The Moscow Kremlin is a unique monument Russian history and culture, as well as ancient Russian defense architecture, because the words “Kremlin” and the word “fortress” in Rus' meant almost the same thing. All ancient Russian fortresses belonged to tower type, which means the main architectural and defensive element in them were towers. Such towers are called flanking towers, since they make it possible to defend not only on the distant approaches to the edge, but also along the entire length of the fortress wall.
Briefly about the Moscow Kremlin
The history of the Moscow Kremlin is very ancient and dates back to the beginning of the 12th century - during the reign of Prince Dmitry Dolgoruky. The first Kremlin, erected by his decree on the banks of the Moscow River, was built from pine logs and often burned. After another fire at the beginning of the 14th century, which completely destroyed the ancient structure, Ivan Kalita ordered the construction of a new wooden Kremlin in its place, this time from oak logs. A little less than 30 years later he suffered the same fate. Under Dmitry Donskoy, they began to rebuild from white limestone. Its construction took only a year, although it was almost the size of the existing one. However, limestone is a fragile stone, and by the middle of the 15th century it began to crumble heavily. The Kremlin was rebuilt again, this time from red brick. Construction was carried out by the Italian architect Antonio Gilardi or, in the Russian style, Anton Fryazin.
Place of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin in the system of fortress walls
In total, the system of fortress walls of the Moscow Kremlin has 20 towers. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower is located in the southwestern corner of the system, exactly at the place where it connects with the Alexander Garden. It is through this tower that one of the entrances to the Kremlin territory passes. It is intended for the passage of government vehicles. However, the original function of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower was to guard the ford. And it initially had a completely different name - Sviblova. At the tower there was previously a raft on which ports were rinsed, and therefore it is easy to guess what the raft at the Vodovzvodnaya Tower was called - Portomoyny. On the shore nearby there was a port-washing hut.
History of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin
The name Sviblovo was assigned to the tower due to the nearby courtyard of the boyar Sviblo. In addition, it was this man who supervised the construction of the tower. But the second name assigned to the structure - Vodovzvodnaya - is associated with the construction of a special water-cocking device at the top of the tower, which pumped water from the Moscow River. Through a system of lead pipes passing through the water supply tent, the flow of water was distributed throughout the Kremlin territory. The water platoon tent was located in the area of the old Money Yard. With the help of such a water supply, Christopher Golovey intended to provide water to the Embankment Garden, Khlebny and Kormovaya orders. However, there is an opinion that a little later the water platoon tent was moved to clock tower to supply water to the gardens of the new women's wards.
At the end of the 18th century, due to severe disrepair, Vasily Bazhenov proposed dismantling it, but his initiative was not supported, and at the beginning of the 19th century, the tower was dismantled and reassembled, preserving its historical features.
In 1812, during the retreat of Napoleon's army from Moscow, on the orders of the French commander, the tower was blown up, but five years later it was restored by Osip Beauvais. During the restoration work, the decor of the tower underwent some changes: details reminiscent of the medieval Gothic style appeared on the facades.
In 1935, instead of a weather vane, a five-pointed star made of precious stones was installed on the tower’s tent, which was replaced with a ruby one two years later.
Architectural features of the tower
The description of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin is quite voluminous. Therefore, we will divide it into two parts: a description of the tower itself and a description of its tent covering.
Vodovzvodnaya is one of the most tall towers in the system of defensive walls of the Kremlin. Its height reaches 61.25 m. Previously, before the erection of a tent covering on it at the end of the 17th century, its height was somewhat less. The tower is round in plan. In total, the tower has three tiers. The lower one has no windows or loopholes; the entire plane of the wall is designed in the form of rustication. Above the white rim of the cornice, separating the second tier, there is a stone carved ornament of semicircles. The blank wall of the second tier in its upper part has tall narrow windows with a semi-circular end. The third tier, separated from the second by a white rim of the cornice, has the shape of an inverted truncated cone, round in plan. The inclined consoles support a wide frieze band and have semi-circular ends. Above the frieze is a scalloped border, the shape of the teeth reminiscent of a dovetail.
