The Moscow Kremlin is priceless architectural ensemble, dating back to the XV-XIX centuries. In its shape it resembles an irregular 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 structure dates back to 1487 - 1488. Its author was the architect from Italy Mark Fryazin. The tower is round in plan. Its name comes from the courtyard of the boyar Beklemishev, which adjoined it. Its height is 46.7 m. However, this is not the tallest structure.

Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower

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

Nabatnaya Tower

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

Tsarskaya Tower

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

Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin

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

The Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower has a gate of the same name, and the famous clock, the Moscow Astronomical Clock, is installed in its tent.

This is a grandiose structure 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 what 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 over the tower. It was made in the Gothic style with some mannerist elements. The tower ends with a stone tent. Fairy-tale figurines are an original design element. They were covered with clothes sewn specially for this purpose.

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

At all times, the tower gate was the central one of all the Kremlin gates. Moreover, they were revered as saints. It was forbidden to pass through them on horseback, and men passing through them were required to remove their hats. Anyone who did not comply with the holy rule was obliged to make 50 bows to the ground.

The Spassky Gate became the main entrance to the Kremlin territory. Troops went to battle through them. Ambassadors of foreign countries were also met here.

All Kremlin religious processions passed through these gates. Starting with Mikhail Fedorovich, all Russian tsars and emperors always passed through them before their coronation.

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

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

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

Kremlin chimes

Another attraction for which the Spasskaya Tower is famous is the chimes that have decorated the tower since the 16th century. However, it should be noted that they are constantly changing. A completely new watch was made in 1625 by the English mechanic and watchmaker Christopher Galovey. They performed musical melodies, measured day and night time, which was indicated by numbers and letters. At that time, there were no hands on the dial.

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

In 1770 they were replaced by an English clock, which was discovered in the Chamber of Facets. At first they sang the simple song “Dear Augustine,” which belongs 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 set the Russian anthem 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 shell, which broke one of the arrows and disrupted the rotation mechanism. The clock stood still for almost a year. In September 1918, V.I. Lenin issued a decree according to which the clock was restored by master Nikolai Behrens.

The chimes began to “sing” “Internationale” at 12 o’clock, and “You have fallen a victim...” at 24 o’clock. In 1938, the chimes fell silent for a long time. They only fought to mark the hours and quarters.

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

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 set. Now they perform the Russian national anthem, which was officially approved in 2000.

The chimes have quite impressive dimensions - a diameter of 6.12 m. They “look” on four sides. Roman numerals are 0.72 m high, the hour hand is 2.97 m long, and the minute hand is 3.27 m. Previously, the watch was wound manually, but after 1937 three electric motors were 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. the Wonderworker, which was located above the gate. The tower is crowned with a red star. The huge structure rises 70.4 m.

Arsenal Tower (corner)

The Kremlin towers, located at the corners of the fortress, are more massive. Arsenalnaya was 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 (medium)

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

Trinity Tower

This tower was considered second in importance after Spasskaya. Built by the Italian Aloisio da Milano in 1495. It was renamed several times, but in the end the name Troitskaya stuck (after the name of the courtyard in the Kremlin). Today it is - main entrance for everyone who wants to visit the Kremlin. The building is crowned with a red star. It should be noted that the Kremlin towers differ in size. The height of the tower exceeds 80 meters. There are structures that are more than twice as low as it is.

Kutafya Tower of the Kremlin

It was built in 1516. The author of the project is an architect from Italy Aleviz Fryazin. This is a low tower, surrounded by a deep moat and the Neglinnaya River. It had only one gate, which at the slightest danger was closed tightly 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. It began to surround the tower on all sides. At first, its height above ground level was 18 meters.

Why does the Kremlin's Kutafya Tower have such a name? There are two versions. One of them is from the word “kut” (corner, shelter) or from the word “kutafya”, which means a clumsy, plump woman.

The Kutafya Tower never had a top covering. In 1685, it received an openwork “crown” with spectacular white stone details.

Its height is 13.5 meters.

Commandant Tower

The tower received this name in the 19th century, when the official residence of the commandant of Moscow began to be located in the nearby Poteshny Palace. But the tower was built much earlier, in 1495. Its height is 41.25 m.

Weapon Tower

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

Borovitskaya Tower

As a rule, Kremlin towers received their name from their location or in honor of a structure located nearby. The Borovitskaya Tower appeared on the Kremlin map in 1490. It was 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 government and presidential motorcades. The tower is crowned with a red ruby ​​star. Its height is 54 meters.

Vodovzvodnaya Tower

This structure was erected by the Italian architect Antonio Gilardi in 1488. The tower was round in shape, there was a well inside it, 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 Kremlin gardens. 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 miraculously 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 Kremlin guests with its splendor. It received its name in honor of the icon of the Annunciation, located in the tower. Its height is 32.45 m.

Taynitskaya Tower

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

Nameless towers

Two not very tall towers. Both were built in the 80s of the 15th century. Their height is 34.15 and 30.2 meters, respectively.

Petrovskaya Tower

Another structure was named in honor of the nearby church of Metropolitan Peter and the courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery. The Petrovskaya Tower has a height of 27.15 meters.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

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

The length of the Kremlin is about 2 kilometers, its height is from 18 to 30 meters. When the towers of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin were built, there were 13 of them. Only 12 have survived to this day. At the beginning of 2010, restoration and reconstruction of the lost Zachatievskaya 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, Northern, Chasovaya, Tainitskaya, Koromyslova, Kladovaya, Dmitrievskaya, Porokhovaya, Nikolskaya.

