What the Kremlin's passage towers looked like. Towers of the Moscow Kremlin: photos and names

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, in addition, each tower has its own name, which is not accidental, but arose 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 architectural features, the buildings are divided into round and square towers.

Moreover, only three towers have a circular cross-section - these are Vodovzvodnaya, Beklemishevskaya and Arsenalnaya Uglovaya. 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 made in the 17th century.

However, the Nikolskaya Tower, which was rebuilt in a pseudo-Gothic style at the beginning of the 19th century, stands out noticeably against this background. Let's look at the distinctive features of each tower, as well as the historical conditions for the construction of the structures.

Beklemishevskaya tower.

The second name of the Beklemishevskaya tower is Moskvoretskaya. It is located in the south-eastern corner of the Moscow Kremlin and is just over 46 meters high. The structure was built during the reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich 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 received its name after the surname 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, there was a dense forest on the hill - a small pine grove. And probably. this was the reason for 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 at the top is decorated with a ruby ​​star. Today, the gates of the Borovitskaya Tower are used for the ceremonial passage of government motorcades.

Weapon tower.

The next one, the Armory Tower, is located next to the Armory Chamber, which is where its name originated in the mid-19th century. Once upon a time there was a passage gate at the bottom of the tower, and then it was called Konyushennaya, because the royal stable yard was located nearby, and from there horses could drive through the tower gate.

The armory tower was built in two years, from 1493 to 1495. The height of the structure reaches almost 39 meters. The building fits the overall style of the ensemble and harmoniously fits into the appearance of the Kremlin wall.

Commandant's Tower.

The Commandant's Tower began to be called that only in the 19th century. At that time, in the Kremlin Amusement Palace, next to the tower, the commandant of Moscow was located, and in ancient times it was called Kolymazhnaya, because nearby there was a Kolymazhnaya yard where the royal carriages, carts and rattles were parked.

The commandant tower was built in 1495 during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich. The height of the building is 41 meters.

Trinity Tower.

From a distance you can see the gigantic wall of the highest tower of the Kremlin - Trinity. Perhaps, like no other Kremlin tower, it amazes with its harsh power and inaccessibility. The Trinity Tower was built in 1495 by the Italian architect Aloisio da Milano (Aleviz Fryazin).

The Trinity Tower is the tallest 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 importance it ranks second after Spasskaya.

The name of the tower changed many times, but it began to be called Trinity in 1658 after the Trinity courtyard, which was located nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. But even earlier it had other names - Epiphany and Znamenskaya.

Currently, the gates of the Trinity Tower are the main entrance to the Kremlin territory, and the elegant spire of the structure 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 significantly 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 structure with the word “kutafya”. This is how in some places in Russia they called a woman covered from head to toe or a clumsy woman.

The Kutafya Tower is so different from all the others in its architectural features that it cannot be confused with any other tower in 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 surviving Kremlin tower that is free-standing and not built into the wall. In the old days, similar bridgehead towers served to guard bridges through which one could enter the fortress. The Kutafya Tower is located opposite the Trinity Tower, and between them there is an inclined bridge.

Corner Arsenal Tower.

In 1492, in the northern corner of the Kremlin wall, the architect Pietro Antonio Solari built a round tower, which was called the Arsenalnaya. This structure is the most powerful tower of the Kremlin, although it reaches only 60 meters in height.

The Arsenal Tower received its name at the beginning of the 18th century after the Arsenal building, the “Arms House,” was built on the territory of the Kremlin. The second name - Dog Tower - was obtained as a result of the fact that not far from the structure there was an estate of the Sobakin boyars. 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 Faceted. The building received it due to some characteristic features of the construction. 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 extends along the Alexander Garden. It is noteworthy that the Faceted Tower was built on the site where the corner tower, built during the time of Dmitry Donskoy, was previously located.

Nikolskaya Tower.

One of the most beautiful towers of the Moscow Kremlin is Nikolskaya with the Nikolsky Gate. Once upon a time, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed above them, and even earlier, not far from here, there 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. Architect Pietro Antonio Solari designed a structure with a height of just over 70 meters.

At the same time, the Nikolskaya Tower is also a travel pass - through its gate you can enter 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 a pseudo-Gothic style. Today, 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 direction 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.

Spasskaya Tower.

A little further there is a tower that everyone knows. This is the Spasskaya Tower with the Spassky Gate, 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. Currently, 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 Laurus. The most important clock in the country is installed on the Spasskaya (Frolovskaya) Tower - the Kremlin chimes, to the melodious chime of which Russians say goodbye to the outgoing year and welcome 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 in the entire territory of the Moscow Kremlin.

The development of the project and the construction process of the structure was led by the architect from Italy 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.

Tsar's Tower.