Architectural features and decor of the tent covering
The tent top of the Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin is also divided into tiers. The lower one, round in plan, is cut across the entire plane of the wall by rectangular, vertically elongated windows with a semicircular end. Along the upper edge above the white rim there is a carved stone pattern in the shape of semicircles.
The second tier of the pommel has an octagonal shape. Windows of the same shape as in the first tier are flanked by blades and pilasters.
The third tier has a hexagonal tent shape. Its edges are decorated with windows designed in the form of antique columned porticoes with triangular pediments. And the walls are lined with material of two colors - white and green.
The hexagonal fourth tier resembles a lantern tower in shape. Its edges are also decorated with columned porticoes, but without pediments, and have the same cladding as the previous one.
The fifth tier is hexagonal in shape and has blind windows separated by blades.
The sixth tier - a hexagonal lantern tower - is crowned by the seventh - a tent-shaped, faceted, cone-shaped covering with white and green cladding. Along the lower edge it is framed by triangular teeth extended upward.
The Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin is an important historical and cultural monument of ancient Russian architecture.
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?
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.
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 passage 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.
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 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) 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 Kremlin towers 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. The bells play music at the Kremlin chimes. 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.
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 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. 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 with a five-pointed star. In the 20th century, the tower was restored in 1946-1950s and in 1973-1974s. Now the height of the tower is 70.5 meters.
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.
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.
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. 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. 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.
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.
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 side of the Alexander Garden is 41.25 meters.
The ARMORY tower, which once stood on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, now enclosed in an underground pipe, 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.
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.
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.
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 founded in 1831, and in Soviet times the Church of the Annunciation was also dismantled. The height of the Annunciation Tower with a weather vane is 32.45 meters.
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 Taynitskaya tower is 38.4 meters.
Built in the 1480s. The tower ends with a simple tetrahedral pyramidal tent. The interior of the tower is formed by two tiers of vaulted rooms: the lower tier with a cross vault and the upper tier with a closed vault. The upper quadrangle is open into the cavity of the tent. One of the two towers that did not get a name. Height 34.15 meters.
Built in the 1480s. Above the upper quadrangle of the tower there is an octagonal tent with a weather vane; the upper quadrangle is open into the tent. The interior of the tower includes two levels of premises; the lower tier has a cylindrical vault, and the upper one is closed. Height 30.2 meters.
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 construction Kremlin Palace the tower, the church of Metropolitan Peter and the Ugreshskoe metochion were dismantled. In 1783, the tower was rebuilt, but in 1812, the French 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.
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 sinking brickwork, which end with a narrow white stone strip and an arcature belt; on the battle platform there are battlements of a decorative form characteristic of the Kremlin with slots for shooting; the dormers on the tent 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. The Vodovzvodnaya Tower received its modern 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 porticos.
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 lush decorative design, but also because it opens up the most picturesque panorama of the fortress from 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 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, from further development 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 "water" in New Jerusalem Monastery; the whole Kostousov family - stone masonry apprentices who, together with dam machinist apprentice Andrei Fomin, built a dam on Vinogradny Pond in Izmailovo in 1667; Galaktion Nikitin, a master of waterworks, who covered the upper garden in the Kremlin with lead boards in 1685 and carried out waterworks a year earlier “on all three palaces and on the stables and in the garden...” 2; Trefila Sharutin, whom we already mentioned in connection with the Kremlin's water supply system 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 Podol. 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.
Corner Arsenal Tower is the tallest and most powerful corner tower of the Moscow Kremlin. From the Arsenal Tower, the Kremlin defenders controlled the crossing of the Neglinka River and led the defense of Red Square.
The middle Arsenalnaya tower is located opposite the Alexander Garden between the Corner Arsenalnaya and Trinity towers.
By the end of the 15th century, the Kremlin was not sufficiently protected on the northwestern side, and therefore, in 1495, a tower was erected, called Granena because of its facade, dissected into edges. After the construction of the Arsenal building in the Kremlin, the structure received its modern name.