The exit to the open wall of the Kremlin for walking is located in the Pantry Tower. For my long history The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin has gone through many rebuildings and reconstructions. It is a most valuable monument of history, architecture and culture of Russia. The Kremlin towers attract the interest of researchers and scientists from all over the world.

Kremlin towers. Mysteries and secrets. 1 part.

It’s wonderful to see the unusual in the ordinary. It would seem that the majority of Russians were already in the Kremlin and Red Square. What new can you see there? Tourists, pavement, kilometer zero. In fact, the Kremlin is full of mysteries. For example, each of the towers of the complex is fraught with its own secrets.

1. Taynitskaya Tower

Tainitskaya Tower Tainitskaya Tower is a Kremlin tower, a former passage, the middle one on the southern wall.

It was from the south that the Tatars attacked Moscow, and this tower controlled the fords at both Vasilievsky Spusk and the mouth of the Neglinka. Due to the cache hidden in it - a secret well in case of a siege - the tower received the name Tainitskaya. As can be seen on the map, initially the tower was a powerful entrance complex with stone bridge and a diversion (taken away from the fortress at a distance) archer. The modern tower is a remake of the 18th century, built after Catherine II abandoned the idea of ​​the Great Kremlin Palace.

The first tower that was founded during the construction of the Kremlin was Tainitskaya. In the last quarter of the 15th century, Ivan III launched a grandiose reconstruction of the walls and towers of the Kremlin.

The beginning of new construction is closely connected with the name of the Italian architect Anton Fryazin (Antonio Gilardi). The Italian “architect” arrived in Moscow back in 1469 as part of the embassy of Cardinal Vissarion to prepare the marriage of Grand Duke Ivan III and Sophia Paleologus. In 1485, Anton Fryazin laid the foundation for the Tainitskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin and for the first time used brick for fortress construction. This marked the beginning of the renovation of the Kremlin fortifications.

The Tainitskaya tower had two combat tiers, on the upper platform there were mounted battle loopholes (mashikuli). From the river side, the gate was covered by a second tower, connected to the Tainitskaya Tower by a stone arched bridge.

In the Tainitskaya tower a hiding-well was built and underground passage to the river (hence the name). At the end of the 17th century. The Taynitskaya tower is topped with a tent. In 1770 it was dismantled in connection with the construction of the Kremlin Palace according to the design of V.I. Bazhenova. Restored in the 1770s.

In 1862, a diversion archer was added to the Taynitskaya tower, on the upper platform of which guns of the salutation battery were installed. In 1930–33, the archery was dismantled, the gates were blocked, and the cache was filled up. Modern height towers 38.4 m. Moscow. (Encyclopedic reference book. - M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia 1992)

2. Vodovzvodnaya Tower

Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) Tower is the southwestern corner tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Located on the corner of the Kremlin embankment and Alexander Garden, on the banks of the Moscow River. Erected in 1488 by the Italian architect Anton Fryazin (Antonio Gilardi). The name Sviblova Tower comes from the boyar family Sviblo (later Sviblovy), whose courtyard adjoined the tower from the Kremlin side

A year later, the right flank of the southern wall was covered by the Sviblova Tower. The map shows that the Kremlin is protected from the south by a double wall. It was dismantled as a result of the post-fire reconstruction of Moscow

It received its modern name in 1633 after the installation of a water-lifting machine, manufactured under the leadership of Christopher Galovey, to supply water from the Moscow River to the Kremlin.

This was the first water supply system in Moscow from tanks placed in the upper tiers of the tower. Water from it was carried “to the sovereign’s Sytny and Kormovoy Palace,” and then to the gardens.

On the Moscow River at the Vodovzvodnaya Tower there was a port-washing raft for rinsing clothes. On the bank of the river there was a port-washing hut with accessories for the raft. A small port-washing gate was built in the Kremlin wall, through which laundry was carried.

The Vodovzvodnaya Tower was built in a classical style. Up to the middle of the height, it is lined with alternating belts of protruding and recessed masonry.

A narrow strip of white stone, covering the tower in its middle part, seems to emphasize the arcature belt. The tower is completed with battlements in the form of “swallow tails” with slots for firing. The arcature belt, machicolations, and “dovetails” had not previously been found in Russian fortification architecture and were used here for the first time. The tent over the tower was erected at the end of the 17th century. In 1805, due to dilapidation, it was dismantled and rebuilt.

In 1812, the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, retreating from Moscow, blew up the tower. Restored in 1817-1819 by the architect Osip Ivanovich Bove. The walls are rusticated, the loopholes are replaced with round and semi-circular windows. The dormers are decorated with Tuscan porticoes with columns and pediments.

Sviblova Tower on one hundred rubles
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Unlike other towers on which ruby ​​stars are installed, Vodovzvodnaya did not previously have a top in the form of an eagle. The star, 3 meters in diameter, was installed on the tower in 1937 and is the smallest of the Kremlin stars.

Interesting Facts.

