accessible via an internal staircase. There is also an underground well located there. It contains clean drinking water.
Boyar Sobakin used to live next to the structure, and because of him the structure had a second name - Sobakin. The building began to be called the Arsenal building after the Arsenal was erected.
Arsenal Tower
The described structure was included in the number of Kremlin buildings in the 15th century. A little later, a grotto was built next to it, which became a landmark in the Alexander Garden.
The outer side of the pylon is divided by niches. The upper part has four corners and they are decorated with machicolations.
Inside, the structure consists of three tiers that cover barrel vaults.
Alarm tower
This facility was built tightly. It is distinguished by its special strength, and is located between the Konstantino-Elenskaya and Tsarskaya structures.
The basement and the rooms located in it together represent a complex multi-chamber network.
The tent-shaped tetrahedral top in former times sounded with the sound of bells. Like the Spassky alarm, these sounds became a signal of some kind of disaster. The alarm bell installed here weighs 150 pounds. This is the creation of the hands of the craftsman Ivan Motorin.
Tsar's Tower
This building is comfortably located between Nabatnaya and Spasskaya. In structure it resembles a tower. This addition to the Kremlin was erected in the 60s of the nineteenth century.
Four dome-like pillars support an octagonal tent, which in turn was decorated with a gilded weather vane. Previously, fire protection bells could be heard from it.
This is one of a small number of buildings that has remained virtually unchanged. This structure reaches seventeen meters in height.
Konstantino-Eleninskaya (Timofeevskaya) tower
It appeared in the middle of the fifteenth century and was located in place of the former passage building. She let a lot of people pass through her.
Regiments passed here, and even Dmitry Donskoy himself went this way to the Battle of Kulikovo. In addition, the building played the role of a military security facility protecting the Great Posad and the routes running from the pier on the river.
From this object all paths from the adjacent streets were clearly visible. The pylon was equipped with gates for passage and an archer. It became possible to get here through a drawbridge above the level. The building received a different name because of the nearby Church of Constantine and Helena.
Senate Tower
Since the fifteenth century, it has been decorating the complex, surrounded by Nikolskaya and Frolovskaya fortification structures.
For a long time it was not called anything. And at the end of the eighteenth century, the Senate settled in the Kremlin. And they used it in the title.
The interior of the object is divided into three tiers, where rooms with vaults are located. The built-out structure was later supplemented with a tent and a weather vane. These details were complemented by beautiful gilding. All this rises 35 meters.
Nikolskaya Tower
The building is located in the northern part of the complex. The high-power quadrangle was previously equipped with gates for passage. It was also complemented by an archer and a crossing operating in lifting mode.
The name uses the image of St. Nicholas, which was installed above the driveway. Judging by information from Wikipedia and numerous memories and historical information, amazing events took place in all historical times, as evidenced by St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk, whose image was lost, restored and solemnly consecrated in 2010.
The “lace” octagon is considered to be a decoration of the structure, and the additional part (tent) reflects the Gothic style of architecture.
During the battle with Napoleonic army, the building was partially damaged, but a little later it was restored. And during the restoration, the tent was decorated with white stone turrets.
Petrovskaya Tower
The need for this facility arose at the stage of improving the complex’s defense system. The nearby Church of Metropolitan Peter gave it its name.
After the building was blown up by a gunpowder charge in 1812, extensive restoration work was carried out.
The built twenty-seven-meter structure was used for the economic needs of gardeners who monitored the improvement of the Kremlin territory.
Kolymazhnaya or Commandant Tower
An almost blank and austere building, which is shifted to the south side of the Trinity defensive building.
Like most other objects, it appeared in the fifteenth century. And the name “Kolymazhnaya” was given due to the close location of the Kolymazhny yard.
After the commandant moved to Poteshin (this happened in the nineteenth century), the building was renamed.
Annunciation Tower
This object has its own secret - it is deep underground. If you believe the legends, the name was given to it by the icon of the Annunciation, which hung here in ancient times.
Historians are also inclined to believe that the name is associated with the Church of the Annunciation, built nearby, which was demolished under Soviet rule. Back in the seventeenth century, the Porto-Wash Gate was built near the pylon, through which local washerwomen hurried to the river to rinse their clothes here.
Over time, this gate was built up. The building, together with the weather vane, rises thirty-two meters.
Frolovskaya or Spasskaya tower
It is located next to the main gate, which in the old days was equipped with a special passage to the Kremlin. During construction, the task was to protect the north-eastern corner of the complex, since it did not contain water barriers.
