Ancient towers. Ancient stone towers of Svaneti (Georgia). Famous Big Ben - London, England

For me everyone ancient city is associated with the Kremlin, and each Kremlin with an ancient Russian city. Many Kremlins have not survived at all, some were destroyed by time or fires, some were dismantled by people. But, nevertheless, there is still something to see and visit in Russia.

One of the most interesting, both historically and architecturally, is Moscow Kremlin. The largest in area, with incredible amount There are twenty towers. And no two are alike. Each of them has its own appearance, its own name and its own history.

Perhaps one of the most, in my opinion, unusual towers of the Moscow Kremlin is Kutafya. Relatively low, openwork, open - this is how it is now, after all kinds of restorations and after hundreds of years.

Kutafya, or as it was also called - Bridgehead, the tower is also unique because it is the only archery tower preserved in the Kremlin

It was built in 1516 year. The openwork parapet was received in 1685 year, and the open area in the 18th century. Before this, the tower looked very stern.

So where does such a strange name of the tower come from - Kutafya? But here there are several versions. I liked the one in which it comes from the word “kutafya” - a plump, clumsy woman. And indeed, if you look closely, there are similarities!

Behind the Kutafya Tower, connected to it by a long Trinity Bridge, is the tallest tower of the Kremlin - Trinity.

The Trinity Tower was also the central one in those distant times travel tower, and now passes through crowds of tourists. The Trinity Tower is a little older, located in front of Kutafya, the date of its construction is considered 1495 year, although after that it was completed and rebuilt several times.

During its existence, the tower has been called various names: Epiphany, and Robbery, and Znamenskaya, and Kuretnaya. But in 1658, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in his decree, ordered to call it Trinity in honor of the nearby metochion of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

Middle Arsenal Tower

If we go from the main entrance of the Kremlin to the right, then the next tower we see will be Average Arsenal Tower. Previously called faceted for its façade in the 13th century, this small tower (only 38 meters) received its current name due to the construction of the Arsenal building nearby. The date of construction of the tower is considered 1495.

Corner Arsenal Tower

The most powerful tower of the Kremlin completes the northwestern wall. Corner Arsenal Tower, aka the Dog Tower. The Sobakin Tower was named after the nearby courtyard of the Sobakin boyars. But in the 13th century, like its neighbor, it received the name Arsenalnaya. The 60-meter Arsenal Tower was at one time the most high tower structures.

- one of those Kremlin towers that every traveler has probably seen, because one of its sides faces Red Square. It was built in 1491 year. More than five hundred years ago, the Nikolskaya Tower, like the Trinity Tower, had a diversion tower, a bridge and a gate. Everything is quite clear from the name of the tower; it was given on behalf of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk, whose icon was installed above its gate.

Surely many people noticed while walking along Red Square a low tower behind Lenin's mausoleum. This turret is called the Senate one. In general, it was nameless for a long time, until 1787, when construction was completed Senate Palace in the Kremlin.

In the summer of July 6999, by the grace of God, this archer was made by the command of John Vasilyevich, the sovereign and autocrat of all Rus' and the Grand Duke of Volodymyr and Moscow and Novgorod and Pskov and Tver and Yugorsk and Vyatka and Perm and Bulgaria and other states in his 30th year, and Peter Anthony did Solario from the city of Mediolana.

This inscription was found on perhaps the most famous tower of the Kremlin - Spasskaya. For many years now, every New Year's Eve The Spasskaya Tower clock is counting down the last seconds until the New Year. By the way, modern chimes - 1852 years, before that, since 1624, there were other clocks on the tower.

The gate of the Spasskaya Tower was the main gate of the Kremlin. For a long time, images of the Savior were painted above them. Townspeople were forbidden to enter through the Spassky Gate on horseback, and men were required to remove their hats.

The travel gates, previously called Frolovsky (from the Church of Frol and Lavra) on April 17, 1658, became by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Spassky, and then the entire tower inherited this name.

By the way, quite recently a mini copy of the Spasskaya Tower was built in the Mari city of Yoshkar-Ola.

Perhaps the smallest tower of the Kremlin is Tsarskaya. Initially, there was no tower at this place at all, and it was built only in 1680s years. And to be honest, this is just a small tent on the Kremlin wall.