The smallest of the Kremlin towers, Tsarskaya, is 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 Tsar's Tower reaches almost 17 meters in height, which is significantly smaller than all tower structures. It was built in the 1680s on the site of a wooden tower with the alarm bell “Vspolokh” and was previously called “Vspolokh”.

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 elegant design got its name.

Alarm tower.

The Alarm Tower received its name due to the Spassky Alarm bells located in it. This tower at one time had an important practical purpose. It served as an observation tower from which fire safety in the city was monitored.

The Alarm Tower is square in cross-section, and its height is 38 meters. The building was built in 1495 during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich.

First of all, the Alarm Tower owes its name to the largest bell, which 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 ringing this bell. Now this bell is kept in the Armory Chamber.

Konstantino - Eleninskaya Tower.

The Eleninskaya 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 - Eleninskaya Tower was built in 1490, during the reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich.

The square-section tower was erected 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 Gate, which was 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 can be explained very simply: here in the Kremlin, in 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 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 tent-shaped octagonal dome.

Nameless towers.

But for many centuries they could not come up with a name for the next two towers, but this does not mean that they were left without a name. That's why these towers are called: First Nameless and Second Nameless Towers. Both of them were built in the 80s of the 15th century during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

The height of the First Nameless Tower is 34 meters, and the Second is just over 30 meters. Both structures have a square section in plan, and the buildings end with a tent-shaped dome. Only the First Tower has a dome with four sides, while the Second Tower has eight.

Tainitskaya Tower.

The height of the Taynitskaya 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 passage point, but today its gates have been blocked.

The Taynitskaya Tower received its name due to the secret passage passing through it and leading to the bank of the Moscow River. There was also a well with water in the tower, which would have helped, if necessary, to withstand a long siege of the enemy. There is also the Taynitsky Garden in the Kremlin.

Annunciation Tower.

Immediately behind Tainitskaya there is the Annunciation 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 more than 32 meters.

The tower got its name thanks to the icon of the Annunciation, which, according to legend, unexpectedly appeared on one of the walls of the tower. The Annunciation Tower is located between the Vodovzvodnaya and Tainitskaya towers in the southern part of the Kremlin wall, which runs along the coastline of the Moscow River.

Vodovzvodnaya tower.

This tower was erected as one of the very first in the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower was built in 1488 by the Italian architect Antonio Gilardi (Antonio Fryazin).

The structural features of the tower are that there was a well located in it, and also a secret passage leading to the bank of the Moscow River. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is 61 meters.

The name "Vodovzvodnaya" tower received in 1633, when a lifting mechanism was built in the building, with the help of which water was supplied to the Kremlin gardens. The second name - Sviblova Tower - comes from the surname of the boyar Sviblova, who was responsible for its construction.

Twenty majestic towers surround the Moscow Kremlin, and each of them has its own amazing history. 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 aroused the admiration of guests of the capital.

Moscow Kremlin

In 1156, on Borovitsky Hill, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky founded a small wooden fortress - the Kremlin. This is how Moscow began.

In 1237, during the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the Kremlin was destroyed.

In 1333 - 1340, on the site of the destroyed “brainchild” of Yuri Dolgoruky, the oak city of Ivan Kalita grew up. In 1365, a devastating fire occurred when the entire Kremlin burned down. And so in 1367, under Ivan Kalita’s grandson Dmitry Donskoy, a white stone fortress was built on the site of the burnt oak fortress. This is where the name White Stone Moscow comes from.

Subsequently, the Kremlin was repeatedly subjected to raids by the Crimean khans and Western European troops. The city, which lay on the paths of the conquerors, had to be well defended. At the end of the 15th - beginning of the 16th century, under Ivan III Vasilyevich, the great-great-grandson of Ivan Kalita, in accordance with the useful achievements of fortification science of that time, the Kremlin was built of brick for the first time in Russian architecture.

Its outline is preserved without significant changes, and like its three predecessors it has the shape of an irregular triangle, reminiscent of a heart. The layout of the fortress was determined by its location: the Neglinnaya River skirted the Kremlin Hill from the west, and the Moscow River flowed from the south. A wide ditch was dug from the northeast, filled with water. Thus, the ancient Kremlin was located on an island.

The Kremlin walls connect 20 towers (Spasskaya, Tsarskaya, Nabatnaya, the tower of Saints Constantine and Helena, Beklemishevskaya, First Nameless, Second Nameless, Petrovskaya, Tainitskaya, Vodovzvodnaya, Blagoveshchenskaya, Borovitskaya, Armory, Trinity, Komendantskaya, Kutafya, Corner Arsenalnaya, Middle Arsenalnaya, Nikolskaya, Senate), later built with tent roofs. Three of them are round and the most durable. They allow you to fire using a wide sector of fire. Five towers are travel towers, and one is a branch tower - Kutafya. It was connected to the entrance to the Kremlin by an ancient bridge over the Neglinnaya River. The main tower is Spasskaya (formerly Frolovskaya), the first in terms of construction was Tainitskaya (1485), under it there was a secret underground passage to the Moscow River, and the last (1495) and highest - 80 meters - Troitskaya.