In the seventeenth century, the object was decorated with the coat of arms of the state (double-headed eagle). And the clock, which was placed here in the nineteenth century, is here now.
When describing this construction, it should be noted that in this case the architecture was not the same as in other buildings. She was distinguished by precision in geometric shapes, luxurious jewelry and animal figurines. The corner parts of the quadrangle were decorated with attractive pyramids with iridescent weather vanes.
First Nameless Tower
It stands next to Taynitskaya and is a completely blind building. For almost two centuries (15th and 16th) it was used as a gunpowder storage facility.
In the mid-sixteenth century, the building was destroyed by fire, but 150 years later it was rebuilt. Now it has already been supplemented by a new tier, which was called a tent tier.
During the construction of the luxurious Kremlin palace, the building was dismantled. As soon as this was completed, the architect Bazhenov received instructions to build the object again. In the end, the beauty of the current complex is complemented by one spire, rising 35 meters.
Second Nameless Tower
The building gained architectural attractiveness in the second half of the seventeenth century, when it was completed with a four-sided tent and an observation post was added.
The crowning achievement of the structure was a stone tent with a weather vane. The Kremlin building delights with the emerald tents, the ruby shine of the stars and the “swallow tails”.
The grandeur and beauty of this place is simply mesmerizing. This is the most striking and recognizable symbol, familiar from childhood from pictures in books, textbooks, stamps and other images, dear to every Russian person.
For interesting information about the walls and towers of the Kremlin, watch the following video:
The Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers and they are all different, no two are alike. Each tower has its own name and its own history. And probably many people don’t know the names of all the towers. Shall we meet?
Most of the towers are made in a single architectural style, given to them in the second half of the 17th century. The Nikolskaya Tower, which at the beginning of the 19th century was rebuilt in the Gothic style, stands out from the general ensemble.
BEKLEMISHEVSKAYA(MOSKVORETSKAYA)
BEKLEMISHEVSKAYA (Moskvoretskaya) tower is located in the south-eastern corner of the Kremlin. It was built by the Italian architect Marco Fryazin in 1487-1488. The courtyard of boyar Beklemishev adjoined the tower, for which it received its name. Beklemishev's courtyard, together with the tower, served as a prison for disgraced boyars under Vasily III. The current name – “Moskvoretskaya” – is taken from the nearby Moskvoretsky Bridge. The tower was located at the junction of the Moscow River with a moat, so when the enemy attacked, it was the first to take the blow. The architectural design of the tower is also connected with this: the tall cylinder is placed on a beveled white stone plinth and separated from it by a semicircular ridge. The surface of the cylinder is cut through by narrow, sparsely spaced windows. The tower is completed by a machicolli with a battle platform, which was higher than the adjacent walls. In the basement of the tower there was a hidden rumor to prevent undermining. In 1680, the tower was decorated with an octagon carrying a tall narrow tent with two rows of dormitories, which softened its severity. In 1707, expecting a possible attack by the Swedes, Peter I ordered bastions to be built at its foot and the loopholes to be expanded to install more powerful guns. During Napoleon's invasion, the tower was damaged and then repaired. In 1917, the top of the tower was damaged during shelling, but it was restored by 1920. In 1949, during the restoration, the loopholes were restored to their previous form. This is one of the few Kremlin towers that has not been radically rebuilt. The height of the tower is 62.2 meters.
KONSTANTINO-ELENINSKAYA(TIMOFEEVSKAYA)
The KONSTANTINE-ELENINSKAYA tower owes its name to the Church of Constantine and Helena that stood here in ancient times. The tower was built in 1490 by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari and was used for the passage of the population and troops to the Kremlin. Previously, when the Kremlin was made of white stone, there was another tower in this place. It was through her that Dmitry Donskoy and his army went to the Kulikovo field. New tower was built for the reason that there were no natural barriers on its side, not from the Kremlin. It was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful diverter and travel gates, which after, in the 18th and early 19th centuries. were dismantled. The tower got its name from the Church of Constantine and Helena, which stood in the Kremlin. The height of the tower is 36.8 meters.
