Which tower is the most important on Red Square. Walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin
In Moscow, on Red Square, we see the Kremlin towers, and immediately notice how different they are. But at the same time, each of them is unique and beautiful in its own way. And besides, each tower has its own name, and not random, but arising in the process of historical development and changes in the architectural appearance of the city.
A total of 20 towers are concentrated throughout the Kremlin in Moscow. Each of them has its own name and its own history of construction. According to the features of the architecture, the buildings are divided into round and square towers.
At the same time, only three towers have a circular cross section - these are Vodovzvodnaya, Beklemishevskaya and Arsenalnaya Corner. All other buildings are square in plan. Most of the towers are made in the same architectural style, which allows you to create a single building ensemble. The integrity of the ensemble was given by the decoration, which was produced in the 17th century.
However, the Nikolskaya Tower, which was rebuilt in pseudo-Gothic style at the beginning of the 19th century, stands out noticeably against this background. Consider the distinctive features of each tower, as well as the historical conditions for the construction of buildings.
Beklemishevskaya tower.
The second name of the Beklemishevskaya Tower is Moskvoretskaya. It is located in the southeastern corner of the Moscow Kremlin and is just over 46 meters high. The construction was built during the reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilievich in 1487-1488.
The tower project was developed and implemented by the Italian Marco Ruffo (Mark Fryazin). The Beklemishevskaya Tower has a round shape in plan. At first, the tower got its name by the name of the boyar Beklemishev, whose courtyard was located next to the tower. Later, the building was renamed after the name of the nearby bridge.
Borovitskaya tower.
This tower was built in 1490 by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari during the reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich. The Borovitskaya Tower is located at the mouth of the Neglinnaya River. The tower got its name from the name of the hill on the slope of which it was built. In ancient times, a dense forest was located on the hill - a small pine grove. And probably. this is what gave rise to the name.
However, in 1658, by royal decree, the tower was given the name Predtechenskaya in honor of the nearby Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. The height of the Borovitskaya tower is 54 meters, and its spire is decorated with a ruby star at the top. To date, the gates of the Borovitskaya Tower are used for ceremonial passages of government motorcades.
Weapon tower.
The Armory Tower following it is located next to the Armory Chamber, from which its name arose in the middle of the 19th century. Once upon a time, there were passage gates in the lower part of the tower, and then it was called Konyushennaya, because the royal stable yard was located nearby, and from there it was possible to pass the gates of the tower on horseback.
The armory tower was built in two years, from 1493 to 1495. The height of the structure reaches almost 39 meters. The buildings fit the general style of the ensemble and fit harmoniously into the appearance of the Kremlin wall.
Command tower.
The commandant's tower began to be called so only from the 19th century. Then in the Kremlin Poteshny Palace, next to the tower, there was the commandant of Moscow, and in ancient times it was called Kolymazhnaya, because there was a rattle yard nearby, where the royal carriages, wagons and rattlets stood.
The Commandant's Tower was built in 1495 during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich. The height of the building is 41 meters.
Trinity tower.
From afar you can see the giant wall of the highest tower of the Kremlin - Troitskaya. Perhaps, like no other Kremlin tower, it impresses with its harsh power and impregnability. The Trinity Tower was built in 1495 by the Italian architect Aloisio da Milano (Aleviz Fryazin).
Troitskaya Tower is the highest Kremlin tower, because the height of the structure is 80 meters. Also, this tower also has an entrance and passage, and in terms of its significance it ranks second after Spasskaya.
The name of the tower has changed many times, but since 1658 it has been called Troitskaya after the name of the Trinity Compound, which was located nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. But even earlier it had other names - Bogoyavlenskaya and Znamenskaya.
At the moment, the gates of the Trinity Tower are the main entrance to the territory of the Kremlin, and the graceful spire of the building is decorated with a luxurious ruby star.
Kutafya tower.
In front of the Trinity Tower, right behind the bridge, the Kutafya Tower proudly protrudes forward. It is much smaller in height and size, but at the same time very solid, squat, stocky and strong. Its name is associated with the word "kut" - corner, but even more often historians associate the name of the building with the word "kutafya". So in some places in Russia they called a wrapped from head to toe or clumsy woman.
The Kutafya tower is so different from all the others by the features of its architecture that it cannot be confused with any other of the towers of the Kremlin ensemble. It was built in 1516 by the architect Aleviz Fryazin during the reign of Vasily III.
The height of the tower is small - only 13.5 meters, and today it is the only one of the surviving free-standing, and not built into the wall, Kremlin towers. In the old days, such bridge towers served to protect bridges, through which it was possible to penetrate into the fortress. The Kutafya Tower is located opposite the Trinity Tower, and between them there is an inclined bridge.
Corner Arsenal tower.