The walls have a slope at the bottom, their thickness is from 3 to 5 meters with a height of 6 to 17 meters, depending on the terrain. The total length of the walls is 2235 meters.

The walls end with dovetail-shaped battlements, characteristic of Italian fortress architecture. On the inside there is an arcade, which is found in many Russian fortresses; on the outside, the walls are decorated with a white stone belt. The combat platform has a width of 2 to 4 meters. The loopholes of the bottom and top battlements are located at different heights. In addition, the walls and towers have machikuli - hinged loopholes-drains.

Adjacent to the passage towers were diversion “strelnitsy”, in which “outs”, cellars and “rumors” were located. The gates were equipped with gers - metal bars descending from the grooves and were fenced with powerful, metal-bound gates. On the outside, the walls are surrounded by white stone and equipped with a plinth. At the Borovitskaya Tower they are covered by an earthen embankment - these are traces of defensive structures of the early 18th century - fearing an attack on Moscow by the Swedish king Charles XII, Peter I ordered the erection of earthen bastions in front of the Kremlin towers.

Spasskaya Tower.

The Spasskaya Tower is rightfully considered the most beautiful and slender tower of the Kremlin. The architect Pietro Antonio Solari, who built it in 1491, essentially laid the foundation for the construction of the eastern line of the Kremlin fortification with the Spasskaya Tower.

From time immemorial, the gates of the Spasskaya Tower have been the main main entrance to the Kremlin. They were especially revered by the people and were considered “saints.” It was forbidden to ride through them on horseback or to walk through them with your head uncovered. Through them the regiments marching in and out entered and exited. Kings and ambassadors were met at these gates.

In 1624 - 1625, the Russian architect Bazhen Ogurtsov and the English master Christopher Galovey erected a multi-tiered top over the tower, ending with a stone tent. This was the first tent decoration in the Kremlin towers.

In the 50s of the 17th century, the coat of arms of the Russian Empire - a double-headed eagle - was erected on top of the tent of the main tower of the Kremlin. Later, similar coats of arms were installed on the highest towers - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya.

Initially, the tower was called Frolovskaya, due to the fact that the Church of Frol and Laurus was located nearby. By decree of April 16, 1658, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered to call it Spasskaya. The new name was associated with the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, placed above the gate on the Red Square side. The icon itself has not survived, but the place where it hung is clearly visible.

The Spasskaya Tower has 10 floors. Three floors are occupied by the mechanism of the Kremlin chimes - the main clock of the state.

The height of the tower is 67.3 meters (with the star - 71 meters).

Tsar's Tower.

The Tsar's Tower is the youngest and smallest. It was built in 1680. More precisely, it 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.

Alarm tower.

The alarm tower was built in 1495. It got its name from the alarm bell, which notified Muscovites of impending events or danger. The tower was placed on a hill and overlooked the southern surroundings. Guards were on duty on the tower 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, and residents of the surrounding villages hurried to take refuge in the fortress or behind the walls of monasteries. The Last Bell was severely “punished” by Catherine II for disclosing the “bad news.” 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. For more than 30 years, the numb bell hung on the tower. In 1803 it was removed and transferred first to the Arsenal, and then in 1821 to the Armory.

Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower.

The Constantine-Elenin Tower was built by the architect Pietro Antonio 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 at the end of the 17th century the archway and the 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.

The height of the tower is 36.8 meters.

Beklemishevskaya tower.

The Beklemishevskaya Tower is located in the southeastern corner of the Kremlin triangle. It was erected in 1487 by the Italian architect Marco Ruffo. Its name is associated with the name of the boyar I. Bersen-Beklemishev, whose courtyard adjoined it from the Kremlin. His fate was tragic. In 1525, for speaking out against the policies of Grand Duke Vasily III, he was executed, his courtyard was transferred to the treasury and was turned, like the tower itself, into a prison.

In the defense of the Kremlin, the Beklemishevskaya Tower performed a very important function. She was the first to take the blow of the enemy hordes, as she was located at the junction of the Moscow River and the moat. In the basement of the tower, a secret hiding place was installed to prevent undermining.

In the 17th century, the tower was covered with a multifaceted high tent, which decorated and softened its severity. At the beginning of the 18th century, in anticipation of a possible Swedish offensive, on the orders of Peter I, earthen ramparts were poured at the foot of the tower and its loopholes were cleared away to install more powerful guns. During the restoration of the tower in 1949, the loopholes were restored to their original form.