NABATNAYA
The Alarm Tower got its name from the large bell - the alarm - that hung above it. Once upon a time there were guards on duty here all the time. From above, they vigilantly watched to see if the enemy army was approaching the city. And if danger was approaching, the watchmen had to warn everyone and ring the alarm bell. Because of him, the tower was called Nabatnaya. But now there is no bell in the tower. One day at the end of the 18th century, at the sound of the Alarm Bell, a riot began in Moscow. And when order was restored in the city, the bell was punished for divulging bad news - they were deprived of their tongue. In those days it was a common practice to recall at least the history of the bell in Uglich. Since then, the Alarm Bell fell silent and remained idle for a long time until it was removed to the museum. The height of the Alarm Tower is 38 meters.
ROYAL
ROYAL Tower. It is not at all like other Kremlin towers. There are 4 columns right on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are neither powerful walls nor narrow loopholes. But she doesn’t need them. Because they were built two centuries later than the other towers and not for defense at all. Previously, there was a small wooden tower on this site, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched over Red Square. Previously, there was a small wooden tower on this site, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched over Red Square. Later, the smallest tower of the Kremlin was built here and called it Tsarskaya. Its height is 16.7 meters.
SPASSKAYA(FROLOVSKAYA)
SPASSKAYA (Frolovskaya) tower. Built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari. This name comes from the 17th century, when an icon of the Savior was hung over the gates of this tower. It was erected on the spot where the main gates of the Kremlin were located in ancient times. It, like Nikolskaya, was built to protect the northeastern part of the Kremlin, which had no natural water barriers. The passage gates of the Spasskaya Tower, at that time still Frolovskaya, were considered “holy” by the people. No one rode through them on horseback or walked through them with their heads covered. The regiments setting out on a campaign passed through these gates; kings and ambassadors were met here. In the 17th century, the coat of arms of Russia - a double-headed eagle - was installed on the tower; a little later, coats of arms were also installed on other high towers of the Kremlin - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. In 1658 Kremlin towers renamed. Frolovskaya turned into Spasskaya. It was named so in honor of the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, located above the passage gate of the tower from the side of Red Square, and in honor of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, located above the gate from the Kremlin. In 1851-52 A clock was installed on the Spasskaya Tower, which we still see today. Kremlin chimes. Chimes are large clocks that have a musical mechanism. The bells play music at the Kremlin chimes. There are eleven of them. One large one, it marks the hours, and ten smaller ones, their melodious chime is heard every 15 minutes. The chimes contain a special device. It sets the hammer in motion, it hits the surface of the bells and the Kremlin chimes sound. The Kremlin chimes mechanism occupies three floors. Previously, chimes were wound manually, but now they do it using electricity. The Spasskaya Tower occupies 10 floors. Its height with the star is 71 meters.
SENATE
The SENATE Tower was built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, rises behind the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin and is named after the Senate, whose green dome rises above the fortress wall. The Senate Tower is one of the oldest in the Kremlin. Built in 1491 in the center of the north-eastern part of the Kremlin wall, it performed only defensive functions - it protected the Kremlin from Red Square. The height of the tower is 34.3 meters.
NIKOLSKAYA
NIKOLSKAYA Tower is located at the beginning of Red Square. In ancient times, there was a monastery of St. Nicholas the Old nearby, and above the gate of the tower there was an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The gate tower, built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Solari, was one of the main defensive redoubts of the eastern part of the Kremlin wall. The name of the tower comes from the Nikolsky Monastery, which was located nearby. Therefore, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed above the passage gate of the strelnitsa. Like all towers with entrance gates, Nikolskaya had a drawbridge over the moat and protective grilles that were lowered during the battle. The Nikolskaya Tower went down in history in 1612, when militia troops led by Minin and Pozharsky burst into the Kremlin through its gates, liberating Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. In 1812, the Nikolskaya Tower, along with many others, was blown up by Napoleon's troops retreating from Moscow. The upper part of the tower was especially damaged. In 1816, it was replaced by the architect O.I. Bove with a new needle-shaped dome in the pseudo-Gothic style. In 1917, the tower was damaged again. This time from artillery fire. In 1935, the dome of the tower was crowned with a five-pointed star. In the 20th century, the tower was restored in 1946-1950s and in 1973-1974s. Now the height of the tower is 70.5 meters.
CORNER ARSENAL (DOG)
The CORNER ARSENAL tower was built in 1492 by Pietro Antonio Solari and is located further away, in the corner of the Kremlin. The first name was received at the beginning of the 18th century, after the construction of the Arsenal building on the territory of the Kremlin, the second comes from the estate of the Sobakin boyars located nearby. There is a well in the dungeon of the corner Arsenal Tower. It is more than 500 years old. It is filled from an ancient source and therefore it always has clean and fresh water. Previously, it went from the Arsenal Tower underground passage to the Neglinnaya River. The height of the tower is 60.2 meters.
