Vodovzvodnaya tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Stone guards of the Kremlin Water towers of the Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin has 21 towers. They are all different, but we usually don't notice it. Each tower has a name, but we don't remember them. And somehow it turns out that 20 sisters remain in the shadow of the Spasskaya Tower. Let's correct this injustice!
I have collected answers to questions that probably worried you, but somehow it is not customary to ask them.
Vodovzvodnaya Tower(height - 57.7 meters to the star) was built in 1488 by the architect Anton Fryazin. The first water supply system was there. This mechanism cost the royal treasury several barrels of gold, but served faithfully until it burned down in 1737.
Annunciation Tower(height - 30.7 meters to the cross) was probably built in 1487-1488. It is easy to distinguish it from other Kremlin towers: the weather vane at the top is decorated not with a flag, but with a willow branch. The tower itself changed its purpose several times: it was a prison, a bell tower, and even a church chapel. And in the 16th century, the icon of the Annunciation was found here.
Taynitskaya(height - 34.8 meters to the weather vane) - the oldest of the Kremlin towers. It was built according to the design of Anton Fryazin in 1485. And until 1917, the Kremlin signal cannon was fired here every day at noon - similar to the shot of the Peter and Paul cannon in St. Petersburg. But in 1930-1933 the archer was dismantled.
First Nameless Tower(height - 34.15 meters) was built in the 1480s. In fact, she had a name. They could call it Porokhovaya, but they did not get used to this name, since the tower could fly into the air at any moment. And these expectations turned out to be true.
Second Nameless Tower(height - 30.2 meters) was built in the 1480s. And in 1771, the tower was dismantled due to the planned construction of the grandiose Kremlin Palace. Ironically, this project remained only in plans, and the tower was soon restored.
Architect Petrovskaya Tower(height 27.15 meters) unknown. And they used it... for the household needs of Kremlin gardeners.
Beklemishevskaya tower(height - 46.2 meters) was built in 1487-1488 according to the design of Marco Ruffo. She had to be the first to take the attack from the water. But no one could have imagined that the tower would be used as a prison with a dungeon and a torture chamber.
Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower(height - 36.8 meters) was built according to the design of Pietro Antonio Solari in 1490 on the site of the Timofeevsky Gate of the white stone Kremlin of 1366-1368. Through them, Dmitry Donskoy and his squad went to the Battle of Kulikovo. But the dark period in the history of this place, when it was a torture chamber, is better known.
Alarm Tower(height - 38 meters) was built in the 1490s. In 1771, during the Plague Riot, the rebels called the people to the Kremlin by ringing the alarm bell on this tower. As punishment, Catherine II ordered his tongue to be torn out. The “silent” bell hung like that for more than 30 years. It is now kept in the Armory Chamber. The Alarm Tower can also be called “Moscow Pisa” - it deviates from the vertical by 1 meter.
Tsar's Tower- this very little tower on the Kremlin wall! Its height is 14.5 meters without a weather vane. And it was built in 1680 on the site of a wooden turret, from where, according to legend, Ivan IV watched the events on Red Square.
Spasskaya Tower is familiar to almost everyone, because it is its chimes that count down the new year.
The Spasskaya Tower (height - 71 meters with a star) was built in 1491 according to the design of Pietro Antonio Solari. This is reported by a memorial inscription in Latin - the first memorial plaque in Moscow. And the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, very revered in Moscow, hung above the gates of the tower. All religious processions from the Kremlin went through the gates of the Spasskaya Tower; all the rulers of Russia, starting with Mikhail Fedorovich, passed through them before their coronation. Until 2010, the gate icon of the Savior of Smolensk was considered lost, but turned out to be hidden.
Senate Tower(height - 34.3 meters) was built in the 1490s according to the design of Pietro Antonio Solari. It was intended to protect the Kremlin from Red Square. Perhaps that is why there is a deep well in it, the purpose of which has been the subject of legends.
Nikolskaya Tower(height - 67.1 meters to the star) was built according to the design of Pietro Antonio Solari in 1491. And it received its usual Gothic look after restoration by Osip Bove in 1816-1819.Above the gate of the tower there is an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the battles of 1917 it was riddled with bullets.After this, a new image appeared in icon painting - St. Nicholas the Wounded, depicting a shelled icon.
Corner Arsenal Tower(height - 60.2 meters) was built in 1492 according to the design of Pietro Antonio Solari to protect the crossing of the Neglinnaya River. Moreover, there was a special well in the tower, which in the event of a siege the garrison of the fortress could use.
