Scheme of the Kremlin towers with names. Moscow Kremlin towers: a brief history

The Moscow Kremlin is the heart of Russia, because our capital began its journey from here. The architectural ensemble of bright walls and high slender towers gives it a special romanticism and unfading antiquity.

From the history of the Kremlin

At one time, the construction of the Kremlin was started by Prince Ivan the Third. The Kremlin walls and towers, made before his reign of white stone - limestone, the prince ordered to be replaced with more durable baked bricks. Many of them are still preserved unchanged.

For the grandiose construction, the Moscow sovereign invited European architects - Italians. One of them, Antonio Fiorovanti, became the author of the general plan for the Kremlin's defensive structures.

Since then, only once, large-scale construction work has been required here. This happened after the devastating French invasion of 1812. During the retreat, leaving the city, they mined the Kremlin. The enemy charges only partially worked, but it took 20 years to restore the destruction.

The appearance of the Kremlin, which is contemplated by residents and guests of Moscow, is due to the competent actions of the architect O. I. Bove.

Today the Moscow Kremlin is decorated with 20 towers. They are all different, no two are the same. Each tower has its own name and history. Only two did not get the names, they are called so: the First Nameless and the Second Nameless.

From the history of the towers

The difference in the size of the towers depended on their role in protecting the city. Each had its own exit to the adjacent walls. This allowed the sentinels to bypass all the walls of the Kremlin without descending to the ground. The shooters, hiding on the upper platforms of the buildings, were protected by merlons - ledges that completed the fortress wall.

The first in the general ensemble was laid.
It got its name because of the underground secret passage that connected it with the river.

In case of a long siege of the fortress by enemies, a secret passage to the river served to deliver water. The tower stretches up to 39 meters.

The rightmost tower has two names at once. Nowadays it is called Moskvoretskaya. It used to be called Beklemishevskaya by the name of the person next to whose yard it was laid.

Enemies most often attacked from the Moskva River, and the Moskvoretskaya Tower always had to be the first to defend itself. Therefore, it is so formidable, with a large number of loopholes. Its height is 46.2 meters.

The water tower is named so because of the machine that was once installed inside. She raised water from the well, arranged below, to the very top in a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes to the royal palace in the Kremlin. The plumbing worked for a long time. The car was then taken to St. Petersburg for fountains. The height of the tower with the star is 61.4 m.

At the foot of Borovitsky Hill, once covered with a pine forest, stands. This is a gate tower, which got its name from the proximity of the forest area to it. It made a through passage to the territory of the Kremlin. Another name for it is Predtechenskaya. Today it is used for the main passage of official motorcades. Height 54 m, its top is decorated with a ruby ​​star.

Armory the tower was built in the 15th century, the height is 39 meters. This is a quadrangle tapering upwards with a square tiered roof. Behind this tower, the Kremlin built the Armory. It contains many Kremlin treasures - weapons, precious dishes, helmets, chain mail of ancient Russian warriors. This chamber gave its name.

Walking along the walls of the Kremlin, you can see the Trinity Bridge, thrown over the Neglinnaya River many centuries ago. This bridge leads to the gates of one of the highest Kremlin towers - Trinity.

It got its name from the church located near the Kremlin. Until 1935, an imperial double-headed eagle was installed on the top. By the next anniversary of the revolution, the eagle was removed and red stars were installed on it and the rest of the main towers of the Kremlin. The height of the tower with a star is 80 meters.

The bridge connects the Trinity Tower with another - low and wide. it Kutafya tower. In the old days, this was the name of a fat, awkwardly dressed woman. A more elegant tower was made only in the 17th 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. The Kutafya Tower is the lowest in the Kremlin. Its height is 13.5 meters.

Konstantin-Eleninskaya tower. It was built in 1490 and used for the passage of the population and troops to the Kremlin. It owes its name to the church of Constantine and Helena that stood here in antiquity. They built it because the Kremlin had no natural barriers on its side. The structure was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful archer and a passage gate. At the beginning of the 19th century they were dismantled. Height 36.8 meters.

It was built in 1491 to protect the northeastern part of the Kremlin, which had no natural water barriers. Its name comes from the 17th century, when the icon of the Savior was hung over the gate. Passage gates were considered holy. They did not pass through them on horseback and did not pass with their heads covered. Regiments marched through the gates, and tsars and ambassadors were met here.