In the northern corner of the Kremlin wall in 1492, the architect Pietro Antonio Solari built a round tower, which was called Arsenalnaya. This building is the most powerful tower of the Kremlin, although it reaches a height of only 60 meters.
The Arsenal Tower got its name at the beginning of the 18th century after the building of the Arsenal, the "Arsenal House", was built on the territory of the Kremlin. The second name - the Dog Tower - was obtained as a result of the fact that not far from the building was the estate of the boyars Sobakins. A distinctive feature of the Corner Arsenal Tower is that there is a well inside it.
Middle Arsenal Tower.
The second name of the Middle Arsenal Tower is the Faceted Tower. The building received it due to some characteristic features of the building. The tower was erected in 1493-1495 during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich.
The height of the structure reaches almost 39 meters. The Middle Arsenal Tower is located on the northwestern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, which stretches along the Alexander Garden. It is noteworthy that the Faceted Tower was built on the site where the corner tower, built back in the time of Dmitry Donskoy, used to be.
Nikolskaya tower.
One of the most beautiful towers Moscow Kremlin - Nikolskaya with Nikolsky gates. Once upon a time, the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed above them, and even earlier, not far from here was the monastery of St. Nicholas the Old.
The Nikolskaya Tower is located on the eastern wall of the Kremlin in Moscow. It was built in 1491 under Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich. The architect Pietro Antonio Solari designed the building with a height of just over 70 meters.
At the same time, the Nikolskaya Tower is also a travel card - through the gate in it you can get to the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. The architectural appearance of the Nikolskaya Tower is somewhat different from all other buildings, because in the 19th century it was rebuilt in pseudo-Gothic style. To date, the majestic spire of the Nikolskaya Tower is also crowned with a ruby star.
Senate tower.
Immediately behind the mausoleum of V. I. Lenin rises the Senate Tower with the building of the former Senate located behind it. This tower was built on the eastern part of the Kremlin wall in 1491 during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich.
The height of the tower reaches 34 meters, and it was built under the guidance of the architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The tower received its modern name only three hundred years after its construction. This happened after the Senate Palace was built on the territory of the Kremlin in 1787.
The Spasskaya Tower.
A little further is the tower, which everyone knows. This is the Spasskaya Tower with the Spassky Gates, the spire of which is crowned with a ruby star. It has been called Spasskaya since 1658 thanks to the icons of the Savior, which used to be on both sides above the gate. At the moment, the gate is decorated with only one restored image of the Savior.
The second name of the Spasskaya Tower is Frolovskaya. The building received it in honor of the nearby church of Frol and Lavr. On the Spasskaya (Frolovskaya) tower, the most important clock of the country is installed - the Kremlin chimes, under the melodic beat of which the Russians see off the outgoing and celebrate the new year.
The Spasskaya Tower was built on the eastern wall of the Kremlin and is the main entrance to the Kremlin. The height of the tower reaches 71 meters, and therefore it is one of the tallest buildings in the Kremlin ensemble. And at the same time one of the most beautiful towers throughout the Moscow Kremlin.
The development of the project and the process of building the structure was led by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 during the reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich. Today, the building is one of the most recognizable symbols of Russia.
Royal tower.
The smallest of the Kremlin towers is Tsarskaya, located south of Spasskaya. This small turret was installed on the eastern Kremlin wall in the 80s of the 17th century, during the reign of Peter I and then Ivan V.
The Tsarskaya Tower reaches a height of almost 17 meters, which is much less than all the tower structures. It was built in the 1680s on the site of a wooden tower with an alarm bell "Vspolohom" and used to be called "Vspoloshnoy".
The Tsar's Tower was built almost 200 years later than all the other towers on the site of a small wooden tower, in which Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched the city and admired the view. That is why the erected structure of an elegant design got its name.
Nabat tower.
The Nabatnaya Tower got its name thanks to the bells of the Spassky alarm located in it. This tower once had an important practical purpose. It served as an observation tower, from which the control over the fire safety of the city was carried out.
The Nabatnaya Tower is square in cross section, and it is 38 meters high. The construction was built in 1495 during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich.
First of all, the Nabatnaya Tower owes its name to the largest bell that used to hang in its upper part. This bell is famous for the fact that, by order of Catherine II, it was deprived of its tongue as punishment for the fact that the Muscovites who rebelled in 1771 called on the people to a “plague riot” by striking this bell. Now this bell is stored in the Armory.
Constantino - Yeleninskaya tower.
Yeleninskaya Tower also has a second name - Timofeevskaya. It is located on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin and reaches a height of just over 36 meters. Konstantino - Yeleninskaya Tower was built in 1490, during the reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich.
The square tower was designed by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari. At first, the tower was named after the nearby church of Saints Constantine and Helena. But later it was renamed in honor of the Timofeevsky Gates, which were part of the white-stone Kremlin in the 14th century.