In 1633, an unprecedented construction project was started in the Kremlin. Tsar's water supply. And they made it - according to Roman custom, from lead. Through lead pipes, water from the Moscow River, using a horse-drawn pump, was pumped into large reservoirs located at the top of the tower (now Vodovzvodnaya). These tanks were lined with a thin lead sheet for tightness. Through the same lead pipes, water from the reservoirs was distributed to cookhouses, soap houses, for watering the royal gardens, as well as to the Konyushenny, Khlebny, Kormovoy and other courtyards of the Kremlin. Each consumer had his own water stand. For a long, long time (from 1633 to 1706) the royal palace was supplied with “powerless” water poisoned by lead.

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Scientists who calculated the level of lead saturation in water claim that the lead in the water should have contained more than one hundred of the current maximum permissible standards. According to scientists' calculations, the water in this water supply was especially poisonous in the morning, after it had been infused in lead water chests all night. People were poisoned by lead. And the service people of the Kremlin, and its inhabitants. The Tsar was also poisoned by lead. Signs of chronic lead poisoning are memory loss, apathy, lethargy. People look older than their age and are deteriorating mentally and physically. All these signs were observed by contemporaries among the tsars Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676), Fyodor Alekseevich (1661-1682) and Ivan V (1666-1696). According to contemporaries, Alexey Mikhailovich did not know how and did not like to work, he was “much quiet.”

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His character was sluggish and incapable of decisive action and creativity. About himself he said: “To me, a sinner, the honor here is like dust.” He had a rather contemplative nature, preferring observation of the activities of others to work itself. In general - a clinical picture of chronic lead poisoning, starting from childhood, and not just a quiet character.

They said about Fyodor Alekseevich “Not a tenant.” He lived little, was always lethargic, was often unhealthy and died young, looking much older than his years. Ivan V was weak in body and mind, incapable of active work, and was constantly in prayer and fasting. By the age of 27 he looked like an old man. By the age of 30, he was paralyzed and died - as unnoticed as he lived.

If Alexey Mikhailovich was exposed to lead poisoning from childhood, then his children were poisoned with lead in the womb. They were already the second generation of Russian tsars poisoned by lead. What saved Peter the Great? Opala! It turns out that opal sometimes saves life and health. He did not spend his childhood and adolescence in the Kremlin. He was the first son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from his second wife, Natalya Naryshkina. And he was born not in Moscow, but in one of the estates. They claim that either in Kolomenskoye or in Izmailovo. Peter was still young when his father died and his mother fell into disgrace. This is what saved the life of the future emperor. He did not consume powerless water and was not constantly poisoned by lead since childhood.

Young Peter's life was spent outside the Moscow Kremlin, and this saved him from the fate of his father and brothers. True, having already become tsar, in 1706 Peter ordered the removal of lead pipes from the Kremlin to transport them to “Petersburg”. Lead pipes and so on were dismantled and sent to St. Petersburg, but... It is known that the first water supply system of St. Petersburg, which supplied water from the Neva to the palaces and fountains of the Summer Garden, had pipes made from drilled tree trunks. Most likely, Peter simply needed lead for bullets and buckshot. And he confiscated the metal he needed so much. After all, he melted down the bells to make cannons, although this caused a much stronger reaction!

Against this background, the melting of pipes into bullets and buckshot went completely unnoticed by contemporaries. And the fact that by this Peter saved many inhabitants and service people of the Kremlin from lead poisoning remained completely unknown to people. How often it turns out that over time people’s actions are assessed completely differently than when they were committed.

3. Borovitskaya Tower

The Borovitskaya Tower (Predtechenskaya) is located in the southwest of the Moscow Kremlin. It is easily visible from the Alexander Garden and Borovitskaya Square. The building offers a wonderful view of the Big Stone Bridge.

Borovitskaya Tower
1490, Pietro Antonio Solari

As can be seen on the map, the gate was originally built in the tower itself (compare with modern photo, where the gate is in the diversion arch). A wooden bridge was thrown across Neglinka.

The first quadrangle of the tower (height 16.68 meters) is divided into two tiers, which are covered with barrel vaults. From the first tier there is a passage to the partially filled-in basement of the tower. In the second tier, elements of church decor were partially preserved, and the tower church itself was destroyed back in 1917. The second quadrangle is low - only 4 meters; its closed vault has strippings for windows. The third and fourth quadrangles (3.47 and 4.16 meters respectively) constitute a single volume and are also covered with a closed vault with window formwork. An octagon (4.16 meters) with a tent (18.07 meters) are also combined into one room: their walls are cut through by long narrow dormers. All levels communicate with each other through stairs located in the thickness of the eastern and northern walls. A spiral staircase runs from the basement to the second quadrangle in the southeast corner of the tower.

On the side of the tower, taking into account the rotation of the wall, a diversion arrow was built to cover the gate. The gates were closed with iron bars. In plan, the archer has the shape of a triangle. The archer communicates with the basement of the main quadrangle. You can still see the longitudinal grooves for the lower gate grille in the gate passage.

Branch archer

According to legend, it owes its name to its location - it was erected on Borovitsky Hill, where the name came from. According to another legend, it was built by craftsmen from Borovsk, and therefore it was named in memory of them.

Taking into account the star, the height of the Borovitskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin is 54.05 meters, without taking into account it is 50.7 meters. It was built ninth among all the Kremlin towers. Its construction was carried out by the architect Pyotr Fryazin by decree of Ivan III in 1490. At the same time, Pietro Solari (Petr Fryazin) built a wall between it and the Sviblova Tower (Vodovzvodnaya). He also designed the Spasskaya Tower.