The tower has another name - Moskvoretskaya. It appeared, apparently, from the Moskvoretsky Bridge, which was located nearby.

The height of the tower is 46.2 meters.

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.

In its architecture, the Petrovskaya Tower differed sharply from the neighboring towers. On the bottom there is a two-tier quadrangle with false hinged loopholes - a second one has been placed. It is divided into two tiers by cornices and thin semi-columns at the corners. The tower ends at the top with an octagonal pyramidal tent.

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 and since then it has not been changed.

The Petrovskaya Tower, erected “for a better appearance and strength,” served the household needs of the Kremlin gardeners.

The height of the tower is 27.15 meters.

Second Nameless Tower.

The tower was built in the middle of the 15th century. She 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. Inside the quadrangle there are two tiers of vaulted rooms.

First Nameless Tower.

In the 1480s, next to the Taynitskaya Tower, the First Nameless Tower was built, distinguished by its spare architectural forms. She always performed purely defensive functions.

The tower ends with a tetrahedral pyramidal tent. The architectural proportions of the tower indicate that it was built later than the Second Nameless Tower. In the 15th - 16th centuries, gunpowder was stored in this tower. The tower has a difficult fate. In 1547, the tower collapsed due to a gunpowder explosion, and in the 17th century it was rebuilt. At the same time it was built with a tent tier.

In 1770 - 1771, the tower was dismantled to make way for the construction of the Kremlin Palace according to the design of V. I. Bazhenov. 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.

The height of the tower is 34.15 meters.

Tainitskaya Tower.

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 1484 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 according to the measurement drawings of M. Kazakov with the subsequent addition of a hipped top.

In the 60s of the last century, a deflection gun was added to the tower, where the guns of the self-propelled battery were located. In 1930, the archery was dismantled, and the gates and hiding places were sealed.

Its height is 38.4 meters.

Annunciation Tower.

The tower was built in 1487 - 1788. This is a low tetrahedral tower. At its base there are slabs of white limestone. They are preserved from the ancient white stone Kremlin of the 14th century. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, the tower was used as a prison. At the end of the 17th century, a stone tent with a decorative watchtower was built on the Annunciation Tower. The name of the tower comes from the miraculous icon of the Annunciation that was once placed here, and is also associated with the Church of the Annunciation, which was added to the tower at the beginning of the 18th century. At the same time, a bell tower was built in the watchtower, where seven bells were placed, and the weather vane was replaced with a cross. The tower served as a chapel for the church; ancient loopholes were hewn into large windows.

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 - linen. In 1813, the Portomoynye Gate was blocked, but traces of them are still preserved and are clearly visible from the inside of the Kremlin.

In the depths of the tower there was a deep underground. The height of the tower is 30.7 meters (with a weather vane - 32.4 meters).

Watervzwater tower.

In the southwestern corner of the Kremlin is guarded by the 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 the Sviblovys, 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 Moskva River to the Kremlin. As contemporaries testified, this machine, manufactured under the leadership of the Englishman Christopher Golovey, cost several barrels of gold.

At the end of the 17th century, a tent was erected over the tower.

In 1812, French troops retreating from Moscow blew up the tower.

It was restored in 1816 - 1819 by O. I. Bove.

The walls of the tower are rusticated, the loopholes are replaced with round and semi-circular windows, the “dormers” (openings) of the tent are decorated with platbands in the form of classical porticos.

In 1937, a ruby ​​star was installed on the tower.

The height of the tower is 58.7 meters, with a star - 61.85 meters.

Borovitskaya Tower.

At the foot of one of the seven hills on which Moscow stands, there is a tower, which differs from the others in its stepped shape. This is the Borovitskaya Tower. Its name comes from an ancient forest that once covered the entire hill. The Borovitskaya Tower was built by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari in 1490.

The Borovitskaya Tower has a very unique shape. A similar step pyramid can be seen in Kazan - near the tower of Queen Syuyumbeki. The powerful, square base continues with three tetrahedrons decreasing upward. The entire structure ends with an open octagon (a part of the building that has an octagonal shape in plan) with a high stone tent. The archer in this tower is not located in front, as in other Kremlin towers, but on the side, taking into account the rotation of the wall. Here you can see the holes through which the chains of the drawbridge, dismantled in 1821, passed, and in the gate passage there are vertical grooves for the protective grille. Unlike the front Spassky and Trinity gates, the Borovitsky gates had a purely utilitarian purpose: they drove through them to the outbuildings - Zhitny and Konyushenny courtyards. In 1812, during the explosion of the neighboring Vodovzvodnaya Tower by retreating French troops, the Borovitskaya Tower was also damaged - the top of its tent fell. In 1816 - 1819, the tower was repaired under the leadership of O. I. Bove. In 1848, the altar of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist near Bor was moved to the Borovitskaya Tower.