Petrovskaya tower.
On the southern part of the Kremlin wall is the Petrovskaya, or Ugreshskaya tower. Both of its names are explained very simply: here, in the Kremlin, on the former courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery, there was the church of Metropolitan Peter.
The Petrovskaya Tower was also built during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and the time of its construction dates back to the 80s of the 15th century. The height of the tower is 27 meters. Its roof is crowned with a hip-shaped octagonal dome.
Unnamed towers.
But the next two towers for many centuries could not come up with names, but this does not mean at all that they were left without a name. Therefore, these towers are called so: the First Nameless and Second Nameless Towers. Both of them were built in the 80s of the XV century during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
The height of the First Nameless Tower is 34 meters, and the Second - just over 30 meters. Both buildings have a square section in plan, and the buildings are completed with a tent-shaped dome. Only at the First Tower the dome consists of four faces, and at the Second - from eight.
Tainitskaya tower.
The height of the Tainitskaya tower is just over 38 meters. It is noteworthy that this tower, built in 1485 by the architect Anton Fryazin, is the very first in the Kremlin ensemble. Previously, this tower was a travel tower, but today its gates have been laid.
The Tainitskaya Tower got its name thanks to a secret passage that passes through it and leads to the banks of the Moscow River. And in the tower there was a well with water, which would have helped, if necessary, to withstand a long siege of the enemy. Also in the Kremlin there is the Tainitsky Garden.
Annunciation tower.
Immediately behind Taynitskaya is Blagoveshchenskaya Tower. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, it was used as a prison building, where rebels and criminals were kept. The Annunciation Tower was built in 1487-1488, and its height is over 32 meters.
The tower got its name thanks to the icon of the Annunciation, which, according to legend, suddenly appeared on one of the walls of the tower. The Annunciation Tower is located between the Vodovzvodnaya and Taynitskaya towers in the southern part of the Kremlin wall, which runs along coastline Moscow - rivers.
Water tower.
This tower was erected one of the very first in the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower was built in 1488 by Italian architect Antonio Gilardi (Antonio Fryazin).
The design features of the tower are that a well was located in it, as well as a secret passage leading to the banks of the Moscow River. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is 61 meters.
The name "Vodovzvodnaya" tower was given in 1633, when a lifting mechanism was built in the building, with the help of which water was supplied to the gardens of the Kremlin. The second name - Sviblov Tower - comes from the name of the boyar Sviblov, who was responsible for its construction.
Twenty majestic towers surround the Moscow Kremlin, and each of them has its own amazing story. Built at different times, the Kremlin towers nevertheless form a single harmonious ensemble, which at all times has been a source of pride for Muscovites and admired by guests of the capital.
20 towers and they are all different, no two are the same. Each tower has its own name and its own history. Only two towers did not get names, they are called that First Nameless and Second Nameless. Behind them is the Petrovsky Tower, but the rightmost tower has two names at once. Nowadays it is called Moskvoretskaya and once called Beklemishevskaya by the name of the person next to whose yard it was laid. Somehow it turned out that the enemies most often attacked from the direction of the Moskva River, and the Moskvoretskaya Tower had to be the first to defend itself. Therefore, it is so formidable and with so many loopholes. Its height is 46.2 m.
The first tower, which was laid during the construction of the Kremlin, was Taynitskaya. Taynitskaya tower so named because a secret led from it to the river underground passage. It was intended to be able to take water in case the fortress was besieged by enemies. The height of the Tainitskaya tower is 38.4 m.
Vodovzvodnaya tower- so named because of the car that was here once. She raised water from a well, arranged at the bottom to the very top of the tower into a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes into royal palace in the Kremlin. Thus, 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 another city - St. Petersburg. There it was used for the device of fountains. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya tower with a star is 61.45 m.
At the Vodovzvodnaya Tower, the Kremlin wall turns away from the river. Here on the corner stands another tower - Borovitskaya. This tower stands near Borovitsky Hill, on which a Pinery. From him came its name. The height of the tower with a star is 54.05 m.
Next to Borovitskaya is weapon tower. Once upon a time, ancient weapons workshops were 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 -. 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 m.
Kutafya and Trinity towers of the Moscow Kremlin
If we go a little further along the walls of the Kremlin, we will see the Trinity Bridge. It was thrown across the Neglinnaya River many centuries ago, even before it was hidden underground. Troitsky Bridge leads to the gates of one of the tallest Kremlin towers - Trinity. The bridge connects the Trinity Tower with another - a low and wide tower. This is . In the old days, this was the name of a clumsily dressed woman. The tower was decorated already in the seventeenth century. Prior to this, Kutafya was very harsh, with drawbridges at the side gates and hinged loopholes. She guarded the entrance to the Trinity Bridge. Previously, there were more such bridge towers. But only one has survived to this day. The height of the Trinity Tower with a star is 80 m. This is the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The Kutafya Tower is only 13.5 m high. This is the lowest tower of the Kremlin.