In the 17th century, the coat of arms of Russia, the double-headed eagle, was hoisted to the top. In 1852, a clock was installed, which we still see today.

Kremlin chimes - a large clock with a musical mechanism. A melodious chime, resounding every 15 minutes, produces eleven bells. The mechanism of the Kremlin chimes occupies three floors. Previously, it was wound by hand, now - with the help of electricity. The height of the tower with a star is 71 meters.

Senate the tower at first did not have a name and received it only after the construction of the Senate building, whose green dome rises above the fortress wall.

The tower rises behind the mausoleum of V.I. Lenin. She is the oldest in the Kremlin. Built in 1491 in the center of the northeastern part of the Kremlin wall, it performed only defensive functions. The tower reliably protected the Kremlin from Red Square. Its height is 34.3 meters.

At the very beginning of Red Square is located. The name comes from the St. Nicholas Monastery, located nearby. An icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed over the entrance gate. The drawbridge over the moat and the protective bars made it inaccessible to the enemy.

Through its gates in 1612, militia troops entered under the leadership of Minin and Pozharsky. They liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders.

The tower, which was damaged by Napoleon's troops and revolutionary artillery fire in 1917, was restored several times. Since 1935, its dome has been crowned with a five-pointed ruby ​​star.

commandant's tower got its name in the 19th century, since the commandant of Moscow was located nearby in the building. It is 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 hinged loopholes. It has a height of 41.2 meters.

There is another tower at the turn of the Kremlin wall. From a distance it looks round. Up close, you understand that this is not so, because it has 16 faces. It's angular Arsenal tower.

Once she was called Sobakina, by the name of a person who lived nearby. But in the 18th century, the building of the Arsenal (a military warehouse) was erected next door, and the tower was renamed. In her dungeon there is a well that is over 500 years old. It always has fresh and clean water. Previously, from the Arsenal tower went underground passage to the Neglinnaya river. Height 60.2 m.

It was built for observation and patrol. In the event of an approaching danger, everyone was warned about this from her by striking the alarm bell. Hence the name.

At the end of the 18th century, a riot began in Moscow at the sound of the alarm bell. For disclosing bad news, the bell was punished with deprivation of the tongue. He remained idle for a long time, and then was removed to the museum. Height 38 m.

To the right of the Nabatnaya Tower is Royal tower. With her appearance, she stands out from the general ensemble because she is completely different from the others. There are four columns directly on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are no powerful walls or narrow loopholes, because it was not built for defense at all.

According to legend, Tsar Ivan the Terrible liked to watch what was happening on Red Square from this place. Later, the smallest turret was built here and called it Tsarskaya. Height 16.7 meters.

The tower was built on the site of the wooden Donskoy tower. She guarded the dams on Neglinnaya, kept a secret grotto inside. It is closely adjacent to the Arsenal building, so it is not difficult to guess the name. Formerly called Granena due to architectural features facade. This is an elongated quadruple with a stepped superstructure. Height 38.9 meters.

AT First Nameless the tower was a powder store. This explains the fact that it was destroyed more often than others. It was completely destroyed under Napoleon, then restored.
Height 34.1 meters.

With equipped loopholes. This name comes from the word "kremlin" - a coniferous forest with strong, large trees suitable for construction. The first wooden kremlins were built from such trees. It also stood in Moscow, but in 1365 it burned to the ground, and henceforth it was decided to build defensive structures only from stone.

Two years later, on the site of the ashes, the Kremlin was made of white stone, which is why Moscow began to be called white stone. However, he also did not stand the test of time and war. At the end of the 15th - beginning of the 16th century, on the same spot between the Moskva River and the Neglinnaya River, a third Kremlin grew up - made of red brick.

Kremlin towers - how many and what are they

Conceived and embodied in stone as a fortress, the Moscow Kremlin was thoroughly protected by high towers from which defensive fire could be fired. In total, the Kremlin has 20 towers built at different times, but in the same style.

All towers are made in architectural style Italian classicism, except for the Nikolskaya tower. It was rebuilt in the 19th century in the Gothic style.

Initially, all the towers were of military importance and severe appearance, and beautiful add-ons and tents were made when the enemies stopped disturbing the Russian capital.

