What are the Kremlin passage towers called? Kremlin towers: names and their height. Elements of church architecture

Today's buildings were built mainly in 1485-1495 years is not the place of dilapidated white stone walls erected in 1366.
Fortress with twenty towers connected by walls, has a triangular shape.
Three corner towers They have a round shape for conducting circular fire, the rest are square, very different from one another.
The length of the Kremlin wall is 2335 m, height is 8-19 m, and its thickness is 3.5-6.5 m.
The towers have details characteristic of Italian architecture of that time, which is not surprising, since they were built by Italian architects.
IN tower names reflects their history and the history of the place.

The towers of the Moscow Kremlin with peaked tents and walls with battlements in the form of “swallow tails” are irreplaceable elements of the capital’s panorama. On the site where the Kremlin stands, a settlement has been located since ancient times. This location is very advantageous: on a high Borovitsky Hill, at the confluence of two rivers - the Moscow River and the Neglinnaya. The first fortifications that appeared here were wooden. And in 1366-1368, Prince Dmitry Donskoy built the first white stone Moscow Kremlin. The walls and towers that appear before us now are basically fortifications built in 1485 - 1495. by Italian architects on the site of the former, dilapidated white stone walls.

Kremlin construction techniques and fortress plan

Twenty Kremlin towers, connected by walls, form an irregular triangle with an area of 27.5 hectares. The fortifications were built taking into account the most modern military technologies of the 15th century. The towers protrude beyond the line of the walls so that soldiers can not only fire, but also control the situation in close proximity to the walls. Round towers were erected at the corners (Vodovzvodnaya, Moskvoretskaya and Arsenalnaya) - this shape was chosen both because of their greater strength and for conducting all-round fire. They also had the opportunity to arrange hidden wells with water. Most towers are square at the base, but differ quite greatly from each other, depending on their purpose. The travel towers (Spasskaya, Borovitskaya, Troitskaya and others), erected on the axes of the roads leading to the Kremlin, were the most powerful and well fortified. The towers were also endowed with a symbolic meaning of protection, protecting the Kremlin from the penetration of evil and evil spirits. Therefore, icons can still be seen above the gates of some towers.

Attached to most of the towers were diversion arrows - fortifications that were carried beyond the fortress walls or beyond the ditch for additional defense. This type of fortification fully met the requirements of the late 15th century. Of the archery towers, one has survived - Kutafya, which covers Trinity and in our time serves as the main entrance for tourists to the Kremlin. When constructing fortifications, various measures were taken against enemy attacks. This, for example, is the construction of secret underground passages leading outside the walls to protect the city from undermining. A through tunnel was built inside the walls to quickly move defenders.

The length of the walls of the Moscow Kremlin is 2235 meters, the thickness of the walls ranges from 3.5 to 6.5 meters, and the height - from 8 to 19 meters. The highest walls are located on the side of Red Square, where there was no natural oh water hazard. The walls were not built all at once, their construction began from the south-eastern part (from the side of the Moscow River), continued to the east and west and was completed in 1516. The oldest tower of the Kremlin, Tainitskaya, was also erected on the south side.

The construction technique itself is also interesting. The walls were built on the foundations of the previous ones, white stone, the material was large red brick, which was used to lay out the front walls, and the gaps were filled with the remains of the collapsed walls of the time of Dmitry Donskoy. So, since 1485, the walls of the Moscow Kremlin acquired a recognizable color. The towers were erected by visiting Italian architects (Friazis, as they were called then): Pietro Antonio Solari, Marco Ruffo, Aleviz di Carcano. This explains their unusual, strange appearance for that time. The fact is that the design of loopholes in the form of the famous “swallow tails” was a typical detail of Northern Italian architecture, characteristic of buildings in cities where the ruling “party” were the Ghibellines - supporters of rapprochement with the emperor (unlike the Guelphs, supporters of the Pope, who decorated the walls of their cities are battlements with a straight ending). These battlements were not only decoration: they protected the upper battle platforms.

After another fire, the corner and passage towers were decorated in the 17th century with stone tents with weather vanes. They served as watchtowers, and signal bells were also located there. In the second half of the 18th century. famous Russian architect V.I. Bazhenov completed the design of the Kremlin Palace - a large-scale building in a classicist style, reminiscent of the architecture of French palaces. The project proposed to line the hill leading to the cathedrals with turf - this place would become one of the first “walks” in Europe. To build such a huge structure, it was necessary to demolish a third of the Kremlin walls. At one site, which is located near the Moscow River, work began on dismantling the fortifications, but soon due to the growing colossal costs, this project was curtailed. In the 19th century During Napoleon's invasion of Moscow, serious damage was caused not only to the palaces and temples of the Kremlin, but also to the Kremlin walls. The architect who was involved in the restoration of the damaged Kremlin towers was O.I. Beauvais (ironically, also Italian).