We go further along the Kremlin wall. She turns again. There is another tower here. From a distance, it seems round, but if you get closer, it turns out to be not so at all, because it has 16 faces. This is corner arsenal tower. Once she was called Sobakina, by the name of a person who lived nearby. But in the 18th century, it was erected next to it, and the tower was renamed. There is a well in the dungeon of the corner Arsenal tower. He is over 500 years old. It is filled from an ancient source and therefore there is always clean and fresh water in it. Previously, there was an underground passage from the Arsenal Tower to the Neglinnaya River. The height of the tower is 60.2 m.
Middle Arsenal Tower. It was built in 1493-1495. After the construction of the Arsenal building, the tower got its name. Near the tower in 1812 a grotto was erected - one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden. The height of the tower is 38.9m.
alarm tower. Once upon a time, sentinels were constantly on duty here. From a height, they vigilantly watched - if the enemy army was coming to the city. And if danger was approaching, the sentinels had to warn everyone, strike the alarm bell. Because of him, the tower was called Nabatnaya. But now there is no bell in the tower. Once, at the end of the 18th century, a riot began in Moscow at the sound of the alarm bell. And when order was restored in the city, the bell was punished for disclosing bad news - they were deprived of the language. In those days, it was a common practice to remember at least history. 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 m.
To the right of the Nabatnaya Tower is Royal Tower. It is not at all like other Kremlin towers. There are 4 columns directly on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are no powerful walls, no narrow loopholes. But they are of no use to her. Because the tower was not built for defense at all. According to legend, Tsar Ivan the Terrible liked to look at his city from this place. Later, the smallest tower of the Kremlin was built here and called it the Tsarskaya. Its height is 16.7 m.
Constantino - Yeleninskaya Tower (Timofeevskaya). It was built in 1490 and used for the passage of the population and troops to the Kremlin. Earlier, when the Kremlin was made of white stone, another tower stood in this place. It was through her that Dmitry Donskoy with the army went to the Kulikovo field. The new tower was built for the reason that there were no natural barriers on its side outside the Kremlin. It was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful diversion archer and a passage gate, which after, in the 18th and early 19th centuries. were disassembled. The tower got its name from the church of Constantine and Helena, which stood in the Kremlin. The height of the tower is 36.8m.
Senate Tower at first it did not have a name, and received it only after the construction of the Senate building. After that, they began to call her the Senate. The tower was built in 1491, its height is 34.3 m.
Nikolskaya tower. It was built in 1491. architect Pietro Antonio Solari to strengthen the northeastern part of the Kremlin, not protected by natural barriers. It had a gate, it had a retractable archer with a drawbridge. Retractable shooter or a barbican was a tower outside the fortress walls, guarding the approaches to the gate or bridge. For example, the barbican is the Kutafya tower. The name of the Nikolskaya Tower comes from the name of the icon of St. Nicholas, installed above the gates of her barbican. This icon resolved controversial issues. In ancient times, a clock was also installed on the tower. Now they are not there, but the top of the tower is crowned with a red star. The height of the tower with a star is 70.4m.
Petrovskaya Tower along with two nameless ones was built to strengthen the southern wall, as the most frequently attacked. Like the two nameless ones, the Petrovsky Tower did not have a name at first. She received her name from the church of Metropolitan Peter at the Ugreshsky Compound in the Kremlin. In 1771 During the construction of the Kremlin Palace, the tower, the church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshskoe metochion were dismantled. In 1783 the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812. the French during the occupation of Moscow destroyed it again. In 1818 The Petrovsky tower was restored again. It was used for their needs by the Kremlin gardeners. The height of the tower is 27.15m.
Commandant's Tower (Kolymazhnaya). It was built in 1495. Its first name - Kolymazhna - received from the Kolymazhny courtyard of the Kremlin. In the 19th century, when the commandant of Moscow began to live in the Kremlin, not far from it, they began to call it Komendantskaya. The height of the tower is 41.25m.
Annunciation tower. According to legend, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously kept in this tower, as well as 1731. the Church of the Annunciation was attached 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. In 1831 they were laid down, and in Soviet times the Church of the Annunciation was dismantled. The height of the Annunciation Tower with a weather vane is 32.45 m.