Its height is 50.7 meters, with a star - 54.05 meters.

Weapon tower.

This is a small tower. Its construction 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 behind it in ancient times there was the royal Stable Yard.

Commandant's Tower.

This is a small, blank, austere tower. Its construction was completed by 1495. Previously, it was called Kolymatnaya - from the Kolymatny 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 on in 1676 - 1686 with a tent with a tower.

The height of the tower from the Alexander Garden side is 41.25 meters.

Kutafya Tower.

This is the only surviving bridgehead tower of the Kremlin, which served to protect the bridges leading to the fortress. It was built in 1516 under the leadership of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin. Low, surrounded by a moat and a river, with a single gate that was tightly closed in moments of danger, the tower was a formidable barrier for those besieging the fortress.

The tower consisted of two combat tiers; on the upper platform there were hinged loopholes. In 1685, the tower was decorated with an openwork decorative top. Drawbridges across the moat that surrounded the tower led to the side tower gates. To this day, the remaining gaps for the lifting chains can be seen at the side gates.

It is still not entirely known where the name of the tower came from. Most likely, the name of the tower comes from its shape: as Dahl’s dictionary testifies, in Russian folk dialects the word “kutafya” meant “a clumsily, ugly dressed woman.”

The height of the tower is 13.5 meters.

Trinity Tower.

With this tower, the architect Aleviz Fryazin the Old completed the construction of fortifications on the side of the Neglinnaya River, later the Alexander Garden. The tower was built in 1495 - 1499. The significance of the tower for the western facade of the Kremlin is the same as Spasskaya for the eastern. The architect who built the tower in 1685 took this into account and gave its hipped roof almost the same decorative decoration as Spasskaya.

The tower is six-story, with deep two-story basements, which served for defense purposes, and later in the 15th - 16th centuries were used as a prison.

There is evidence that there was a clock on the tower in 1585, which existed until the beginning of the 19th century, until it burned down in 1812. Recently, the clock was installed again on the Trinity Tower.

The tower received its modern name in 1658 from the Trinity Metochion in the Kremlin. Before that, it was called Epiphany, Znamenskaya, Karetnaya after the churches located in the Kremlin and Karetny Dvor.

In 1516, the stone Trinity Bridge was built across the Neglinnaya River. The tower gate served as a passage to the mansions of the queen and princesses, to the court of the patriarch.

The Trinity Tower is the tallest tower in the Kremlin, its height with the star from the side of the Alexander Garden is 80 meters.

Middle Arsenal Tower.

On the northwestern side of the Kremlin wall, stretching along the Alexander Garden, by 1495 the Middle Arsenal Tower had risen. It is located on the site of the corner tower of the Kremlin 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 see-through watchtower with a tent.

In 1821, when laying out the Alexander Garden, a pleasure grotto was built at the foot of the tower according to the design of O. I. Bove.

Corner Arsenal Tower.

In 1492, 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 13th 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.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, the tower was partially damaged by the explosion of the Nikolskaya Tower and the Arsenal. In 1816 - 1819 it was restored under the leadership of the architect O. Bove.

The height of the tower is 60.2 meters.

Nikolskaya Tower.

This tower was built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari in 1495. Its name is sometimes associated with the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was placed above the passage gate of the strelnitsa. Other sources associate this name with the Nikolsky Greek monastery, which was once located on Nikolskaya Street. Like all travel towers, there was a drawbridge over the moat, and there were protective bars on the gates.

In the 17th century, the Nikolsky Gate served mainly as an entrance to the boyar and monastery farmsteads in the Kremlin. In 1612, during the fight against the Polish-gentry invaders, the people's militia led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin fought through these gates and liberated the Kremlin.

In 1812, the French, retreating from Moscow, blew up the tower. It was restored by the architect O. Bove in 1816. In 1917, during the October battles, the tower was heavily damaged by artillery shelling. It was restored in 1918 by the architect N. Markovnikov.

The height of the tower is 67.1 meters, with a star - 70.4 meters.

Senate Tower.

The tower is located immediately behind the Spasskaya Tower, behind the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin. The tower was built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari.

The Senate Tower 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. Kozakov built the Senate building on the territory of the Kremlin in 1787, the dome of which is clearly visible from Red Square.

Inside the main volume of the tower there are three tiers of vaulted rooms. In 1860, the blank, square tower was built with a stone tent, crowned with a gilded weather vane.

In 1918, in honor of the first anniversary of the October Revolution, V.I. Lenin unveiled a memorial plaque on the tower (sculptor S. Konenkov). During the restoration of the tower in 1950, the plaque was removed and transferred to the Museum of the Revolution.

The height of the tower is 34.3 meters.

Conclusion

The basis of the uniquely picturesque panorama of the Kremlin is its precious necklace - walls and towers.