Spasskaya Tower and Kremlin chimes

The most famous of all the Kremlin towers, Spasskaya, built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, deserves special mention. Tsars entered the Kremlin through it and religious processions took place. Since the 15th century Only dedicatory white stone slabs have reached us, which tell in Cyrillic (from the Kremlin side) and in Latin (from Red Square) about the order and construction of this tower. Its general appearance and decoration then were much more modest: it was almost half the size, and it was originally called Frolovskaya, after the Church of Flora and Lavra on. The Spasskaya Tower began to be called after the icon of the Savior, known throughout Russia, which was placed above the entrance in the middle of the 17th century. It was considered lost, but in 2010 it turned out that Soviet time it was simply covered with plaster. In the 17th century The tower was one of the first to be built with a multi-tiered elegant top. And the history of the clock on the Spasskaya Tower deserves a separate story.

The first clocks on the Kremlin, still white-stone towers, were installed in 1404 by Lazar Serbin. In the 17th century, the Spasskaya Tower acquired a very unusual clock thanks to a native of Scotland, Christopher Galovey. They were a sun-shaped hand with a rotating dial, on which 17 o'clock was marked. The famous Kremlin chimes, which can still be seen today, date back to the mid-19th century. They were made by watchmakers, brothers named Butenop - the founders of the company of the same name. The chimes sounded different melodies at different times. Since 1770 it has been the song “Oh, my dear Augustine”, since the middle of the 19th century. ‒ “How glorious is our Lord in Zion”, after the revolution the clock began to play “The Internationale”, and since 2000 you can hear the famous excerpt from Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar”. Currently, the clock mechanism occupies three whole floors, and until 1937 this clock was wound manually with a cast iron key.

Famous Kremlin towers and the history of their names

Let's take a closer look at the history of some of the towers. As already mentioned, the most important for defense and for the composition in general are the corner towers. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower was built by Anton Fryazin in 1488. In the 17th century the tower was equipped with a water-lifting machine, which is why it got its name. Its other name - Sviblova Tower - comes from the boyar family of the Sviblovs, who had a courtyard on the territory of the Kremlin. In 1812 it was blown up by the French, after which it was restored by O.I. Beauvais. Thanks to him, its appearance is emphatically classic: rustication (horizontal lines) in the lower part, columns, decorative design of dormer windows. Decoration comes first, not functionality; the hand of the architect of the early 19th century is felt.

The Beklemishevskaya Tower, built by Marco Ruffo in 1487, was named so because of the boyar I. Beklemishev who lived during the reign of Tsar Vasily III, who fell out of favor and was executed. From the name, one of the functions of this tower becomes obvious - a place of imprisonment for rebels. Its other name is Moskvoretskaya, since it is located on the banks of the Moscow River and occupies a strategically important position. It was from this side that the city was most often subjected to Tatar raids. A secret well was built in this tower. In 1707, the loopholes in the tower were expanded for a new type of weapon, since Swedish intervention was feared at that time. This fact indicates that the tower did not lose its defensive significance until the 18th century.

The corner round tower, located on the north side of the Kremlin buildings, was erected by Pietro Antonio Solari c. 1492. Its other names come from the Sobakin boyars who lived nearby (Sobakina) and from its location next to the Arsenal (Arsenalnaya). Thanks to the edges that form its volume and the base that expands downward, it gives the impression of particular stability and strength. It also had a strategic secret: there was a well inside, as well as an underground passage to the Neglinnaya River.

The Borovitskaya Tower got its name from the pine forest that was located on Borovitsky Hill in ancient times. The tower was built according to the design of Pietro Antonio Solari in 1490. Its design feature is the location of the archer on the side. It is also angular, but in plan it is not round, but resembles a pyramid, which is formed from quadrangles stacked on top of each other (volumes quadrangular at the base) and crowned with an octagon (volume octagonal at the base). Although this tower was located outside the main roads and was used for household needs, it has retained its significance to this day: it is the only permanently operating passage gate to the Kremlin territory.

