Question: "How many towers does the Moscow Kremlin have?" many people are interested. The answer is known - there are 20 in total. In this article, all the buildings will be considered in order, a photo of each of them with captions will be presented, as well as a message for each interesting features and facts. If you are interested in the question: “What is the purpose of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin?” - we will answer him: defensive. In the old days, they played the role of defense nodes.

The architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, which is made up of bright walls and high structures, is an old-timer. His age exceeded the bar of five centuries. Today it is impossible to imagine once a fortification building without their spiers, and the appearance of Moscow would lose its original zest.

Prince Ivan III began construction work. The difference in dimensions and shape features in each case was determined by the location and protective capabilities. Each construction contained its own exits, which passed to the attached walls.

This made it possible to make a bypass of the entire perimeter, and at the same time it was not necessary to go down to the ground. The final decoration was merlons, otherwise they are called "swallowtails". Archers were hiding behind them on the upper parts of the structure.

In contact with

Tower History

On the this moment residents and visitors of the capital can see twenty towers. These structures have seen many historical events. The military operations of 1812 brought particular harm to them, when many defense installations were completely destroyed by explosions.

Therefore, a lot of work has been done to restore it. The current appearance of the fortifications is due to the magnificent architectural skill of Boeva.

During the restoration activities at the Kremlin complex, they were able to highlight its antiquity and even add romantic notes and decor details in the manner of the Middle Ages to all this. The bastions built during the reign of Peter the Great were liquidated, and the ditch that crossed Red Square was buried.

Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) Tower

The building has a rounded shape and is located next to the Moskvoretsky bridge. It is wonderfully visible from Red Square. This defensive structure in those distant times successfully resisted the onslaught of advancing enemies.

A cache was arranged in front of the fortress, and in the 18th century the pylon was decorated with a tent. This added harmony to the composition, and removed a certain serf severity.

During the battle with the Swedes, bastions were built and the dimensions of the loopholes were expanded. In the middle of the last century, a major restoration was carried out, and the loopholes acquired their original forms.

Taynitskaya tower

During the construction of the Kremlin, this building was one of the first to be completed. The name of the design was due to the presence of a hidden passage under the ground.

He connected the defense structure with the river. They were used to deliver water in case of an enemy blockade.

The object rises almost forty meters. During its history it has undergone many changes.

After the destruction caused by the Napoleonic army, the fortress was restored. And closer to the middle of the last century, the archer was completely dismantled, the well was sprinkled and the gates were laid for passage.

Vodovzvodnaya tower

Another name for this building is Sviblova. It was formed by the name of the boyar, whose yard was located nearby, and the car that stood here and served to supply water.

Such a water supply operated for a very long period, until the mechanism ended up in St. Petersburg, where it filled the fountain with water.

Together with the star, the structure reaches a height of 62 meters. And during the restoration measures, elements of the classics and pseudo-Gothic were introduced into it.

Borovitskaya Tower

Borovitsky hill was once covered with a shadow from pine forest. This 54-meter building, crowned with a star, is also located here. In another way, the building is called Predtechenskaya.

At first, it served the needs of the Zhitny and Konyushenny yard, located nearby. The gates for passage played the role of the rear gates of the Kremlin.

The upper part of the piloton was decorated with an open octagon and a large stone tent.

weapon tower

Previously, in the neighborhood of this building, there were workshops engaged in the manufacture of weapons. Also, the craftsmen here made dishes and objects that served as decorations.

The old name "Konyushenny" was quickly replaced by "Army", and this happened when the Armory appeared in this place. At that time, it became a treasury; uniforms and other things of Russian soldiers were saved in it.

The construction rises to 32 meters and is a storage place, and the extreme side of the Alexander Garden is its entrance.

Trinity Tower

In terms of protective capabilities, this building ranked second (the first belongs to the Spasskaya defensive building). It also has the highest height.

Four of six tiers has a basement at the base, which in turn is made in two tiers. Stairs help to move comfortably from tier to tier. During its history, the name of this protective structure has changed several times.

It had the following names:

• Epiphany;
• Znamenskaya;
• Karetnaya.

In the end, the royal decree turned it into Troitskaya. The entire building rises to eighty meters.

Kutafiev Tower

Many years ago there were two guard buildings, they guarded the entrance to the Kremlin. Only one has survived to this day.

They also know it under the name Bridgehead, and it is the lowest of the entire list of towers of the Moscow Kremlin. It was located next to the Trinity Bridge, where it was surrounded by a moat and a river.

In a low pylon, one gate was built, which, if necessary, could be closed by the lifting side of the bridge, which created great difficulties for penetration from the outside. The building stood out for its special power.

Now this building, made in two colors, rises to thirteen meters, and becomes an organic addition to the entire architectural ensemble.

Corner Arsenal Tower

The lower massive part of the building consists of sixteen faces, which expand the base.

Below, underground, there is a basement, which can be accessed via an internal staircase. There is also an underground well. It contains clean drinking water.

Boyar Sobakin used to live next to the building, and because of him the structure had a second name - Sobakin. The Arsenal building began to be called after the Arsenal was built.

Arsenal tower

The described structure was included in the number of Kremlin buildings in the 15th century. A little later, a grotto was built next to it, which became a place of interest in the Alexander Garden.

Niches divide the outer side of the pylon. The upper part has four corners and they are decorated with machicolations.

Inside, the structure consists of three tiers, which cover the barrel vaults.

alarm tower

This object is built "tightly". It is distinguished by a special fortress, and is located between the Konstantin-Elenskaya and Tsarskaya structures.

The basement and the premises located in it together represent a complicated multi-chamber network.

The tented tetrahedral top in former times sounded like overflowing bells. Like the Spassky alarm, these sounds became a signal of some kind of disaster. The alarm bell installed here weighs 150 pounds. This is the creation of the hands of the craftsman Ivan Motorin.

Royal tower

This building is comfortably located between Nabatnaya and Spasskaya. In structure, it resembles a tower. This addition was erected to the Kremlin in the 60s of the nineteenth century.