Erected in ancient times to protect against enemy attacks, they are currently a historical monument of ancient architecture.

The Kremlin walls and towers frame the entire city - the Moscow Kremlin, which contains the history of the development of Moscow architecture in the form of cathedrals and palaces located on its territory.

Being a historical monument of ancient architecture, the Moscow Kremlin, at the same time, serves as the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Literature.

Book on floppy disk “Moscow Kremlin”.

Yu. Alexandrov.

"MOSCOW: dialogue of guidebooks."

Publishing house "Moscow worker", 1982

E. Sturgeon. "My discovery of Moscow."

Publishing house "Children's Literature", 1981

"MOSCOW". Encyclopedia. Publishing house "Soviet Encyclopedia", 1980

M. Ilyin, T. Moiseeva.

"Moscow and Moscow region".

Directory guide.

Publishing house "Art", 1979

Illustrations

1. Spasskaya Tower.

2. Tower of Saints Constantine and Helena.

3. Alarm tower.

4. Tsar's Tower.

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 Rus'.

This is where the ancient designation of Moscow comes from - “white stone”. However, this building material turned out to be fragile, and the defensive structures deteriorated. Restoration work was carried out regularly, for which there is plenty of evidence in the chronicles. So, in 1462, the Moscow merchant Vasily Dmitrievich Ermolin, who at that time was in charge of all construction work nationwide, carried out a major overhaul of the section of the wall from the Borovitsky Gate to the Sviblova Strelnitsa. To answer the question “which of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin is the tallest,” you need to find out about everything in more detail, 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 reconstruction.

New red brick Kremlin

To achieve his goal, the Grand Duke of Moscow invites famous masters of architecture from Italy, under whose leadership, in 1485, the dismantling of the white stone spindles (the area between the two towers) of the walls and the towers themselves began. Over the course of ten years, new ones were erected on the site of the dismantled defensive structures, this time from baked bricks. During this reconstruction, the area of ​​the Kremlin was increased by annexing 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 supervised by Italians. Therefore, it is not surprising that the upper ends of the walls, decorated with battlements, all the vezhi (Old Russian name), including the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin, very much resembled Italian castles - the Scaliger castle in the city of Verona and the Milanese

Towers of the Moscow Fortress

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

Fryazhsky architects

Aleviz Fryazin (Milanese), who arrived in Moscow in 1494, took part in the general reconstruction of the Kremlin. In 1495, he participated in the construction of the walls and towers along the Stone Chambers, which 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 ditch created along the wall overlooking Red Square. It was dug from 1508 to 1516 under the leadership of Milanz. 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 this time the Venetian, or New. They even had a common name - Fryazhsky architects. In addition to the above-mentioned “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 tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin was erected from 1495 to 1499 by Aleviz Fryazin Milanets. And the very first fortification structure of the Kremlin - the Tainitskaya Tower (central in the southern part of the Kremlin wall) - was begun on July 14, 1485. After this, the towers were put into operation almost every year.

The latest - the Tsar's Tower - was erected in 1680. The walls of the Kremlin, including those along the Neglinnaya River, deserve special words. 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 filled with garbage.

Unique walls

The towers were located at a certain distance from each other, which could be overcome along a passage laid out on the top of the wall. Its width reached 2 and 4 meters in some places. From the outside it was protected by two-horned teeth, the height of which is 2-2.5 m, and the thickness - 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 from the courtyard side by a parapet wall. Initially, the passage was covered by a gable canopy, under which one could hide in bad weather, and it also protected the wall itself from the destructive effects of rain and snow. This roof burned down in the 18th century and was never restored.

History of the name

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

The most original

The tallest tower of 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 a pipe, the height of the tower is 80 meters with the star, without it - 76.35, on the inside - accordingly 69.3 and 65.65 m. This tower is a passage. From the moment of its foundation until the end of the 17th century, its gates were considered second in importance after Spassky.

They served for travel 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 leading from it, according to some experts in the history of Moscow, was erected on the site of the capital’s first stone structure of this kind, built back in the 14th century.

Second in importance

What is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin and why not the main one, Spasskaya? Obviously, at some point in Soviet history, the Trinity Gate added significance to the fact that it was through them that V. I. Lenin arrived in the Kremlin on March 12, 1918. Napoleon entered here through the Trinity Gate, and through it he fled from the Kremlin. The kings returning victorious also entered through the Trinity Bridge, then they were solemnly escorted to the Spassky Gate. 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 overlook 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 at the top ended with battlements, the wooden tent had a hipped roof. According to documents from 1585, this tower had chimes, which made it similar to Spasskaya. In addition, double-headed eagles were installed on both, and on Troitskaya the coat of arms of Russia was more ancient, assembled from several parts secured with bolts. And when in 1685 a multi-tiered top and a high stone tent, white turrets, and other white stone decorations were added, the resemblance to the main Spasskaya Tower became very great. And a year later, new chimes were hung (when they burned down in the Moscow fire of 1812, they were never restored).