According to the chronicles, another structure was located in its place, but it had the same name. In 1658 it was renamed Predtechenskaya. The name was given after the Church of the Nativity of the Baptist. With this name it did not exist for long and soon the former name was returned.

Church of John the Baptist, Borovitskaya Tower and Konyushenny Prikaz. 1800.
If earlier the Borovitsky Gate of the Kremlin was a kind of “back entrance” (used exclusively for economic purposes), now it is used as a front gate. The President enters through the Borovitsky Gate Russian Federation, receive international guests and guests of the Armory Chamber.

Initially, the tower, like most structures of the Moscow Kremlin, was made of oak. In 1340, Ivan Kalita built a mighty oak fortress, with walls from 2 to 6 m thick and over 7 m high. The oak citadel defended Moscow for almost three decades, but was destroyed as a result of a fire in Moscow in the summer of 1365. In 1367, thanks to Dmitry Donskoy, the construction of the Kremlin began from white stone, which was mined near Moscow (after which Moscow began to be called “White Stone”). In 1485-1495 The walls of the Kremlin acquired a dark red color, familiar to us today. The Kremlin received red brick after the grandiose reconstruction of Ivan III.

Above the Borovitsky Gate in the icon case there was an icon of St. John the Baptist. The lamp was looked after by the parable of the Church of St. Nicholas Streletsky, located on Borovitskaya Square. The temple was destroyed in 1932 during the construction of the Sokolnicheskaya metro line. The icon was lost during Soviet times. Its place above the gate is occupied by a clock.

"The Church of St. Nicholas, called Streletskaya, which is at the Borovitsky Gate, in Moscow."

Year of construction: Between 1682 and 1810.

Year of loss: 1932 (demolished)

In 2006, a memorial chapel was erected on the site of the temple.

There were up to 210 Streltsy households in the parish. After the dissolution of the Streltsy by Peter I, the temple became impoverished - in 1716 there were only 4 courtyards in its parish. In 1812 it was looted and burned, but after that it was restored and then completed and repaired several times by the city. During the construction of the Sokolnicheskaya metro line using the open method in 1932, the temple was demolished along with its foundations.

Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on Borovitskaya Square

Church of St. Nicholas Streletsky.

The Borovitskaya Solari Tower had a quadrangle at its base, which was crowned with a wooden tent. Then in 1666-1680s. the wooden tent was removed and three more quadrangles, one octagon and a stone tent were built on. Therefore, the Borovitskaya Tower has a peculiar stepped (or pyramidal) shape. In addition, a diversion arch with a drive-through gate was built on the side of the tower. The gate had an iron lattice, and a drawbridge was thrown across the Neglinnaya River.

At the beginning of the 16th century. The Neglinka River flowed along the western wall of the Kremlin and had rather muddy and swampy banks. In addition, from the Borovitskaya Tower it turned sharply to the southwest, moving away from the Kremlin walls. Near the Borovitsky Gate a stone arched bridge was thrown across the river.

In 1510, they decided to straighten the riverbed and bring it closer to the walls. A canal was dug from the Borovitskaya Tower to the Moscow River past the Vodovzvodnaya Tower. This made this section of the Kremlin difficult to access militarily, but also forced a drawbridge to be built to the Borovitskaya Tower, which has a passage gate. The lifting mechanism was located on the second tier of the tower.

In 1821, Neglinka was taken into the pipe, the Alexander Garden was laid out in its place, and the drawbridge of the tower lost its significance and was dismantled.

During the construction of the Borovitskaya metro station, a very interesting discovery was made. When the builders were working, they found a brick house in almost perfect condition. It turned out that the house was built in the 16th century, and it got there due to a sinkhole under the house. Surprisingly, all the furniture and belongings inside the house were preserved.

In the 18th century the tower was repaired and decorated with white stone details in a pseudo-Gothic style. When the French army led by Napoleon entered Moscow in 1812, many architectural monuments Moscow was damaged or destroyed by fires and explosions. Thus, the Vodovzvodnaya tower adjacent to Borovitskaya was also blown up. During the explosion, the top of the tent fell from the Borovitskaya Tower.

In 1816-1819 the tower was repaired by O.I. Bove. Apparently, at the same time, a clock appeared on the tower; at least, the gates and clocks are indicated on the drawings that have survived from that time.

In 1848, after the destruction of the Church of the Nativity of the Baptist near Bor, the tower was turned into a church. The throne was moved there from the church and the pseudo-Gothic decorations were destroyed.

From the outside Kremlin wall on the folds of the gate one can see coats of arms carved from white stone, clearly ancient origin, - Lithuanian and Moscow. Experts still have not given an answer about the time and reasons for their appearance on the Borovitskaya Tower. The dialectic of the three coats of arms of the Borovitskaya Tower is noteworthy

In Soviet times, it was crowned with a red star (1935) instead of a double-headed eagle, and on the star, as was customary at that time, there was an image of a hammer and sickle. And two years later, a ruby ​​star shone at the top.

Today it has five tiers connected by a system of stairs. A spiral staircase in the southeast corner pierces the entire quadrangle.

Near the tower is the Armory Chamber - state museum Moscow Kremlin. The building was built by K. Thon in 1547 (he also built the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 1883). Previously, this building was called the Great Treasury. Like most buildings in old Moscow, the Armory Chamber burned during fires and, unfortunately, many valuable exhibits were lost.

In the building of the Armory Chamber there is a Diamond Fund, which has collected unique gems and metals of historical value. The fund began to form under Peter I, and the doors of the Diamond Fund exhibition opened in 1967.