Four pillars, like domes, hold an octagonal tent, which in turn was decorated with a gilded weather vane. Previously, one could hear the bells of the fire department from it.

This is one of a small number of buildings that have not changed much. In height, this structure reaches seventeen meters.

Konstantin-Eleninskaya (Timofeevskaya) tower

Appeared in the middle of the fifteenth century and was located instead of the former travel building. She passed through a large number of of people.

Regiments passed through here, and even Dmitry Donskoy himself went this way to the Battle of Kulikovo. In addition, the building played the role of a military object of protection, protecting the Great Posad and the paths passing from the pier on the river.

From this object, all the paths from the adjacent streets were clearly visible. The pylon was equipped with gates for passage and archery. It became possible to penetrate here by means of a drawbridge. The building received another name because of the nearby church of Constantine and Helena.

Senate Tower

Since the fifteenth century, it has adorned the complex, surrounded by Nikolskaya and Frolovskaya fortifications.

For a long time it was not called anything. And at the end of the eighteenth century, the Senate settled in the Kremlin. And it was used in the title.

The interior of the object is divided into three tiers, where rooms with vaults are located. The built deaf building was later supplemented with a tent and a weather vane. These details were complemented by beautiful gilding. All this rises to 35 meters.

Nikolskaya tower

The building is located in the northern part of the complex. A high-power quadruple was previously equipped with gates for passage. It was also supplemented by a shooter and a crossing operating in a lifting mode.

The name uses the image of St. Nicholas, which was installed above the roadway. Judging by information from Wikipedia and numerous memoirs and historical information, amazing events took place in all historical times, as evidenced by St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk, whose image was lost, restored and solemnly consecrated in 2010.

The "laced" octagon is considered a decoration of the structure, and the additional part (shatro) reflects the Gothic style of architecture.

During the battle with the Napoleonic army, the building was partially damaged, but was restored a little later. And during the restoration, the tent was decorated with white stone turrets.

Petrovskaya tower

The need for this object arose at the stage of improving the protective system of the complex. The nearby Church of Metropolitan Peter gave him his name.

After the building was blown up with a powder charge in 1812, a lot of restoration work was carried out.

The erected twenty-seven-meter building was used for the household needs of gardeners who monitored the beautification of the Kremlin territory.

Kolymazhnaya or Commandant's Tower

Almost deaf and austere building, which is shifted to the south side of the Trinity defensive building.

Like most other objects, it appeared in the fifteenth century. And the name "Kolymazhnaya" was given because of the close location of the Kolymazhny yard.

After the commandant moved to Poteshyn (this happened in the nineteenth century), the building was renamed.

Annunciation Tower

This object has its own secret - it is a deep underground. If you believe the legends, then the icon "Annunciation", which hung here in ancient times, gave its name.

Historians are also inclined to believe that the name is connected with the Church of the Annunciation built nearby, demolished under Soviet rule. Back in the seventeenth century, the Port Washing Gate was built near the pylon, through which local washerwomen hurried to the river to rinse their laundry here.

Over time, these gates built up. The building, together with the weather vane, rises to thirty-two meters.

Frolovskaya or Spasskaya Tower

It is located next to the main gate, which in the old days was equipped with a special passage to the Kremlin. During construction, the task was to protect the northeastern corner of the complex, since it did not contain water barriers.

In the seventeenth century, the object was decorated with the coat of arms of the state (double-headed eagle). And the clock that was placed here back in the nineteenth century is here and now.

Describing this construction, it should be noted that in this case the architecture was not the same as on other buildings. She was distinguished by accuracy in geometric shapes, luxurious jewelry and animal figures. The corner parts of the quadrangle were decorated with attractive pyramids with iridescent weathercocks.

First Nameless Tower

It stands next to Taynitskaya and is a completely deaf building. For almost two centuries (15th and 16th) it was used as a gunpowder storage.

In the middle of the sixteenth century, the building was destroyed by fire, but after 150 years it was rebuilt again. Now it has already been supplemented by a new tier, which was called a tent.

During the construction of a luxurious Kremlin palace, the building was dismantled. As soon as this was completed, the architect Bazhenov was instructed to build the object again. In the end, the beauty of the current complex is complemented by one spire, towering 35 meters.

Second Nameless Tower

The building gained architectural appeal in the second half of the seventeenth century, when it was completed with a four-sided tent and an observation post was added.

The crown of the construction was a stone tent with a weather vane. The Kremlin building delights with the emerald of tents, the ruby ​​glow of the stars and the "dovetails".

The grandeur and beauty of this place is simply mesmerizing. This is the brightest and most recognizable symbol, familiar from childhood from pictures in books, textbooks, stamps and other images, dear to every Russian person.

For interesting information about the walls and towers of the Kremlin, see the following video:

The Moscow Kremlin is priceless architectural ensemble relating to the XV-XIX centuries. In its shape, it resembles an irregularly shaped triangle. The southern side of the ensemble faces the Moscow River. The fortress is surrounded by a brick wall with 20 towers of different architecture. Today we will briefly introduce you to the features of each of them.

Beklemishevskaya tower

The construction of this design dates back to 1487-1488. Its author was the Italian architect Mark Fryazin. The tower is round in plan. Its name comes from the court of the boyar Beklemishev, who adjoined it. Its height is 46.7 m. However, this is not the tallest building.

Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower

Appeared in the Kremlin in 1490. It was built by the Italian architect Pietro Solari. Its name originates from the Church of Saints Helena and Constantine, located nearby. The height of the structure is slightly less than 37 m.

Nabatnaya tower

The Kremlin towers were built at different times. For example, Nabatnaya appeared in the fortress in 1495. It was named after the bells of the Spassky alarm located in it, which were part of the Kremlin's fire-fighting system. It rises to 38 meters.

Tsarskaya Tower

The towers of the Moscow Kremlin differ not only architectural style but also in size. For example, the Tsarskaya Tower has a rather modest size. It was installed directly on the wall. This happened in the 1680s. She is younger than her "sisters" by almost two centuries. Previously, in its place was a small tower made of wood. According to legend, Ivan the Terrible himself, the Russian Tsar, watched Red Square from it. That's where its name came from. Height - 16.7 m.

Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin

This is one of the most famous buildings of the Kremlin. First of all, because it refers to the towers overlooking Red Square.

The Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin has a gate of the same name; the famous clock, the Moscow Chimes, is installed in its tent.

This is a grandiose building with a height of more than 71 m. The Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin appeared in the Kremlin during the reign of Ivan III (1491). The author of the project was the architect Pietro Solari.

Initially, a much smaller tower was erected than we see today. This is explained by the fact that in 1625 Christopher Galovey, an architect from England, in collaboration with the Russian architect Bazhen Ogurtsov, completed a large multi-tiered top above the tower. It was made in the Gothic style with some Mannerist elements. The tower ends with a stone tent. Fairy figurines are an original design element. They were covered with clothes made especially for this purpose.

At the end of the 17th century, the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin was decorated with the first double-headed eagle - the coat of arms of the Russian state. Much later, the symbols of the state appeared on the Trinity, Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya towers.

At all times, the gates of the tower were the central of all the Kremlin. Moreover, they were revered as saints. It was forbidden to ride through them, and men passing through them had to remove their hats. Anyone who did not follow the holy rule was obliged to make 50 prostrations to the ground.

The Spassky Gates became the main entrance to the territory of the Kremlin. Troops went to fight through them. Ambassadors of foreign states were also met here.

All the Kremlin processions went through these gates. Starting with Mikhail Fedorovich, all Russian tsars and emperors must pass through them before their coronation.

There is a legend that when the “invincible” Napoleon passed through the famous gates in devastated Moscow, his famous cocked hat was torn off by a gust of wind.

During the retreat, the French decided to burn the Spasskaya Tower, but the Don Cossacks who arrived in time were able to put out the already lit fuses.

There were chapels on both sides of the gate. On the left - Smolenskaya, on the right - Spasskaya. They were built of stone in 1802. In 1812 they were both destroyed and rebuilt according to a completely new project. At the end of October 1868, two new hipped chapels were solemnly consecrated. Both were demolished in 1925.

Kremlin chimes

Another attraction that the Spasskaya Tower is famous for is the chimes that have been decorating the tower since the 16th century. True, it should be noted that they are constantly changing. A completely new watch was made in 1625 by the English mechanic and watchmaker Christopher Galoway. They performed musical melodies, measured day and night time, which was indicated by numbers and letters. At that time, the hands on the dial did not exist.

Tsar Peter I (1705) issued a decree on the reconstruction of the Spassky Clock. They were remade in the German way. A dial appeared, which was divided into 12 sectors.

In 1770, they were replaced by an English clock, which was discovered in the Faceted Chamber. At first, they sang a simple song "Dear Augustine", referring to German folklore.

The chimes that are known to us were made by the Budenop brothers (1851-1852). They were installed on the eighth and tenth tiers of the tower. The chimes were sounded by the "March of the Preobrazhensky Regiment" at 6 and 12 o'clock. At 3 and 9 o'clock they sang the hymn "How glorious is our Lord" by D. Bortnyansky. These melodies sounded over Red Square until 1917. At first, the idea arose to dial the anthem of Russia on the playing shaft of the chimes, but Nicholas I did not allow this to be done.

In early November 1917, the clock was damaged during the Bolshevik assault. They were hit by a projectile, which interrupted one of the arrows and broke the rotation mechanism. The clock has been frozen for almost a year. In September 1918, V. I. Lenin issued a decree, according to which the clock was restored by master Nikolai Berens.

The chimes began to "sing" the "Internationale" at 12 o'clock, and "You fell a victim ..." at 24 o'clock. In 1938, the chimes fell silent for a long time. They only struck the hours and quarters.

58 years later (in 1996), during the solemn inauguration of the First Russian President B. N. Yeltsin, the Russians heard the "Patriotic Song" performed by the chimes, and every quarter of an hour - the melody of the choir "Glory".

The last restoration of the chimes took place in 1999. The numbers and hands are gilded. The appearance of the upper tiers of the tower was completely restored. At the end of the year, the chimes were finally tuned. Now they sing the national anthem of Russia, which was officially approved in 2000.

The chimes have quite impressive dimensions - a diameter of 6.12 m. They "look" at four sides. Roman numerals are 0.72 m high, the hour hand is 2.97 m long, the minute hand is 3.27 m. Previously, the clock was wound manually, but after 1937 three electric motors are used for this.

Senate Tower

The towers of the Moscow Kremlin are not all equally popular and famous. For example, the Senate - it was erected in 1491 by Pietro Solari. It was named much later (1787), when the Senate Palace was built on the territory of the Kremlin. Its height is 34.3 meters.

Nikolskaya Tower

This design is also the work of Pietro Solari. The tower was built at the same time as its Senate "sister" (in 1491). She was named after the icon of St. N. Wonderworker, which was above the gate. The tower is crowned with a red star. The huge structure rises to 70.4 m.

Arsenal tower (corner)

The Kremlin towers, located at the corners of the fortress, are more massive. Arsenal built by Pietro Solari (1492). This is one of the most powerful towers. The name appeared at the beginning of the 18th century, when the Arsenal building was built on the territory of the Kremlin. The round tower has a well inside. The height of the structure is 60.2 meters.

Arsenal tower (middle)

The second tower, named after the Arsenal, was built in 1495. Its height is 38.9 m.

Trinity Tower

This tower was considered the second after Spasskaya in its significance. It was built by the Italian Aloisio da Milano in 1495. It was renamed several times, but in the end the name Troitskaya took root (after the name of the courtyard in the Kremlin). Today it is the main entrance for everyone who wants to visit the Kremlin. The building is crowned with a red star. It should be noted that the towers of the Kremlin differ in their size. The height of the tower exceeds 80 meters. There are buildings that are more than two times lower than it.

