Ancient towers of the Moscow Kremlin. Ancient stone towers of Svaneti (Georgia) Ancient towers

old towers diaolou in Kaiping County, China may surprise you. Among the scattered settlements of peasants, on the rich lands of southern China, bizarre mixed towers grow out of the ground. They remind people living here of the dangerous times when bandits terrorized the entire Guangdong region.

The first structures of Diaolou began to be erected during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), and were carried out. The name Diaolou itself is translated as “diao” (Diao), which means “stone”, and “low” (lou) is translated as “tower, fortress”.

The rise of construction old Diaolou tower began during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), or rather, in the 19th century, when the poorest segments of the population of the region began to massively explore North America, attracted by the gold rush. By the end of the century of "industrial revolutions", the Chinese community had accumulated large savings. The influx of wealthy people into the region and the general economic growth attracted the attention of bandits, who increased their raids from northern China. In response to this, the villagers started building Diaolou from stone and concrete. The towers served as a temporary shelter for several families or as living quarters for individual wealthy families, and were also used as watchtowers. By the early 1930s, there were about 3,000 Diaolou. Today, 20 of them are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Architecture of old towers varied. There is a very big influence here. The use of concrete made it possible build towers high enough and solve a number of interesting architectural points. The columns are made in the ancient Greek and Roman manner, the arches copy the Mediterranean style, the domes resemble Muslim mosques.

Today, there are 1833 towers in Kaiping County, 1648 Diaolou were built between 1900 and 1931. Subsequent events - the depression of the 30s, the military invasion of Japan led to the decline of the construction of towers. After 1948, the year of the founding of the People's Republic of China, banditry was eradicated. Today the old Diaolo towers Wu remains a monument to past turbulent times, and for some Chinese, a spiritual home to which they return for family celebrations.

For me, every ancient city is associated with the Kremlin, and every Kremlin with an ancient Russian city. Many kremlins have not been preserved at all, some have been destroyed by time or fires, some have been dismantled by people. But, nevertheless, in Russia there is still something to see, what to visit.

One of the most interesting, both historically and architecturally, is kremlin moscow. The largest in area, with an incredible number of towers - there are twenty of them. And there are no two alike. Each of them has its own appearance, its own name and its own history.

Perhaps one of the most, in my opinion, unusual towers of the Moscow Kremlin is Kutafya. Relatively low, openwork, open - this is how it is now, after all kinds of restorations and after hundreds of years.

Kutafya, or as it was also called - Bridgehead, the tower is also unique because it is the only archer tower preserved in the Kremlin

It was built in 1516 year. Openwork parapet received in 1685 year, and an open area in the 18th century. Prior to this, the tower looked very severe.

So where does such a strange name of the tower - Kutafya come from? And here there are several versions. I liked the one in which it comes from the word "kutafya" - a full, clumsy woman. And indeed, if you look closely, there is a similarity!

Behind the Kutafya tower, connected to it by a long Trinity bridge, is the highest tower of the Kremlin - Troitskaya.

The Trinity Tower was the central travel tower in those distant times, and now it allows crowds of tourists to pass through it. The Trinity Tower is a little older, located in front of Kutafya, the date of its construction is considered 1495 year, although after that it was completed and rebuilt several times.

During its existence, as soon as they did not name the tower: both Epiphany, and Rizopolozhenskaya, and Znamenskaya, and Kuretnaya. But in 1658, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in his decree ordered to call it Trinity in honor of the nearby courtyard of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

Middle Arsenal Tower

If we go from the main entrance of the Kremlin to the right, then the next tower we saw will be Middle Arsenal Tower. Previously named faceted for its facade in the 13th century, this small tower (only 38 meters) got its current name in connection with the construction of the Arsenal building nearby. The date of construction of the tower is considered 1495.

