Vodovzvodnaya tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Stone guards of the Kremlin Water towers of the Kremlin

Vodovzvodnaya tower(Sviblova) - one of the most beautiful and concise , located on the southwestern corner of the fortress wall between the Borovitskaya and Annunciation towers.

The tower was built in 1488 by an Italian architect Antonio Gilardi(in the Russian tradition - Anton Fryazin) and had an important defensive function, since it protected the mouth and ford of the Neglinnaya River. A well was equipped in the lower tier of the tower, and subsequently a civilian function was added to the defense function: a water-lifting machine was installed in it to supply water to the Kremlin.

The height of the tower is 61.25 meters (to the star - 57.7 meters). The main volume has the shape of a cylinder, the base of which is made of white stone; on its top there is a combat platform with machicules - loopholes of vertical shelling, on top of which a tent completion with dormer windows is built on top. The tower is elegantly decorated on all tiers: in the lower part it is lined with alternating belts of protruding and sinking brickwork, which end with a narrow white-stone strip and an arched belt, on the battlefield there are teeth of a decorative shape characteristic of the Kremlin with slots for shooting, dormers on the tent are decorated with rather elaborate porticos with columns and pediments. The tower is crowned with a red ruby ​​star with a span of 3 meters (the smallest of the Kremlin stars).

In general, the Vodovzvodnaya tower resembles the one located at the opposite end of the southern fortress wall, however, it differs in a more squat cylindrical volume and surpasses it in decorative design.

History of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower

Initially, the tower was called Sviblova - after the courtyard of the Sviblov boyars, which adjoined it from the Kremlin. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower received its modern name in 1633, when a water-lifting machine was installed in it. Christopher Galoway to supply water to the Kremlin.

The Galoveya water-lifting machine is actually the first pressurized water supply system in Moscow with lead pipes. Water was supplied to it from a well located in the lower tier of the tower: with the help of a special platoon machine, it was pumped into tanks on the upper tiers of the tower, from where it flowed by gravity through lead pipes to the sovereign's Sytny and Kormovaya courtyards and the Kremlin gardens. There is an assumption that the Russian tsars received lead poisoning due to the use of this water, since during the period of the water supply they lived less than usual. In 1737, the lead plumbing was destroyed in a city fire, and the water-lifting machine was not preserved.

Among other things, in the past, on the Moskva River, next to the tower, there was a washing raft where linen (trousers) was rinsed, and on the shore there was a washing hut in which the accessories necessary for washing were stored. So that the path to the hut and the raft did not cause inconvenience, small port-washing gates were made in the Kremlin wall near the Vodovzvodnaya Tower, through which the laundresses carried linen.

Initially, the tower did not have a hipped top: the tent over the main volume was built on only in the 1680s.

It is interesting that the Vodovzvodnaya Tower became almost the most long-suffering among the Kremlin towers: by the 19th century it had become very dilapidated due to high humidity, and in 1805-1806 it had to be completely dismantled and rebuilt. However, after that, the tower stood for only 6 years: in 1812, French troops retreating from Moscow blew it up; the restoration of the tower took place in 1817-1819 according to the project of the architect Osip Bove. At the same time, its appearance changed somewhat: instead of loopholes, semi-circular windows were equipped in the newly built tower, and dormer windows were decorated with porticos.

AT Soviet years at the top of the tower was a ruby ​​star. It is curious that, unlike the Spasskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Nikolskaya towers, which are also crowned with stars, Vodovzvodnaya did not have a double-headed eagle ending before the installation of the star. And the star did not appear on it immediately: in 1935, when other towers were decorated with semi-precious stars, it was bypassed. However, in 1937, when semi-precious stars that quickly deteriorated under the influence of precipitation were replaced with ruby ​​ones, one was also installed on Vodovzvodnaya.

Today, the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is one of the Kremlin's most beloved towers. And not only because of the magnificent decorative design, but also because it is she who opens the most picturesque panorama of the fortress from the Moskva River: for example, when viewed from .

Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower The Moscow Kremlin is located on the Kremlin embankment from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge. It can be reached on foot from the metro station. "Borovitskaya" Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya line.

The Corner Arsenal Tower is the tallest and most powerful corner tower of the Moscow Kremlin. From the Arsenal Tower, the Kremlin's defenders controlled the crossing over the Neglinka River and defended Red Square.

The Middle Arsenal Tower is located opposite the Alexander Garden between the Corner Arsenal and Troitskaya Towers.

By the end of the 15th century, the Kremlin was not sufficiently protected from the northwestern side, and therefore, in 1495, a tower was erected, called Granena because of its facade, dissected on the verge. After the construction of the Arsenal building in the Kremlin, the building got its modern name.

In the years 1680-1681, many Kremlin towers were built on, the Middle Arsenal was also greatly changed - an observation deck and an octagonal tent were erected at the top, the height of the structure increased to 38.9 meters.

In 1812, during a fire and the retreat of the French troops from Moscow, many buildings were destroyed. The Kremlin towers, including the Middle Arsenal, also suffered. AT postwar period the destroyed towers were restored under the guidance of the architect Osip Ivanovich Bove. After the conclusion of Neglinka in an underground pipe, in its place, next to the Kremlin, by order of Emperor Alexander I, the Alexander Garden was created.