Spasskaya Tower (Frolovskaya) was erected on the site where in ancient times the main gates of the Kremlin were located. 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. They did not pass through them on horseback and did not pass with their heads covered. Regiments marching on the march passed through these gates, tsars and ambassadors were met here. In the 17th century the coat of arms of Russia was erected on the tower - a double-headed eagle, a little later the coats of arms were hoisted on other high towers of the Kremlin - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. In 1658 The Kremlin towers have been renamed. Frolovskaya turned into Spasskaya. She was so named in honor of the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, located above the 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. Kremlin chimes. Chimes are called large clocks that have a musical mechanism. At the Kremlin chimes, bells play music. There are eleven of them. One large one, it marks the hours, and ten smaller ones, their melodious chime is heard every 15 minutes. There is a special device in the chimes. It sets the hammer in motion, it strikes the surface of the bells and the sound of the Kremlin chimes sounds. The mechanism of the Kremlin chimes occupies three floors. Previously, the chimes were wound by hand, but now they do it with the help of electricity. The Spasskaya Tower occupies 10 floors. Its height with a star is 71 m.
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 point 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.
Moscow Kremlin - a unique fortress in the center of Moscow and the oldest part of the city. The Kremlin is considered the heart of Russia - both because the Russian capital began its journey from here, and because the center of the state has long been located within the walls of the fortress: first the royal chambers, and now the residence of the President of Russia.
And, of course, great importance has been attached to the protection of the Kremlin at all times.
In terms of the plan, the fortress is an irregular triangle: the Kremlin acquired such a shape during the Ivan III the Great, in which they began to build new red brick walls to replace the old white stone ones built during Dmitry Donskoy. Simultaneously with the erection of the walls, new towers were erected, which formed the defensive lines of the new Moscow fortress. The main array of walls and towers was built in 1485-1495, partly fortifications The Kremlin was completed until 1516, when the king was already Basil III. Initially, the towers were erected without tiered tent completions - they were built on only in the 17th century.
In total, there are 20 towers along the Kremlin wall.
Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) Tower
Architect: Marco Ruffo.
Years of construction: 1487-1488.
Height: 46.2 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
Name given to the building Arsenal built in the early 18th century.
Trinity Tower
Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).
Years of construction: 1495-1499.
Height: 80 meters.
Completion:
It is located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Middle Arsenal and Commandant towers. Outwardly, it resembles the Spasskaya Tower; is a quadrangle, which is crowned with a multi-tiered tent completion with a rich decorative design. It has a retractable archer with the Trinity gates. Unlike other travel towers of the Moscow Kremlin, it has retained the Trinity Gate Bridge, connecting it with the Kutafya Tower.
The name is given by the nearby farmstead Trinity Monastery.
Kutafya tower
Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).
Years of construction: 1516.
Height: 13.5 meters.
Completion: is absent.
Located on the western side of the Kremlin wall opposite the Trinity Tower, this is the only tower of the Moscow Kremlin that is located away from the wall and is actually the only surviving barbican of the fortress. In the past, it was surrounded by water and was used to defend the Trinity Bridge across the Neglinnaya River, leading from the Kutafya Tower to the Trinity Gate. Compared to other towers, it resembles an elegant festive Easter cake. Currently, the main checkpoint for visitors to the Moscow Kremlin is equipped in the Kutafya Tower.
The name probably comes from an old word "kutafya", meaning a fat, clumsy, slovenly dressed woman.
Commandant (Kolymazhnaya) Tower
Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).
Years of construction: 1493-1495.
Height: 41.2 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
commandant's tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between Troitskaya and Armory towers. It is an elongated quadrangle with a base expanding towards the bottom and a parapet with machicolations at the top, crowned with a hipped top.
The name is given after the residence of the commandant of Moscow in the Poteshny Palace.
Armory (Stable) tower
Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old) - perhaps.
Years of construction: 1493-1495.
Height: 32.6 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
weapon tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Commandant and Borovitskaya towers. It is a quadrangle with a base expanding towards the bottom and a parapet with machicolations at the top, topped with a tiered hipped top.
The name is given by the building of the Armory.
Borovitskaya (Predtechenskaya) Tower
Architect: Pietro Antonio Solari.
Years of construction: 1490.
Height: 54 meters.
Completion: luminous ruby weather vane star.
Borovitskaya tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Armory and Vodovzvodnaya towers. It represents 4 quarters decreasing towards the top, stacked on top of each other and crowned with a stone tent; on the side, a diversion archer with the Borovitsky gates was attached. Despite the rather poor decoration, the Borovitskaya tower stands out from the rest due to its stepped (pyramidal) shape.
On the outer side of the Borovitsky Gates are the coats of arms of the Lithuanian and Moscow principalities carved from white stone; when and why they appeared there is unknown.
The name is given by the ancient forest, which covered Borovitsky Hill in past.
Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower
Architect: Anton Fryazin.
Years of construction: 1488.
Height: 61.2 meters.
Completion: luminous ruby weather vane star.
