All about the Kremlin towers. Commandant's tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Towers and walls of the Kremlin
The Commandant's Tower of the Moscow Kremlin has a wall thickness of 1.7-3.3 m, rising 41.25 m from the side of the Alexander Garden. The length of the outer perimeter at the base is 30.5 m. It is located between the Trinity and Armory towers. Erected during the reign of Ivan III, in 1493-1495.
Names of the Commandant's Office
Throughout the history of the existence of the Commandant's Office, it had three names. In the 17th century it was called Deaf due to the lack of passage gates. It was also called Kolymazhnaya, since the Kolymazhny yard was located nearby - a kind of garage for the royal carriages and stables.
The current name, Commandant’s, was given in the 19th century, almost 4 centuries after its construction. They called it that when the commandant of Moscow moved into the Amusement Palace, standing next to it.
Architect
The architect was, of course, the Italian architect from Milan - Aleviz Fryazin (Aloisio da Carcano). It was he who was invited to continue the construction of the Moscow Kremlin after the death of his compatriot Pyotr Fryazin (Pietro Antonio Solari).
Like its “sister”, Komendantskaya has a quadrangle at the base and a stone hipped top (it was erected in 1676-1686). It consists of 3 cylindrical tiers.
Near Komendantskaya
You can approach it through the Alexander Garden. Having walked along it a little more, we will see in front of us the majestic Trinity Tower - the highest passage tower of the Moscow Kremlin, considered second in importance after
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.
All the towers had to endure many historical events. 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 mass 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 the running part of the walls through 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.
Nikolskaya Tower
Located in the northern part of the Moscow Kremlin. In the old days, its powerful quadrangle was equipped with travel gates, a diversion arrow and a lifting crossing. The name of the tower comes from the image of St. Nicholas, hanging above the passage of the archery. The population passed through the gates to the Kremlin, heading to the monastery courtyards and courtyards of the nobility. The decoration of the tower is considered to be an octagon with a “lace” of white stone elements. The additional part with a tent conveys the Gothic style of architecture. During the battles with Napoleon's army, the tower was partially destroyed, but was subsequently restored. The newly built iron tent is decorated with white stone turrets in the corners.
First Nameless Tower
It neighbors Taynitskaya and is a remote building. In the XV - XVI centuries. it served as a gunpowder storage. In 1547, the pylon completely burned down in a fire, but in the 17th century. it was rebuilt and supplemented with a tier with an interesting name: “tent”. When the government started building a luxurious Kremlin palace, the facility was liquidated. As soon as the work that was entrusted to the architect Bazhenov was completed, it was decided to work on the structure again. As a result, the beauty of the Kremlin was complemented by another object, the exact height of which is 34.15 m.
Second Nameless Tower
Since 1680, the tower has acquired even greater attractiveness in an architectural sense, as it was completed with a 4-sided tent and equipped with an observation post-tower. The stone structure is neatly crowned with a tent with a weather vane.
| ← MOSCOW KREMLIN | MOSCOW → |
Address: Moscow Kremlin, between the Armory and Trinity towers
Date of construction: 1495
Tower height: 41.25 m.
Coordinates: 55°45"02.2"N 37°36"48.8"E
Short story
The construction of the Commandant's Tower dates back to the reign of Prince Ivan III. A new original design appeared in 1495 thanks to the skillful actions of Russian master builders, led by Italian architect Alois Fryazin.
View of the tower from the Alexander Garden
At the end of the 15th century, he lived in Russia and developed projects for many Kremlin buildings.
At first, the Commandant's Tower had a different name - the Deaf Tower. It received this name due to the fact that its main quadrangle had neither windows nor loopholes. Subsequently, this component of the Moscow Kremlin was renamed again - it became known as the Kolymazhnaya Tower.
And this change also had a justification, because next to the tower there was the Kremlin Kolymazhny yard, which served as a storage facility for the royal carriages and carts. The royal stable was also located in the same courtyard. And only in the 19th century the tower was called the Commandant’s Tower, since the commandant of the capital city lived in the Poteshny Palace, located next to the Moscow Kremlin.
Architecture of the Commandant's Tower
The total height of the Commandant's Tower is 41.25 m. Its design underwent minor architectural changes in the period from 1676 to 1686. Like all other Kremlin towers, it was supplemented with an upper quadrangle and a decorative hipped dome. Wooden canopies were built over the walls of the structure to protect it in bad weather.
If you compare the Commandant Tower with other towers of the Moscow Kremlin, you will notice that in its appearance it is close to the architecture of the Armory Tower.
The lower quadrangles of both structures are equipped with machicolations and a parapet. Their upper quadrangles are open, and the crowns of the towers are tents with observation towers and a small addition in the form of an octagonal tent.
The internal layout of the building is represented by 3 ascending tiers, which are covered with cylindrical vaults. As for the building material used for the construction of the Commandant's Tower in Moscow, it was red ceramic brick. It was also used for the construction of other structures that make up the Kremlin ensemble.
You can find the Commandant's Tower among other structures of the Moscow Kremlin on its northwestern side - it is located along the Alexander Garden, which is another landmark of Russia. The tower itself, which received its final name thanks to the Moscow commandant, is located between the Armory and Trinity towers.