Curious facts

Guests of foreign countries on official visits are received at the Grand Kremlin Palace - the Guest Residence of the Kremlin. If you notice a flag of another country on the palace, this means that the President of the Russian Federation is receiving honored guests.

On January 22, 1969, a misfortune occurred near the Borovitsky Gate - an attempt on the life of L. I. Brezhnev. The officer on duty, having penetrated the cordon at the gate, fired 11 shots at the General Secretary's motorcade. As a result, the driver of the car was killed and several people were slightly injured. The criminal was captured and brought to trial.

One of the towers of the Kazan Kremlin, the tower of the Tatar queen Syuyumbike, is similar to the Borovitskaya Tower.

After the Church of the Nativity of the Baptist near Bor was demolished in 1848, the Borovitskaya Tower turned into a church. The throne of the temple was moved here, and the pseudo-Gothic decorations were destroyed. During renovations carried out in 1860, many other decorative elements that adorned the tower were removed.

MOSCOW CHURCH OF THE Nativity OF JOHN THE BAPTIST IN THE KREMLIN

The legendary Kremlin Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist was the very first Moscow church, founded in Moscow at the dawn of its history - in the 12th century, when Moscow itself appeared. It stood directly in front of the Grand Kremlin Palace and was demolished in 1847 by personal order of Emperor Nicholas I.

The founding of this church is often associated with the struggle in Rus' against paganism in the very first centuries after the adoption of Christianity. Feast of St. John the Baptist also coincided in date with the pagan festivals of the day of Ivan Kupala, and at that time the Christian Church often replaced folk pagan ones with its holidays and customs to facilitate the conversion of the people to the true faith.
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The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist - the very first Moscow temple - was founded on Bor, where the first wooden fortress wall of the city appeared around the main Borovitsky hill - the future Moscow Kremlin. It is noteworthy that this church was built of wood, and, as ancient historians have long argued, from the same local tree, pine, with which the Kremlin hill was densely covered, which received its historical name from this forest - Borovitsky.
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Over time, the first Moscow church ended up next to the Borovitskaya tower of the Moscow Kremlin, and in April 1658, the pious Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the tower to be renamed after the temple to the Predtechenskaya. Only the new name did not take root - even in official documents the tower continued to be called Borovitskaya, and to this day it is the only Kremlin tower bearing the most ancient historical name.

Next to the Church of the Baptist, in the area between the temple and the Borovitskaya Tower, a princely court stood from the first year of the founding of Moscow. Since then, the princely court has remained on this site for centuries. In the 1320s it was given with honor to St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow. Having moved to Moscow, Saint Peter founded the Assumption Cathedral here.

But before that, it was the Baptist Church that had the status of the All-Russian Metropolitan See. So for a short time it was not only the very first, but also the most important temple of Moscow, and with it - of all of Russia.

The wooden Baptist Church stood until 1461. Only Grand Duke Vasily II the Dark ordered it to be built in stone for the first time. But this church building also turned out to be short-lived, and was soon replaced by another after a fire in 1493. Then, finally, the Church of the Baptist acquired its final form - in 1509, the Kremlin court architect, Italian Aleviz Fryazin, built a new stone Church of the Baptist.

It was this building that survived until the 19th century (!) and was demolished during the construction of the Grand Kremlin Palace in 1846. The church in the tower was consecrated in May 1848. Services in the new premises of the church with a high five-tiered iconostasis took place only once a year - on the day of the patronal feast.

The demolition of the church did not add beauty to the place. An empty, undesigned square opened up with vacant lots and various buildings that had not yet been brought into a single architectural ensemble. And to hide the impartiality of this, an elegant lattice with huge cast-iron gates was built as a facade. It still stands between the Grand Kremlin Palace and the building of the Armory Chamber, erected by the same architect K. Ton. If you look deeper through this grating, then on the left, behind the building of the Armory Chamber, you can see a passage arch leading to the courtyard of this building - there is still a sign “Beware of the car” there. In 1918, the Kremlin garage of the Auto-Combat Detachment was located in this courtyard, and on September 4, it was here that Fanny Kaplan, who attempted on Lenin’s life, was secretly shot: from the basement of the Grand Kremlin Palace, where Kaplan was kept on the orders of Sverdlov, she was taken to this arch supposedly for in order to get into the car. There, without announcing the verdict, the Kremlin commandant Malkov shot her in the back.

In November 1917, the Borovitskaya Tower with the Baptist Church was badly damaged during the battles for the Kremlin. Several bullets hit local icons. After the revolution, the temple in the tower was completely closed and dismantled. All that was left of it was the soleya - and the chapel of St. Uara in the Archangel Cathedral.

4. Weapon tower

To the north of the Borovitskaya Tower, on a hillock rises the slender Weapon Tower. It received its name in the last century from the Armory Chamber, built here in 1851. Before that, it was called Konyushennaya, since in ancient times the royal Stable Yard was located behind it.

The height of the tower is 32.65 m.

The Kremlin of the 1880s in photographs by Barshchevsky

It is possible that the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin (Old) took part in its construction

The height of the Armory or Konyushennaya Tower is 38.9 m. It underwent architectural changes in the period from 1676 to 1686 - at that time it was supplemented with a hipped roof. In general, the design is represented by a massive square-shaped quadrangle, the organic completion of which is a combat platform equipped with a parapet. Next comes an open quadrangle, and its crown is a tent with an observation tower (the neighboring one has a similar appearance Commandant's Tower).