Opposite of amazing St. Basil's Cathedral built Already from the name it becomes clear that this is where the alarm bell hung. There was a time when the Alarm Tower began to tilt. The causes of the tilt were eliminated, but even today the tower deviates from the vertical by a meter.

I never thought that I would see my name in the names of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. But here she is in front of me -.

It received its name after the construction of the Church of Constantine and Helena in the Kremlin. The church, unfortunately, has not survived to this day. Previously, the tower was called Timofeevskaya. At first, the tower had a pair of branch towers and served as a passageway. The lancet towers were demolished in the 13th century, the gate arch was blocked, but if you look closely, you can see the arch, the recess for the gate icon and places for the levers of the drawbridge.

It is very interesting that it was through the gate located on the site of this tower in 1380 that Dmitry Donskoy went to the Battle of Kulikovo.

Gradually, past the towers, we reached the south-eastern corner of the Kremlin. Here the Kremlin wall turns and runs along the Moscow River. The corner tower bears the name Beklemishevskaya or Moskvoretskaya. Moskvoretskaya - because it is located next to the Moscow River, Beklemishevskaya - on behalf of the boyar Ivan Beklemishev who lived nearby. During wars and battles, the Beklemishevskaya Tower was the first to receive a blow; it so happened that the enemies were attacking from the direction of the Moscow River.

One of the few, Moskvoretskaya Tower, is round and for good reason. It had a defensive function, and its shape strengthened the defense against a possible two-pronged attack. For the same reason, the tower is remote, i.e. stands outside the Kremlin walls.

Petrovskaya Tower

Next to the Beklemishevskaya tower, very close to it, is located Petrovskaya Tower. She is much shorter than her neighbor. In old times, next to the tower there was a courtyard of the Ugreshsky Monastery with the Church of Metropolitan Peter, hence the name. The Petrovskaya Tower is notable for the fact that in 1612 it was completely destroyed and then rebuilt. The tower was dismantled for the second time in 1770, and then erected again in 1783. But the story doesn't end there either. In 1812, the French blew up the Petrovskaya Tower, but already in 1818 the architect O.I. Bove restored it. This is such a difficult story.

First and second unnamed towers

There are a couple of towers in the Kremlin wall without a name, so they are called the First Nameless and Second Nameless Towers. The first nameless tower was previously called Porokhovaya and, like Petrovskaya, has a very rich history. In 1547, the tower was destroyed during a fire in Moscow. The situation was aggravated by the fact that a gunpowder warehouse was built in it. In 1770, it, along with the Petrovskaya and Second Nameless Towers, was again dismantled during the construction of the Palace. And in 1812 it suffered from the French.

The Second Nameless Tower suffered a little less damage. Only in 1771 it was dismantled and then rebuilt.

Central tower of the southern wall – Taynitskaya, it is also the first tower of the Kremlin. The date of construction of the tower is considered 1485 but in 1781, like its neighbors, it was dismantled, and rebuilt only in 1783. The Tainitskaya Tower was nicknamed because it contained a secret well and a hidden passage to the Moscow River. Until 1932, an archer was attached to the Taynitskaya tower. It is curious that until 1917 a cannon was fired from here every day at noon. Only in St. Petersburg the tradition has been preserved to this day, but not in Moscow.

There is a very beautiful legend about the origin of the name of this tower. It says that at one moment the icon of the Annunciation miraculously appeared on the northern wall of the tower. Later, in 1731, the Church of the Annunciation was added to the tower. In 1932-33, the church was dismantled, and the tower was restored to its original appearance.

Another corner tower - Vodovzvodnaya. Similar to the Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower, it has a cylindrical shape. In 1633, a water-lifting machine was installed in the tower, hence the name. The tower was rebuilt twice: in 1805 and 1817.

The majestic Borovitskaya Tower rises near Borovitsky Hill. They say that a dense pine forest once grew here, hence the name. It’s hard to believe it now, when all you see before your eyes is the glass and concrete of the metropolis.

The ancient armory workshops that were once located at its foot gave the tower its name. And not just the tower. Here, behind the Kremlin wall is located most interesting museum: Armouries.