In the corners of the huge triangle of the fortress are large round towers- Beklemishevskaya, Vodovzvodnaya and Corner Arsenalnaya. The power of these towers had to withstand the onslaught of the enemy, and the round shape made it possible to fire in a circle. The Beklemishevskaya Tower was the first to take the blow during the invasion, as it was located at the junction of the Moskva River with the moat. At the base of the tower, an auditory hiding place was arranged to prevent possible undermining. The first water pressure device in Russia was installed in the Vodovzvodnaya Tower to supply water from the Moscow River to the Kremlin. The Arsenal Tower was one of the seven towers built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari, and the most powerful of the ensemble of the ancient Kremlin.

The remaining towers of the Kremlin are square. Gate towers were located where important roads approached the city. These towers - Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya, Taynitskaya, Konstantin-Eleninskaya were defended from the outside by archers. The remaining towers were adapted for defense.

The towers are quite evenly distributed along the perimeter of the powerful walls, although they vary greatly in height. The largest Trinity Tower is 80 meters high. Nearby, on the other side of the Trinity Bridge, stands the lowest Kutafya tower - only 13.5 meters.

Taynitskaya was built the first of the towers modern Kremlin in 1484. It owes its name to a cache-well hidden in the base of the tower for the garrison in case of a siege.

The second in height, but the first in importance was and remains the Spasskaya Tower. It also belongs to the authorship of Pietro Solari, who opened the eastern line of the Kremlin's fortifications with the construction of this tower. Its gates were the main entrance to the capital of the Russian state - it was necessary to pass through them on foot and with bare heads. The tower has long been decorated with clocks, but the main clock of our country, the Kremlin chimes, was installed in 1852. Their mechanism occupies three of the ten floors of the Spasskaya Tower.

Kremlin stars made of ruby ​​glass adorn the five tallest towers - Borovitskaya, Troitskaya, Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Vodovzvodnaya. Previously, on these towers, except for Vodovzvodnaya, imperial double-headed eagles flaunted, but in 1930 the Bolsheviks who came to power decided to remove the legacy of the old regime. Exactly like this, with scarlet five-pointed stars, the towers of the Kremlin became famous all over the world.

The Moscow Kremlin acquired its present form in the late 1400s thanks to the efforts of Italian craftsmen. Later, its walls and towers were still being completed and gradually changed, but their foundation was formed precisely in the 15th century.

In plan, it is an irregular triangle with one very curved Western wall and two relatively even ones - South and East. The walls of the Kremlin are guarded by 20 towers of different design and purpose. Each of them has its own.

south wall

Taynitskaya is the main tower of the South Wall. It was built by the architect Antonio Gilardi (in the Russified version - Anton Fryazin). Height - 38.4 meters. The name comes from the secret well that was in it. A secret passage to the Moscow River passed through it. At one time it had a gate, which is now blocked.

The Annunciation Tower is located to the left of Taynitskaya. Construction time - 1487-1488. Height - 32.45 meters. The name comes from the icon of the Annunciation, which was placed on it.

The First Nameless Tower is one of two towers that have not been given their own name. Height - 34.15 meters. Construction time - 1480s. Sheltered with a simple tetrahedral pyramidal tent.

The Second Nameless, having a height of 30.2 meters, is slightly lower than the First. It was built at the same time as the First Tower, but differs somewhat in design. The upper quarter is covered with an octagonal tent, on which stands a weather vane.

Peter's Tower was named after Metropolitan Peter, who was located nearby. Its second name is Ugreshskaya, derived from the Kremlin courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery.

Beklemishevskaya was erected by another Italian - Marco Ruffo (name - Mark Fryazin). Years of construction - 1487-1488. Cylindrical in plan design completes eastern part The southern wall and is the top of the South-Eastern corner of the Kremlin. Its height is 46.2 meters. She got her name from the adjoining court of the boyar Beklemishev. Later it was renamed Moskvoretskaya after the name of the bridge built nearby.

East wall

Spasskaya is the main tower of the Eastern Wall, 71 meters high. Built by Pietro Antonio Solari in 1491. The name comes from two icons of the Savior, located on both sides of the gate. One of them has now been restored. Now the gates of the tower are the main entrance to the Kremlin. Spasskaya is the only one of the Kremlin towers that has a clock. The current ones (fourth in a row) were installed in 1852.

Tsarskaya, the smallest and youngest of all, is located to the left of Spasskaya. It is installed straight and has a height of only 16.7 meters. It was built on the site of a small wooden tower, from which Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched the life of Red Square.

Nabatnaya was built in 1495. Its height is 38 meters. The name is derived from the fact that the bells of the Spassky alarm, which belonged to the fire service of the Kremlin, were located on it.