The Trinity and Kutafya towers were built by Aleviz Fryazin. Kutafya dates back to 1516, Troitskaya - 1495. These towers are connected by a bridge, both were travel, and in the Kutafya tower there was only one gate, which was closed with heavy forged bars. Today this is the main entrance to the Kremlin architectural and museum complex. The Trinity Tower is the largest, its height reaches 76.35 meters. Its structure is complex: it consists of six floors, two of which are underground, and in the 17th and 18th centuries. it was a place of detention for rebels. It received its name in 1658 from the Trinity Metochion, located nearby.

The Taynitskaya Tower is so called because not only a secret well was built inside it, but also a secret passage to the Moscow River. This tower was built first, in 1485 - it was from this side that the Tatars usually attacked.

Of the five passage gates of the Kremlin that connected it with the posad, the main ones were Spassky. This was the front gate of the Kremlin. In the old days they were called “saints”, and they were highly revered by the people.

Great princes and tsars entered the Kremlin through these gates and went to Red Square to Lobnoye Mesto for the reading of state charters; Foreign ambassadors and envoys with a large retinue arrived through them, and from the 18th century until the October Revolution, Russian emperors solemnly entered. On the days of major church holidays, a ceremonial procession of the highest clergy took place through the Spassky Gate to Red Square to the Execution Place and St. Basil's Cathedral, and religious processions were held. It was not allowed to pass through the Spassky Gate with a covered head or to ride a horse; Even the kings, approaching the gate, dismounted and walked on foot, taking off their hats.

The Spassky Gate has not lost its dominant role even today. They are still the front gates of the Kremlin. Through them, every year on the holiday of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the commander of the country's Armed Forces goes to take part in a military parade on Red Square, and through them the changing of the guard of honor at the Lenin Mausoleum takes place on Red Square.

Until 1658, the Spasskaya Tower was called the Frolovskaya Strelnitsa, as is believed, after the Church of Frol and Lavra, which was located on the outskirts not far from the tower. In 1658, by royal decree, it was renamed Spasskaya - in the image of the Savior of Smolensk, written above the gate of the diversion archer from Red Square, in memory of the liberation of the city of Smolensk by Russian troops. This ancient fresco is still preserved under a special protective layer in a white stone frame above the tower gate.

The Nikolskaya Tower with a passage gate was named in ancient times after the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, placed in a white stone frame above the gate of the diversion arch from the side of Red Square. This ancient image in a white stone frame has also survived to this day.

The name of the tower was also associated with Nikolskaya Street, extending from the tower in a northern direction (now 25 October Street), on which there was a monastery with the Church of St. Nicholas the Old (on the site of the current building of the Historical and Archival Institute). Through the Nikolsky Gate we drove to the Kremlin to the boyar and monastic farmsteads that occupied the north-eastern part of the Kremlin.

The name of the Trinity Gate is associated with the Trinity Compound located in the Kremlin nearby. Until the 17th century, the gate, like the tower, was called Kuretny, Rizpolozhensky, Znamensky, Epiphany. The name Troitsky has stuck to them since 1658. These gates served as passage to the patriarchal courtyard and the women's quarters royal palace, mansions of queens and princesses.

All economic supplies for the Kremlin and entrance to the Grand Duke's court were carried out through the Borovitsky Gate. Near them was the Grand Duke's courtyard, and near the Kremlin wall, facing the Neglinnaya River, there were aft, living and stable courtyards. In the 17th century, the tower was renamed Predtechenskaya, but this name did not stick with it.

The Tainitskaya Tower on the banks of the Moscow River and the gates in it received their name from the hiding-well that was in the tower. The tower gates were used only for travel to the Moscow River and the procession for the blessing of the water.

In the 70s of the 18th century, the Taynitskaya Tower was dismantled in connection with the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, designed by V. I. Bazhenov. After construction ceased, the tower was rebuilt, but without the outlet archer. In 1862, according to the design of the artist A. S. Campioni, a diverting archer was attached to the tower, ending with battlements and a special platform inside, on which guns for firing at holidays. In 1930, the archer was dismantled and the gates were blocked. The gate arch, covered with bricks, is still clearly visible on the facade of the tower from the Moscow River.

The name of the Konstantin-Eleninsky tower and the passage gate in it is associated with the Church of Constantine and Helen, located in the Kremlin not far from the tower. Previously, the gate was called Timofeevsky - named after the governor Dmitry Donskoy. In the 17th century the gates were blocked. The tower and outlet archer began to be used as a prison. In the 15th and 3rd century the diversion archway was dismantled, and subsequently, during planning Vasilievsky Spusk to the Moscow River, both the ditch in front of the tower and the lower part of the tower with the gate were filled in. The upper part of the gate arch with a niche for the gate icon is still visible on the façade of the tower.