U Middle Arsenal Tower(height - 38.9 meters) there are three names (it is also called Granena and Grotskaya). But history has not preserved the name of the tower’s architect.
Predmostnaya Kutafya Tower- the lowest and widest tower of the Kremlin. Moreover, the height of the tower was reduced by 7 meters due to archaeological deposits and is only 13 of the former 20 meters. This is the only surviving archery tower.
Trinity Tower- the second most important tower, after Spasskaya. Firstly, this is the tallest tower of the Kremlin (the height with the star is 80 meters). Secondly, the presidential orchestra is now based there. And thirdly, ceremonial processions once passed through the Trinity Tower, and now it serves as a gateway to the Kremlin for many tourists.
Commandant's Tower(height - 41.25 meters) was built in 1493-1495 according to the design of Aleviz Fryazin. They say that next to her you can see a pale, disheveled woman with a pistol. This is the ghost of Fanny Kaplan, who attempted to assassinate Lenin. She was hastily shot by the Kremlin commandant Malkov. But there are many blank spots left in this story.
weapon tower(height - 38.9 meters) was built in 1493-1495 according to the design of the architect Aleviz Fryazin. Stone fragments can be seen nearby. According to legend, these are the same rubble bricks of the old masonry from which the white stone walls of the Moscow Kremlin were built. It is not surprising that sometimes these pebbles become souvenirs for tourists.
Borovitskaya Tower(height - 50.7 meters without a star) was built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari in 1490. Moreover, the tower has a twin sister in Kazan - the legendary tower of the Tatar queen Syuyumbike. Previously, the Borovitskaya Tower was used for household needs - for access to Zhitny and Konyushenny courtyards. And now the President gets into the Kremlin through it. And if a foreign flag flies on a building near the Borovitsky Gate, it means a foreign president is “visiting” the Kremlin.
The age of the architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin, consisting of bright walls and tall slender towers, has exceeded 500 years. At one time, its construction was started by Prince Ivan III. The difference in the sizes and proportions of the towers depended on the location of the structures themselves and their role in the defense of the city. Each of them had its own exits to the adjacent wall spindles, which made it possible to bypass all the walls without descending to the ground. Merlons, the so-called dovetails, became the crowning glory of the Kremlin buildings. They protected the shooters hiding on the upper platforms of the buildings. Today, Moscow residents and guests can see 20 towers.
A bunch of historical events All the towers had to survive. They suffered especially in the War of 1812, when explosions continually turned defensive structures into piles of stones. A lot of work was carried out to restore them. The appearance that Moscow residents and guests contemplate is due to the competent actions of the architect O.I. Bove.
When working on the restoration of the Kremlin complex, the craftsmen managed to emphasize its antiquity and add romance. The decor of some towers was made in a medieval style. The bastions built under Peter I were eliminated, and the ditch crossing Red Square was buried.
Taynitskaya Tower
During the construction of the Kremlin, it was laid first. And the building received this name because of the underground secret passage that connected it to the river. The move itself was needed to supply water to the fortress in case of a long siege by enemies.
The tower stretches up almost 39 m. Its design has undergone many changes due to restoration following the devastating flight of Napoleonic army. In the 40s of the XX century. The archer was finally dismantled, the well was filled in, and the passage gates were blocked.
Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower
It was named so because of the boyar Sviblov and because of the mechanism that raised water from the well. Life-giving moisture came from the underground kingdom into a huge tank standing at the very top of the pylon. The water supply worked for quite a long time until the car was dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg. In this city it was used to fill fountains. The length of the structure together with the star is 61.45 m. During its restoration, pseudo-Gothic and classical components were introduced - rustication, decorative machismos and huge windows.
Borovitskaya Tower
On Borovitsky Hill, which in ancient times was covered in the shadow of a pine forest, there is a 54-meter building with a star. Its second name is Predtechenskaya. The tower was intended to meet the needs of the Konyushenny and Zhitny courtyards located nearby.
It had passage gates, but they played the role of the back gate of the great Kremlin. The top of the pylon is equipped with an open octagon and an impressive stone tent.
Weapon Tower
In ancient times, it was adjacent to weapons workshops. Craftsmen also made jewelry and dishes here. The tower’s former name, Konyushennaya, is explained by its former proximity to the Tsar’s Konyushenny yard. It was named the Armory in 1851, when the Armory Chamber appeared at the Kremlin - a repository of treasures, ancient things and uniforms of ancient Russian warriors. You can approach the 32-meter object from the extreme part of the Alexander Garden.