Kutafya tower of the Kremlin

It was built in 1516. The author of the project is the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin. This is a low tower surrounded by a deep moat and the Neglinnaya River. She had a single gate, which, at the slightest danger, was tightly closed by a drawbridge. It was a serious obstacle for enemies.

In the 17th century, with the help of dams, the water level in Neglinnaya was raised high. She began to surround the tower from all sides. At first, its height above ground level was 18 meters.

Why is the Kremlin's Kutafya Tower so named? There are two versions. One of them is from the word "kut" (corner, shelter) or from the word "kutafya", which means a clumsy, full woman.

The Kutafya tower never had a top cover. In 1685, she received an openwork "crown" with spectacular white stone details.

Its height is 13.5 meters.

Komendantskaya tower

This name was given to the tower in the 19th century, when the nearby Poteshny Palace became the official residence of the commandant of Moscow. And the tower was built much earlier, in 1495. Its height is 41.25 m.

weapon tower

I must say that at the end of the 15th century, many towers of the Kremlin appeared. So the Armory was built in the Kremlin in 1495. It was named much later (1851), when the Armory was built nearby. The height of the building is 38.9 m.

Borovitskaya Tower

As a rule, the Kremlin towers got their name from the location or in honor of the building located nearby. The Borovitskaya Tower appeared on the map of the Kremlin in 1490. Created by Pietro Solari. They named it in honor of Borovitsky Hill. It was on its slope that the tower was built. Today it is the main passage for the motorcades of the government and the president. The tower is crowned with a red ruby ​​star. Its height is 54 meters.

Vodovzvodnaya tower

This building was erected by the Italian architect Antonio Gilardi in 1488. The tower was round in shape, inside it there was a well, and a secret passage was dug in it, which led to the Moscow River. It got its name from the water pump installed in it in 1633, which supplied water to the gardens of the Kremlin. The beautiful structure is crowned with a ruby ​​star. The height of the tower is 61.25 m.

Annunciation Tower

In our article, we published a photo of the Kremlin. Its towers are all very different in style, shape, and size. At the same time, they surprisingly create a very harmonious ensemble. Look at the Annunciation Tower. It was built at the end of the 15th century (1488), but it still amazes guests of the Kremlin with its magnificence. She received her name in honor of the icon of the Annunciation, located in the tower. Its height is 32.45 m.

Taynitskaya tower

The building was built in 1485. This is not the highest tower - Taynitskaya. Previously, it was a travel card, but later the gates were laid. It was named after the secret well located in it and the secret passage that led to the Moscow River. The Tainitskaya Tower rises 38.4 meters above the Kremlin.

Unnamed towers

Two not very high towers. Both were built in the 80s of the XV century. Their height is 34.15 and 30.2 meters respectively.

Petrovskaya tower

In honor of the nearby church of Metropolitan Peter and the courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery, another construction was named. The Petrovskaya Tower is 27.15 meters high.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

This is another attraction, dear to the heart of every Russian. Thousands of tourists from different parts of the Earth annually come to see the miracle of Nizhny Novgorod.

The length of the Kremlin is about 2 kilometers, the height is from 18 to 30 meters. When the towers of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin were being built, there were 13 of them. Only 12 have survived to this day. At the beginning of 2010, the restoration and reconstruction of the lost Zachatievsky tower began.

Each of the 12 structures has its own history, which, as a rule, is reflected in their names - Borisoglebskaya, Georgievskaya, Belaya, Zachatievskaya, Ivanovskaya, Severnaya, Chasovaya, Tainitskaya, Koromyslova, Kladovaya, Dmitrievskaya, Powder, Nikolskaya.

The exit to the open wall of the Kremlin for walking is in the Kladovaya Tower. During its long history, the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin has experienced many rebuildings and reconstructions. It is the most valuable monument of history, architecture and culture of Russia. The towers of the Kremlin attract the interest of researchers and scientists from all over the world.

Of the five gates of the Kremlin, which connected it with the settlement, the main ones were Spassky. It was the front gate of the Kremlin. In the old days they were called "saints", and they were very revered by the people.

Through this gate, the great princes and tsars entered the Kremlin and went to Red Square to the Execution Ground for the announcement of state letters; 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 great church holidays, a ceremonial procession of the highest clergy took place through the Spassky Gate to Red Square to the Place of Execution and to St. Basil's Cathedral, religious processions were made. It was not allowed to pass through the Spassky Gates with a covered head and ride a horse; even the kings, approaching the gates, dismounted and walked on foot, taking off their hats.

The Spassky Gates have not lost their leading role even today. They are now the front gates of the Kremlin. Every year, on the occasion of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the commander of the Armed Forces of the country travels through them to take a military parade on Red Square, through them the changing of the guard of honor to the Lenin Mausoleum passes to Red Square.

Until 1658, the Spasskaya Tower was called the Frolovskaya Strelnitsa, as it is believed, after the Church of Frol and Lavr, located in the suburb not far from the tower. In 1658, by royal decree, it was renamed into Spasskaya - in the image of the Savior of Smolensk, written over the gate of the diversion archer from the side of 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 gate of the tower.

The Nikolskaya tower with a passage gate was named in antiquity after the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, placed in a white stone frame above the gate of the diversion archer 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, which branched off 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 gates they passed to the Kremlin to the boyar and monastic farmsteads, which occupied the northeastern 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 gates, like the tower, were called either Kuretny, then Rizpolozhensky, then Znamensky, then Epiphany. The name Troitsky has been attached to them since 1658. These gates served as passage to the patriarchal court and the female half of the royal palace, the mansions of queens and princesses.

All the economic supply of the Kremlin and the entrance to the Grand Duke's court were carried out through the Borovitsky Gates. Near them was the Grand Duke's court, and near the Kremlin wall, facing the Neglinnaya River, there were fodder, living quarters and stables. In the 17th century, the tower was renamed Predtechenskaya, but this name was not consolidated behind it.

The Tainitskaya tower on the banks of the Moskva River and the gates in it got their name from the cache-well that was in the tower. The gates of the tower were used only for passage to the Moscow River and for the passage of the procession to the blessing of water.