Corner Arsenal Tower

The most powerful tower of the Kremlin completes the northwestern wall. Corner Arsenal Tower, she is the Dog Tower. The Dog Tower was named after the nearby court of the Sobakin boyars. But in the XIII century, like its neighbor, it was called Arsenalnaya. The 60-meter Arsenal Tower was at one time the tallest tower of the structure.

- one of those towers of the Kremlin, which every traveler must have seen, because with one of its sides it overlooks Red Square. She was built in 1491 year. More than five hundred years ago, the Nikolskaya Tower, as well as the Troitskaya Tower, had a diverting shooter tower, a bridge and a gate. By the name of the tower, everything is quite clear, it was given on behalf of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk, whose icon was installed above its gates.

Surely, many people noticed when walking along Red Square a low turret behind mausoleum of Lenin. This turret is called Senate. In general, for a long time it was nameless, until 1787, when construction was completed. Senate Palace in the Kremlin.

In the summer of July 6999, by the grace of God, this archer was made by the command of John Vasilyevich, the sovereign and autocrat of all Russia and the Grand Duke of Volodimer and Moscow and Novgorod and Pskov and Tver and Yugra and Vyatka and Perm and Bulgarian and others in the 30th summer of his states, and Peter Anthony did Solario from the city of Mediolana.

This inscription was found, perhaps, on the most famous tower of the Kremlin - Spasskaya. For many years now, every New Year's Eve, the clock of the Spasskaya Tower counts down the last seconds until the New Year. By the way, modern chimes - 1852 years, before that, since 1624, there was a different clock on the tower.

The gates of the Spasskaya Tower were the main gates of the Kremlin. For a long time, images of the Savior were written over them. Citizens were forbidden to enter through the Spassky Gate on horseback, and men were supposed to take off their hats.

Passage gates, formerly called Frolovsky (from the Church of Frol and Laurus) on April 17, 1658, became Spassky by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and then the whole tower inherited this name.

By the way, quite recently a mini copy of the Spasskaya Tower was built in the Mari city of Yoshkar-Ola.

Perhaps the smallest tower of the Kremlin - Royal. Initially, there was no tower at this place at all, and it was built only in 1680s years. And to be honest, this is just a small tent on the Kremlin wall.

Opposite the delightful Basil's Cathedral built . Already from the name it becomes clear that it was here that the alarm bell hung. There was a time when the Nabatnaya Tower began to lean. The causes of the roll were eliminated, but even today the tower deviates from the vertical by a meter.

I never thought that I would meet my name in the name of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. But here she is in front of me.

She received her name after the construction of the Church of Constantine and Helena in the Kremlin. The church, unfortunately, has not survived to this day. Previously, the tower was called Timofeevskaya. Initially, the tower had a pair of diversion towers and was a passageway. The archery towers were demolished in the 13th century, the gate arch was laid, but if you look closely, you can see both the arch and the recess for the gate icon and places for the levers of the drawbridge.

It is very curious that it was through the gate that was on the site of this tower in 1380 that Dmitry Donskoy went to the Battle of Kulikovo.

Gradually, past the towers, we reached the southeastern corner of the Kremlin. Here the Kremlin wall turns and runs along the Moskva River. The corner tower bears the name Beklemishevskaya or Moskvoretskaya. Moskvoretskaya - because it is located next to the Moscow River, Beklemishevskaya - on behalf of the boyar Ivan Beklemishev who lived nearby. During wars and battles, the Beklemishevskaya Tower was the first to receive a blow, it so happened that the enemies attacked from the Moskva River.

One of the few, Moskvoretskaya tower, is round and for good reason. She had a defensive function, and her form strengthened the defense in case of a possible two-sided attack. For the same reason, the tower is remote, i.e. stands for the walls of the Kremlin.

Petrovskaya Tower

Next to the Beklemishevskaya tower, very close to it, is located Petrovskaya Tower. She is much shorter than her neighbor. In the old days, next to the tower was the courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery with the church of Peter the Metropolitan, hence the name. The Petrovsky Tower is notable for the fact that in 1612 it was completely destroyed, and then rebuilt. The second time the tower was dismantled in 1770, and then in 1783 it was erected again. But the story doesn't end there either. In 1812, the French blew up the Petrovsky Tower, but already in 1818 the architect O.I. Bove restored it. This is such a difficult story.