The Middle Arsenal Tower is notable for the fact that at its foot there is one of the sights of the Alexander Garden - a grotto built in 1821 also according to the design of Bove. When it was created, fragments of buildings destroyed during the war with Napoleon were used.

The Kutafya Tower is familiar to all tourists who have visited the Kremlin - through it and the Troitskaya Tower located nearby, the entrance to the territory of the Moscow Kremlin is made.

Next to the Kutafya Tower are the ticket offices of the Moscow Kremlin museums, as well as a left-luggage office where you need to leave large bags and backpacks.

Those who have purchased tickets for an excursion to the Armory or the Diamond Fund can enter the Kremlin through the Borovitsky Gates (Borovitskaya Tower).

Of all the towers of the Moscow Kremlin, Kutafya is the smallest, its height is only 13.5 meters, at the same time, it is the largest in area and was of great importance - the bridge over the Neglinka River was defended from it.

The Kutafya tower itself was also well protected - a river flowed on one side of it, and a moat was dug on the other, and it was possible to get into it only by a bridge over the moat, which rose during the siege of the Kremlin.

The origin of the name Kutafya Tower is interesting. According to one version, this name was given to the building because of its shape - in ancient times in Russia, fat, clumsy and clumsy women were called kutafya. According to another version, in the old days the word "kut" meant a corner and shelter, which could also serve as a name for this defensive structure.

Troitskaya Tower, built at the end of the 15th century according to the design of the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin, is located in the middle of the northwestern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, opposite the Alexander Garden. Simultaneously with its construction, the Trinity Bridge was also built across the Neglinka River, which was later enclosed in a pipe underground. This is one of the most beautiful towers and the largest - its height, together with the star, is 80.8 meters.

During its history, the tower was called Bogoyavlenskaya, Rizopolozhenskaya and Znamenskaya (after the Kremlin cathedrals), then Karetnaya - after the Karetny yard, and only in 1658 acquired its modern name.

Its purpose also changed:XVI - XVIIFor centuries, a prison was located at its base, inXIXcentury - the archive of the imperial court, and now the presidential orchestra is based here.

At the end of the 17th century, when many Kremlin towers were being built on, Troitskaya was decorated with a white-stone tent.

The coat of arms of Russia was originally installed only on the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin, later the highest towers - Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya and Troitskaya, were also decorated with double-headed eagles. In Soviet times, ruby ​​stars were installed on the tops of these four towers, as well as on Vodovzvodnaya instead of the Double-Headed Eagles. Despite the fact that each of them weighs about a ton, they turn in the wind thanks to special bearings.

In 2015, the Trinity Tower was restored: the white stone decorations were preserved, the walls and the tent were strengthened, the star installed in 1937 was cleaned, and the turning mechanism and lamps were replaced.

The commandant's tower, built under the direction of the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin.

In its lower part, the building did not have loopholes and windows, and therefore the tower was called Deaf, then it was renamed Kolymazhnaya after the name of the Kolymazhny yard, located not far from it.

The weapon tower is located on a small hill between the Commandant's and Borovitskaya towers near the northwestern wall of the Kremlin. Its construction was started in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, but in 1493 the architect died and work stopped.

The unfinished building was located on the banks of the Neglinka River and gradually this place began to turn into a swampy floodplain, which threatened to erode the soil of Borovitsky Hill and the approaches to the Moscow Kremlin. The Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin (Aloiso da Caresano) continued the work - under his leadership, hydraulic engineering work was carried out to drain and strengthen the soil and construction was completed.

The built tower was called the Konyushennaya, because through its gates it was possible to drive to the royal Stables Yard.

On the territory of the Kremlin, not far from the Konyushennaya Tower, there were workshops for the manufacture of precious utensils, jewelry and weapons, and at the beginning of the 16th century the building of the Arms Order was erected here, where weapons were stored. modern building The Armory was built in 1851 according to the design of Konstantin Ton, since that time the Stable Tower has been called the Armory.

Borovitskaya tower built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari next to the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge, not far from Borovitskaya Square. Initially, the Borovitskaya Tower had a drawbridge and a grate that closed the entrance to the Kremlin in case of danger.

The building was used for household needs - the road to the Konyushenny and Zhitny yard passed through its gates, and now government carts leave the Borovitsky Gates.

Previously, there was a pine forest in this place, which is probably why the tower was named Borovitskaya. True, there is another opinion, according to which the construction work was carried out by residents of the city of Borovsk, after whom the building was named.

The Vodovzvodnaya Tower is located at the end of the Alexander Garden, at the point where the Kremlin Wall turns towards the Moscow River. Like other corner towers (Beklemeshevskaya and Corner Arsenalnaya), Vodozvodnaya has a round section. It was built in 1488 under the direction of the architect Antonio Gilardi (Anton Fryazin).

Initially, the tower was called Sviblova after the courtyard of the Sviblov nobles, located near the southern wall of the Kremlin. Later, a water-lifting machine was installed in it, lifting water from a well into a huge tank standing above, and the tower was called Vodovzvodnaya.

At the same time, the first water pipe was built, through which water from the tank was supplied to the royal palace, and was also used to water the garden.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the water-lifting machine was taken to Peterhof to be used to power fountains.

The water tower has a height of 61.45 meters; in 1937, like the other tallest towers (Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Spasskaya), it was decorated with a five-pointed ruby ​​star.