Trinity Tower
After Spasskaya, it was listed as the second most serious protection and was the tallest among all the towers. At the base of the 6-tier quadrangle of this pylon there is a 2-tier basement with strong walls. For convenient movement between tiers, stairs are provided. This tower had several names. From Epiphany, Znamenskaya and Karetnaya, by royal decree it turned into Trinity due to the neighboring courtyard of the Trinity Monastery. Together with the star, the structure rises 80 m.
Kutafya (Bridge) Tower
Surrounded by a moat and a river, it rises near the Trinity Bridge. The low pylon had one gate, which was closed as needed by the lifting section of the bridge. So the design created a barrier to the siege of the fortress. Its power consisted in the presence of plantar loopholes and machicolations. To get to the tower territory from the city streets, Muscovites had to drive across an inclined bridge. Now the two-color 13-meter turret organically complements the Kremlin ensemble.
Corner Arsenalnaya (Dog) tower
Its lower array is represented by 16 faces and an expanded base. There is a basement under the tower, which can be accessed via an internal staircase. In the dungeon there is a well with drinkable water. The design was named after the Dog because of the nearby courtyard of a boyar with the surname Sobakin. In the 18th century After the construction of the Arsenal, the tower with the well was renamed the Corner Arsenal.
Middle Arsenalnaya (Faceted) Tower
Entered the Kremlin complex in 1495. Later, a grotto was erected next to it - a landmark of the Alexander Garden. The outer edge of the pylon is divided by flat niches. The 4-cornered top is topped with machicolations and equipped with a parapet with caissons (recesses for carved decorations). The internal part of the structure is represented by 3 tiers, covered with cylindrical vaults. They have internal staircases. The entire structure is completed by an end-to-end observation tower and a tent.
Commandant (Kolymazhnaya) tower
A silent, austere building standing south of the Trinity Tower. Its appearance as part of the Kremlin dates back to 1495. The Kolymazhnaya Tower was called because of the proximity of the Kremlin Kolymazhny Yard. But when the commandant of the capital settled in the Poteshny Palace, and this happened already in the 19th century, the tower was renamed accordingly.
Tsar's Tower
Conveniently located between the Spasskaya and Nabatnaya towers. A tower-like structure appeared on the Kremlin wall in 1860.
Four jug-like pillars support an octagonal tent, decorated with a gilded weather vane. Once upon a time, the ringing of fire service bells could be heard from it. The tower has not undergone significant changes. Its height is about 17 m including the weather vane.
Petrovskaya (Ugreshskaya) tower
It appeared as the Kremlin’s military defense system improved. The name of the building was given to the church of Metropolitan Peter, standing in the courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery. The tower was built on and restored after the explosion of a gunpowder charge made by the French in 1812. The purpose of the 27-meter building was to satisfy the economic needs of gardeners who were beautifying the Kremlin territory.
Alarm tower
This solid, strong object stands between the Tsarskaya and Konstantino-Eleninskaya towers. The basement level of its interior is represented by a complex multi-chamber system, combined with chassis walls via stairs. Bells once rang in the tent-topped tetrahedron. Like instruments of the Spassky alarm, they notified people about the fire. The 150-pound alarm bell was rung by a distinguished craftsman of that time, Ivan Motorin.
Senate Tower
Since 1491, the tower has stood on Red Square between the Nikolskaya and Frolovskaya defensive buildings. Until the end of the 18th century. it did not have any name until the Senate building appeared in the Kremlin in 1790. The internal volume of the tower is divided into 3 tiers of rooms with vaults. The initially square, solid structure was added in 1680 with a stone tent and a gilded weather vane. The total height of the building is 34.3 m.
Spasskaya (Frolovskaya) tower
It is located near the main gate, which in ancient times had a special passage to the Kremlin. The structure was erected to protect the northeastern corner of the ensemble, which had no water barriers. In the XVII century. the tower was decorated with the sovereign's coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle. The clock hung on the structure in the 60s of the 19th century adorns it to this day.. The architecture of the pylon differed from the plan of the surrounding buildings by the precision of proportions, luxury of facade decorations and figurines of mythical animals. The corners of the quadrangle are in harmony with the pleasing pyramids with shining weather vanes.
Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower
Built in 1490, it is located on the site of a former passage structure. The townspeople and regiments passed through it, and Prince Donskoy himself headed through this tower to fight on the Kulikovo Field, in the 2nd half of the 14th century. The structure acted as a security military facility, ensuring the safety of the Great Posad and the routes leading from the river pier. The tracks from the adjacent streets were also monitored. The pylon was equipped with a passage gate and a diversion arch. It was possible to get to it via a drawbridge that spanned over the moat. The object received a new name due to the proximity of the Church of Constantine and Helena.
Beklemishevskaya (Moskvoretskaya) tower
The round-shaped tower is located near the Moskvoretsky Bridge and is clearly visible from Red Square. Once upon a time, the defender repelled the blows of advancing enemies. There was a hiding place underneath it. In the 17th century the pylon was built with a beautiful tent, which gave it slender forms and relieved it of the severity of a fortress.
In connection with the unfolding of the Russian-Swedish war, bastions appeared around the structure, and the width of the loopholes was made larger. In 1949, a large-scale restoration of the tower also included the loopholes - they were restored to their original form.
Annunciation Tower
If you believe the legend, the structure with a deep underground received this name because of the “Annunciation” icon that supposedly hung in it in ancient times. Historians also link the name of the tower to the fact that the Church of the Annunciation was built next to it, which was destroyed by order of the Soviet government. In the XVII century. next to the pylon, the Porto-Wash Gate was built, through which the palace washerwomen hurried to the Moscow River to caress their linen. Over time, these gates were tightly sealed. Together with the weather vane, the tower structure extends 32 m into the sky.
Vodovzvodnaya Tower(Sviblova) - one of the most beautiful and laconic , located on the southwestern corner of the fortress wall between the Borovitskaya and Blagoveshchenskaya towers.
The tower was built in 1488 according to the design of an Italian architect Antonio Gilardi(in the Russian tradition - Anton Fryazin) and had an important defensive function, since it protected the mouth and ford of the Neglinnaya River. A well was built in the lower tier of the tower, and subsequently a civilian function was added to the defense function: a water-lifting machine was installed in it to supply water to the Kremlin.
The height of the tower is 61.25 meters (to the star - 57.7 meters). The main volume has the shape of a cylinder, the base of which is made of white stone; at its top there is a combat platform with machicolations - vertical firing loopholes, on top of which a tent-roofed roof with dormer windows is built. The tower is elegantly decorated on all tiers: in the lower part it is lined with alternating belts of protruding and receding brickwork, which end with a narrow white stone strip and an arcature belt, on the battle platform there are battlements characteristic of the Kremlin decorative form with slits for shooting, the dormers on the marquee are decorated with rather elaborate porticoes with columns and pediments. The tower is crowned by a red ruby star with a ray span of 3 meters (the smallest of the Kremlin stars).
In general, the Vodovzvodnaya Tower resembles the one located at the opposite end of the southern fortress wall, however, it is distinguished by a more squat cylindrical volume and surpasses it in decorative design.
History of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower
Initially, the tower was called Sviblova - after the courtyard of the Sviblov boyars, which adjoined it from the Kremlin. Yours modern name The Vodovzvodnaya Tower received its name in 1633, when a water-lifting machine was installed in it. Christopher Galovey to supply water to the Kremlin.
Galovey's water-lifting machine is actually the first pressure water supply system with lead pipes in Moscow. Water was supplied to it from a well located in the lower tier of the tower: using a special platooning machine, it was pumped into tanks on the upper tiers of the tower, from where it flowed by gravity through lead pipes to the sovereign's Sytny and Kormovoy courtyards and the Kremlin gardens. There is an assumption that the Russian tsars received lead poisoning due to the use of this water, since during the period of operation of the water supply they lived less than usual. In 1737, the lead water supply was destroyed in a city fire, and the water-lifting machine was not preserved.
Among other things, in the past, on the Moscow River, next to the tower, there was a port-washing raft, where clothes (trousers) were rinsed, and on the shore there was a port-washing hut, in which the necessary washing supplies were stored. To prevent the path to the hut and the raft from causing inconvenience, a small port-washing gate was made in the Kremlin wall near the Vodovzvodnaya Tower, through which laundresses carried linen.
Initially, the tower did not have a hipped roof: a tent was built over the main volume only in the 1680s.
It is interesting that the Vodovzvodnaya Tower became almost the most long-suffering among the Kremlin towers: by the 19th century it had become very dilapidated due to high humidity, and in 1805-1806 it had to be completely dismantled and rebuilt. However, after this the tower stood for only 6 years: in 1812 it was blown up by French troops retreating from Moscow; the restoration of the tower took place in 1817-1819 according to the architect's design Osipa Bove. At the same time, its appearance changed somewhat: instead of loopholes, semi-circular windows were installed in the newly built tower, and the dormers were decorated with porticoes.