In the 70s of the XVIII century, the Taynitskaya Tower was dismantled in connection with the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace, designed by V.I. Bazhenov. Upon the termination of construction, the tower was restored anew, but without a diversion archer. In 1862, according to the project of the artist A. S. Campioni, a retractable archer was attached to the tower, ending with teeth and a special platform inside, on which guns were installed for firing at holidays. In 1930, the archer was dismantled, and the gates were laid. The arch of the gate, bricked up, is still clearly visible on the facade of the tower from the side of the Moskva River.

The name of the Konstantin-Eleninskaya Tower and the passage gates in it is associated with the Church of Konstantin and Helena, located in the Kremlin not far from the tower. Previously, the gates were called Timofeevsky - after the name of the governor Dmitry Donskoy. In the 17th century the gates were laid. The tower and the diversion archer began to be used as a prison. In the 15th-3rd century, the diversion archer was dismantled, and later, during the planning of Vasilyevsky Spusk to the Moscow River, both the moat in front of the tower and the lower part of the tower with the gate were filled up. The upper part of the gate arch with a niche for the icon above the gate is still visible on the facade of the tower.

The remaining towers of the Kremlin were deaf, that is, impassable, and their name sometimes changed depending on the purpose, use, and buildings that appeared behind them in the Kremlin. So, for example, the alarm tower got its name from the alarm bell, which was placed on it until 1771. Despite the fact that the bell on the tower has long been gone, the name has been preserved. The Beklemishevskaya Tower, whose name goes back to ancient times, is sometimes now called Moskvoretskaya, since next to it is the Moskvoretsky Bridge across the Moscow River. The Petrovskaya Tower was named in the 18th century from the Church of Peter the Metropolitan, 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. Before the construction of the chamber in the 19th century, it was called Konyushennaya - from the royal Stables Yard, located near the tower. The commandant's tower got its name in the 19th century, when the commandant lived behind the tower in the Poteshny Palace. Prior to that, it was called Kolymazhnaya - after the Kolymazhny yard, where wagons, carriages and chariots were kept.

After the construction of the Arsenal building in the Kremlin in the 18th century, the Corner Dog Tower became known as the Corner Arsenal Tower, and the Faceted Tower became the Middle Arsenal Tower. In the same century, the Senate Tower was also named. The 1st and 2nd Nameless towers remained without a name.

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

The name of the bridge tower Kutafya is still a mystery. In the old days, it was called the Borisoglebskaya, Vladimirskaya and Patriarchal Gates, but these names were not consolidated behind it. This tower closes the Trinity Bridge and is located outside the Kremlin. In ancient times, it was surrounded by a moat and had gates on the sides for passage to the bridge. Drawbridges spanned the moat from the gates of the tower. In 1780, due to decay, the brick vault covering it was dismantled, a direct passage through the tower to the Trinity Bridge was arranged, and the side gates were laid. During the restoration of the tower in 1975, the side passages were opened.

Moscow Kremlin - a unique fortress in the center of Moscow and the oldest part of the city. The Kremlin is considered the heart of Russia - both because the Russian capital began its journey from here, and because the center of the state has long been located within the walls of the fortress: first the royal chambers, and now the residence of the President of Russia.

And, of course, great importance has been attached to the protection of the Kremlin at all times.

In terms of the plan, the fortress is an irregular triangle: the Kremlin acquired such a shape during the Ivan III the Great, in which they began to build new red brick walls to replace the old white stone ones built during Dmitry Donskoy. Simultaneously with the erection of the walls, new towers were erected, which formed the defensive lines of the new Moscow fortress. The main array of walls and towers was built in 1485-1495, partially the fortifications of the Kremlin were completed until 1516, when the king was already Basil III. Initially, the towers were erected without tiered tent completions - they were built on only in the 17th century.

Total length Kremlin wall there are 20 towers.

Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) Tower

Architect: Marco Ruffo.

Years of construction: 1487-1488.

Height: 46.2 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

Name given to the building Arsenal built in the early 18th century.

Trinity Tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).

Years of construction: 1495-1499.

Height: 80 meters.

Completion:

Located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Middle Arsenal and Commandant towers. Outwardly, it resembles the Spasskaya Tower; is a quadrangle, which is crowned with a multi-tiered tent completion with a rich decorative design. It has a retractable archer with the Trinity gates. Unlike others travel towers The Moscow Kremlin, has preserved the gates of the Trinity Bridge, connecting it with the Kutafya Tower.

The name is given by the nearby farmstead Trinity Monastery.

Kutafya tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).

Years of construction: 1516.

Height: 13.5 meters.

Completion: is absent.

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

The name probably comes from an old word "kutafya", meaning a fat, clumsy, slovenly dressed woman.

Commandant (Kolymazhnaya) Tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old).

Years of construction: 1493-1495.

Height: 41.2 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

commandant's tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between Troitskaya and Armory towers. It is an elongated quadrangle with a base expanding towards the bottom and a parapet with machicolations at the top, crowned with a hipped top.

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

Armory (Stable) tower

Architect: Aleviz Fryazin (Old) - perhaps.

Years of construction: 1493-1495.

Height: 32.6 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

weapon tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Commandant and Borovitskaya towers. It is a quadrangle with a base expanding towards the bottom and a parapet with machicolations at the top, topped with a tiered hipped top.

The name is given by the building of the Armory.

Borovitskaya (Predtechenskaya) Tower

Architect: Pietro Antonio Solari.

Years of construction: 1490.

Height: 54 meters.

Completion: luminous ruby ​​weather vane star.

Borovitskaya Tower located on the western side of the Kremlin wall between the Armory and Vodovzvodnaya towers. It represents 4 quarters decreasing towards the top, stacked on top of each other and crowned with a stone tent; on the side, a diversion archer with the Borovitsky gates was attached. Despite the rather poor decoration, the Borovitskaya tower stands out from the rest due to its stepped (pyramidal) shape.