The internal layout of the Armory Tower of the Moscow Kremlin is designed in the form of two tiers of rooms, which are connected by ceiling vaults. The entrance to the lower tier is located from the Kremlin.

Today the Armory Tower is historical monument medieval Russia - it perfectly preserved the forms of that time. You can find it between

The Commandant and Borovitskaya towers, located next to Borovitskaya Square. And in order to get to these Moscow sights faster, it is better to approach them from the Alexander Garden.

5. Kutafya and Trinity towers

The Trinity Tower is a drive-through tower with a diverting archway, the main one on the western side of the Kremlin.

Its construction in 1495-1499 completed the construction of fortifications on the side of the Neglinnaya River, later the Alexander Garden. In 1516, a stone Trinity Bridge was built from the Trinity Tower across the Neglinnaya River, and the Kutafya Tower was built behind it. In the 16th-17th centuries, the Trinity Gate was considered second in importance after the Spassky Gate - it served as a route to the Kremlin to the courts of the patriarch, queens and princesses.

View of Kutafya Tower and Church
Nikola in Boots. 1817.

The Trinity Tower (formerly Rizopolozhenskaya, Znamenskaya, Karetnaya for the churches located in the Kremlin and Karetny Dvor) is a tower with a gate in the middle of the northwestern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, facing the Alexander Garden.

Trinity Tower is the tallest tower in the Kremlin. The height of the tower currently together with the star from the Kremlin side is 65.65 m, with the star - 69.3 m from the Alexander Garden - 76.35 m, with the star - 80 m. The Trinity Bridge, protected by Kutafya, leads to the gates of the Trinity Tower tower. The tower gate serves as the main entrance for visitors to the Kremlin.

tower before restoration

Currently, it is the main entrance for visitors to the Kremlin.

Built in 1495-1499. Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Milanz (Italian: Aloisio da Milano). It received its current name in 1658 by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich based on the nearby courtyard of the Trinity Monastery. In the 16th-17th centuries, the two-story base of the tower housed a prison. From 1585 to 1812 there were chimes on the tower, which were not restored after the fire of 1812. In 1870-1895, when the archives of the Ministry of the Imperial Household were transferred to the tower, it was rebuilt, and many ancient details were lost.

The tower is six-story, with deep two-story basements, which served for defense purposes, and in the 16th-17th centuries were used as a prison. All floors of the tower are connected by a system of stairs located along the perimeter of the tower. The archer in the second tier has a room with a flat ceiling.

The tower is completed by a small quadrangle, consistent with the character of the main volume, above which rises an octagon with a through lookout part, crowned with a tall, slender tent.

Trinity Tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Observation deck

Decorative turrets and pinnacles at the corners of the parapets, pointed arches form the basis of the rich decor. Previously, from the entrance to the Kremlin, the tower looked even more elegant, since the archer also had similar decorations.

Trinity Tower and Bridge. Ser of the 19th century. Unknown artist.

At the end of the 17th century, the tower received a multi-tiered hipped superstructure with white stone decorations. In 1707, due to the threat of a Swedish invasion, the loopholes of the Trinity Tower were expanded to accommodate heavy cannons. At the end of the 19th century, the restoration of the tower was carried out by architect N. A. Shokhin.

Old photographs of Moscow 1883

Until 1935, an imperial double-headed eagle was installed at the 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 other main towers of the Kremlin.

Drawbridges across the moat that surrounded the tower led to the side tower gates. To this day, preserved slots for the lifting chains can be seen at the side gates.

Trinity Bridge. It was thrown across the Neglinnaya River many centuries ago, even before it was hidden underground. The bridge connects the Trinity Tower with another - a low and wide tower. This is the Kutafya Tower.

In 1870, the archives of the Ministry of the Imperial Court were transferred to the Trinity Tower. In order to accommodate it, the tower had to be rebuilt, and during the reconstruction many ancient decorative details were destroyed.

The archive was located here until 1895. In the 19th century, the Neglinnaya River was hidden in a pipe, and the white stone ramp to the Kutafya Tower was replaced with a brick one. In 1901, a new Trinity Bridge was built.

The double-headed eagle of the Trinity Tower turned out to be the oldest - made in 1870 and prefabricated with bolts, so when dismantling it had to be dismantled at the top of the tower. In 1937, the faded gem star was replaced with a modern ruby ​​star.

The Russian Presidential Orchestra is based in the Trinity Tower.

Tower from the Alexander Garden side

Kutafya (Bridge) Tower

Kutafya Tower opposite Trinity, at the end of the Trinity Bridge. The tower was built in 1516 under the direction of the Milanese architect Aleviz Fryazin.

Low, surrounded by a moat and the Neglinnaya River, with a single gate, which in moments of danger was tightly closed by the lifting part of the bridge, the tower was a formidable barrier for those besieging the fortress. It had foot loopholes (lower level loopholes in fortress walls and towers) and machicolations (hinged loopholes located in the upper part of fortress walls and towers).

In the 16th-17th centuries, the water level in the Neglinnaya River was raised high by dams, so that water surrounded the tower on all sides. Initial height its height above ground level was 18 meters.

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Kutafya and Trinity towers. On the right is the Kremlin Palace of Congresses

It was possible to enter the Trinity Tower from the city side only via an inclined bridge and passing through the Kutafya Tower.