During the Soviet years, a ruby star was installed at the top of the tower. It is curious that, unlike the Spasskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Nikolskaya towers, which are also crowned with stars, Vodovzvodnaya, before the installation of the star, did not have a completion in the form of a double-headed eagle. And the star did not appear on it right away: in 1935, when other towers were decorated with semi-precious stars, it was passed over. However, in 1937, when the semi-precious stars, which had quickly deteriorated due to atmospheric precipitation, were replaced with ruby ones, one was installed on Vodovzvodnaya.
Today, the Vodovzvodnaya Tower is one of the Kremlin’s most beloved towers by the public. And not only because of the magnificent decorative design, but also because it is it that opens the most picturesque panorama of the fortress from the side of the Moscow River: for example, when viewed from .
Vodovzvodnaya (Sviblova) tower The Moscow Kremlin is located on the Kremlin embankment from the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge. You can get to it on foot from the metro station "Borovitskaya" Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya line.
The Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers and they are all different, no two are alike. Each tower has its own name and its own history. And probably many people don’t know the names of all the towers. Shall we meet?
Most of the towers are made in a single architectural style, given to them in the second half of the 17th century. The Nikolskaya Tower, which at the beginning of the 19th century was rebuilt in the Gothic style, stands out from the general ensemble.
BEKLEMISHEVSKAYA(MOSKVORETSKAYA)
BEKLEMISHEVSKAYA (Moskvoretskaya) tower is located in the south-eastern corner of the Kremlin. It was built by the Italian architect Marco Fryazin in 1487-1488. The courtyard of boyar Beklemishev adjoined the tower, for which it received its name. Beklemishev's courtyard, together with the tower, served as a prison for disgraced boyars under Vasily III. The current name – “Moskvoretskaya” – is taken from the nearby Moskvoretsky Bridge. The tower was located at the junction of the Moscow River with a moat, so when the enemy attacked, it was the first to take the blow. The architectural design of the tower is also connected with this: the tall cylinder is placed on a beveled white stone plinth and separated from it by a semicircular ridge. The surface of the cylinder is cut through by narrow, sparsely spaced windows. The tower is completed by a machicolli with a battle platform, which was higher than the adjacent walls. In the basement of the tower there was a hidden rumor to prevent undermining. In 1680, the tower was decorated with an octagon carrying a tall narrow tent with two rows of dormitories, which softened its severity. In 1707, expecting a possible attack by the Swedes, Peter I ordered bastions to be built at its foot and the loopholes to be expanded to install more powerful guns. During Napoleon's invasion, the tower was damaged and then repaired. In 1917, the top of the tower was damaged during shelling, but it was restored by 1920. In 1949, during the restoration, the loopholes were restored to their previous form. This is one of the few Kremlin towers that has not been radically rebuilt. The height of the tower is 62.2 meters.
KONSTANTINO-ELENINSKAYA(TIMOFEEVSKAYA)
The KONSTANTINE-ELENINSKAYA tower owes its name to the Church of Constantine and Helena that stood here in ancient times. The tower was built in 1490 by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari and was used for the passage of the population and troops to the Kremlin. Previously, when the Kremlin was made of white stone, there was another tower in this place. It was through her that Dmitry Donskoy and his army went to the Kulikovo field. The new tower was built for the reason that there were no natural barriers on its side from the Kremlin. It was equipped with a drawbridge, a powerful diversion gate and travel gates, which later, in the 18th and early 19th centuries. were dismantled. The tower got its name from the Church of Constantine and Helena, which stood in the Kremlin. The height of the tower is 36.8 meters.
NABATNAYA
The Alarm Tower got its name from the large bell - the alarm - that hung above it. Once upon a time there were guards on duty here all the time. From above, they vigilantly watched to see if the enemy army was approaching the city. And if danger was approaching, the watchmen had to warn everyone and ring the alarm bell. Because of him, the tower was called Nabatnaya. But now there is no bell in the tower. One day at the end of the 18th century, at the sound of the Alarm Bell, a riot began in Moscow. And when order was restored in the city, the bell was punished for divulging bad news - they were deprived of their tongue. In those days it was a common practice to recall at least the history of the bell in Uglich. Since then, the Alarm Bell fell silent and remained idle for a long time until it was removed to the museum. The height of the Alarm Tower is 38 meters.