MEDIUM ARSENAL(FACETED)
The MIDDLE ARSENAL tower rises from the side of the Alexander Garden and is called so because there was a weapons depot right behind it. It was built in 1493-1495. After the construction of the Arsenal building, the tower got its name. A grotto was erected near the tower in 1812 - one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden. The height of the tower is 38.9 meters.
TRINITY
The TRINITY Tower is named after the church and the Trinity Compound, which were once located nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. Trinity Tower is the most high tower Kremlin. The height of the tower currently, together with the star from the side of the Alexander Garden, is 80 meters. The Trinity Bridge, protected by the Kutafya Tower, leads to the gates of the Trinity Tower. The tower gate serves as the main entrance for visitors to the Kremlin. Built in 1495-1499. Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Milanets. The tower was called differently: Rizopolozhenskaya, Znamenskaya and Karetnaya. It received its current name in 1658 after the Trinity courtyard of the Kremlin. In the 16th-17th centuries, the two-story base of the tower housed a prison. From 1585 to 1812 there was a clock on the tower. At the end of the 17th century, the tower received a multi-tiered hipped superstructure with white stone decorations. In 1707, due to the threat of a Swedish invasion, the loopholes of the Trinity Tower were expanded to accommodate heavy cannons. Until 1935, an imperial double-headed eagle was installed at the top of the tower. By the next date of the October Revolution, it was decided to remove the eagle and install red stars on it and the other main towers of the Kremlin. The double-headed eagle of the Trinity Tower turned out to be the oldest - made in 1870 and prefabricated with bolts, so when dismantling it had to be dismantled at the top of the tower. In 1937, the faded gem star was replaced with a modern ruby star.
KUTAFYA
KUTAFYA tower (connected by a bridge to Troitskaya). Its name is associated with this: in the old days, a casually dressed, clumsy woman was called a kutafya. Indeed, the Kutafya tower is not high, like the others, but squat and wide. The tower was built in 1516 under the direction of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin. Low, surrounded by a moat and the Neglinnaya River, with a single gate, which in moments of danger was tightly closed by the lifting part of the bridge, the tower was a formidable barrier for those besieging the fortress. It had plantar loopholes and machicolations. In the 16th-17th centuries, the water level in the Neglinnaya River was raised high by dams, so that water surrounded the tower on all sides. Initial height its height above ground level was 18 meters. The only way to enter the tower from the city was via an inclined bridge. There are two versions of the origin of the name “Kutafya”: from the word “kut” - shelter, corner, or from the word “kutafya”, which meant a plump, clumsy woman. The Kutafya Tower has never had a covering. In 1685, it was crowned with an openwork “crown” with white stone details.
COMMENDANT (KOLYMAZNAYA)
The COMMANDANT'S Tower got its name in the 19th century because the commandant of Moscow was located in the building nearby. The tower was built in 1493-1495 on the northwestern side of the Kremlin wall, which today stretches along the Alexander Garden. It was formerly called Kolymazhnaya after the Kolymazhny yard located near it in the Kremlin. In 1676-1686 it was built on. The tower is made up of a massive quadrangle with machicolations (mounted loopholes) and a parapet and an open tetrahedron standing on it, completed with a pyramidal roof, an observation tower and an octagonal ball. The main volume of the tower contains three tiers of rooms covered with barrel vaults; The completion tiers are also covered with vaults. In the 19th century, the tower received the name “Komendantskaya”, when the commandant of Moscow settled nearby in the Kremlin, in the Poteshny Palace of the 17th century. The height of the tower from the Alexander Garden side is 41.25 meters.
ARMORY (STABLE)
The ARMORY tower, which once stood on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, now enclosed in an underground pipe, received its name from the nearby Armory Chamber, the second comes from the nearby Stables Yard. Once upon a time there were ancient weapons workshops located next to it. They also made precious dishes and jewelry. The ancient workshops gave the name not only to the tower, but also to the wonderful museum located nearby behind the Kremlin wall - the Armory Chamber. Many Kremlin treasures and simply very ancient things are collected here. For example, helmets and chain mail of ancient Russian warriors. The height of the Armory Tower is 32.65 meters.