The remaining towers of the Kremlin were blind, that is, impassable, and their names sometimes changed depending on their purpose, use, and the buildings that appeared behind them in the Kremlin. For example, the Alarm Tower received its name from the alarm bell that was placed on it until 1771. Despite the fact that the bell on the tower is long gone, the name has been preserved. The Beklemishevskaya Tower, the name of which goes back to ancient times, is sometimes now called Moskvoretskaya, since next to it is the Moskvoretsky Bridge across the Moskva River. The Petrovskaya Tower received its name in the 18th century from the Church of Metropolitan Peter, which was moved to the tower after the abolition of the courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery, located in the Kremlin.

The name of the Annunciation Tower is associated with the icon of the Annunciation placed on it, as well as with the Church of the Annunciation.

The Armory Tower is so named because of its proximity to the Armory Chamber. Before the construction of the chamber in the 19th century, it was called Konyushennaya - from the royal Konyushennaya yard, located near the tower. Commandant's Tower got its name in the 19th century, when the commandant lived in the Amusement Palace behind the tower. Before that, it was called Kolymazhnaya - after the Kolymazhnaya yard, where carts, carriages and rattles were stored.

After the construction of the Arsenal building in the Kremlin in the 18th century, the Corner Dog Tower began to be called the Corner Arsenal Tower, and the Faceted Tower - the Middle Arsenal Tower. In the same century, the Senate Tower also received its name. The 1st and 2nd Nameless Towers remained without a name.

The Tsar's Tower was built in 1680 on the site of a wooden tower on which the Spassky Alarm bell hung. According to legend, from this wooden tower Ivan the Terrible watched various ceremonies taking place at the Execution Ground and at St. Basil's Cathedral.

The name of the passage bridgehead tower Kutafya still remains a mystery. In the old days it was called the Borisoglebskaya, Vladimirskaya and Patriarchal Gates, but these names did not stick with it. This tower closes the Trinity Bridge and is located outside the Kremlin. In ancient times, it was surrounded by a water ditch and had gates on the sides for access to the bridge. Drawbridges spanned the moat from the tower gates. In 1780, due to its dilapidation, the brick vault covering it was dismantled, a direct passage through the tower to the Trinity Bridge was built, and the side gates were blocked. During the restoration of the tower in 1975, the side passages were opened.

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 in the lower part 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.

Your name Arsenal Tower received at the beginning of the 18th century after the building of the Arsenal - 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 a 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. Yours modern name the tower received 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. At the moment, the gate is decorated with only one restored image of the Savior.

The second name of the Spasskaya Tower is Frolovskaya. The building received it in honor of the nearby Church of Frol and 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 the fire safety of 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 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 coastline Moscow - rivers.

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 story. Built at different times, the Kremlin towers nevertheless form a single harmonious ensemble, which at all times has been a source of pride for Muscovites and aroused the admiration of guests of the capital.

The Moscow Kremlin is one of the main symbols of Russia and, perhaps, the most recognizable.

For a Russian, the word Kremlin is something more than just a fortress, if only because it is associated specifically with the Moscow complex. But there are kremlins in Rostov, Smolensk, Suzdal, Novgorod, Kazan.

The Kremlin is the heart of the capital and for many centuries the main residence of the country's leader, it is from here that it began to grow. We decided to collect the most Interesting Facts about the main symbol of Russia.

The tallest tower of the Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin complex is the largest operating medieval fortress in the world, its area is 27 hectares. The Kremlin includes 18 buildings (including 4 palaces, 3 cathedrals, several churches), surrounded by a wall with 20 towers, and 5 squares. And, of course, on the territory of the Kremlin there is the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell.

The most high tower Kremlin - Trinity. It was built at the end of the 15th century, the height of the structure is 80 meters. This tower is exactly where main entrance for visitors to the Kremlin. Once upon a time, the Trinity Monastery was located next to it, and it was he who gave the name to the tower.

By the way, this is also where the chimes were: they were installed in 1585 and removed after the fire of 1812. By the way, today's chimes, familiar to every Russian, are installed on the most famous tower - Spasskaya (the first chimes on them also appeared at the end of the 16th century).