First and second unnamed towers

There are a couple of unnamed towers in the Kremlin wall, so they are called the First Nameless and Second Nameless Towers. The first nameless tower was previously called the Powder Tower and, like Petrovskaya, has a very rich history. In 1547, the tower was destroyed during a fire in Moscow. The situation was aggravated by the fact that a powder warehouse was arranged in it. In 1770, together with the Petrovskaya and the Second Nameless Tower, it was again dismantled during the construction of the Palace. And in 1812 she suffered from the French.

The second Nameless Tower suffered from destruction a little less. Only in 1771 it was dismantled, and then rebuilt.

The central tower of the southern wall - Taynitskaya, she is the first tower of the Kremlin. The date of construction of the tower is considered 1485 but in 1781 it, like its neighbors, was dismantled, and rebuilt only in 1783. The Tainitskaya tower was nicknamed because it had a hiding place well and a hidden passage to the Moskva River. Until 1932, an archer was attached to the Taynitskaya tower. It is curious that until 1917 a cannon shot was fired from here every day at noon. Only here in St. Petersburg the tradition has been preserved to this day, but not in Moscow.

There is a very beautiful legend about the origin of the name of this tower. It says that at one moment the icon of the Annunciation appeared miraculously on the northern wall of the tower. Later, in 1731, the Church of the Annunciation was added to the tower. In 1932-33, the church was dismantled, and the tower was returned to its original form.

Another corner tower Vodovzvodnaya. Similar to the Konstantin-Eleninskaya tower, it has a cylindrical shape. In 1633, a water-lifting machine was installed in the tower, hence the name. The tower was rebuilt twice: in 1805 and 1817.

At the Borovitsky hill rises the majestic Borovitskaya tower. They say that once a dense pine forest grew here, hence the name. It is hard to believe it now, when there is only glass and concrete of the metropolis in front of your eyes now.

The ancient weapons workshops, once located at its foot, gave the name to the tower. And not just the tower. Here, behind the Kremlin wall, there is an interesting museum: the Armory.

Previously called the Kolymazhnaya Tower, located on the northwestern part of the Kremlin wall, the Commandant's Tower was built in 1495. It received its current name in the 19th century, when the Moscow commandant settled in the Amusement Palace of the Kremlin. Like other towers of the Moscow Kremlin, the tower was transformed in the 17th century, when it had a decorative tent top.

With the commandant's tower we closed the circle of the Kremlin wall. Great towers, great walls that hold history.

Bypassing the Kremlin, I first of all admired the architecture, the intricate decorations of the hipped towers, the lancet arches of the loopholes. Only later, having learned the history of each of the towers, I reviewed the photographs from a different angle.

Tourists arriving in Baku usually first of all go to get acquainted with the Maiden Tower, which is located in the Old City. However, in fact, this fortress is not the only one of its kind. So, in the vicinity of the city, on the Absheron Peninsula, other majestic monuments of the Middle Ages have been preserved. These powerful strongholds withstood countless assaults and sieges, and, having withstood the most difficult trials, continue to rise above the Baku villages. "Moscow-Baku" offers to make a tour of the five unique architectural structures of Absheron.

Ramanin fortress
This tower has a magical look: it looks like it was copied from the pages of fairy tales about Aladdin, where Princess Budur lived in a beautiful castle. The Ramanin fortress was built by order of the Shirvanshahs in the middle of the 14th century on top of a sheer cliff. This arrangement allowed it to merge organically with the rocky landscape of Absheron. Unlike European castles, Absheron buildings were not adapted for long-term residence and served only as a temporary shelter for soldiers during attacks. The height of the quadrangular tower in the village of Ramana is 12 meters, it consists of four tiers. From floor to floor can only be reached by a ladder. Narrow slit-like openings widening inward in all tiers of the towers, except for the first, served mainly for lighting and ventilation. By the way, the tower also has a primitive sewer line - risers and wells with water. There is written evidence that in the Middle Ages there was an underground road from the Ramana fortress to the Maiden's Tower.