At this point, our walk along the Alexander Garden ends and the further path will pass along the embankment of the Moscow River.

We recommend that you go back a few meters to the place where the Big Stone Bridge begins. A gorgeous panorama opens from here, and 7 towers of the Moscow Kremlin are visible, overlooking the Moscow River.

The Annunciation Tower was built one of the first, presumably in the 1480s. Its height is small - only 32.45 meters, and limestone slabs of the White Stone Kremlin of the XIV century have been preserved at the base of the building.

During its history, the purpose of the building has changed several times. So, under Ivan the Terrible, there was a prison in its lower part, even a semi-basement room for keeping prisoners was preserved.

At the beginning of the 18th century, a bell was installed on the top of the tower, an Orthodox cross appeared instead of a weather vane, and the Church of the Annunciation was built next to it.

The tower got its name from the name of the church attached to it, according to another version, it was named after the icon of the Annunciation, which was located here for some time.

For reference: During the Soviet era, many historical monuments of the Kremlin were destroyed or rebuilt. In 1933, two churches were demolished - the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of the Savior on Bor in the courtyard of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Next to the tower in the Kremlin wall were the Port Washing Gates, through which the laundresses passed to the Moscow River and washed their trousers there (the word "trousers" means underwear).

In 1932, under the leadership of the Russian and Soviet architect Nikolai Vinogradov, the Annunciation Tower was rebuilt - the old building was dismantled, and a new one was built in its place, corresponding to its original appearance. The loopholes and weather vane were restored, the ancient facade of the historical building was recreated.

To protect the Kremlin from the Moskva River, the Taynitskaya Tower was built in the center of the Kremlin wall. Of all the 20 towers, it was the first to be erected and served to defend the most militarily dangerous side of the Kremlin.

Interestingly, the architect of the building was the Italian Anton Fryazin (real name Antonio Gilardi), who arrived at the wedding ceremony of Moscow Prince IvanIIIwith the Greek princess Sophia Paleolog, the future Moscow princess.

According to the plan of Anton Fryazin, a tower was built in the central part of the Kremlin wall, in which a secret passage to the Moscow River and a well were built, necessary in case of a long siege of the fortress by the enemy. Apparently, this secret passage determined the name of the Tainitskaya Tower.

During construction, Anton Fryazin was the first to use brick, which was an innovation in the construction of the fortress and served as a further restructuring of many structures of the Moscow Kremlin.

The tower had a passage gate and a diversion archer, connected to it by a stone bridge. The sentries on duty constantly watched Moskvorechie and, in the event of a fire, they announced this by striking the bell.

In the 1680s, like many other towers of the Moscow Kremlin, Taynitskaya was also built on: a four-sided tent with an observation tower was erected.

Under Catherine the Second in the 1770s, in connection with plans to build a majestic palace for the Empress, Taynitskaya and the nearby First, Second Unnamed and Petrovskaya towers were dismantled to the ground. The construction of the palace was soon abandoned and the historical monuments were recreated.

The Tainitskaya tower is small (its height is 38.4 meters), and it is notable for the fact that until 1917, as well as from the Peter and Paul Fortress of St. Petersburg, a signal cannon was fired from it, announcing the onset of noon.

The First Nameless Tower is a small building 34.15 meters high, square in cross section, built in the 1480s and used to defend the southern wall of the Kremlin.

The first Nameless Tower was used to store gunpowder and therefore was formerly called the Powder Tower. This circumstance led to the fact that during the fire of 1547 the gunpowder exploded, which led to its strong destruction. The building was restored anew during the reconstruction of the Kremlin in the 17th century, the building acquired a four-sided tent with a watch tower and an octagonal dome with a weather vane.

During the construction of the new Kremlin Palace in the 1780s by the architect Vasily Bazhenov, the First Nameless Tower was moved closer to Taynitskaya.

The Petrovsky Tower was of great importance for the defense of the southern side of the Kremlin, which was most often attacked.

We reached the last tower standing on the embankment - this is the Beklemishevskaya or Moskvoretskaya tower. It is angular and is visible simultaneously from the Moskva River and from Vasilyevsky Spusk. Its height is 46.2 meters, and it got its name from the courtyard of the boyar Ivan Beklemishev, who was previously located here.

Boyar Ivan Beklemishev led the boyar opposition against Prince VasilyIII. For his speeches and sharp tongue, Beklemishev was executed, and his estate, together with the tower, began to serve as the sovereign's prison.

The powerful building, created by the architect Marco Fryazin (the Italian name of the master is Marco Ruffo), was used to protect the Kremlin in the most dangerous place in terms of defense, where the enemy most often attacked. Built in the form of a high cylinder with a large number of loopholes and an octagonal spire, the building was intended to protect the fortress from the side of the crossing over the Moscow River and was of great strategic importance.

Next to the tower begins the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge - the infamous site of the assassination of politician Boris Nemtsov.

Throughout its history, the Beklemeshivskaya Tower has not undergone a global reconstruction; this is one of the few buildings of the Kremlin that survived during the war of 1812. True, in 1917 its top was hit by a shell and then restored thanks to the work of the Russian, Soviet architect and restorer Ivan Rylsky.

The Constantino-Eleninskaya Tower was built in 1890 near the eastern wall of the Kremlin under the guidance of the architect Pyotr Fryazin (the real name of the Italian master is Pietro Antonio Solari).