Konstantino-Eleninskaya was built by the well-known builder of the Spasskaya Tower, Pietro Antonio Solari, in 1490. The height of the tower is 36.8 meters. The name comes from the church of Saints Constantine and Helena, which stood nearby. It is also called Timofeevskaya, on behalf of the gate that was previously located at this place.

The Senate got its name in 1787 after the construction of the Senate Palace nearby, although it was built in 1491. The height is 34.3 meters.

Nikolskaya, erected in the same year as Senatskaya, was rebuilt in the 19th century under the Gothic style, therefore it stands out from the Kremlin tower ensemble. It is named after Nikola Mozhaisky, whose icon is placed above the gate.

Corner Arsenalnaya - a corner tower between the Eastern and Western walls. It is located at the top of the northern corner of the Kremlin. The author is Pietro Antonio Solari. Year of construction - 1492. Height - 60.2 meters. The name was received after the construction of the Arsenal building was completed at the beginning of the 18th century. Its second name (Dog Tower) was assigned to it on behalf of the Sobakin boyars, whose estate stood nearby.

Western wall

Troitskaya - the main tower of the Western Wall. The author is the Italian architect Aloisio da Milano (the Russian version is Aleviz Fryazin). After Spasskaya, it was considered the second most important in the Kremlin. Year of construction - 1495. Height - 80 meters. It has a gate through which visitors can enter the territory of the Kremlin. The current name was received in 1658 after the construction of the Trinity Compound.

Kutafya tower is a single defensive complex with Troitskaya. It is the only one of the surviving Kremlin bridge towers that used to guard the fortress bridges. It is connected to Troitskaya by an inclined bridge. The builder is Aloisio da Milano. The time of construction is 1516. Height - 13.5 meters. The name comes from the ancient Slavic word "kut", meaning "corner", "shelter".

The middle Arsenal was built in 1493-1495. Height - 38.9 meters. It got its name from the nearby building of the Arsenal. The second name is the Faceted Tower.

The Commandant's Tower received its current name in the 19th century from the residence of the commandant of Moscow, located in the chambers of the Miloslavsky boyars. The time of construction is 1495. Height - 41.25 m.

The 38.9 m high weapon tower was built in the same years. It used to be called Konyushennaya from the Stable Yard, located nearby. The current name was given in the 19th century from the Armory built next to it.

Borovitskaya was built in 1490. The author is Pietro Antonio Solari. Height - 54 meters. It has a gate through which government motorcades now pass. The name is attached to the hill on which the pine forest used to grow. Her middle name Predtechenskaya comes from the name of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist, which was nearby, as well as the icon of St. John the Baptist, which was located above the gate.

Vodovzvodnaya tower, round in plan, is located on top of the South-Western corner of the Kremlin. Year of construction - 1488. Builder - Antonio Gilardi. Height - 61.25 meters. This is the main building that supplied water to the Kremlin. The name was received in 1633 after a water-lifting machine was installed in it. A secret passage to the Moscow River passed through the tower. The second name of the Sviblov Tower is associated with the boyar family of the Sviblovs, who oversaw the process of its construction.

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 Kremlin towers 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 the wonderful museum located next to Kremlin wall- Armory. Many Kremlin treasures and simply very ancient things are collected here. For example, helmets and chain mail of ancient Russian warriors. Height weapon tower 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, and in Soviet time 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.

The age of the architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin, consisting of bright walls and high slender towers, has exceeded 500 years. At one time, its construction was started by Prince Ivan III. The difference in the size and proportions of the towers depended on the location of the structures themselves and their role in protecting the city. Each of them had its own exits to the adjacent wall spans, which made it possible to bypass all the walls without descending to the ground. Merlons - the so-called dovetails - became the crowns of the Kremlin structures. They protected the shooters hiding on the upper platforms of the buildings. Today, residents and guests of Moscow can see 20 towers.

All the towers had to endure a lot of historical events. They suffered especially in the war of 1812, when explosions continually turned defensive structures into piles of stones. A lot of work has been done to restore them. The appearance that residents and guests of Moscow contemplate, the buildings owe to the competent actions of the architect O.I. Bove.

When working on the restoration of the Kremlin complex, the masters managed to emphasize its antiquity and make it romantic. The decor of some towers was made in the medieval style. The bastions, equipped under Peter I, were liquidated, and the ditch crossing Red Square was buried.