On the outer side of the Borovitsky Gates are the coats of arms of the Lithuanian and Moscow principalities carved from white stone; when and why they appeared there is unknown.

The name is given by the ancient forest, which covered Borovitsky Hill in past.

Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower

Architect: Anton Fryazin.

Years of construction: 1488.

Height: 61.2 meters.

Completion: luminous ruby ​​weather vane star.

It is located on the southwestern corner of the Kremlin wall near the Kremlin embankment of the Moskva River between the Borovitskaya and Blagoveshchenskaya towers. It is an elongated cylinder with a complex tent completion. The parapet of the tower is crowned with "dovetail" teeth, it is equipped with machicolations for circular firing. The decoration of the tower draws attention: up to the middle of the height it is lined with alternating belts of protruding and sinking masonry, above which there is an arched belt, emphasized by a thin strip of white stone. Interestingly, the star at the top of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is the smallest among the other Kremlin towers (3 meters in diameter).

In the past, the tower housed a water-lifting machine designed according to the project Christopher Galoway- the first water supply system in Moscow from tanks installed on the upper tiers of the tower to supply water from the Moscow River to the Kremlin. Later it was dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg, where they began to use it to fill fountains with water.

The name is given by the water-lifting machine of Galoway.

Annunciation Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1487-1488.

Height: 32.4 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

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

The name is given by the icon of the Annunciation, which, according to legend, miraculously appeared on the northern wall of the tower during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

Taynitskaya tower

Architect: Anton Fryazin.

Years of construction: 1485.

Height: 38.4 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

Taynitskaya tower located in the central part of the southern side of the Kremlin wall between the Annunciation and the First Nameless towers. It is a massive quadruple with a built-in tetrahedral tent and an observation tower. There are machicolations in the parapet of the tower. In the past, the tower housed the Tainitskiye gates, a well-spring and a secret passage to the Moscow River.

The first tower of the Moscow Kremlin in time of construction - it was from it that the construction of modern walls and towers began.

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

First Nameless Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1480s.

Height: 34.1 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

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

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

Second Nameless Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1480s.

Height: 30.2 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

Second Nameless Tower is located on the south side of the Kremlin wall between the First Nameless Tower and the Petrovsky Tower. It is a quadrangle with a built-in tetrahedral tent and an observation tower topped with an octagonal tent. In the past, there was a gate in the tower.

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

Petrovskaya (Ugreshskaya) Tower

Architect: ?

Years of construction: 1485-1487.

Height: 27.1 meters.

Completion: weather vane flag.

Petrovskaya tower located on the south side of the Kremlin wall between the Second Nameless and Beklemishevskaya towers. It consists of 3 fours stacked on top of each other, crowned with an octagonal tent. There are false machicolations in the parapet of the tower. Over the years of its existence, it has been rebuilt several times.

The name is given by courtyard of the Ugreshsky monastery with the church of Peter the Metropolitan, which was located on the territory of the Kremlin near the tower in the 15-17 centuries.

Interesting facts about the Kremlin towers

There are 20 towers along the walls of the Kremlin;

In the past, when the Kremlin was located on an island formed by the Moscow River, the Neglinka River and the Alevizov Moat, bridges were thrown from the travel towers to the "mainland" - only the Trinity Bridge has survived to this day;

The very first in time of construction is the Taynitskaya tower, erected in 1485;

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

Red ruby ​​stars on the tops of the towers rotate from the wind like a weather vane;

Initially, in 1935, gilded semi-precious stars were installed on the tops of the towers, but they quickly faded, and already in 1937 they were replaced with luminous ruby ​​ones;

Double-headed eagles crowned the towers to the stars, except for Vodovzvodnaya - state symbols were not placed on it;

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

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

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

Kutafya tower - the only surviving bridge barbican of the fortress;

The chimes of the Spasskaya Tower are a symbol of the New Year in Russia;

In past , however, some of the towers - including Spasskaya, Nikolskaya and Troitskaya - could be left red for aesthetic reasons;

The ensemble of walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin is one of the most popular architectural sights of Moscow.

Towers and walls of the Kremlin

The second half of the 15th century is the time of the formation of the Russian national state. Ivan III united the Russian lands. By this time, the white-stone Kremlin had partially collapsed and no longer corresponded to the international position and wealth of the Moscow state.
For the first time, the white stone was replaced with red. They baked it in ovens like bread. And he weighed eight kilograms. A half-pound stone was taken with two hands.

Ivan III commissioned the construction in the Kremlin Vasily Dmitrievich Ermolin. Italian architects also built a lot in the Kremlin, but according to primordially Russian motives. The Kremlin was conceived by Ivan III not only as a reliable fortress, but also had to become the main place of Muscovite Russia. The architects were inspired by these ideas. And the walls, churches, towers rose ...
Everything in the Kremlin was then provided for protection from enemies. The plan is polygonal in order to see the enemy from different sides, the distance between the loopholes does not exceed the range of a projectile weapon. The towers interrupt the progress on the wall. And they themselves are either round or polygonal, so that it would be more difficult to destroy them with battering rams.
First, fortifications were built: thick brick walls and watchtowers, and this was in the spring of 1485. The length of the entire building is 2235 meters. The walls were very thick, in some places their thickness reached 3.5 meters. The height of the walls was also different, reaching in some places up to 14 meters. This was probably due to the fact that Moscow "stands on seven hills." At the top, the walls were made in the form of a forked "dovetail", resembling the letter "M", they were equipped with loopholes. This gave the thick walls originality and decorative effect. On top of the battlements was a plank gable roof, covering the defenders of the Kremlin from rain and snow.
There were 20 towers, in ancient times they did not look the same as they do now, elegant and tall. The tents appeared two centuries later. Under Ivan III, they were built as formidable impregnable bastions. All of them are completely different from each other.
For four centuries, the Kremlin remained the only fortress in Moscow that protected Muscovites during the days of invasions. But in the 6th century, the overgrown and rapidly growing Moscow could no longer get by with these walls alone. The walls of Kitay-gorod joined the walls of the Kremlin, and these walls merged into one fortification of unprecedented power and size. The new walls and towers took up the architectural motif set by the Kremlin. Now the length of the walls has reached 15 km, and there are 50 towers!