The building was located not far from the Timothy Gates, through which in 1380 Dmitry Donskoy went to the Battle of Kulikovo. That is why the tower was called Timofeevskaya for a long time, and only in the 17th century, after the construction of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena next to it, it was renamed Konstantin-Eleninskaya.

Church of Saints Constantine and Helena survived during Patriotic War 1812 and the fire in the Kremlin, but the coming to power of the Bolsheviks turned out to be tragic for her. In 1928, under the pretext of the need to expand the Kremlin garden, the temple was dismantled. It was the first destroyed church and the first lost architectural monument on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin.

On Vasilyevsky Spusk, the approaches to the Kremlin wall had no natural barriers and were especially vulnerable. It was necessary to protect the roads leading from the Kremlin to China Town, therefore, to strengthen the defense, a powerful diversion archer and a drawbridge across a wide moat were built.

In the 17th century, the Constantino-Eleninskaya tower lost its defensive significance, and a prison was located in its lower part and in the outlet archer. And later, in the 18th century, the drawbridge and diversion archers were dismantled, and the gates were bricked up.

The alarm tower is located opposite St. Basil's Cathedral, the building got its name from the alarm bell, which was struck by the sentinels on duty here in the event of an enemy approaching or a fire breaking out.

The alarm bell was cast by the talented caster Ivan Motorin, who created many church bells, including the famous Tsar Bell and a bell weighing 152 pounds for the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

In 1771, at the signal of this bell, the Plague Riot began, and Count Orlov, a favorite of Empress Catherine II, managed to pacify the people. As punishment, the bell lost its tongue and stood silent for 30 years, after which it was completely removed. It can currently be seen in the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin.

In the 70s of the XX century, the foundation of the structure cracked and the Nabatnaya Tower began to deviate from the vertical. The architects managed to stop the fall of the structure, however, the deviation at a height of 38 meters is about one meter.

The Tsar's Tower is the smallest and most unusual, it looks more like a fairy-tale tower built on the Kremlin wall. This is the latest building - its construction was completed in 1680, when many towers were built on with tents and domes.

The structure, only 16.7 meters high, was never intended for defense and therefore has never been destroyed in its history.

Why was the tower called the Tsarskaya? And the reason is that, according to popular legend, a small tower of Ivan the Terrible was built on this site, from which he liked to watch what was happening on Red Square and the executions on Vasilyevsky Spusk.

Four columns are topped with a tent-roof and a dome with a gilded weather vane; decorations are made in the form of narrow belts and white stone decoration. The royal tower of the Kremlin, with its fabulous outfit, conveys to us the image of the boyar choirs of those times.

The Spasskaya Tower is the most famous tower of the Kremlin, its chimes are familiar to every inhabitant of the country. Here are the main Holy Gates of the Kremlin - Spassky, at which the kings were met and the soldiers were escorted on a campaign, through which every religious procession passed.

The Senate Tower was of great strategic importance for the defense of the Kremlin from Red Square. It was built one of the first, but for almost three centuries the building did not have its own name, and only after the construction of the Senate building was it given its modern name - the Senate Tower.

In the endXVIIIcentury during the reign of CatherineIIunder the leadership of the architect Matvey Kazakov, the building of the Senate was erected for holding meetings of the nobility. In Soviet times, the office of V.I. Lenin, later meetings of the Council of Ministers of the USSR were held. Currently, the residence of the President of Russia is located in the historic building.

In 1948, a passage was arranged through the building so that members of the Central Committee of the CPSU could, without going to Red Square, get to the podium of the Mausoleum and attend parades and solemn events.

The Senate Tower is located behind the Lenin Mausoleum, its height is 34.3 meters, the author of the historical monument is Pietro Solari.

From the northeast, the Kremlin wall had no natural defensive barriers, and therefore one of the highest towers, Nikolskaya, was built here, which had an archery with a diversion bridge. Its height is 70.4 meters, and the building got its name in honor of the icon of St. Nicholas, which was kept here. In those distant times, controversial issues were resolved near the icon, it was also believed that it helps to repel enemy attacks.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Nikolskaya Tower was rebuilt in the Gothic style under the guidance of the architect Luigi Rusca. Two turrets appeared on its parapet, but the facade began to look especially beautiful, one might say openwork.

There is a legend that during the retreat of Napoleon from Moscow, the French tried to destroy the tower and it was really badly destroyed: its tent fell down, the gates fell down. Windows and doors were knocked out of the Senate building and nearby buildings, but the icon of St. Nicholas was not damaged and remained in its place.

The Nikolskaya Tower is the last one on our tour, followed by the Corner Arsenal Tower, from which we started our journey. We walked around the entire Moscow Kremlin and saw all its towers.

20 towers and they are all different, no two are the same. Each tower has its own name and its own history. Only two towers did not get names, they are called that First Nameless and Second Nameless. Behind them is the Petrovsky Tower, but the rightmost tower has two names at once. Nowadays it is called Moskvoretskaya and once called Beklemishevskaya by the name of the person next to whose yard it was laid. Somehow it turned out that the enemies most often attacked from the direction of the Moskva River, and the Moskvoretskaya Tower had to be the first to defend itself. Therefore, it is so formidable and with so many loopholes. Its height is 46.2 m.