There are two versions of the origin of the name “Kutafya”: from the word “kut” - shelter, corner, or from the word “kutafya”, which meant a plump, clumsy woman. The Kutafya Tower has never had a covering. In 1685, it was crowned with an openwork “crown” with white stone details.

The tower had no covering, consisted of two combat tiers, and there were hinged loopholes on the upper platform. In 1685, the tower was decorated with an openwork decorative top. Drawbridges across the moat that surrounded the tower led to the side tower gates. To this day, preserved slots for the lifting chains can be seen at the side gates.

40.1993. Back side of the banknote: 200 rubles

Church of the Saint in Boots

Saint Nicholas of Myra of Lycia is one of the most revered saints of the Orthodox Church. All over the world there are temples consecrated in the name of this saint. In Moscow, many churches with such a dedication have been preserved: in Kuznetsy, Pyzhi, Tolmachi, Klenniki, Khamovniki, Podkopay, in Zayaitsky, on Three Mountains, on Bolvanovka... Many churches were destroyed after the revolution, but something like this has happened in the history of Moscow: churches dismantled, and the throne was moved into the prosperous times of the Tsar. This happened with the temple, on the site of which probably every person who has visited the Kremlin at least once was. Coming out of the metro and heading towards the Kutafya Tower, we pass through the square between the Manezh and building No. 1 on Vozdvizhenka Street. It was on this square that there was once a church in the name of St. Nicholas in Sapozhki (or “in Sapozhka”).

Fedor Alekseev. Kremlin wall, Trinity Bridge, Trinity and Kutafya towers. On the right is St. Nicholas Church in Sapozhka. 1800s

Two pictures allowing you to see the Church of St. Nicholas in Boots. Her throne was moved to the new church at Manege, and the icons and utensils were transferred to the former Holy Cross Monastery on Vozdvizhenka in the new chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Here we see the church in a rebuilt form - originally it had a hipped bell tower.


V. Sadovnikov. Talyzin's house on Vozdvizhenka. 1840s. On the left is the Church of St. Nicholas in Boots.
In this place, near the Trinity Gate of the Kremlin, in the 15th century there was Semenovskaya Square, which received its name from the Church of St. Simeon, built in 1470. In 1493, the church was probably damaged by fire and was dismantled. In the middle of the 16th century, under Ivan the Terrible, the square began to be gradually built up. In 1648, on the site of the Simeon Church, a stone church “with two tents” was erected with dedication to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This temple became one of the last temples erected in the Moscow state, the main volume of which was completed with tents, since in the same 1648 Patriarch Nikon banned the construction of tented churches, ordering a return to the domed completion. The tented form continued to be used only to complete the bell towers.

The history of the origin of the name “in Boots” is interesting. Usually, churches were named after the area, settlement, street where they were located: in Kuznetskaya Sloboda - “in Kuznetsy”, in Kadashevskaya - “in Kadashi”. But there was no “shoemaker’s” settlement in this area of ​​the city. The church received the name “in a boot”, “with a boot”, and later “in Boots” from a temple icon in which St. Nicholas was depicted in a robe, from under which the toe of his boot was peeking out. The surrounding quarter got its name from the temple; already in the 17th century, the tavern on the square was called “under the boot.”

In 1788, a new one was built to replace the dilapidated bell tower. Appearance of the temple at the beginning of the 19th century is beautifully conveyed in watercolors by Fyodor Alekseev and Maxim Vorobyov. In 1814, the St. Nicholas Church was assigned to the Exaltation Church of the abolished Holy Cross Monastery.

In 1817, on the occasion of the five-year anniversary of the victory of Russia in the Patriotic War of 1812, next to the Church of St. Nicholas in Sapozhki, on the site between Mokhovaya Street and Aleksandrovsky Garden, a huge structure was built, intended for military maneuvers and reviews - Exertsirgauz, now better known as the "Manege".

The project engineers A.A. Betancourt, L.Carbonnier and A.Kashperov faced a difficult task: the building had to accommodate a freely maneuvering infantry regiment of 2 thousand people, as well as large numbers of horse dressage. This implied the absence of internal supports, that is, the roof structure, spanning the 45-meter width, had to rest only on the external walls of the building. To create unique rafters, huge larches were brought to Moscow, from which 30 roof trusses were assembled. The artistic appearance of the Manege was created by one of the best Russian architects of the Empire era - the famous Osip Ivanovich Bove. Construction was carried out at an accelerated pace and was completed in 8 months, which may have affected the quality: over the next few years, the roof structure had to be corrected.

Photo from the 1890s. In the middle of the Manege building is the semi-rotunda of St. Nicholas Church

Post-fire Moscow received one of its best buildings, unique both in its technical design and in its magnificent, finely maintained stylistic solution. However, for the temple in Boots this grandiose construction project was fatal: the already dilapidated temple building interfered with the movement of military units and crowded the square, so by imperial order it was dismantled. This was a great loss for the architectural appearance of the Mother See, where not many churches with a hipped roof were erected.

Icons and church utensils from the St. Nicholas Church were transferred to the newly built St. Nicholas chapel of the Holy Cross Church, to which the church was assigned. However, the throne was not abolished completely. In 1838, work began on the construction of a house church at the Manege, where, in the language of the War Ministry that managed the Manege, the St. Nicholas Church in Sapozhki was supposed to be “relocated”. Thus, the throne is preserved, but is moved to the Exerzirhaus building.