It is located on the southwestern corner of the Kremlin wall near the Kremlin embankment of the Moskva River between the Borovitskaya and Blagoveshchenskaya towers. It is an elongated cylinder with a complex tent completion. The parapet of the tower is crowned with "dovetail" teeth, it is equipped with machicolations for circular firing. The decoration of the tower draws attention: up to the middle of the height it is lined with alternating belts of protruding and sinking masonry, above which there is an arched belt, emphasized by a thin strip of white stone. Interestingly, the star at the top of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is the smallest among the other Kremlin towers (3 meters in diameter).
In the past, the tower housed a water-lifting machine designed according to the project Christopher Galoway- the first water supply system in Moscow from tanks installed on the upper tiers of the tower to supply water from the Moscow River to the Kremlin. Later it was dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg, where they began to use it to fill fountains with water.
The name is given by the water-lifting machine of Galoway.
Annunciation tower
Architect: ?
Years of construction: 1487-1488.
Height: 32.4 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
Annunciation tower located on the south side of the Kremlin wall between the Vodovzvodnaya and Taynitskaya towers. It is a quadrangle with a built-in tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. There are machicolations in the parapet of the tower. Under Ivan the Terrible, it was used as a prison, in 1731-1932 - as the bell tower of the Church of the Annunciation (demolished in the Soviet years).
The name is given by the icon of the Annunciation, which, according to legend, miraculously appeared on the northern wall of the tower during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Taynitskaya tower
Architect: Anton Fryazin.
Years of construction: 1485.
Height: 38.4 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
Taynitskaya tower located in the central part of the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Annunciation and the First Nameless towers. It is a massive quadruple with a built-in tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. There are machicolations in the parapet of the tower. In the past, there were Tainitsky gates, a well-spring and secret passage to the Moscow River.
The first tower of the Moscow Kremlin in time of construction - it was from it that the construction of modern walls and towers began.
The name is given by the secret exit to the Moscow River.
First Nameless Tower
Architect: ?
Years of construction: 1480s.
Height: 34.1 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
First Nameless Tower located on the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Tainitskaya and the Second Nameless towers. It is a quadrangle with a built-in tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. During its history it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. In the past, a powder warehouse was located inside the tower, after which the tower was called the Powder Tower.
The modern name is given for a reason that is not entirely clear.
Second Nameless Tower
Architect: ?
Years of construction: 1480s.
Height: 30.2 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
Second Nameless Tower is located on the south side of the Kremlin wall between the First Nameless Tower and the Petrovsky Tower. It is a quadrangle with a built-in tetrahedral tent and an observation tower topped with an octagonal tent. In the past, there was a gate in the tower.
The name was given for a reason that is not entirely clear.
Petrovskaya (Ugreshskaya) Tower
Architect: ?
Years of construction: 1485-1487.
Height: 27.1 meters.
Completion: weather vane flag.
Petrovskaya Tower located on the south side of the Kremlin wall between the Second Nameless and Beklemishevskaya towers. It consists of 3 fours stacked on top of each other, crowned with an octagonal tent. There are false machicolations in the parapet of the tower. Over the years of its existence, it has been rebuilt several times.
The name is given by courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery with the church of Peter the Metropolitan, which was located on the territory of the Kremlin near the tower in the 15-17 centuries.
Interesting facts about the Kremlin towers
There are 20 towers along the walls of the Kremlin;
In the past, when the Kremlin was located on an island formed by the Moscow River, the Neglinka and the Alevizov moat, from the travel towers to " big land"bridges were thrown - only the Trinity Bridge has survived to this day;
The very first in time of construction is the Taynitskaya tower, erected in 1485;
Of the 20 towers, 5 are crowned with ruby stars (Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya), 1 - with a decorative top (Tsarskaya), 1 - has no top (Kutafya Tower), flags-weather vanes are installed on the 13 remaining towers;
Red ruby stars on the tops of the towers rotate from the wind like a weather vane;
Initially, in 1935, gilded semi-precious stars were installed on the tops of the towers, but they quickly faded, and already in 1937 they were replaced with luminous ruby ones;
Double-headed eagles crowned the tower to the stars, except for Vodovzvodnaya - on it state symbols not posted;
To prevent the stars from overheating from the operation of the lamps, they are equipped with a ventilation system;
Troitskaya Tower - the highest tower of the Kremlin (80 meters);
Kutafya tower - the lowest tower of the Kremlin (13.5 meters);
Kutafya tower - the only surviving bridge barbican of the fortress;
The chimes of the Spasskaya Tower are a symbol of the New Year in Russia;
In past , however, some of the towers - including Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Troitskaya - could be left red for aesthetic reasons;
The ensemble of walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin is one of the most popular architectural sights of Moscow.
The Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers and they are all different, no two are the same. Each tower has its own name and its own history. And for sure, many do not know the names of all the towers. Let's meet?