The first tower, which was laid during the construction of the Kremlin, was Taynitskaya. Taynitskaya tower so named because a secret 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 m.

Vodovzvodnaya tower- so named because of the car that was here once. She raised water from a well, arranged at the bottom to the very top of the tower into a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes into royal palace in the Kremlin. Thus, in the old days, the Kremlin had its own water supply system. He worked for a long time, but then the car was dismantled and taken to another city - St. Petersburg. There it was used for the device of fountains. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya tower with a star is 61.45 m.

At the Vodovzvodnaya Tower, the Kremlin wall turns away from the river. Here on the corner stands another tower - Borovitskaya. This tower stands near Borovitsky Hill, on which a pine forest grew a long time ago. From him came its name. The height of the tower with a star is 54.05 m.

Next to Borovitskaya is weapon tower. Once upon a time, ancient weapons workshops were located next to it. They also made precious dishes and jewelry. The ancient workshops gave the name not only to the tower, but also to the wonderful museum located nearby behind the Kremlin wall -. Many Kremlin treasures and simply very ancient things are collected here. For example, helmets and chain mail of ancient Russian warriors. The height of the Armory tower is 32.65 m.

Kutafya and Trinity towers of the Moscow Kremlin

If we go a little further along the walls of the Kremlin, we will see the Trinity Bridge. It was thrown across the Neglinnaya River many centuries ago, even before it was hidden underground. Troitsky Bridge leads to the gates of one of the tallest Kremlin towers - Trinity. The bridge connects the Trinity Tower with another - a low and wide tower. It . In the old days, this was the name of a clumsily dressed woman. The tower was decorated already in the seventeenth century. Prior to this, Kutafya was very harsh, with drawbridges at the side gates and hinged loopholes. She guarded the entrance to the Trinity Bridge. Previously, there were more such bridge towers. But only one has survived to this day. The height of the Trinity Tower with a star is 80 m. This is the highest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The Kutafya Tower is only 13.5 m high. This is the lowest tower of the Kremlin.

We go further along the Kremlin wall. She turns again. There is another tower here. From a distance, it seems round, but if you get closer, it turns out to be not so at all, because it has 16 faces. it corner arsenal tower. Once she was called Sobakina, by the name of a person who lived nearby. But in the 18th century, it was erected next to it, and the tower was renamed. There is a well in the dungeon of the corner Arsenal Tower. He is over 500 years old. It is filled from an ancient source and therefore there is always clean and fresh water in it. Previously, there was an underground passage from the Arsenal Tower to the Neglinnaya River. The height of the tower is 60.2 m.

Middle Arsenal Tower. It was built in 1493-1495. After the construction of the Arsenal building, the tower got its name. Near the tower in 1812 a grotto was erected - one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden. The height of the tower is 38.9m.

alarm tower. Once upon a time, sentinels were constantly on duty here. From a height, they vigilantly watched - if the enemy army was coming to the city. And if danger was approaching, the sentinels had to warn everyone, strike the alarm bell. Because of him, the tower was called Nabatnaya. But now there is no bell in the tower. Once, at the end of the 18th century, a riot began in Moscow at the sound of the alarm bell. And when order was restored in the city, the bell was punished for disclosing bad news - they were deprived of the language. In those days, it was a common practice to remember at least history. Since then, the alarm bell fell silent and remained idle for a long time until it was removed to the museum. The height of the alarm tower is 38 m.

To the right of the Nabatnaya Tower is Royal tower. It is not at all like other Kremlin towers. There are 4 columns directly on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are no powerful walls, no narrow loopholes. But they are of no use to her. Because the tower was not built for defense at all. According to legend, Tsar Ivan the Terrible liked to look at his city from this place. Later, the smallest tower of the Kremlin was built here and called it the Tsarskaya. Its height is 16.7 m.

Constantino - Yeleninskaya Tower (Timofeevskaya). It was built in 1490 and used for the passage of the population and troops to the Kremlin. Earlier, when the Kremlin was made of white stone, another tower stood in this place. It was through her that Dmitry Donskoy with the army went to the Kulikovo field. The new tower was built for the reason that there were no natural barriers on its side outside the Kremlin. It was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful diversion archer and a passage gate, which after, in the 18th and early 19th centuries. were disassembled. The tower got its name from the church of Constantine and Helena, which stood in the Kremlin. The height of the tower is 36.8m.

Senate Tower at first it did not have a name, and received it only after the construction of the Senate building. After that, they began to call her the Senate. The tower was built in 1491, its height is 34.3 m.

Nikolskaya tower. It was built in 1491. architect Pietro Antonio Solari to strengthen the northeastern part of the Kremlin, not protected by natural barriers. It had a gate, it had a retractable archer with a drawbridge. Retractable shooter or a barbican was a tower outside the fortress walls, guarding the approaches to the gate or bridge. For example, the barbican is the Kutafya tower. The name of the Nikolskaya Tower comes from the name of the icon of St. Nicholas, installed above the gates of her barbican. This icon resolved controversial issues. In ancient times, a clock was also installed on the tower. Now they are not there, but the top of the tower is crowned with a red star. The height of the tower with a star is 70.4m.