Photo from the late 1900s. Semi-rotunda of St. Nicholas Church.
The belfry is visible on the right

The task of adding a church to the grandiose building of the Manege was by no means an easy one. Bove's authority was unconditional for Tyurin. It was unthinkable to cause any damage to the creation of the person under whose leadership he took his first steps in the profession. Tyurin treated the Beauvais building not just as a talented work, but as a masterpiece of a recently deceased teacher.

Surviving photographs indicate that the difficult task of adding a new volume to the Manege monolith was solved very carefully, with minimal interference in Beauvais’s architectural design. A semi-rotunda of the church was attached to the side facade facing the Alexander Garden, the roof of which was the same height as the roof of the Manege (to erect a dome here would not only be inappropriate, but also technically dangerous). A semicircular colonnade was placed inside the church, repeating the bend line external wall.

The design of the outer wall of the semi-rotunda fully corresponds to the strict order decoration of the side facades of the Manege, so that when viewed strictly from the front, the protruding part of the attached church is almost unreadable.


Photo 1930 Demolition of St. Nicholas Church

St. Nicholas Church was consecrated in 1843, but, unfortunately, it did not last long in its new location. After the October Revolution, the Manege began to be used as a garage for the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It is difficult to imagine that the Bolsheviks could allow the existence of a temple on the territory of such an institution, and even two steps from the Kremlin. The Church at Manezh was closed in 1920, and in 1930 it was destroyed, since the semi-circular protrusion in plan where the temple was located allegedly interfered with the laying of tram tracks.

Here is the place on the façade of the Manege where the church was built.

In Manege, for more than a hundred years, no parades or military exercises have been held, for which the 17th-century temple was dismantled. There have been no trams running across the square for a long time, and the house church at the Manege, which once overlooked the Alexander Garden, would not have disturbed the three horses and other bronzed representatives rushing somewhere from the depths of the fountain folk tales, who for some reason settled opposite the walls of the Kremlin.

Towers of the Moscow Kremlin. Today it is difficult to imagine without their spiers the once fortification structure itself, and the appearance of the capital - Moscow - would lose some zest.

So how many towers are there in the Moscow Kremlin? Their total number is 20, and in this review we will give their names, former and existing, and also briefly tell about their interesting history.

Some facts from the history of the Kremlin towers in Moscow

Each tower in the Kremlin is unique. You won't find exactly the same ones here. Their names also differ, which have changed several times over many centuries. True, two of them - First And Second- and have remained Nameless to this day.

The very first tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the first stone of which was laid simultaneously with the construction of the Kremlin walls, became Taynitskaya Tower. This name is due to the fact that it was from it that it led to the Moscow River. secret passage, built underground. This was necessary in case of a siege, so that it would be possible to replenish the necessary supply of water.

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The Annunciation Tower is named after the miraculous icon that was kept in it. Later a church was built for the icon, but the name remained.

The Vodovzvodnaya tower is a corner tower and is so named because there was once a machine here that pumped water from the river and delivered it through lead pipes to the royal palace of the Kremlin.

In the 17th century, the car was dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg to install fountains. The height of the tower is 61.45 m.

Armory and Commandant towers

Once upon a time, the Armory Tower stood on the banks of the Neglinka, but then the river was “chained” into a pipe underground. The building owes its name to the Armory Chamber built nearby, where weapons and jewelry workshops were once located. Now it houses a museum, which displays unique military and jewelry exhibits from antiquity. The height of the structure is 32.65 m.

The commandant's tower was erected in 1495, but received its modern name only in the 19th century, when the commandant of the fortress moved to the nearby

Trinity, Kutafya and Petrovskaya towers

The Kremlin has so many towers, almost all of them were rebuilt by Italian craftsmen in the 15th century. So Trinity was built by Aloisio da Carezano in 1495-1499. This is the tallest building in the Kremlin. Its height is 80 m, including the spire and the star crowning it. The building received its name from the nearby Trinity Church.

It is interesting to know: at one time this building bore different names, for example Rizopolozhenskaya, Karetnaya or Znamenskaya, until in 1658 it received its current name. There was once a prison at its two-story base. Until 1935, its spire was crowned with a royal eagle, which was replaced with a ruby ​​star for the next anniversary of the revolution.

The Spasskaya Tower was built on the site of the former main gate of the Kremlin. An icon of the Savior was installed above the passage, and the entrance itself was considered holy by the people; one had to enter it on foot with his head uncovered. Nowadays, the famous chimes are installed on it.

Other Kremlin towers

The First and Second Nameless Towers were of exceptional strategic importance, for example, one of them had a powder magazine.

Indeed it was equipped with a bell and observation deck, where the archers were on duty. In the 18th century, the ringing of a bell began a riot in the city, and when it was suppressed, they deprived the “culprit” of his language. The bell hung silently until it was sent to the museum.

The Tsar's Tower can hardly be called a tower, since it is simply a tent-roofed superstructure, where Ivan the Terrible liked to come to look at the city.

The Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower was also named after the church of the same name. It was built in 1490 and is famous for the fact that it was through it that Russian soldiers went to war, for example Dmitry Donskoy with his army.

That's how many towers decorate the Moscow Kremlin today.

Out of five travel gate Of the Kremlin, who connected him with the posad, the main ones were the Spasskys. This was the front gate of the Kremlin. In the old days they were called “saints”, and they were highly revered by the people.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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