BEKLEMISHEVSKAYA (Moskvoretskaya) tower is located in the south-east corner of the Kremlin. It was built by the Italian architect Marco Fryazin in 1487-1488. The courtyard of the boyar Beklemishev adjoined the tower, for which it got its name. Beklemishev's courtyard, together with the tower under Vasily III, served as a prison for disgraced boyars. The current name - "Moskvoretskaya" - is taken from the nearby Moskvoretsky Bridge. The tower was located at the junction of the Moskva River with the moat, so when the enemy attacked, it was the first to take the hit. The architectural solution of the tower is also connected with this: a high cylinder is placed on a beveled white stone plinth and separated from it by a semicircular roller. The surface of the cylinder is cut through by narrow, rarely spaced windows. The tower is completed by machicolas with a combat platform, which was higher than the adjoining walls. In the basement of the tower there was a hiding place-a rumor to prevent undermining. In 1680, the tower was decorated with an octagon, carrying a tall narrow tent with two rows of eaves, which softened its severity. In 1707, expecting a possible offensive by the Swedes, Peter I ordered to build bastions at its foot and expand the loopholes to install more powerful guns. During the Napoleonic invasion, the tower was damaged and then repaired. In 1917, during the shelling, the top of the tower was damaged, which was restored by 1920. In 1949, during the restoration, the loopholes were restored in their original form. This is one of the few Kremlin towers that has not been radically rebuilt. The height of the tower is 62.2 meters.
The KONSTANTINOV-ELENINSKAYA tower owes its name to the church of Constantine and Helena that stood here in antiquity. 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. Earlier, when the Kremlin was made of white stone, another tower stood in this place. It was through her that Dmitry Donskoy with the army went to the Kulikovo field. The new tower was built for the reason that there were no natural barriers on its side outside the Kremlin. It was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful diversion archer and a passage gate, which after, in the 18th and early 19th centuries. were disassembled. 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.
The alarm tower got its name from the large bell - the alarm that hung above it. Once upon a time, sentinels were constantly on duty here. From a height, they vigilantly watched - if the enemy army was coming to the city. And if danger was approaching, the sentinels had to warn everyone, strike the alarm bell. Because of him, the tower was called Nabatnaya. But now there is no bell in the tower. Once, at the end of the 18th century, a riot began in Moscow at the sound of the alarm bell. And when order was restored in the city, the bell was punished for disclosing bad news - they were deprived of the language. In those days it was a common practice to remember 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 Nabatnaya tower is 38 meters.
TSAR tower. It is not at all like other Kremlin towers. There are 4 columns directly on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are no powerful walls, no narrow loopholes. But they are of no use to her. Because they were built two centuries later than the rest of the towers and not at all for defense. Previously, there was a small wooden tower at this place, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched the Red Square. Previously, there was a small wooden tower at this place, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched the Red Square. Later, the smallest tower of the Kremlin was built here and called it the Tsarskaya. Its height is 16.7 meters.
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 in ancient times the main gates of the Kremlin were located. 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. They did not pass through them on horseback and did not pass with their heads covered. Regiments marching on the march passed through these gates, tsars and ambassadors were met here. In the 17th century, the coat of arms of Russia, the double-headed eagle, was hoisted on the tower, and a little later the coats of arms were hoisted on other high towers of the Kremlin - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. In 1658 the Kremlin towers were renamed. Frolovskaya turned into Spasskaya. She was so named in honor of the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, located above the 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. Kremlin chimes. Chimes are called large clocks that have a musical mechanism. At the Kremlin chimes, bells play music. There are eleven of them. One large one, it marks the hours, and ten smaller ones, their melodious chime is heard every 15 minutes. There is a special device in the chimes. It sets the hammer in motion, it strikes the surface of the bells and the sound of the Kremlin chimes sounds. The mechanism of the Kremlin chimes occupies three floors. Previously, the chimes were wound by hand, but now they do it with the help of electricity. The Spasskaya Tower occupies 10 floors. Its height with a star is 71 meters.
The SENATE Tower was built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, rises behind the Lenin Mausoleum 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 northeastern 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 Tower is located at the beginning of Red Square. In ancient times, there was a monastery of St. Nicholas the Old nearby, and an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed above the gate of the tower. The gate tower, built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Solari, was one of the main defensive redoubts in the eastern part of the Kremlin wall. The name of the tower comes from the St. Nicholas Monastery, located nearby. Therefore, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed over the travel gates of the archer. Like all towers with entrance gates, Nikolskaya had a drawbridge across the moat and protective bars that were lowered during the battle. The Nikolskaya Tower went down in history in 1612, when militia troops led by Minin and Pozharsky broke 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 pseudo-Gothic style. In 1917 the tower suffered 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 tower was built in 1492 by Pietro Antonio Solari and is located further away, in the corner of the Kremlin. It received its first name 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 nearby estate of the Sobakin boyars. There is a well in the dungeon of the corner Arsenal tower. He is over 500 years old. It is filled from an ancient source and therefore there is always clean and fresh water in it. Previously, there was an underground passage from the Arsenal Tower to the Neglinnaya River. The height of the tower is 60.2 meters.