Spasskaya (Frolovskaya) Tower

main tower Kremlin - Frolovskaya, named after the neighboring church of Flora and Lavra. During the repair of the tower in 1464-1466, the architect V.D. Yermolin installed on it white-stone relief images of the patrons of the Moscow princes - St. George the Victorious and Dmitry Solunsky. The tower was built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari. The Frolovsky Gates were the main entrance to the Kremlin: in the 16th-17th centuries, tsars traveled through them, on holidays the patriarch went out with a procession of the cross, and foreign ambassadors who arrived in Moscow were met at the gates. In 1624 - 1625, the architects Bazhen Ogurtsov and the Englishman Christopher Galovey crowned the tower with a complex superstructure and a high stone tent. So this tower was the first to get its characteristic pointed silhouette. Clocks were built into the superstructure - the predecessors of the Kremlin chimes. In 1658, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the Frolovskaya Tower was renamed into Spasskaya (in honor of the icons of the Savior of Smolensk and the Savior Not Made by Hands), which were placed on the outside and inside of the Kremlin. The Spassky Gates were especially revered by the people and considered "holy": men, entering the Kremlin through them, bared their heads, and the riders dismounted and led their horses on a leash.

Taynitskaya tower

According to the time of birth, this is the tower number 1. Over the long history, this guard of the Kremlin had many different names - Potainitskaya, Water Gates, Cheshkovy, Sheshkovy, Chushkovy Gates. In the 15th century, the court of Cheshka, the boyar Danil of Galitsky, stood nearby, hence the last three names, and Vodyanyye and Taynitsky - because there was an ancient well-hiding place here. It was also possible to enter the Kremlin through the Tainitskaya tower. The Tainitskaya tower was large, it had not only a passage, but a clock and a bell. The watchmaker lived right on it, having built two wooden huts at the top. As the inventory of 1647 tells: "And there is a wooden closet on the tower, and a clock in the closet. Two wooden huts were placed on the same tower. And the watchmaker said that he put those huts on his own money and put them up without hitting his brow, without a decree." That is, he built huts without receiving official permission. The watchmaker's life was hard, the roof of the huts collapsed. Apparently, in the middle of the 17th century, the dilapidated tower was demolished and rebuilt. The tower stands, having risen in five tiers with a tent at 38.4 meters.

Nikolskaya tower

The Nikolskaya Tower resembles a Gothic cathedral. A slender red-white spire with lancet slit-like openings rises up from a rectangular, squat base. From red brick and white stone, Russian craftsmen built something like a bell tower with narrow window slits. On its sides there are four small turrets of the same type. This Gothic spire adorned the tower relatively recently, after 1812, when the Kremlin was being restored after a fire. It was then that the Nikolskaya Tower was built on with a high top. In the old days, disputes were resolved at the Nikolskaya Tower, which often arose on the trading floor. Disputants came here and kissed the cross, calling for witnesses the image of Nikolai Ugodnik hanging on the gate - "the intercessor and comforter of all those who mourn", who, as they believed, punishes perjurers. But this has happened as well. Once, during a religious procession in front of hundreds of people, a fearless rebel, captured and tried, threw a stick at this image. "Sankt-Peterburgskiye Vedomosti" reported that "the blasphemer and iconoclast of the Shuya district Vasily Zmiev, the peasant Ivashka Krasny, was burned on the square." And on the Nikolskaya tower "watchers" were on duty, and in the past there were watches on it, last time mentioned in 1612. Then, after the expulsion of the Polish interventionists, "the whole army and all the Orthodox peoples in the city of the Kremlin entered through this gate in a lot of joy."

Trinity Tower

The most massive tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Its bulk is best felt when you look at it from the foot in the Alexander Garden. A brick colossus rises up from the ground like a mountain. Asymmetric windows cut through the thickness of the walls, there are six of them in the upper tier. And although the tower is decorated at the top with white stone columns, figurines, arches like the Spasskaya Tower, it still has not lost its medieval severity. The height from the foot to the star is 80 meters. One meter below the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, nine meters above the Spasskaya Tower. When you enter this gigantic tower, you find yourself in a multi-storey building. He is inhabited. Musicians come here to serve with trumpets, clarinets, saxophones. The tower is full of sounds, like the orchestra pit of a theatre. Until now, well-known musicians and composers come to the Trinity Tower to listen to new works, to give them a start in life. In the same tower is the control panel of the Moscow stars. A shield similar to those found in power plants. Five switches, like five ruby ​​stars. A constant voltage of 80 volts is maintained. They burn day and night, in any weather.