ROYAL
ROYAL Tower. It is not at all like other Kremlin towers. There are 4 columns right on the wall, and on them there is a peaked roof. There are neither powerful walls nor narrow loopholes. But she doesn’t need them. Because they were built two centuries later than the other towers and not for defense at all. Previously, there was a small wooden tower on this site, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched over Red Square. Previously, there was a small wooden tower on this site, from which, according to legend, the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible watched over Red Square. Later, the smallest tower of the Kremlin was built here and called it Tsarskaya. Its height is 16.7 meters.
SPASSKAYA(FROLOVSKAYA)
SPASSKAYA (Frolovskaya) tower. Built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari. This name comes from the 17th century, when an icon of the Savior was hung over the gates of this tower. It was erected on the spot where the main gates of the Kremlin were located in ancient times. It, like Nikolskaya, was built to protect the northeastern part of the Kremlin, which had no natural water barriers. The passage gates of the Spasskaya Tower, at that time still Frolovskaya, were considered “holy” by the people. No one rode through them on horseback or walked through them with their heads covered. The regiments setting out on a campaign passed through these gates; kings and ambassadors were met here. In the 17th century, the coat of arms of Russia - a double-headed eagle - was installed on the tower; a little later, coats of arms were also installed on other high towers of the Kremlin - Nikolskaya, Troitskaya and Borovitskaya. In 1658, the Kremlin towers were renamed. Frolovskaya turned into Spasskaya. It was named so in honor of the icon of the Savior of Smolensk, located above the passage gate of the tower from the side of Red Square, and in honor of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, located above the gate from the Kremlin. In 1851-52 A clock was installed on the Spasskaya Tower, which we still see today. Kremlin chimes. Chimes are large clocks that have a musical mechanism. U Kremlin chimes The music is played by the bells. There are eleven of them. One large one, it marks the hours, and ten smaller ones, their melodious chime is heard every 15 minutes. The chimes contain a special device. It sets the hammer in motion, it hits the surface of the bells and the Kremlin chimes sound. The Kremlin chimes mechanism occupies three floors. Previously, chimes were wound manually, but now they do it using electricity. The Spasskaya Tower occupies 10 floors. Its height with the star is 71 meters.
SENATE
The SENATE Tower was built in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, rises behind the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin and is named after the Senate, whose green dome rises above the fortress wall. The Senate Tower is one of the oldest in the Kremlin. Built in 1491 in the center of the north-eastern part of the Kremlin wall, it performed only defensive functions - it protected the Kremlin from Red Square. The height of the tower is 34.3 meters.
NIKOLSKAYA
NIKOLSKAYA Tower is located at the beginning of Red Square. In ancient times, there was a monastery of St. Nicholas the Old nearby, and above the gate of the tower there was an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The gate tower, built in 1491 by the architect Pietro Solari, was one of the main defensive redoubts of the eastern part of the Kremlin wall. The name of the tower comes from the Nikolsky Monastery, which was located nearby. Therefore, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was placed above the passage gate of the strelnitsa. Like all towers with entrance gates, Nikolskaya had a drawbridge over the moat and protective grilles that were lowered during the battle. The Nikolskaya Tower went down in history in 1612, when militia troops led by Minin and Pozharsky burst into the Kremlin through its gates, liberating Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. In 1812, the Nikolskaya Tower, along with many others, was blown up by Napoleon's troops retreating from Moscow. The upper part of the tower was especially damaged. In 1816, it was replaced by the architect O.I. Bove with a new needle-shaped dome in the pseudo-Gothic style. In 1917, the tower was damaged again. This time from artillery fire. In 1935 the dome of the tower was crowned five pointed star. In the 20th century, the tower was restored in 1946-1950s and in 1973-1974s. Now the height of the tower is 70.5 meters.
CORNER ARSENAL (DOG)
The CORNER ARSENAL tower was built in 1492 by Pietro Antonio Solari and is located further away, in the corner of the Kremlin. The first name was received at the beginning of the 18th century, after the construction of the Arsenal building on the territory of the Kremlin, the second comes from the estate of the Sobakin boyars located nearby. There is a well in the dungeon of the corner Arsenal Tower. It is more than 500 years old. It is filled from an ancient source and therefore it always has clean and fresh water. Previously, there was an underground passage from the Arsenal Tower to the Neglinnaya River. The height of the tower is 60.2 meters.