From eagles to stars

Until 1935, the Trinity Tower, as well as Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Borovitskaya, was crowned with the state emblem of Russia - a double-headed eagle.

For the solemn date of the October Revolution, they decided to dismantle the coat of arms, replacing it with stars, first with semi-precious ones, and later with stars made of ruby glass. A new symbol was also installed on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower.

Fire, water and copper pipes

The Kremlin has faced many trials: there were floods and fires. Imagine, during the first 450 years of its existence it burned more than a hundred times. And, of course, the Kremlin burned with it, because it was from this fortress that the history of the city began. Considering that the first fortifications on the site of the modern Kremlin were built in 1156, and for two centuries its walls were wooden, during this period the fortress burned down almost completely several times. She especially suffered during the attack of enemies (for example, during the attack of Khan Batu, the entire fortress burned down). And even after the white stone walls were rebuilt under Dmitry Donskoy (by the way, after one of the devastating fires), the tragedy still did not bypass the fortress, one only has to remember the devastating Moscow fire of 1812.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the Kremlin has since been rebuilt many times from different materials.

It acquired features familiar to every Russian in the 15th century under Ivan III.

Secret passages of the Kremlin

There are many legends about secret tunnels under the Moscow Kremlin. Thus, in the Beklemishevskaya Tower, according to rumors, there was a torture chamber created by order of Ivan the Terrible. Also known secret passages from Spasskaya to Tainitskaya tower, and from Troitskaya to Nikolskaya. They also talk about underground tunnels to St. Basil's Cathedral.

In fact, underground passages were very often stumbled upon in the process repair work, because the Kremlin is first and foremost fortification, so like many other medieval fortresses, it simply had to have escape routes and places to hide during a siege. True, in most cases, after the discovery of secret tunnels, they were simply walled up and filled with concrete.

Ghosts of the Kremlin

Well, what would a medieval fortress be without ghosts) Believe it or not, but there are legends about the ghosts of the Kremlin. So, they say that for many centuries the ghost of Ivan the Terrible has lived within its walls. Moreover, on the eve of his coronation, Nicholas II also saw the famous tyrant, which he informed his wife about.

In addition, the ghost of False Dmitry, who was executed near the Kremlin walls, and also Vladimir Lenin were met here. The latter visited his office and former apartment.

Other interesting facts about the Moscow Kremlin

Fact #1. The Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world, created in 1733-1735 by order of Anna Ioanovna. Installed in the Kremlin as a monument to foundry skills.

Fact #2. The Tsar Cannon is the largest artillery piece on the planet. Its caliber is 890 millimeters. True, the cannon was never fired.

Fact #3. Under Dmitry Donskoy, the Kremlin was rebuilt from limestone, and it was from that time that Moscow began to be called “white stone”.

Fact #4. The limestone walls did not last long and began to collapse. Ivan III rebuilt the Kremlin from red brick. It was then that the fortress was erected according to all the rules of fortification art; they even dug a ditch around it, filling it with water, thereby making the fortress impregnable.

Fact #5. One of the oldest buildings in Moscow is the Assumption Cathedral, which is located on the territory of the Kremlin.

Fact #6. There are 1045 battlements on the walls of the Moscow Kremlin, the height of the walls is from 5 to 19 meters, and their length is about 2.5 kilometers.

Fact No. 7. The 18 towers of the Kremlin have names, except for two: they are called the First Nameless and the Second Nameless.

Fact #8. During the Great Patriotic War The Kremlin has visually disappeared. More precisely, it was disguised so that German pilots would not find it main symbol Moscow. Streets and buildings were depicted on the walls, the stars were extinguished and covered, the green roofs were repainted, and the mausoleum was covered with a fake two-story structure. Thanks to this, the Germans could not carry out targeted bombings, and all the bombs that hit the Kremlin and Red Square did not cause severe destruction to the heart of the capital.

Fact #9. The Kremlin walls have characteristic battlements in the form of a swallowtail. The castles of the Italian Ghibellines have the same distinctive feature. For example, Castelvecchio Castle in Verona.

Fact #10. In 1947, Churchill called for an atomic bomb to be dropped on the Moscow Kremlin. He insisted that this was the only way to stop the spread of communism.

Fact #11. The newest building in the complex is the State Kremlin Palace. It was built in 1961.

Fact #12. Until the 1880s, the Kremlin walls were painted white.

Currently, they are periodically tinted with red paint.