Taynitskaya tower

During the construction of the Kremlin, it was laid first. And the structure got its name because of the underground secret passage that connected it with the river. The move itself was needed to supply water to the fortress in case of a long siege by enemies.

The tower stretches up almost 39 m. Its design has undergone many changes due to the restoration due to the devastating flight of the Napoleonic army. In the 40s of the XX century. the archer was finally dismantled, the well was filled up, and the passage gates were laid.

Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower

So she was named because of the boyar Sviblov and because of the mechanism that raised water from the well. Life-giving moisture came from the underworld into a huge tank, standing at the very top of the pylon. The water supply worked for quite a long time until the car was dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg. In this city, it was used to fill fountains. The length of the structure, together with the star, is 61.45 m. During its restoration, pseudo-Gothic and classical components were introduced - rustication, decorative machicolations and huge windows.

Borovitskaya Tower

On Borovitsky Hill, which in ancient times was covered with the shadow of a pine forest, there is a 54-meter building with a star. Its second name is Predtechenskaya. The tower was intended to meet the needs of the Konyushenny and Zhitny yards located nearby.

She had a travel gate, but they played the role of the back gate of the great Kremlin. The top of the pylon is equipped with an open octagon and an impressive stone tent.

weapon tower

In ancient times, weapons workshops were adjacent to it. Here, craftsmen made jewelry and dishes. The former name of the tower - Konyushennaya, is explained by its former proximity to the Tsar's Stable Yard. It was named the Armory in 1851, when the Armory Chamber appeared at the Kremlin - a repository of treasures, ancient things and uniforms of ancient Russian warriors. You can approach the 32-meter object from the extreme part of the Alexander Garden.

Trinity Tower

After Spasskaya, it was listed as the second most serious defense and was the highest among all the towers. At the base of the 6-tier quadruple of this pylon lies a 2-tier basement with strong walls. Stairs are provided for easy movement between tiers. This tower has several names. From Epiphany, Znamenskaya and Karetnaya, by royal decree, it turned into Troitskaya because of the neighboring courtyard of the Trinity Monastery. Together with the star, the structure rises to 80 m.

Kutafya (Bridge) Tower

Surrounded by a moat and a river, it rises near the Trinity Bridge. The low pylon had one gate, which, as necessary, was closed by the lifting section of the bridge. So the design created a barrier to the siege of the fortress.

Its power consisted in the presence of loopholes of the plantar battle and machicolations. To get to the territory of the tower from the city streets, Muscovites had to pass through an inclined bridge. Now the two-tone 13-meter turret organically complements the Kremlin ensemble.

Corner Arsenalnaya (Sobakina) Tower

Its lower array is represented by 16 faces and an extended base. There is a basement under the tower, which can be reached by an internal staircase. In the dungeon there is a well with potable water. The dog design was named because of the near court of a boyar with the surname Sobakin. In the XVIII century. after the construction of the Arsenal, the tower with the well was renamed the Corner Arsenal.

Middle Arsenalnaya (faceted) tower

Entered the Kremlin complex in 1495. Later, a grotto was erected under her - a landmark of the Alexander Garden. The outer face of the pylon is divided by flat niches. The quadrangular top is crowned with machicolations and equipped with a parapet with caissons (recesses for carved ornaments). The inner part of the structure is represented by 3 tiers covered with barrel vaults. They have internal stairs. The entire structure is completed by a through observation tower and a tent.

Commandant (Kolymazhnaya) Tower

Deaf strict building, standing south of the Trinity Tower. Its appearance as part of the Kremlin dates back to 1495. The Kolymazhnaya tower was called because of the proximity of the Kremlin Kolymazhny yard. But when the commandant of the capital settled in the Poteshny Palace, and this happened already in the 19th century, the tower was renamed accordingly.

Royal Tower

Conveniently located between the Spasskaya and Nabatnaya towers. A tower-like structure appeared on the Kremlin wall in 1860.

Four pitcher-like pillars hold up an octahedral tent, decorated with a gilded weather vane. Once from it came the ringing of the bells of the fire service. The tower has not undergone significant changes. Its height is about 17 m with a weather vane.

Petrovskaya (Ugreshskaya) Tower

Appeared as the Kremlin's military-defense system improved. The name of the building was given by the church of Metropolitan Peter, standing in the courtyard of the Ugresh monastery. The tower was built on and restored after the explosion of a powder charge arranged by the French in 1812.