Petrovskaya tower along with two nameless ones was built to strengthen the southern wall, as the most frequently attacked. Like the two nameless ones, the Petrovsky Tower did not have a name at first. She received her name from the church of Metropolitan Peter at the Ugreshsky Compound in the Kremlin. In 1771 During the construction of the Kremlin Palace, the tower, the church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshskoe metochion were dismantled. In 1783 the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812. the French during the occupation of Moscow destroyed it again. In 1818 The Petrovsky tower was restored again. It was used for their needs by the Kremlin gardeners. The height of the tower is 27.15m.

Commandant's Tower (Kolymazhnaya). It was built in 1495. Its first name - Kolymazhna - received from the Kolymazhny courtyard of the Kremlin. In the 19th century, when the commandant of Moscow began to live in the Kremlin, not far from it, they began to call it Komendantskaya. The height of the tower is 41.25m.

Annunciation tower. According to legend, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously kept in this tower, as well as 1731. the Church of the Annunciation was attached to this tower. Most likely, the name of the tower is associated with one of these facts. In the 17th century for the passage of laundresses to the Moscow River, a gate was made near the tower, called Portomoyny. In 1831 they were laid down, and in Soviet times the Church of the Annunciation was dismantled. The height of the Annunciation Tower with a weather vane is 32.45 m.

Spasskaya Tower (Frolovskaya) was erected on the site where in ancient times the main gates of the Kremlin were located. It, like Nikolskaya, was built to protect the northeastern part of the Kremlin, which had no natural water barriers. The passage gates of the Spasskaya Tower, at that time still Frolovskaya, were considered “holy” by the people. They did not pass through them on horseback and did not pass with their heads covered. Regiments marching on the march passed through these gates, tsars and ambassadors were met here. In the 17th century the coat of arms of Russia was erected on the tower - a double-headed eagle, a little later the coats of arms were hoisted on other high towers of the Kremlin - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. In 1658 The Kremlin towers have been renamed. Frolovskaya turned into Spasskaya. She was so named in honor of the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, located above the gate of the tower from the side of Red Square, and in honor of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, located above the gate from the Kremlin.

In 1851-52. a clock was installed on the Spasskaya Tower, which we still see. Kremlin chimes. Called chimes big clock that have a musical mechanism. At the Kremlin chimes, bells play music. There are eleven of them. One large one, it marks the hours, and ten smaller ones, their melodious chime is heard every 15 minutes. There is a special device in the chimes. It sets the hammer in motion, it strikes the surface of the bells and the sound of the Kremlin chimes sounds. The mechanism of the Kremlin chimes occupies three floors. Previously, the chimes were wound by hand, but now they do it with the help of electricity. The Spasskaya Tower occupies 10 floors. Its height with a star is 71 m.

The 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. The courtyard of Beklemishev, together with the tower under Vasily III, served as a prison for disgraced boyars. The current name - "Moskvoretskaya" - is taken from the nearby Moskvoretsky Bridge. The tower was located at the junction of the Moskva River with the moat, so when the enemy attacked, it was the first to take the hit. The architectural solution of the tower is also connected with this: a high cylinder is placed on a beveled white stone plinth and separated from it by a semicircular roller. The surface of the cylinder is cut through by narrow, rarely spaced windows. The tower is completed by machicolas with a combat platform, which was higher than the adjoining walls. In the basement of the tower there was a hiding place-a rumor to prevent undermining. In 1680, the tower was decorated with an octagon, carrying a tall narrow tent with two rows of eaves, which softened its severity. In 1707, expecting a possible offensive by the Swedes, Peter I ordered to build bastions at its foot and expand the loopholes to install more powerful guns. During the Napoleonic invasion, the tower was damaged and then repaired. In 1917, during the shelling, the top of the tower was damaged, which was restored by 1920. In 1949, during the restoration, the loopholes were restored in their original form. This is one of the few Kremlin towers that has not been radically rebuilt. The height of the tower is 62.2 meters.

The KONSTANTINOV-ELENINSKAYA tower owes its name to the church of Constantine and Helena that stood here in antiquity. The tower was built in 1490 by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari and was used for the passage of the population and troops to the Kremlin. Earlier, when the Kremlin was made of white stone, another tower stood in this place. It was through her that Dmitry Donskoy with the army went to the Kulikovo field. The new tower was built for the reason that there were no natural barriers on its side outside the Kremlin. It was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful diversion archer and a passage gate, which after, in the 18th and early 19th centuries. were disassembled. The tower got its name from the church of Constantine and Helena, which stood in the Kremlin. The height of the tower is 36.8 meters.

The alarm tower got its name from the large bell - the alarm that hung above it. Once upon a time, sentinels were constantly on duty here. From a height, they vigilantly watched - if the enemy army was coming to the city. And if danger was approaching, the sentinels had to warn everyone, strike the alarm bell. Because of him, the tower was called Nabatnaya. But now there is no bell in the tower. Once, at the end of the 18th century, a riot began in Moscow at the sound of the alarm bell. And when order was restored in the city, the bell was punished for disclosing bad news - they were deprived of the language. In those days it was a common practice to remember at least the history of the bell in Uglich. Since then, the alarm bell fell silent and remained idle for a long time until it was removed to the museum. The height of the Nabatnaya tower is 38 meters.