The Moscow fortress has been formed since the first mention of it in 1156, when Prince Yuri Vladimirovich " lay the city of Moscow, at the mouth below Neglinnaya, above the Auza River". At the same time, the first wooden walls of the Kremlin were built. Then, under Ivan III in 1339, according to the chronicle, the walls were replaced with oak ones, and under Prince Dmitry Donskoy, stone walls were built.

Modern walls and towers, which still stand today, began to be erected during the reconstruction period of 1485-1495. At the same time, the first Kremlin tower, Tainitskaya, was built.

Who built the towers of the Moscow Kremlin?
The Kremlin towers were built by invited architects from Italy:

Antonio Gilardi;

Pietro Antonio Solari;

Mark Fryazin and Aleviz Fryazin Old.

By 1490, 7 towers had already been erected, and after the next three decades, the walls of the Kremlin were decorated with the remaining towers. There are a total of 20 towers in the Kremlin.

In the middle of the 17th century, 4 towers received double-headed eagles on their spiers. In the 20th century, with the advent of Soviet power, the armorial eagles were replaced with luminous red stars covered with a ruby composition. In 1935, the first star sparkled on the Spasskaya Tower, then on the next four towers, and a fifth star was added to them - on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower. And now, in Russian Federation The Moscow Kremlin is decorated with 5 stars: on the Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodnaya towers.

Kremlin towers

Spasskaya

– is considered the main tower of the Moscow Kremlin. It faces Red Square and is visible from all sides. The main part was built in 1491, and in 1624 the top of the tower was completed. Later, in 1937, a star was installed on top.

Tsarskaya

– quite a small building. It was built in 1680, the name of the architect is unknown. It is no different from other towers and is popularly called the “tower”.

Nabatnaya

– was erected at the end of the 15th century. Later, a bell was installed on it and sentinels were stationed, who were on duty around the clock. But the bell rang only in rare cases, for example, the ringing of the bell notified Muscovites about a fire, the start of a war, or riots.

Konstantino-Eliniska

- was built on the site of the Timofeevsky Gate. The main purpose of the tower was to protect the capital. A huge ditch was dug around. But, soon, the need for security disappeared and the tower was turned into a torture chamber, where they were kept dangerous criminals that time.

Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya)

- one of the main towers of the Moscow Kremlin wall. It was built in 1487. Named in honor of the boyar I. Beklemishev. His house was located near the Kremlin. There is another name for the tower - Moskvoretskaya.

Petrovskaya (3rd Nameless)

or 3rd Unnamed - it received its name from the Church of Peter. Since 1480 it was destroyed many times, but it was constantly restored. During the war with the French, it was completely destroyed; later, in 1818, it was restored according to historical drawings by famous architects of that time.

2nd Unnamed

- was built as a defensive structure and initially did not differ much from others. But the craftsmen did their best, and the tower turned out to be not only a defensive point, but also a decoration of the Kremlin wall. It is located between the First Nameless and Petrovskaya towers.

1st Unnamed

or Porokhovaya - a simple structure, without a high tower. It was built for defensive purposes and is not particularly different from other towers.

Taynitskaya

- is considered the central structure of the Kremlin walls. It was built according to the plans of an Italian architect and was completed until 1783.

Blagoveshchenskaya

- the year when construction took place has not yet been established. The approximate date is 1488. It is named after the sacred icon of the Annunciation. For many years, she decorated the walls of the tower and protected warriors during battle.

Vodovzvodnaya

- so named because , that it was the first to be equipped with running water. Previously it was called the Sviblova Tower, because... The famous boyars Sviblov lived nearby. The construction was carried out by the talented architect of that time, Anton Fryazin-novy. Since 1937, the tower has been decorated with a ruby star.

Borovitskaya

- one of the towers that adorns the wall of the Moscow Kremlin. There are other attractions near the tower, for example, the Bolshoi A stone bridge. There are many legends associated with the construction. One of them says that it was named so because Moscow was built on a hill that was covered with dense forest.

Armory (Konyushennaya)

(Konyushennaya) - the construction was carried out by the Italian architect Solari. But he did not have time to complete the tower and died. For a long time the building was unfinished and there was a danger that it would collapse. It was completed by another famous master, Caresano, who was invited to the capital by ambassadors. He not only completed the construction, but also strengthened the soil and solved the problems with destruction.

Commandant's

– was built under Tsar Ivan III. The original name was Kolymazhnaya, then the Deaf Tower. It didn’t get this name in vain, because... the building has virtually no windows. Later, it received its current name after it was built in the courtyard of the Moscow Commandant.