The purpose of the 27-meter building was to meet the household needs of gardeners who ennobled the Kremlin territory.

alarm tower

This deaf strong object stands between the Tsarskaya and Konstantin-Eleninskaya towers. The basement tier of its interior is represented by a complex multi-chamber system, combined with the running part of the walls by means of stairs. Bells once rang in the tetrahedral hipped top. As instruments of the Spassky alarm, they notified the people about the fire. The alarm 150-pood bell was poured by the noble craftsman of that time, Ivan Motorin.

Senate Tower

Since 1491, the tower has stood on Red Square between the Nikolskaya and Frolovskaya defensive buildings. Until the end of the XVIII century. she had no name until the Senate building appeared in the Kremlin in 1790. The internal volume of the tower is divided into 3 tiers of rooms with vaults. Initially square in plan, the blind construction was supplemented in 1680 with a stone tent and a gilded weather vane. Overall Height buildings - 34.3 m.

Spasskaya (Frolovskaya) Tower

It is located near the main gate, which in ancient times had a special entrance to the Kremlin. The construction was erected in order to protect the north-eastern corner of the ensemble, which had no water barriers. In the XVII century. the tower was decorated with the sovereign coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle. The clock, hung on the structure in the 60s of the XIX century, decorates it even now. The architecture of the pylon differed from the plan of the surrounding buildings in the accuracy of proportions, the luxury of facade decorations and the figurines of mythical animals. The corners of the quadrangle are in harmony with eye-pleasing pyramids with shining weather vanes.

Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower

Erected in 1490, it is located in the place of the former passage structure. The townspeople and regiments passed through it, and Prince Donskoy himself went through this tower to take battle on the Kulikovo field, in the 2nd half of the 14th century. The structure acted as a security combat facility, ensuring the safety of the Great Posad and the paths leading from the river pier. Tracks from adjacent streets were also monitored. The pylon was equipped with a passage gate and a diversion archer. It was possible to get to it by a drawbridge, which was thrown over the moat. The new name of the object was due to the neighborhood of the Church of Constantine and Helena.

Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) Tower

The rounded tower is located near the Moskvoretsky bridge and is perfectly visible from Red Square. Once upon a time, the defender repelled the blows of advancing enemies. There was a hiding place under it. In the 17th century the pylon was built on with a beautiful tent, which endowed it with slender forms and relieved it of serf severity.

In connection with the unfolding of the actions of the Russian-Swedish war, bastions appeared around the structure, and the width of the loopholes was made larger. In 1949, a large-scale restoration of the tower also captured the loopholes - they were brought to their original form.

Annunciation Tower

According to the legend, the building with a deep underground got its name because of the Annunciation icon, which allegedly hung in it in antiquity. Historians also link the name of the tower with the fact that the Church of the Annunciation was built with it, which was destroyed by decree of the Soviet government. In the XVII century. next to the pylon, the Port Washing Gates were equipped, through which the palace washerwomen hurried to caress their linen to the Moscow River. Over time, these gates were tightly sealed. Together with the weather vane, the tower structure goes up to 32 meters into the sky.

Nikolskaya tower

It is located in the northern part of the Moscow Kremlin. Its powerful quadruple in the old days was equipped with a travel gate, a diversion archer and a lifting ferry. The name of the tower came from the image of St. Nicholas, hanging over the passage of the archer. Through the gates to the Kremlin, the population was passing, heading to the monastery courtyards and the courtyards of the nobility. The decoration of the tower is an octagon with a "lace" of white stone elements. An additional part with a tent conveys the Gothic style of architecture. During the battles with Napoleon's army, the tower was partially destroyed, but later it was restored. The newly built iron tent is decorated with white stone turrets in the corners.

First Nameless Tower

Adjacent to Taynitskaya and is a deaf building. In the XV - XVI century. she served as a storehouse of gunpowder. In 1547, the pylon completely burned down in a fire, but in the 17th century. it was rebuilt and supplemented with a tier with interesting name: "tented". When the government started the construction of the luxurious Kremlin Palace, the object was liquidated. As soon as the work that was entrusted to the architect Bazhenov ended, it was decided to work on the building again. As a result, the beauty of the Kremlin was supplemented by another object, the exact height of which is 34.15 m.

Second Nameless Tower

Since 1680, the tower has become even more attractive in the architectural sense, as it was completed with a 4-sided tent and equipped with an observation tower. A tent with a weather vane neatly crowns the stone structure.

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