In 1680-1681, many Kremlin towers were built on; the Middle Arsenalnaya was also greatly transformed - towers were erected at the top Observation deck and an octagonal tent, the height of the structure increased to 38.9 meters.
In 1812, during a fire and the retreat of the French army from Moscow, many buildings were destroyed. The Kremlin towers, including the Middle Arsenalnaya, were also damaged. In the post-war period, the destroyed towers were restored under the leadership of the architect Osip Ivanovich Bove. After Neglinka was imprisoned in an underground pipe, the Alexander Garden was created in its place, next to the Kremlin, by order of Emperor Alexander I.
The middle Arsenal Tower is notable for the fact that at its foot there is one of the attractions of the Alexander Garden - a grotto, built in 1821, also according to Beauvais' design. It was created using the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Napoleonic War.
Kutafya Tower |
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The Kutafya Tower is familiar to all tourists who have visited the Kremlin - the entrance to the territory of the Moscow Kremlin is through it and the nearby Trinity Tower.
Near the Kutafya Tower there are ticket offices of the Moscow Kremlin museums, as well as a storage room where you need to leave large bags and backpacks.
Those who have purchased tickets for a tour of the Armory Chamber or the Diamond Fund can enter the Kremlin through the Borovitsky Gate (Borovitskaya Tower).
Of all the towers of the Moscow Kremlin, Kutafya is the smallest, its height is only 13.5 meters, at the same time, it is the largest in area and was of great importance - the defense of the bridge over the Neglinka River was carried out from it.
The Kutafya Tower itself was also well protected - a river flowed on one side, and a moat was dug on the other, and it was possible to get into it only through a bridge over the moat, which was raised during the siege of the Kremlin.
The origin of the name Kutafya Tower is interesting. According to one version, the building was named by this name because of its shape - in ancient times in Rus', overweight, clumsy and clumsy women were called kutafya. According to another version, in the old days the word “kut” meant a corner and shelter, which could also serve as the name for this defensive structure.
Trinity Tower |
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The Trinity Tower, built at the end of the 15th century according to the design of the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin, is located in the middle of the northwestern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, opposite the Alexander Garden. Simultaneously with its construction, the Trinity Bridge was built across the Neglinka River, which was later enclosed in a pipe underground. This is one of the most beautiful towers and the largest - its height together with the star is 80.8 meters.
During its history, the tower was called the Epiphany, the Deposition of the Robe and the Znamenskaya (after the Kremlin cathedrals), then Karetnaya - after the Carriage House, and only in 1658 acquired its modern name.
Its purpose also changed:XVI - XVIIfor centuries, a prison was located at its base, inXIXcentury - the archive of the imperial court, and currently the presidential orchestra is based here.
At the end of the 17th century, when many Kremlin towers were being built, Trinity was decorated with a tent with white stone decoration.
The coat of arms of Russia was initially installed only on the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower, later the highest towers - Nikolskaya, Borovitskaya and Troitskaya, were also decorated with Double-headed eagles. In Soviet times, ruby stars were installed on the tops of these four towers, as well as on Vodovzvodnaya, instead of Double-Headed Eagles. Despite the fact that each of them weighs about a ton, they turn in the wind thanks to special bearings.
In 2015, the Trinity Tower was restored: work was carried out to preserve the white stone decorations, strengthen the walls and tent, clean the star installed in 1937, and replace the turning mechanism and lamps.
Commandant's Tower |
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The commandant tower, built under the direction of the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin.
In the lower part of the building there were no loopholes or windows, and therefore the tower was called Glukha, then it was renamed Kolymazhnaya after the name of the Kolymazhny yard, which was located not far from it.
The weapons tower is located on a small hill between the Commandant and Borovitskaya towers near the northwestern wall of the Kremlin. Its construction began in 1491 by Pietro Antonio Solari, but in 1493 the architect died and work stopped.