TSAR tower. It is not at all like other Kremlin towers. There are 4 columns directly on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are no powerful walls, no narrow loopholes. But they are of no use to her. Because they were built two centuries later than the rest of the towers and not at all for defense. Previously, there was a small wooden tower at this place, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched the Red Square. Previously, there was a small wooden tower at this place, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched the Red Square. Later, the smallest tower of the Kremlin was built here and called it the Tsarskaya. Its height is 16.7 meters.

SPASSKAYA (Frolovskaya) tower. Built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari. This name comes from the 17th century, when an icon of the Savior was hung over the gates of this tower. It was erected on the spot where in ancient times the main gates of the Kremlin were located. It, like Nikolskaya, was built to protect the northeastern part of the Kremlin, which had no natural water barriers. The passage gates of the Spasskaya Tower, at that time still Frolovskaya, were considered “holy” by the people. They did not pass through them on horseback and did not pass with their heads covered. Regiments marching on the march passed through these gates, tsars and ambassadors were met here. In the 17th century, the coat of arms of Russia, the double-headed eagle, was hoisted on the tower, and a little later the coats of arms were hoisted on other high towers of the Kremlin - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. In 1658 the Kremlin towers were renamed. Frolovskaya turned into Spasskaya. She was so named in honor of the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, located above the gate of the tower from the side of Red Square, and in honor of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, located above the gate from the Kremlin. In 1851-52. a clock was installed on the Spasskaya Tower, which we still see. Kremlin chimes. Chimes are called large clocks that have a musical mechanism. At the Kremlin chimes, bells play music. There are eleven of them. One large one, it marks the hours, and ten smaller ones, their melodious chime is heard every 15 minutes. There is a special device in the chimes. It sets the hammer in motion, it strikes the surface of the bells and the sound of the Kremlin chimes sounds. The mechanism of the Kremlin chimes occupies three floors. Previously, the chimes were wound by hand, but now they do it with the help of electricity. The Spasskaya Tower occupies 10 floors. Its height with a star is 71 meters.

The SENATE Tower was built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, rises behind the Lenin Mausoleum and is named after the Senate, whose green dome rises above the fortress wall. The Senate Tower is one of the oldest in the Kremlin. Built in 1491 in the center of the northeastern part of the Kremlin wall, it performed only defensive functions - it protected the Kremlin from Red Square. The height of the tower is 34.3 meters.

NIKOLSKAYA Tower is located at the beginning of Red Square. In ancient times, there was a monastery of St. Nicholas the Old nearby, and an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed above the gate of the tower. The gate tower, built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Solari, was one of the main defensive redoubts in the eastern part of the Kremlin wall. The name of the tower comes from the St. Nicholas Monastery, located nearby. Therefore, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed over the travel gates of the archer. Like all towers with entrance gates, Nikolskaya had a drawbridge across the moat and protective bars that were lowered during the battle. The Nikolskaya Tower went down in history in 1612, when militia troops led by Minin and Pozharsky broke into the Kremlin through its gates, liberating Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. In 1812, the Nikolskaya Tower, along with many others, was blown up by Napoleon's troops retreating from Moscow. The upper part of the tower was especially damaged. In 1816, it was replaced by the architect O.I. Bove with a new needle-shaped dome in pseudo-Gothic style. In 1917 the tower suffered again. This time from artillery fire. In 1935, the dome of the tower was crowned with a five-pointed star. In the 20th century, the tower was restored in 1946-1950s and in 1973-1974s. Now the height of the tower is 70.5 meters.

CORNER ARSENAL tower was built in 1492 by Pietro Antonio Solari and is located further away, in the corner of the Kremlin. It received its first name at the beginning of the 18th century, after the construction of the Arsenal building on the territory of the Kremlin, the second comes from the nearby estate of the Sobakin boyars. There is a well in the dungeon of the corner Arsenal Tower. He is over 500 years old. It is filled from an ancient source and therefore there is always clean and fresh water in it. Previously, there was an underground passage from the Arsenal Tower to the Neglinnaya River. The height of the tower is 60.2 meters.

The MIDDLE ARSENAL tower rises from the side of the Alexander Garden and is called so because right behind it there was a warehouse of weapons. It was built in 1493-1495. After the construction of the Arsenal building, the tower got its name. Near the tower in 1812 a grotto was erected - one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden. The height of the tower is 38.9 meters.

The TROITSKAYA tower is named after the church and the Trinity Compound, which were once nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. Troitskaya Tower is the tallest tower in the Kremlin. The height of the tower at present, together with the star from the direction of the Alexander Garden, is 80 meters. The Trinity Bridge, protected by the Kutafya Tower, leads to the gates of the Trinity Tower. The gates of the tower serve as the main entrance for visitors to the Kremlin. Built in 1495-1499. Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Milanets. The tower was called differently: Rizopolozhenskaya, Znamenskaya and Karetnaya. It received its current name in 1658 after the name of the Trinity Compound of the Kremlin. The two-storey base of the tower housed a prison in the 16th-17th centuries. From 1585 to 1812 there was a clock on the tower. At the end of the 17th century, the tower received a multi-tiered tent superstructure with white stone decorations. In 1707, due to the threat of a Swedish invasion, the loopholes of the Trinity Tower were expanded for heavy cannons. Until 1935, an imperial double-headed eagle was installed on top of the tower. By the next date of the October Revolution, it was decided to remove the eagle and install red stars on it and the rest of the main towers of the Kremlin. The double-headed eagle of the Trinity Tower turned out to be the oldest - manufactured in 1870 and prefabricated on bolts, therefore, when dismantled, it had to be dismantled at the top of the tower. In 1937, the faded semi-precious star was replaced with a modern ruby ​​one.