BOROVITSKAYA(PREDTECHENSKAYA)
Built in 1490 by Pietro Antonio Solari. Travel card. The first name of the tower is the original one, it comes from Borovitsky Hill, on the slope of which the tower stands; The name of the hill apparently comes from an ancient pine forest that grew on this site. The second name, assigned by royal decree of 1658, comes from the nearby Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist and the icon of St. John the Baptist, located above the gate. Currently, it is the main passage for government motorcades. The height of the tower is 54 meters.
VODOVOZVODNAYA(SVIBLOVA)
WATER TOWER - so named because of the machine that was once here. She lifted water from a well located below to the very top of the tower into a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes to royal palace in the Kremlin. This is how in the old days the Kremlin had its own water supply system. He worked for a long time, but then the car was dismantled and taken to St. Petersburg. There it was used to construct fountains. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya tower with a star is 61.45 meters. The second name of the tower is associated with the boyar surname Sviblo, or the Sviblovs, who were responsible for its construction.
BLAGOVESCHENSKAYA
Annunciation Tower. According to legend, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously kept in this tower, and in 1731 the Church of the Annunciation was added to this tower. Most likely, the name of the tower is associated with one of these facts. In the 17th century, for the passage of laundresses to the Moscow River, a gate was made near the tower, called Portomoyny. They were founded in 1831, and in Soviet times the Church of the Annunciation was also dismantled. The height of the Annunciation Tower with a weather vane is 32.45 meters.
TAINITSKAYA
TAINITSKAYA Tower is the first tower founded during the construction of the Kremlin. It was named so because a secret underground passage led from it to the river. It was intended to be able to take water in case the fortress was besieged by enemies. The height of the Taynitskaya tower is 38.4 meters.
PETROVSKAYA(UGRESHSKAYA)
PETROVSKAYA tower, together with two unnamed ones, was built to strengthen the southern wall, as it was most often attacked. Like the two nameless ones, the Petrovskaya Tower at first had no name. She received her name from the Church of Metropolitan Peter at the Ugreshsky Metochion in the Kremlin. In 1771, during the construction of the Kremlin Palace, the tower, the Church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshsky courtyard were dismantled. In 1783, the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812, the French destroyed it again during the occupation of Moscow. In 1818, the Petrovskaya Tower was restored again. Kremlin gardeners used it for their needs. The height of the tower is 27.15 meters.
Towers of the Moscow Kremlin. Today it is difficult to imagine without their spiers the once fortification structure itself, and the appearance of the capital - Moscow - would lose some zest.
So how many towers are there 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 ones here. Their names also differ, which have changed several times over many centuries. True, two of them - First And Second- and have remained Nameless to this day.
The very first tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the first 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 built 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 Annunciation Tower is named after the miraculous icon that was kept in it. Later a church was built for the icon, but the name remained.
The Vodovzvodnaya tower is a corner tower and is so named because there was once a machine here that pumped water from the river and delivered it through lead pipes to the royal palace of the Kremlin.
In the 17th century, the car was dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg to install fountains. The height of the tower is 61.45 m.
Armory and Commandant towers
Once upon a time, the Armory Tower stood on the banks of the Neglinka, but then the river was “chained” into a pipe underground. The building owes its name to the Armory Chamber built nearby, where weapons and jewelry workshops were once located. Now it houses a museum, which displays unique military and jewelry exhibits from antiquity. The height of the structure is 32.65 m.
The commandant's tower was erected in 1495, but modern name received only in the 19th century, when the commandant of the fortress moved to a nearby
Trinity, Kutafya and Petrovskaya towers
The Kremlin has so many towers, almost all of them were rebuilt by Italian craftsmen in the 15th century. So Trinity was built by Aloisio da Carezano in 1495-1499. This is the tallest building in the Kremlin. Its height is 80 m, including the spire and the star crowning it. The building received its name from the nearby Trinity Church.
It is interesting to know: at one time this building bore different names, for example Rizopolozhenskaya, Karetnaya or Znamenskaya, until in 1658 it received its current name. There was once a prison at its two-story base. Until 1935, its spire was crowned with a royal eagle, which was replaced with a ruby star for the next anniversary of the revolution.
The Spasskaya Tower was built on the site of the former main gate of the Kremlin. An icon of the Savior was installed above the passage, and the entrance itself was considered holy by the people; one had to enter it on foot with his head uncovered. Nowadays, the famous chimes are installed on it.