The unfinished structure was located on the banks of the Neglinka River and gradually this place began to turn into a swampy floodplain, which threatened to erode the soil of Borovitsky Hill and the approaches to the Moscow Kremlin. The Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin (Aloiso da Caresan) continued the work - under his leadership, hydraulic work was carried out to drain and strengthen the soil and construction was completed.
The built tower was named Konyushennaya, because through its gates one could drive to the royal Konyushenny yard.
On the territory of the Kremlin, not far from the Konyushennaya Tower, there were workshops for the production of precious utensils, jewelry and weapons, and at the beginning of the 16th century, the building of the Armory Order was erected here, where weapons were stored. The modern building of the Armory Chamber was built in 1851 according to the design of Konstantin Ton, from that time the Konyushennaya Tower began to be called the Armory Tower.
The Borovitskaya Tower was built by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari next to the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge, not far from Borovitskaya Square. Initially, the Borovitskaya Tower had a drawbridge and a grille that closed the entrance to the Kremlin in case of danger.
The building was used for economic needs - the road to Konyushenny and Zhitny Dvor passed through its gates, and currently government carts leave the Borovitsky Gate.
Previously, there was a pine forest at this place, which is probably why the tower was named Borovitskaya. True, there is another opinion, according to which the construction work was carried out by residents of the city of Borovsk, after which the building was named.
The Vodovzvodnaya Tower is located at the end of the Alexander Garden, in the place where the Kremlin wall turns towards the Moscow River. Like others corner towers(Beklemeshevskaya and Corner Arsenalnaya), Vodozvodnaya has a circular cross-section. It was built in 1488 under the direction of the architect Antonio Gilardi (Anton Fryazin).
Initially, the tower was called Sviblova after the courtyard of the Sviblovy nobles, located near the southern wall of the Kremlin. Later, a water-lifting machine was installed in it, lifting water from the well into a huge tank standing at the top, and the tower was named Vodovzvodnoy.
At the same time, the first water supply system was built, through which water from the tank was supplied to the royal palace and was also used to water the garden.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the water-lifting machine was taken to Peterhof to be used to power fountains.
The Vodovzvodnaya Tower has a height of 61.45 meters; in 1937, like the other tallest towers (Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Spasskaya), it was decorated with a five-pointed ruby star.
At this point our walk through the Alexander Garden ends and the further path will pass along the embankment of the Moscow River.
We recommend that you go back a few meters to the place where the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge begins. From here a magnificent panorama opens up, and 7 towers of the Moscow Kremlin are visible, facing the Moscow River.
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The Annunciation Tower was one of the first built, presumably in the 1480s. Its height is small - only 32.45 meters, and lime slabs have been preserved at the base of the structure White Stone Kremlin XIV century.
Over its history, the purpose of the structure changed several times. Thus, under Ivan the Terrible, there was a prison in its lower part; even a semi-basement room for holding prisoners has been preserved.
At the beginning of the 18th century, a bell was installed on the tower tower, an Orthodox cross appeared instead of a weather vane, and the Church of the Annunciation was built nearby.
The tower received its name from the name of the church attached to it; according to another version, it was named in honor of the icon of the Annunciation, which was located here for some time.
For reference: During Soviet times, many historical monuments of the Kremlin were destroyed or rebuilt. In 1933, two churches were demolished - the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of the Savior on Bor in the courtyard of the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Next to the tower in the Kremlin wall there was a Porto-Wash Gate, through which laundresses went to the Moscow River and washed trousers there (the word “trousers” means underwear).
In 1932, under the leadership of the Russian and Soviet architect Nikolai Vinogradov, the Annunciation Tower was rebuilt - the old building was dismantled, and in its place a new one was built, corresponding to the original appearance. The loopholes and weather vane were restored, and the ancient façade of the historical building was recreated.
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To protect the Kremlin from the Moscow River, the Tainitskaya Tower was built in the center of the Kremlin wall. Of all 20 towers, it was the first to be erected and served to defend the most militarily dangerous side of the Kremlin.
It is interesting that the architect of the building was the Italian Anton Fryazin (real name Antonio Gilardi), who arrived at the wedding ceremony of Moscow Prince IvanIIIwith the Greek princess Sophia Palaeologus, the future Moscow princess.