MEDIUM ARSENAL(FACETED)
The MIDDLE ARSENAL tower rises from the side of the Alexander Garden and is called so because there was a weapons depot right behind it. It was built in 1493-1495. After the construction of the Arsenal building, the tower got its name. A grotto was erected near the tower in 1812 - one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden. The height of the tower is 38.9 meters.
TRINITY
The TRINITY Tower is named after the church and the Trinity Compound, which were once located nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. Trinity Tower is the tallest tower of the Kremlin. The height of the tower currently, together with the star from the side of the Alexander Garden, is 80 meters. The Trinity Bridge, protected by the Kutafya Tower, leads to the gates of the Trinity Tower. The tower gate serves as the main entrance for visitors to the Kremlin. Built in 1495-1499. Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Milanz. The tower was called differently: Rizopolozhenskaya, Znamenskaya and Karetnaya. It received its current name in 1658 after the Trinity courtyard of the Kremlin. In the 16th-17th centuries, the two-story base of the tower housed a prison. From 1585 to 1812 there was a clock on the tower. 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. Until 1935, an imperial double-headed eagle was installed at the top of the tower. To the next date October revolution it was decided to remove the eagle and install red stars on it and the other main towers of the Kremlin. The double-headed eagle of the Trinity Tower turned out to be the oldest - manufactured 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.
KUTAFYA
KUTAFYA tower (connected by a bridge to Troitskaya). Its name is associated with this: in the old days, a casually dressed, clumsy woman was called a kutafya. Indeed, the Kutafya tower is not high, like the others, but squat and wide. The tower was built in 1516 under the 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 plantar loopholes and machicolations. 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. Its original height above ground level was 18 meters. The only way to enter the tower from the city was via an inclined bridge. There are two versions of the origin of the name “Kutafya”: from the word “kut” - shelter, corner, or from the word “kutafya”, 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.
COMMENDANT (KOLYMAZNAYA)
The COMMANDANT'S Tower got its name in the 19th century because the commandant of Moscow was located in the building nearby. The tower was built in 1493-1495 on the northwestern side of the Kremlin wall, which today stretches along the Alexander Garden. It was formerly called Kolymazhnaya after the Kolymazhny yard located near it in the Kremlin. In 1676-1686 it was built on. The tower is made up of a massive quadrangle with machicolations (mounted loopholes) and a parapet and an open tetrahedron standing on it, completed with a pyramidal roof, an observation tower and an octagonal ball. The main volume of the tower contains three tiers of rooms covered with barrel vaults; The completion tiers are also covered with vaults. In the 19th century, the tower received the name “Komendantskaya”, when the commandant of Moscow settled nearby in the Kremlin, in the Poteshny Palace of the 17th century. The height of the tower from the Alexander Garden side is 41.25 meters.
ARMORY (STABLE)
The ARMORY tower, which once stood on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, now enclosed in an underground pipe, received its name from the nearby Armory Chamber, the second comes from the nearby Stables Yard. Once upon a time there were ancient weapons workshops located next to it. They also made precious dishes and jewelry. The ancient workshops gave the name not only to the tower, but also to the wonderful museum located nearby behind the Kremlin wall - the Armory Chamber. Many Kremlin treasures and simply very ancient things are collected here. For example, helmets and chain mail of ancient Russian warriors. The height of the Armory Tower is 32.65 meters.
BOROVITSKAYA(PREDTECHENSKAYA)
Built in 1490 by Pietro Antonio Solari. Travel card. The first name of the tower is the original one, it comes from Borovitsky Hill, on the slope of which the tower stands; The name of the hill apparently comes from an ancient pine forest that grew on this site. The second name, assigned by royal decree of 1658, comes from the nearby Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist and the icon of St. John the Baptist, located above the gate. Currently, it is the main passage for government motorcades. The height of the tower is 54 meters.
VODOVOZVODNAYA(SVIBLOVA)
WATER TOWER - so named because of the machine that was once here. She lifted water from a well located below to the very top of the tower into a large tank. From there, water flowed through lead pipes to the royal palace in the Kremlin. This is how in the old days the Kremlin had its own water supply system. He worked for a long time, but then the car was dismantled and taken to St. Petersburg. There it was used to construct fountains. The height of the Vodovzvodnaya tower with a star is 61.45 meters. The second name of the tower is associated with the boyar surname Sviblo, or the Sviblovs, who were responsible for its construction.