Other Kremlin towers
The First and Second Nameless Towers were of exceptional strategic importance, for example, one of them had a powder magazine.
Indeed it was equipped with a bell and observation deck, where the archers were on duty. In the 18th century, the ringing of a bell began a riot in the city, and when it was suppressed, they deprived the “culprit” of his language. The bell hung silently until it was sent to the museum.
The Tsar's Tower can hardly be called a tower, since it is simply a tent-roofed superstructure, where Ivan the Terrible liked to come to look at the city.
The Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower was also named after the church of the same name. It was built in 1490 and is famous for the fact that it was through it that Russian soldiers went to war, for example Dmitry Donskoy with his army.
That's how many towers decorate the Moscow Kremlin today.
The Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin is a symbol of the sovereign power of the state. Troitskaya is the tallest tower, its height is 80 meters, Vodovzvodnaya is very beautiful, Nabatnaya is elegant.
Borovitskaya Tower. The name of the tower comes from an ancient forest that once covered one of the seven hills on which Moscow stands. The tower was built by the Italian architect Pietro Solari in 1490. By decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1658, the Borovitskaya tower was renamed the Predtechenskaya - after the Church of the Nativity of the Baptist in the Kremlin (later dismantled during the construction of the Armory Chamber), but the old name of the tower has still survived to this day. The Borovitskaya tower has a peculiar stepped shape; in addition, the archer is not located in front, as in other towers, but on the side, taking into account the rotation of the wall. Unlike the front Spassky and Trinity gates, the Borovitsky gates had a purely utilitarian purpose: people passed through them to outbuildings- Zhitny and Konyushenny courtyards.Annunciation Tower. The low tetrahedral tower was built in 1487 – 1488. At its base are slabs of white limestone, which have been preserved from the white stone Kremlin of the 14th century. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, the tower was used as a prison. 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, which was added to the tower at the beginning of the 18th century and destroyed in 1932. Simultaneously with the construction of the temple, a bell tower was built in the watchtower of the tower, where seven bells were placed, and the weather vane was replaced with a cross. In the 17th century, the Portomoyny Gate was built next to the tower for the passage of palace laundresses to the Portomoyny raft on the Moscow River to rinse the ports and linen (this gate was laid in 1813). The height of the tower is 30.7 meters (with a weather vane installed instead of a cross in 1932 - 32.45 m).
From the southwest the Kremlin is guarded Vodovzvodnaya tower. This is one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire ensemble. The tower was built in 1488 by the architect Antonio Gilardi. At first it was called Sviblova, named after the boyars Sviblova, whose courtyard adjoined the tower from the Kremlin. The tower received its modern name in 1633 after the installation of a water-lifting machine and the construction of the first pressure water pipeline in Russia to supply water from the Moscow River to the Kremlin. As contemporaries testified, this machine, manufactured under the leadership of the Englishman Christopher Golovey, cost several barrels of gold. The tower was built in a classical style. The tower is completed with battlements in the form of “swallow tails” with slots for firing. At the end of the 17th century, a tent was erected over the tower. In 1812, the tower was blown up by the French retreating from Moscow and restored in 1816–19.
The “oldest” tower of the Moscow Kremlin is Tainitskaya. The construction of the Kremlin fortifications began with it. A secret well was dug under the tower, to which the tower and its gates owe their name. In the event of a siege, the Kremlin could be supplied 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 began construction of the Kremlin Palace according to the design of V. Bazhenov. However, already in 1771–1773 the tower was restored with the subsequent addition of a hipped roof. In 1930, the archery was dismantled, and the gates and hiding places were sealed.
Beklemishevskaya Tower. This tower was erected by the Italian architect M. Ruffo in 1487. Its name is associated with the surname of the boyar I. Bersen-Beklemishev, whose courtyard adjoined it from the Kremlin. In the defense of the Kremlin, the Beklemishevskaya Tower performed a very important function. She was the first to take the blow of the besiegers, since she was located at the junction of the Moscow River and the moat. This probably explains the very simple architectural design of the tower. A hearing cache was installed in the basement to prevent undermining. In the 17th century, the tower was built with a multifaceted high tent, which decorated and softened its severity. During the shelling of the Kremlin in 1917, the top of the tower was knocked off by a shell and subsequently restored. Another name for the tower is Moskvoretskaya (named after the nearby bridge). The height of the tower is 46.2 m.