According to Anton Fryazin’s plan, a tower was built in the central part of the Kremlin wall, in which a secret passage to the Moscow River and a well were built, necessary in case of a long siege of the fortress by the enemy. Apparently, this secret passage determined the name of the Taynitskaya Tower.
During construction, Anton Fryazin used brick for the first time, which became an innovation in the construction of the fortress and served as a basis for the further restructuring of many structures of the Moscow Kremlin.
The tower had a passage gate and a diversion arch, connected to it by a stone bridge. The sentries on duty constantly monitored Moskvorechye and, if a fire was detected, notified about it by striking a bell.
In the 1680s, like many other towers of the Moscow Kremlin, Taynitskaya was also built on: a tetrahedral tent with an observation tower was erected.
Under Catherine II in the 1770s, in connection with plans to build a majestic palace for the empress, Tainitskaya and standing nearby The First, Second Nameless and Petrovskaya towers were dismantled to the ground. The construction of the palace was soon abandoned and the historical monuments were recreated.
The Tainitskaya Tower is small (its height is 38.4 meters), and it is notable for the fact that until 1917, like the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, a signal cannon was fired from it, signaling the onset of noon.
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The First Nameless Tower is a small structure 34.15 meters high, square in cross-section, built in the 1480s and served to defend the southern wall of the Kremlin.
The first Nameless Tower was used to store gunpowder and therefore was previously called the Powder Tower. This circumstance led to the fact that during the fire of 1547 the gunpowder exploded, which led to its severe destruction. The building was rebuilt during the reconstruction of the Kremlin in the 17th century; the structure acquired a tetrahedral tent with a watchtower and an octagonal dome with a weather vane.
During the construction of the new Kremlin Palace in the 1780s by architect Vasily Bazhenov, the First Nameless Tower was moved closer to Tainitskaya.
The Petrovskaya Tower was important for the defense of the southern side of the Kremlin, which was most often attacked.
We reached the last tower standing on the embankment - this is the Beklemishevskaya or Moskvoretskaya tower. It is angular and visible simultaneously from the Moskva River and Vasilievsky Spusk. Its height is 46.2 meters, and it received its name from the former courtyard of boyar Ivan Beklemishev.
Boyar Ivan Beklemishev led the boyar opposition opposing Prince VasilyIII. For his speeches and caustic tongue, Beklemishev was executed, and his estate, along with the tower, began to serve as the sovereign's prison.
The powerful building, created by the architect Marco Fryazin (the Italian name of the master is Marco Ruffo), was used to protect the Kremlin in the most dangerous place, from a defense point of view, where the enemy most often attacked. Built in the shape of a high cylinder with a large number of loopholes and an octagonal spire, the structure was intended to protect the fortress from the side of the crossing of the Moscow River and was of great strategic importance.
The Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge begins next to the tower - sad famous place murder of politician Boris Nemtsov.
During its history, the Beklemeshivskaya Tower has not undergone major reconstruction; it is one of the few Kremlin buildings that survived the War of 1812. True, in 1917 its top was knocked down by a shell, and then restored thanks to the work of the Russian, Soviet architect and restorer Ivan Rylsky.
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The Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower was built in 1890 near the eastern wall of the Kremlin under the direction of the architect Pyotr Fryazin (the real name of the Italian master is Pietro Antonio Solari).
The building was located not far from the Timofeevsky Gate, through which Dmitry Donskoy went to the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. That is why the tower was called Timofeevskaya for a long time and only in the 17th century, after the construction of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena next to it, it was renamed Konstantino-Eleninskaya.
The Church of Saints Constantine and Helena survived during Patriotic War 1812 and a fire in the Kremlin, but the Bolsheviks’ rise to power turned out to be tragic for her. In 1928, under the pretext of the need to expand the Kremlin garden, the temple was dismantled. It was the first destroyed church and the first lost architectural monument on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin.