KUTAFYA tower (connected by a bridge with Troitskaya). Her name is associated with this: in the old days, a casually dressed, clumsy woman was called a kutafya. Indeed, the Kutafya tower is not high, like the others, but squat and wide. The tower was built in 1516 under the leadership of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin. Low, surrounded by a moat and the Neglinnaya River, with the only gate, which in moments of danger was tightly closed by the lifting part of the bridge, the tower was a formidable barrier for the besiegers of the fortress. She had loopholes of the plantar battle and machicolations. In the XVI-XVII centuries, the water level in the Neglinnaya River was raised high by dams, so that the water surrounded the tower from all sides. Its initial height above ground level was 18 meters. It was possible to enter the tower from the side of the city only on an inclined bridge. There are two versions of the origin of the name "Kutafya": from the word "kut" - shelter, corner, or from the word "kutafya", denoting a full, clumsy woman. The Kutafya Tower has never been covered. In 1685, it was crowned with an openwork "crown" with white stone details.

The KOMENDANTSKAYA tower got its name in the 19th century, since the commandant of Moscow was located in the building nearby. The tower was built in 1493-1495 on the northwestern side of the Kremlin wall, which today stretches along the Alexander Garden. It was formerly called Kolymazhnaya after the Kolymazhny yard located near it in the Kremlin. In 1676-1686 it was built on. The tower is made up of a massive quadrangle with machicolations (mounted loopholes) and a parapet and an open tetrahedron standing on it, completed with a pyramidal roof, an observation tower and an octagonal ball. In the main volume of the tower there are three tiers of rooms covered with barrel vaults; vaults are covered and tiers of completion. In the 19th century, the tower was called “Komendantskaya”, when the commandant of Moscow settled in the Poteshny Palace of the 17th century near the Kremlin. The height of the tower from the Alexander Garden is 41.25 meters.

The ARMORY tower, which once stood on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, now enclosed in an underground pipe, was named after the nearby Armory, the second comes from the nearby Stables Yard. Once upon a time, ancient weapons workshops were located next to it. They also made precious dishes and jewelry. The ancient workshops gave the name not only to the tower, but also to a wonderful museum located next to the Kremlin wall - the Armory. Many Kremlin treasures and simply very ancient things are collected here. For example, helmets and chain mail of ancient Russian warriors. The height of the Armory Tower is 32.65 meters.

Built in 1490 by Pietro Antonio Solari. Travel card. The first name of the tower - the original, comes from the Borovitsky hill, on the slope of which the tower stands; the name of the hill, apparently, comes from the ancient forest that grew on this place. The second name, assigned by the royal decree of 1658, comes from the nearby Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist and the icon of St. John the Baptist, located above the gate. At present, it is the main passage for government motorcades. The height of the tower is 54 meters.

WATER TOWER - so named because of the car that was here once. She raised water from a well, arranged at the bottom to the very top of the tower into a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes to the royal palace in the Kremlin. Thus, in the old days, the Kremlin had its own water supply system. He worked for a long time, but then the car was dismantled and taken to St. Petersburg. There it was used for the device of fountains. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya tower with a star is 61.45 meters. The second name of the tower is associated with the boyar surname Sviblo, or the Sviblovs, who were responsible for its construction.

Blagoveshchenskaya tower. According to legend, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously kept in this tower, and in 1731 the Church of the Annunciation was attached to this tower. Most likely, the name of the tower is associated with one of these facts. In the 17th century, for the passage of laundresses to the Moscow River, a gate was made near the tower, called Portomoinny. In 1831 they were laid down, and in Soviet times the Church of the Annunciation was also dismantled. The height of the Annunciation Tower with a weather vane is 32.45 meters.

TAYNITSKAYA tower - the first tower laid down during the construction of the Kremlin. It was named so because a secret underground passage led from it to the river. It was intended to be able to take water in case the fortress was besieged by enemies. The height of the Tainitskaya tower is 38.4 meters.

Built in the 1480s. The tower ends with a simple tetrahedral pyramidal tent. The inside of the tower is formed by two tiers of vaulted rooms: the lower tier with a cross vault and the upper tier with a closed vault. The upper quadrangle is open into the cavity of the tent. One of the two towers which did not get a name. Height 34.15 meters.

Built in the 1480s. Above the upper quadrangle of the tower is an octagonal tent with a weather vane; the upper quadrangle is open inside the tent. The interior of the tower includes two levels of rooms; the lower tier has a cylindrical vault, and the upper one is closed. Height 30.2 meters.

The PETROVSKAYA tower, together with two nameless ones, was built to reinforce the southern wall, as it was the most frequently attacked. Like the two nameless ones, the Petrovsky Tower did not have a name at first. She received her name from the church of Metropolitan Peter at the Ugreshsky Compound in the Kremlin. In 1771, during the construction of the Kremlin Palace, the tower, the church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshskoye metochion were dismantled. In 1783 the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812 the French destroyed it again during the occupation of Moscow. In 1818, the Petrovsky Tower was restored again. It was used for their needs by the Kremlin gardeners. The height of the tower is 27.15 meters.