In the 1480s, next to the Taynitskaya tower, a First Nameless a tower characterized by spare architectural forms. She always performed purely defensive functions. In 1547, the tower was destroyed by the explosion of the gunpowder warehouse located in it, and in the 17th century it was rebuilt. In 1770, the tower was dismantled to make way for the construction of the Kremlin Palace. When construction of the palace was stopped, the tower was built again in 1783 somewhat closer to the Tainitskaya Tower. In 1812, the tower was blown up by retreating French troops, but it was soon restored in its previous forms by the architect O.I. Bove. In this form it has survived to this day. Second Nameless Tower was built in the middle of the 15th century. Always performed purely defensive functions. In 1680, this tower was built on, adding an upper quadrangle and a high pyramidal tent 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, which was later blocked. In 1771, in connection with the construction of the Kremlin Palace, it was demolished, and after construction ceased, it was rebuilt. Appearance Do the nameless towers resemble Petrovskaya?
Petrovskaya Tower. The tower received its name from the church of Metropolitan Peter, located in the courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery, located in the Kremlin, next to the tower. Peter's Tower was destroyed by cannon fire during the Polish intervention in 1612 and then restored. In 1771 it was broken in connection with the construction of the Kremlin Palace, but was soon restored in 1783. In 1812, the tower was blown up by retreating French troops. In 1818, it was rebuilt by the architect O.I. Bove, and since then it has not been subject to changes. Petrovskaya Tower, erected “for best view and strength”, served for the economic needs of Kremlin gardeners. The height of the tower is 27.15 m.
Konstantino-Eleninskaya. This tower was built by the architect P. Solari in 1490 on the site of the Timofeevsky Gate 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 tower was a passage tower, had a diversion arch and a drawbridge. In the 17th century, the passage was closed, and a torture chamber was set up in the diversion arch. In 1680, a tent top was built on the tower, and at the end of the 18th century, the archery and bridge were broken, and then the gate was blocked. Now the arch of the gate is clearly visible, above it there is a recess for the gate icon and traces of vertical slots for the bridge lifting mechanism. In appearance, the Konstantino-Eleninskaya tower resembles the Petrovskaya and Bezymyannye towers, only it looks more “stocky”.
Alarm. The tower was built in 1495. It got its name from the alarm bell, which warned of impending danger. The tower was placed on a hill, and from it there was a view of the southern surroundings. Sentinels were on duty around the clock, monitoring the roads. Noticing fire or columns of smoke, which was a sign of the approach of an enemy army, the guards sounded the alarm so that residents of the surrounding villages would hurry to take refuge in the fortress. In 1771, the Plague Riot broke out in Moscow. The rebellious townspeople sounded the alarm, calling the people to the Kremlin. After the suppression of the uprising, Catherine II, without knowing who exactly was ringing the alarm, ordered the tongue to be torn out from the bell.
Tsar's Tower. This youngest and smallest tower was built in 1680. Strictly speaking, this is not a tower, but a stone tower, a tent placed on the wall. Once upon a time there was a small wooden tower from which, according to legend, Tsar Ivan IV (the Terrible) loved to watch the events taking place on Red Square - hence the name of the tower. White stone belts on the pillars, high pyramids in the corners with gilded flags, a tent ending with a gilded elegant weather vane - all this gives the tower the appearance of a fairy-tale mansion.
The most famous tower of the Kremlin is Spasskaya. It is also rightfully considered the most beautiful tower of the Kremlin. It was built by the architect P. Solari in 1491. Initially, the tower was called Frolovskaya, and later it was renamed Spasskaya in honor of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, placed above the entrance gate. The gates of the Spasskaya Tower were the main main entrance to the Kremlin, were considered holy and were especially revered by the people: men had to pass through them with their heads uncovered, and it was forbidden to ride through the Spassky Gate on horseback. From here regiments left for battle, and foreign ambassadors were met here. When built, the tower was approximately half as tall. In 1624–25, the Russian architect Bazhen Ogurtsov and the English master Christopher Galovey erected a multi-tiered top over the tower, ending with a stone tent. During the reign of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, the fantastic figurines, a decorative element, were bashfully covered with specially tailored clothes. In the middle of the 17th century main tower The first Kremlin eagle was hoisted in the Kremlin. Subsequently, double-headed eagles appeared on the Nikolskaya, Trinity and Borovitskaya towers. The first clock was installed in 1491, and the current Kremlin chimes were installed in 1851–1852 by the Butenop brothers. Dial diameter – 6.12 m, numeral height – 72 cm, hour hand length – 2.97 m, minute hand – 3.28 m. Tower height – 67.3 meters (with the star first installed in 1935 – 71 m ).