On Vasilyevsky Spusk the approaches to the Kremlin wall had no natural barriers and were especially vulnerable. It was necessary to protect the roads leading from the Kremlin to China Town, so to strengthen the defense, a powerful diversion arrow and a drawbridge across a wide ditch were built.
In the 17th century, the Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower lost its defensive significance; a prison was located in its lower part and in the diversion arrow. And later, in the 18th century, the drawbridge and diversion arrows were dismantled, and the gates were blocked with bricks.
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The Alarm Tower is located opposite St. Basil's Cathedral; the building received its name from the Alarm Bell, which was struck by the watchmen on duty here in the event of an enemy approaching or a fire breaking out.
The alarm bell was cast by the talented foundry master Ivan Motorin, who created many church bells, including the famous Tsar Bell and the 152-pound bell for the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
In 1771, at the signal of this bell, the Plague Riot began; Count Orlov, the favorite of Empress Catherine II, managed to pacify the people. As punishment, the bell lost its tongue and stood silent for 30 years, after which it was completely removed. Currently it can be seen in the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin.
In the 70s of the 20th century, the foundation of the structure cracked and the Alarm Tower began to deviate from the vertical. The architects managed to stop the fall of the structure, however, the deviation at a height of 38 meters is about one meter.
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Tsar's Tower- the smallest and most unusual, it looks more like a fairy-tale tower built on the Kremlin wall. This is the latest building - its construction was completed in 1680, when many towers were built with tents and domes.
The structure, only 16.7 meters high, was never intended for defense and therefore has never been destroyed in its history.
Why was the tower called the Tsar’s Tower? And the reason is that, according to popular legend, a small tower of Ivan the Terrible was previously built on this spot, from which he loved to watch what was happening on Red Square and the executions on Vasilyevsky Spusk.
The four columns are topped with a hipped roof and a dome with a gilded weather vane, the decorations are made in the form of narrow belts and white stone trim. The Tsar's Tower of the Kremlin, with its fabulous attire, conveys to us the image of the boyar choir of those times.
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The Spasskaya Tower is the most famous tower of the Kremlin; the chimes of its chimes are familiar to every resident of the country. Here are the main Holy Gates of the Kremlin - Spassky, where the kings were met and soldiers were escorted on campaigns, through which every religious procession passed.
The Senate Tower was of great strategic importance for the defense of the Kremlin from Red Square. It was one of the first to be built, but for almost three centuries the structure did not have its own name, and only after the construction of the Senate building it was given its modern name - the Senate Tower.
At the endXVIIIcentury during the reign of CatherineIIunder the leadership of architect Matvey Kazakov, the Senate building was erected to hold noble meetings. During Soviet times, V.I.’s office was located in the Senate building. Lenin, and later meetings of the Council of Ministers of the USSR were held. Currently, the historical building houses the residence of the President of Russia.
In 1948, a passage was built through the building so that members of the CPSU Central Committee could, without going to Red Square, get to the platform of the Mausoleum and attend parades and ceremonial events.
The Senate Tower is located behind the Lenin Mausoleum, its height is 34.3 meters, author historical monument- Pietro Solari.
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From the northeast, the Kremlin wall had no natural defensive barriers and therefore one of the tallest towers was built here - Nikolskaya, which had an archery with a diversion bridge. Its height is 70.4 meters, and the structure received its name in honor of the icon of St. Nicholas, which was kept here. In those distant times, controversial issues were resolved around the icon; it was also believed that it helped repel enemy attacks.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Nikolskaya Tower was rebuilt in the Gothic style under the leadership of the architect Luigi Rusca. Two turrets appeared on its parapet, but the facade began to look especially beautiful, one might say openwork.
There is a legend that during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, the French tried to destroy the tower and it was, indeed, severely destroyed: its tent fell down and the gates fell. Windows and doors were knocked out of the Senate building and nearby buildings, but the icon of St. Nicholas was not damaged and remained in its place.
The Nikolskaya Tower is the last one on our excursion, followed by the Corner Arsenal Tower, from which we began our journey. We walked around the entire Moscow Kremlin and saw all its towers.