Tower in Gala
This tower gave the name to the whole Absheron village - after all, Gala is translated from the Azerbaijani language as “tower, fortress”. Built in the 14th century, the citadel is similar to the quadrangular towers that still rise in the villages of Mardakan and Ramana to this day. However, unlike them, this citadel was in a dilapidated state for a long time. When they took up its restoration, only a wall 2-3 meters high was preserved from it. Nevertheless, the fortress was completely restored and next to it in 2008 an open-air ethnographic museum was opened. The complex, created with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, also includes mounds, tombs, residential buildings, underground reservoirs, mosques and other historical monuments.

fortress of light
This fortress was called Ishig Galasy (Fortress of Light), as it played a signal role - when the enemy approached, torches were lit on its top, and thus the population was notified of the approaching danger. That is why the tower was erected and close to the sea - just 500 meters from the Caspian coast. The construction inscription, carved on the stone, reports the date of its construction - 1232, and the name of the architect - Abdulmejid ibn Masud. The tower, 16 meters high, is located in the center of a square courtyard and surrounded by stone walls. Three inner tiers, covered with spherical domes, are connected with each other by spiral stone staircases laid in the thickness of the wall.

Quadrangular fortress in Mardakan
The round tower is connected by underground passages with a quadrangular castle - the largest building in Absheron. Its height is 22 meters, and consists of 5 tiers connected by spiral staircases. It is located inside the courtyard, surrounded by fortress walls 7 meters high. The rough expanse of the castle walls is shaded by slit-like embrasures and a rich crown of battlements. The tower was erected in 1372, and more than once was attacked by enemies. The fortress was most severely damaged during a seven-month siege by the Mongol-Tatar troops, as a result of which part of the tower and the mosque adjacent to it were destroyed. In the Soviet years, the tower was restored, but the restorers slightly changed its former appearance. So, the teeth of the crowns of the walls, which had the shape of a crescent, were replaced with ordinary, round ones. In turn, historical finds are still found on the territory of Mardakan - tombstones, coins, teeth, tools, and even an old juicer, in which grapes were decanted and sorbet was made from it.

Nardaran fortress
This tower, like other defense structures of Absheron, served as a reliable stronghold against foreign invasions. Laconic inscriptions in Arabic, made on the southern wall of the fortress, tell that the architect Ali Mahmud ibn Saad built this fortification in 1301 at the expense of the governor of the Arab Caliphate Hur Berke. By the way, the same master was the author of the old Bibi-Heybat mosque and the Molla Ahmed mosque in the Baku fortress. The height of the round tower is 12.5 m and, unlike the others, it has a more spacious courtyard, and there are practically no stepped parapets with battlements on the crown.

Towers are tall structures in which the height usually exceeds the width. Narrow buildings are usually built specifically to take advantage of their height, and they may stand apart from the rest of the building complex or form part of a larger structure. Below are twelve towers that are very different from all the other towers and because of this are a favorite subject for photography among professional photographers and tourists alike.

1. Ivy Tower (Ivy Tower), Belgium

The Gruuthuse museum is located in the Belgian city of Bruges and was built in the 15th century. It has a collection of works of applied art by Bruges masters from the 13th to the 19th century.

Gruthuzu Tower is part of the museum and is better known as the Ivy Tower because much of it is covered in ivy vines. The tower looks especially beautiful during the autumn months when the ivy leaves play with different colors (yellow, orange, red, brown...)

2. Guinigi Tower, Italy

The city of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy is famous for its medieval architecture and intact city walls. However, among all the exquisite buildings in the city, one building stands out in particular. "Torre Guinigi" or or Guinigi Tower towers over the entire city.