BLAGOVESCHENSKAYA
Annunciation Tower. According to legend, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously kept in this tower, and in 1731 the Church of the Annunciation was added to this tower. Most likely, the name of the tower is associated with one of these facts. In the 17th century, for the passage of laundresses to the Moscow River, a gate was made near the tower, called Portomoyny. They were laid in 1831, and in Soviet time The Church of the Annunciation was also dismantled. The height of the Annunciation Tower with a weather vane is 32.45 meters.
TAINITSKAYA
TAINITSKAYA Tower is the first tower founded during the construction of the Kremlin. It was named so because a secret underground passage led from it to the river. It was intended to be able to take water in case the fortress was besieged by enemies. The height of the Tainitskaya tower is 38.4 meters.
PETROVSKAYA(UGRESHSKAYA)
PETROVSKAYA tower, together with two unnamed ones, was built to strengthen the southern wall, as it was most often attacked. Like the two nameless ones, the Petrovskaya Tower at first had no name. She received her name from the Church of Metropolitan Peter at the Ugreshsky Metochion in the Kremlin. In 1771, during the construction of the Kremlin Palace, the tower, the Church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshsky courtyard were dismantled. In 1783, the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812, the French destroyed it again during the occupation of Moscow. In 1818, the Petrovskaya Tower was restored again. Kremlin gardeners used it for their needs. The height of the tower is 27.15 meters.
The first pressure water supply system, built by Russian craftsmen Trefil Sharutin and Anton Konstantinov in 1631 to supply water to the royal kitchen, lasted about two years. In 1633, a new, higher-capacity water supply system made of lead pipes was built.
Zabelin mentions one of the compilers of chronographs who speaks with delight about the construction activities under Tsar Michael and, in particular, about how in 1633 the craftsmen “using ingenious arts brought water from the Moscow River to the royal court for the sake of great demand” 1 . A well was built in the tower, into which water flowed through a pipe from the Moscow River. A horse-powered pump supplied water to a lead pool at the top of the tower, from where it was distributed for palace needs. This water-lifting machine, built by master Christopher Galovey and installed in the Vodovzvodnaya Tower on the banks of the Moscow River, supplied the Kremlin with water for about 75 years. In 1700, by decree of Peter I, the lead pipes from the tower to the garden were dismantled and transported to St. Petersburg, which was under construction.
The so-called lower and upper gardens were laid out on the southern slope of the Kremlin hill; there were also greenhouses, greenhouses and small fountains - “platoon waters”, to which water was supplied through lead pipes. In 1681, a pond lined with lead slabs was built in the Kremlin garden. Water was also supplied to the pond from the Vodovzvodnaya tower.
Scheme of the Kremlin water supply by the end of the 17th century according to the reconstruction of prof. N.I. Falkovsky had the appearance shown in Fig. 5.
In the 17th century, with the further development of hydraulic engineering, the professions of masters of water supply work, dam work, and drainage work appeared. There are the names of Ivan Erokhov, a waterworks master who soldered the sovereign's soap shop with lead boards; Ivan Korel - a drainage master who repaired the “waterworks” in the New Jerusalem Monastery; the whole Kostousov family - journeyman stone workers who, together with the dam worker journeyman Andrei Fomin, built a dam on the Grape Pond in Izmailovo in 1667; Galaktion Nikitin - a waterworks master, who covered the upper garden in the Kremlin with lead boards in 1685 and carried out water supply work a year earlier “on all three palaces and on the stables and in the garden...” 2 ; Trefila Sharutin, whom we have already mentioned in connection with the construction of the Kremlin’s water supply in 1631.
This is not a complete list of Russian craftsmen who worked in the 17th century. All this suggests that work on “water-cocking” devices, on the construction of dams and water wheels, which were the main driving force in factories and “saw mills,” was not an isolated phenomenon at that time, and that the level of hydraulic engineering knowledge and skills among Russians masters was quite high.
In the same century (publication by K.V. Missel), during the construction of areas of Kyiv high above the Dnieper, a centralized water supply system was installed to supply water to part of Podol. Groundwater was collected by drains, through which it was discharged into a wooden reservoir located at an altitude of 30 m above Podil. From the reservoir, water was diverted through a wooden pipeline about 500 m long into a pool covered with a dome supported on columns. In the middle of the pool was the figure of Samson, tearing the jaws of a lion, from which a stream of water flowed, falling into the pool. This structure remained until 1908 and was closed during the cholera epidemic in the city.
1 I. Zabelin. History of the city of Moscow. 1905.
2 I. Zabelin. Home life of Russian tsars. 1872.