Elements of church architecture

To the question of which of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin is the tallest, one can answer: the one that is crowned with a quadrangle and an octagon with an end-to-end guard part. What does it mean? The term "octagon on quadrangle" is a type of architectural composition, mainly for church buildings. An octagonal or octagonal configuration floor stands on a tetrahedral, wider base. Such a composition seemed to be directed towards 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 could be seen 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 archery. Some of them were removed when the loopholes were expanded in 1707 due to the looming threat of a Swedish invasion. Part - when moving into the Trinity Tower of the archive of the Ministry of the Imperial Court. It was even rebuilt for expansion.

Huge, eight-story

The tallest Kremlin tower in Moscow has six above-ground and two underground floors. Deep basements originally served defensive and military purposes. Then, in the 16th-17th centuries, these basements were turned into a prison. These deep underground floors themselves were discovered in 1851. Throughout its existence, Trinity Tower has been used in various ways. There was an archive of the Imperial Court here until 1895, and now it houses the Presidential Orchestra.

Kremlin stars

In addition, the tallest Kremlin tower in Moscow is one of five topped with stars. Borovitskaya and Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Vodovzvodnaya are four more towers on which the coats of arms 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 tallest?” 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. He was the first to be replaced with a star. The first stars were gilded semi-precious and very heavy - weighing up to a ton. Therefore, the roofs of the Spasskaya, Troitskaya and Borovetskaya towers were previously strengthened. However, the semi-precious stars dimmed 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 what is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin? If you look at the plan diagram, you can see that it is the 15th tower from Spasskaya Vezha (numbering goes counterclockwise) that is the highest - Troitskaya, the bridge extends 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 district 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 always been attached to the defense of the Kremlin.

In plan, the fortress is an irregular triangle: the Kremlin acquired this shape during the Ivan III the Great, during which they began to build new red brick walls to replace the old white stone ones built during Dmitry Donskom. Simultaneously with the construction of the walls, new towers were also erected, which formed the defensive lines of the new Moscow fortress. The main array of walls and towers was built in 1485-1495; part of the Kremlin fortifications were completed until 1516, when the Tsar was already Vasily III. Initially, the towers were erected without tiered hipped roofs - they were added 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: weathervane flag.

The name is given by the building Arsenal, built at the beginning of the 18th century.

Trinity Tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).

Years of construction: 1495-1499.

Height: 80 meters.

Completion:

Located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Middle Arsenal and Commandant towers. Outwardly it resembles the Spasskaya Tower; It is a quadrangle, which is crowned with a multi-tiered tented roof with rich decorative design. It has a diverting arch with passage Trinity Gates. Unlike other passage towers of the Moscow Kremlin, it has retained the gateway Trinity Bridge, connecting it with the Kutafya Tower.

The name was given after the nearby courtyard Trinity Monastery.

Kutafya Tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).

Years of construction: 1516.

Height: 13.5 meters.

Completion: absent.

Located on the western side of the Kremlin wall opposite the Trinity Tower - this is the only tower of the Moscow Kremlin, which is located away from the wall and in fact represents the only surviving barbican of the fortress. In the past, it was surrounded by water and was used to defend the Trinity Bridge over the Neglinnaya River, leading from the Kutafya Tower to the Trinity Gate. Compared to other towers, it resembles an elegant holiday cake. Currently, the Kutafya Tower is equipped with the main checkpoint for visitors to the Moscow Kremlin.

The name probably comes from an obsolete word "kutafya" meaning a plump, clumsy, unkemptly dressed woman.

Commandant (Kolymazhnaya) tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).

Years of construction: 1493-1495.

Height: 41.2 meters.

Completion: weathervane flag.

Commandant's Tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Trinity and Armory towers. It is an elongated quadrangle with a base widening towards the bottom and a parapet with machicolations at the top, topped with a hipped roof.

The name is given after the residence of the commandant of Moscow in the Poteshny Palace.

Armory (Konyushennaya) tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old) - perhaps.

Years of construction: 1493-1495.

Height: 32.6 meters.

Completion: weathervane 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 widening towards the bottom and a parapet with machicolations at the top, topped with a tiered hipped roof.

The name is given after the building of the Armory Chamber.

Borovitskaya (Predtechenskaya) tower

Architect: Pietro Antonio Solari.

Years of construction: 1490.

Height: 54 meters.

Completion: glowing ruby ​​weather vane star.

Borovitskaya Tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Armory and Vodovzvodnaya towers. It consists of 4 quadrangles decreasing towards the top, placed on top of each other and crowned with a stone tent; a diversion arch with Borovitsky passage gates is attached to the side. Despite the rather poor decorative design, the Borovitskaya Tower stands out from the others due to its stepped (pyramidal) shape.