The MIDDLE ARSENAL tower rises from the side of the Alexander Garden and is called so because right behind it there was a warehouse of weapons. It was built in 1493-1495. After the construction of the Arsenal building, the tower got its name. Near the tower in 1812 a grotto was erected - one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden. The height of the tower is 38.9 meters.
The TROITSKAYA tower is named after the church and the Trinity Compound, which were once nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. Troitskaya Tower is the tallest tower in the Kremlin. The height of the tower at present, together with the star from the direction of the Alexander Garden, is 80 meters. The Trinity Bridge, protected by the Kutafya Tower, leads to the gates of the Trinity Tower. The gates of the tower serve 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 name of the Trinity Compound of the Kremlin. The two-storey base of the tower housed a prison in the 16th-17th centuries. From 1585 to 1812 there was a clock on the tower. At the end of the 17th century, the tower received a multi-tiered tent superstructure with white stone decorations. In 1707, due to the threat of a Swedish invasion, the loopholes of the Trinity Tower were expanded for heavy cannons. Until 1935, an imperial double-headed eagle was installed on 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 rest of the main towers of the Kremlin. The double-headed eagle of the Trinity Tower turned out to be the oldest - manufactured in 1870 and prefabricated on bolts, therefore, when dismantled, it had to be dismantled at the top of the tower. In 1937, the faded semi-precious star was replaced with a modern ruby one.
KUTAFYA tower (connected by a bridge with Troitskaya). Her 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 leadership of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin. Low, surrounded by a moat and the Neglinnaya River, with the only gate, which in moments of danger was tightly closed by the lifting part of the bridge, the tower was a formidable barrier for the besiegers of the fortress. She had loopholes of the plantar battle and machicolations. In the XVI-XVII centuries, the water level in the Neglinnaya River was raised high by dams, so that the water surrounded the tower from all sides. Its initial height above ground level was 18 meters. It was possible to enter the tower from the side of the city only on 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", denoting a full, clumsy woman. The Kutafya Tower has never been covered. In 1685, it was crowned with an openwork "crown" with white stone details.
The KOMENDANTSKAYA tower got its name in the 19th century, since 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. In the main volume of the tower there are three tiers of rooms covered with barrel vaults; vaults are covered and tiers of completion. In the 19th century, the tower was called “Komendantskaya”, when the commandant of Moscow settled in the Poteshny Palace of the 17th century near the Kremlin. The height of the tower from the Alexander Garden is 41.25 meters.
The ARMORY tower, which once stood on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, now enclosed in an underground pipe, was named after the nearby Armory, the second comes from the nearby Stables Yard. Once upon a time, ancient weapons workshops were 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 a wonderful museum located next to the Kremlin wall - the Armory. 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.
Built in 1490 by Pietro Antonio Solari. Travel card. The first name of the tower - the original, comes from the Borovitsky hill, on the slope of which the tower stands; the name of the hill, apparently, comes from the ancient forest that grew on this place. The second name, assigned by the 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. At present, it is the main passage for government motorcades. The height of the tower is 54 meters.
WATER TOWER - so named because of the car that was here once. She raised water from a well, arranged at the bottom to the very top of the tower into a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes to the royal palace in the Kremlin. Thus, 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 for the device of 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.
Blagoveshchenskaya 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 attached 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 Portomoinny. In 1831 they were laid down, 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.
TAYNITSKAYA tower - the first tower laid down 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 Tainitskaya tower is 38.4 meters.
Built in the 1480s. The tower ends with a simple tetrahedral pyramidal tent. The inside of the tower is formed by two tiers of vaulted rooms: the lower tier with a cross vault and the upper tier with a closed vault. The upper quadrangle is open into the cavity of the tent. One of the two towers which did not get a name. Height 34.15 meters.
Built in the 1480s. Above the upper quadrangle of the tower is an octagonal tent with a weather vane; the upper quadrangle is open inside the tent. The interior of the tower includes two levels of rooms; the lower tier has a cylindrical vault, and the upper one is closed. Height 30.2 meters.
The PETROVSKAYA tower, together with two nameless ones, was built to reinforce the southern wall, as it was the most frequently attacked. Like the two nameless ones, the Petrovsky Tower did not have a name at first. She received her name from the church of Metropolitan Peter at the Ugreshsky Compound in the Kremlin. In 1771, during the construction of the Kremlin Palace, the tower, the church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshskoye metochion were dismantled. In 1783 the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812 the French destroyed it again during the occupation of Moscow. In 1818, the Petrovsky Tower was restored again. It was used for their needs by the Kremlin gardeners. The height of the tower is 27.15 meters.