Senate. The tower was built in 1491 by the architect P. Solari and performed purely defensive functions - it protected the Kremlin from Red Square. For a long time she was nameless. The tower received its name after M. Kazakov built the Senate building on the territory of the Kremlin in 1787, the dome of which is visible from Red Square. Inside the main volume of the tower there are three tiers of vaulted rooms. The blank, square tower in 1860 was built with a stone tent, crowned with a gilded weather vane. The height of the tower is 34.3 m. In appearance, the tower resembles the Nameless Towers.
Nikolskaya. The tower was built by the architect P. Solari in 1491. Its name is associated with the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was placed above the passage gate of the strelnitsa. Like all passage towers, there was a drawbridge over the moat, and there were protective bars on the gates. In 1612, during the fight against the Polish interventionists, the people's militia led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin fought through these gates and liberated the Kremlin. At the beginning of the 19th century, the tower was rebuilt, the previous superstructure was replaced by a Gothic top with openwork decorations. These decorations and four slender turrets at the corners of the lower quadrangle distinguish the Nikolskaya Tower from other Kremlin towers. In 1812, the tower was blown up by the French retreating from Moscow and restored in 1816.
Average Arsenalnaya. 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 from 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 edge. In 1680 the tower was built on. It is crowned with a through observation tower with a tent. In 1821, when laying out the Alexander Garden, a grotto in an antique style was built at the foot of the tower according to the design of O.I. Bove. In appearance, the tower resembles the Nameless and Senate towers.
Corner Arsenalnaya. In 1492, the architect P. Solari completed the line of defense of the Kremlin from Red Square with this tower. According to the architect's plan, it was to become the most powerful corner tower. Not far from the tower were the mansions of the Sobakin boyars, so the tower was originally called Sobakina. Only at the beginning of the 18th century, after the construction of the Arsenal, the tower received its modern name. The tower is distinguished by a wide base and powerful four-meter walls that go 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 the garrison of the fortress could use. In addition, there was a secret exit from the tower to the Neglinnaya River, which was subsequently blocked.
Commandant's Tower. This is a small, blank, austere tower. Its construction was completed by 1495. Previously, it was called Kolymazhnaya - from the Kolymazhny yard in the Kremlin, where the royal carts and carriages were kept. It received its current name in the 19th century: the commandant of Moscow lived next to it in the Poteshny Palace. Like all the Kremlin towers, it was built with a tent and a tower in 1676–1686. The height of the tower from the side of the Alexander Garden is 41.25 m. The appearance of the tower, as you guessed it :) resembles the Nameless, Nabatnaya and Senate towers.
Trinity Tower. With this tower, the architect Aleviz Fryazin the Elder completed the construction of fortifications on the side of the Neglinnaya River in 1495–1499. Deep two-story basements served for defense purposes, and later in the 15th–16th centuries they were used as a prison. The tower received its modern name in 1658 from the Trinity Metochion in the Kremlin. Previously, it was called Epiphany, Znamenskaya, Karetnaya after the names of the churches located in the Kremlin and the Karetny Dvor. In 1516, a stone Trinity Bridge was built across the Neglinnaya River, and the gates of the tower served as passage to the mansions of the queen and princesses, to the court of the patriarch. The clock on the Trinity Tower, installed in 1585, burned down in a fire in 1812 and was restored at the end of the 20th century. The six-story Trinity Tower is the tallest tower in the Kremlin. Its height with the star from the side of the Alexander Garden is 80 m.
Armory. The construction of this small tower was completed by 1495. It received its modern name in the 19th century from the building of the Armory Chamber built on the territory of the Kremlin. Before that, it was called Konyushennaya, since in ancient times there was a royal stable yard behind it.
Kutafya Tower- the only surviving one of the Kremlin bridgehead towers, which served to protect the bridges leading to the fortress. Built in 1516 under the direction of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin. Low, surrounded by a moat and a river, with a single gate that was tightly closed in moments of danger, the tower was a serious obstacle for the besiegers. The tower consisted of two combat tiers; on the upper platform there were hinged loopholes. To this day, at the side gates you can see preserved slots for the chains of the lifting mechanisms.