On the outside of the Borovitsky Gate 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 after the ancient forest that covered Borovitsky Hill in past.

Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower

Architect: Anton Fryazin.

Years of construction: 1488.

Height: 61.2 meters.

Completion: glowing ruby ​​weather vane star.

Located on the southwestern corner of the Kremlin wall near the Kremlin embankment of the Moscow River between the Borovitskaya and Blagoveshchenskaya towers. It is an elongated cylinder with a complex hip-shaped end. The tower's parapet is crowned with dovetail battlements; it is equipped with machicolations for all-round firing. The decorative design of the tower is noteworthy: up to the middle of the height, it is lined with alternating belts of protruding and sinking masonry, above which there is an arcature belt, emphasized by a thin strip of white stone. Interestingly, the star on 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 developed according to the project Christopher Galovey- 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 after Galovey's water-lifting machine.

Annunciation Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1487-1488.

Height: 32.4 meters.

Completion: weathervane flag.

Annunciation Tower located on the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Vodovzvodnaya and Tainitskaya towers. It is a quadrangle with a built-on tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. The parapet of the tower is equipped with machicolations. Under Ivan the Terrible it was used as a prison, in 1731-1932 - as the bell tower of the Church of the Annunciation (demolished during the Soviet years).

The name is given after 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: weathervane flag.

Taynitskaya Tower located in the central part of the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Annunciation and First Nameless towers. It is a massive quadrangle with a built-on tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. The parapet of the tower is equipped with machicolations. In the past, the tower contained the Tainitsky Gate, a well-spring and a secret passage to the Moscow River.

The first tower of the Moscow Kremlin to be built - it was from it that the construction of modern walls and towers began.

The name is given after the secret exit to the Moscow River.

First Nameless Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1480s.

Height: 34.1 meters.

Completion: weathervane flag.

First Nameless Tower located on the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Tainitskaya and Second Nameless towers. It is a quadrangle with a built-on tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. During its history it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In the past, there was a gunpowder warehouse inside the tower, which is why the tower was called the Powder Tower.

The modern name was given for a reason that is not entirely clear.

Second Nameless Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1480s.

Height: 30.2 meters.

Completion: weathervane flag.

Second Nameless Tower is located on the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the First Nameless Tower and the Petrovskaya Tower. It is a quadrangle with a built-on 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: weathervane flag.

Petrovskaya Tower located on the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Second Nameless and Beklemishevskaya towers. It consists of 3 quadrangles placed on top of each other, topped 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 the 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 15th-17th 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, Neglinka and Alevizov Ditch, bridges were thrown from the travel towers to the “mainland” - only the Trinity Bridge has survived to this day;

The very first one to be built is the Tainitskaya Tower, erected in 1485;

Of the 20 towers, 5 are crowned with ruby ​​stars (Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya), 1 - with a decorative finial (Tsarskaya), 1 - has no finial (Kutafya Tower), on the 13 remaining towers there are weathervane flags;

The red ruby ​​stars on the tops of the towers rotate in 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;

Before the stars, the towers were crowned with double-headed eagles, except for Vodovzvodnaya - state symbols were not placed on it;

To prevent the stars from overheating from the operation of the lamps, they are equipped with a ventilation system;

Trinity Tower - the highest tower of the Kremlin (80 meters);

Kutafya Tower - the lowest tower of the Kremlin (13.5 meters);

Kutafya Tower is the only surviving bridgehead barbican of the fortress;

The striking of the chimes of the Spasskaya Tower is 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 attractions of Moscow.

Has 20 towers. The list of towers is compiled starting from the south-eastern corner of the Kremlin wall, counterclockwise. Many Moscow Kremlin towers, in addition to the modern name indicated first, they also have a second name, which is usually more ancient.

Southeast corner

Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) tower Moscow Kremlin.
Konstantino-Eleninskaya (Timofeevskaya) tower Moscow Kremlin.

Built in 1492 by Pietro Antonio Solari. The round, most powerful tower 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 inside the tower. The height of the tower is 60.2 meters.

Western Wall

Along the western wall of the Kremlin, on the site of the Neglinnaya River, which was removed underground, the Alexander Garden is laid out.

Built in 1493-1495. The name comes from the Arsenal building. The height of the tower is 38.9 meters.

Trinity Tower Moscow Kremlin.

Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower. Built in 1488 by Italian architect Anton Fryazin (Antonio Gilardi). Round. A well and a secret passage to the Moscow River were built in the tower. The first name comes from the lifting machine installed in the tower in 1633, which supplied water to the Kremlin gardens. The second name of the tower is associated with the boyar family Sviblo, or Sviblovs, who were responsible for its construction. The tower is topped with a red star. The height of the tower is 61.25 meters.