Corner Arsenalnaya (Sobakina) Tower

Before the Arsenal appeared here, this tower was called Sobakina, because here was the courtyard of the boyar Danila Sobaka. When the Kremlin exploded in 1812, half of the Arsenal flew into the air, and this tower only cracked. This is the strongest tower of the Kremlin. A feature of the architecture of the tower is its faces, there are eighteen of them, they merge into one powerful rounded pillar. It protected not only the walls of the Kremlin (located just at the corner of two walls), but also a source of water, so the tower was built doubly impregnable. At the end of the last century, researchers tried to find out what kind of water it was. For days they pumped it out with pumps and did not drain it - which means that the underground key is inexhaustible. Through a stone gutter, water from the spring flows into the Neglinka, which flows in a pipe underground. One of the wonders ancient Kremlin"This spring is called, and in order to see it, we open the iron door to the tower. We take a step forward - and the summer heat is replaced by darkness, eternal coolness and the breath of living water. It makes itself felt as soon as we cross the threshold. However, there is no moisture on the walls. And this made it possible in the last century to place a large archive inside the tower. Papers did not suffer from such a neighborhood. Before going down deeper, we stop at the window - loopholes. Standing near it, you see the incredible thickness of the masonry - four meters. Piotr Antonio Solario laid out in the thickness of the stone. It goes down steeply. Its width is such that it allows one to pass one at a time without bending. After counting about forty steps, we carefully descend. The beam of a lantern highlights from the darkness under our feet a brick pipe growing from under the ground. Large bricks, excellent masonry, about five meters in diameter. There is a vault overhead, as if we were in an underground temple. In the center of the vault there is a round opening. And on the side there is a narrow slit intended for overhead light. At the bottom e pipes are bluish water, quiet and calm, sleeping in this underground vault guarded by a tower. How old is this spring? It is not known, perhaps he is the same age as Moscow itself. The water is delicious, cool and clear, purified by nature itself. There is another secret in the Corner Arsenal Tower. If you go along the same stairs that lead to the key, then turn to the side - we will find ourselves in a narrow side passage. Another turn - again a corridor in the thickness of a brick. In the beam of a lantern, a vaulted hall protrudes from the darkness. No windows, not even a narrow gap, reminiscent of the existence of light. Even a strong sound does not reach here. It's a dungeon to hide something in. When this dungeon was dug up, they hoped to find the library of Ivan the Terrible here. But it did not turn out, although there are still many possible secrets in the thickness of the walls and towers of the Kremlin.

Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) Tower

This tower stands near the Moscow River. S.P. Bartenev writes about her like this: "The most elegant in proportions. With its beauty in general impression The Kremlin, in the symphony of its architectural forms, the Beklemishev Tower gives a charming consonance. "It was not so harmonious right away, at first its height was 10 meters lower. Then it was built on. Mashikuli - openings for shelling the enemy from top to bottom - appeared much higher than the previous ones, laid with brick Admiring the beauty of the tower, Bartenev was also amazed that for hundreds of years it had not undergone major repairs! The tower got its name from the courtyard of the boyar Vasily Beklemishev, located near it before. The tower stands under a cliff in a strong wind, so it even leaned a little. The second name, naturally received from the proximity of the tower to the Moscow River.

Annunciation Tower

This is a big tower, there was a passage here, a "port washing gate". Through them they went to the river to wash clothes. The name of the tower comes from the nearby Church of the Annunciation, and the tower itself at one time was its chapel and bell tower. There were seven bells on it. All this appeared at a later time, when the Kremlin lost its role as a city fortress. In the 16th century, under Ivan the Terrible, there was a prison in the tower, where, according to legend, a miracle happened: the Mother of God appeared to one of the prisoners with the good news, advising him to file a petition to the tsar. After that, pilgrims began to come here, the Church of the Annunciation appeared.

Borovitskaya Tower

Another star tower. By royal decree, it was given the name Predtechenskaya, but this name did not take root, they could not erase the old name from the consciousness of Muscovites at the location near Borovitsky Hill. It is not known why, but the builder of the Borovitskaya Tower built it unlike all the other corner and walk-through towers. This Kremlin archer is laid out according to the plan of a stepped pyramid. Above its lower rectangular main mass rise one another less than three more of the same form of volume. S.P. Bartenev called it the most original tower of the Kremlin. You enter the Borovitskaya tower and find yourself in a spacious house: eight floors with deep spacious cellars. On the lower floors there are whitewashed chambers flooded with light. We go to one, then we go up to another. Even on a gloomy day, it is light in it, because it is two-light, the rays enter through two tiers of windows. The Borovitsky Gate is the ancient door of the Kremlin, it served as a convenient exit to the river, where they went for water. Also, these gates were used when it was necessary to secretly pass to the Kremlin.

Vodovzvodnaya tower

This tower went down in history by building the first water pipeline in Moscow. This is a corner tower, so it is much higher, smarter, larger than the other towers. Suffice it to say that its height to the star is 57.7 meters, that is, almost twice as high. "Vodovzvodnaya tower is an integral, completely finished work, its proportions are excellent, the architectural processing is rich and at the same time moderate," - this is how S.P. Bartenev characterizes this Kremlin peak. In appearance, it is very reminiscent of the architectural buildings of Italy. The tower stands almost at the very river, in the place where the Neglinka, which goes around the Kremlin, flows into the Moscow River, now hidden in a pipe, underground. The tower got its name from the fact that in 1663 it served as a water station. A water-driven machine appeared in it, the mechanisms of which pumped water from the well up, where there was a pond lined with lead. From here, water flowed by gravity through lead pipes to the Kremlin Palace. This overseas car cost several barrels of gold. The first Kremlin water supply system served until the fire in 1737.

Commandant (Kolymazhnaya) Tower

The tower got its name because the commandant lived in the building next to it. This tower is taller than the Armory. Its foundation is located at the level of the Neglinnaya River, so it suffered the most from water. I had to strengthen it, so that the wall here lost its straightness, it thickens towards the base.

Armory Tower (Konyushenny)

This low tower stands on a high coastal hill. It has four tiers. Previously, it was called the Konyushenny - after the stables that stood here. This tower was also a travel tower. It began to be called the Armory from being near the Armory.

Petrovskaya (Ugreshskaya) Tower

Unlike others, it has an octagonal top that crowns this four-story building. This is a tower-warrior, tower-watchman. On its second tier was the church of Metropolitan Peter, which belonged to the courtyard of the Ugresh monastery standing next to it. Therefore, the tower was also called Ugreshskaya, and even Nameless.

Senate Tower

Behind this tower is the building of the former Senate, hence the name. The somewhat elongated shape of the tent gives Senate Tower kind of severe inaccessibility.

Kutafya tower

The name of the Kutafya Tower comes from the word kutafya, which means clumsy, unsightly. But the word kut has a different meaning - a corner, hence - a nook (V. Dal). The tower stood somewhat away from the Kremlin, which is why it was called Kutafya. And then she did not seem clumsy, unsightly. Once it looked like everyone else, and it was very similar to Troitskaya. But later they did not build a tent over it, the only one, moreover, even the vault that appeared later was dismantled, so that it stands uncovered by anything. This tower is a bridgehead - a bridge is thrown to it from the river.