At the very top of the 44.5-meter tower, a stunning surprise awaits you - a garden in which, oddly enough, oaks grow. For centuries, this tiny forest, high above the city, served as a paradise of peace.

The tower was built in the fourteenth century, when there were more than 250 such towers in the city. Although over the centuries, the number of towers has been drastically reduced, this tower has survived. It was built by the Guinigi, the most powerful and influential family in the city. The tower was the epitome of family prestige and was the largest in the city, even when the economic boom of the late fourteenth century saw similar towers being built throughout Lucca.

The last descendants of the family donated the tower to the city, as well as the palace at its base. The rooftop garden at the top of the tower is essentially a walled box filled with earth.

Seven oak trees grow there: it is believed that they were originally planted in the 14th or 15th century, but were replanted over time. However, those that now grow on the roof are still quite old and, according to old-timers, they have been growing on the roof for at least several centuries.

3. Kalyazinskaya Tower, Russia

The bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral is a neoclassical bell tower, the height of which reaches 74.5 meters. It rises above the waters of the Uglich reservoir on the Volga, opposite the old town of Kalyazin. The hipped bell tower was built between 1796 and 1800 as part of St. Nicholas Cathedral.

When Stalin ordered the construction of the Uglich reservoir in 1939, the old part of Kalyazin, including several medieval buildings, was flooded with water. The Kalyazin tower became the main tourist attraction in the east of the Tver region, and the island was fortified from below. There is also a small dock for boats.

4. Leaning tower of Yekaterinburg, Russia

The Yekaterinburg TV Tower is a tall, unfinished building located in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The construction of the tower began in 1983, but was suspended in the early 1990s, when its height reached 220 meters. According to the project, the height of the TV tower was to exceed 400 meters.

The building consists of three parts: the body of the tower, its base and metal antennas. In total, the tower has 26 floors (not counting those floors that are at its base).

The elevators were never installed. Instead, visitors have to climb the concrete steps of the semi-finished building. The tower is a local landmark.

The turret has a slight lean due to a design error that was not noticed during construction. However, it doesn't pose a tower-fall threat and it won't fall in the near future.

5. Ciechanow Tower, Poland

The Ciechanow Water Tower, located in Poland, is a hyperboloid structure. Its design utilized a hyperboloid geometry that maximizes structural strength while minimizing material consumption.

The Ciechanowska Water Tower was built in 1972 by Jerzy Michal Boguslawski. At the moment, there are plans to open a restaurant and an observation platform in it, but so far this building remains abandoned.

6. Pirate Tower (Pirate Tower), USA

This attraction of the Californian city of Laguna Beach (Laguna Beach), the tower, as if transferred to our time from the Middle Ages, is located a little north of Victoria Beach (Victoria Beach). Built in 1926, it was designed as a private spiral staircase to access the beach from above. Today, this tower is closed, but you can still admire it from the outside, at low tide.

To the uninformed visitor to the beach, the 18-meter rock-like tower appears to be carved into the cliff. When looking at it for the first time, it seems that it was carved by waves many centuries ago.

The ocean breeze groans through the small openings of the tower, covered by rusted gates, and a huge door at the base of the tower, also covered with rust, reveals a wooden spiral staircase leading to the rooms above.

fortress of light
This fortress was called Ishyg Galasy (Fortress of Light), as it played a signal role - when the enemy approached, torches were lit on its top, and thus the population was notified of the approaching danger. That is why the tower was erected and close to the sea - just 500 meters from the Caspian coast. The construction inscription, carved on the stone, reports the date of its construction - 1232, and the name of the architect - Abdulmejid ibn Masud. The tower, 16 meters high, is located in the center of a square courtyard and surrounded by stone walls. Three inner tiers, covered with spherical domes, are connected with each other by spiral stone staircases laid in the thickness of the wall.