Previously called the Kolymazhnaya Tower, located on the northwestern part of the Kremlin wall, the Commandant Tower was built in 1495. It received its current name in the 19th century, when the Moscow commandant settled in the Amusement Palace of the Kremlin. Like other towers of the Moscow Kremlin, the tower was transformed in the 17th century, when it received a decorative hipped top.

With the commandant's tower we closed the circle of the Kremlin wall. Great towers, great walls preserving history.

Walking around the Kremlin, I first of all admired the architecture, the intricate decorations of the hipped towers, and the pointed arches of the loopholes. Later, having learned the history of each of the towers, I looked at the photographs from a different angle.

Alexander Chavchavadze was sure: “Who has not been to Svaneti“He didn’t see Georgia.” This mountainous region is famous not only for its picturesque natural landscapes, but also for its ancient stone towers, the purpose of which remains a mystery to historians.

Svaneti – unique area in Georgia, nominally in the mid-19th century it became part of the Russian Empire, although life here always flowed according to its own laws. The highland region has always been relatively calm (due to its inaccessibility), so icons, jewelry and religious artifacts were brought here, so that over time Svaneti became a kind of repository of Georgian culture.

Most of the towers were built between the 9th and 13th centuries. Traditionally, they have four to five floors, the height of the towers is 20-25 m. There are many versions about their purpose: the towers could serve as fortifications (although they do not have loopholes), protect houses from avalanches from the mountains (however, not all they are built on the avalanche side) or testify to the wealth of their owner. Most often, vegetables and feed for livestock were stored in the towers. There is a version that the first floor of the towers was residential, but scientists were unable to find fireplaces and chimneys, and in Svaneti the winters are so severe that the home must be heated.

Despite the fact that many towers have been destroyed today, about 200 buildings have been preserved in different villages of Svaneti. Most of them are located in the village of Ushguli, located at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level. Thanks to architectural ensemble Ushgul towers Upper Svaneti was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO as historical monument Georgia.

Towers are tall structures in which the height is usually greater than the width. Narrow buildings are usually built specifically to take advantage of their height, and they may stand alone from the rest of the building complex or form part of a larger structure. Below are twelve towers that are significantly different from all other towers and because of this are favorite subjects for photography among both professional photographers and tourists.

1. Ivy Tower, Belgium

The Gruuthuse museum is located in the Belgian city of Bruges and was built in the 15th century. It houses a collection of works of applied art by Bruges masters from the 13th to the 19th centuries.

The Gruthos Tower is part of the museum and is better known as the Ivy Tower because much of it is covered in ivy vines. The tower looks especially beautiful in the autumn months, when the ivy leaves play with different colors (yellow, orange, red, brown...)

2. Guinigi Tower, Italy

The city of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy, is famous for its medieval architecture and intact city walls. However, among all the city's exquisite buildings, one building stands out as particularly impressive. "Torre Guinigi" or or The Tower of Guinigi towers over the entire city.

At the very top of the 44.5-meter tower, a stunning surprise awaits you - a garden in which, oddly enough, oak trees grow. For centuries, this tiny forest, high above the city, has served as a haven of peace.

The tower was built in the fourteenth century, when there were more than 250 such towers in the city. Although over the centuries, the number of towers declined sharply, this tower has survived. It was built by the Guinigi, the most powerful and influential family in the city. The tower embodied the family's prestige and was the largest in the city, even when the economic boom of the late fourteenth century saw similar towers being built throughout Lucca.

The last descendants of the family donated the tower to the city, as well as the palace at its base. The roof garden at the top of the tower is essentially a box with walls filled with soil.

There are seven oak trees there: they are thought to have been originally planted in the 14th or 15th century, but have been replanted over time. However, those that are now growing on the roof are still quite old and, according to old-timers, they have been growing on the roof for at least several centuries.

3. Kalyazin Tower, Russia

The bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral is a neoclassical bell tower, the height of which reaches 74.5 meters. It rises above the waters of the Uglich reservoir on the Volga, opposite the old city of Kalyazin. The hipped bell tower was built between 1796 and 1800 as part of St. Nicholas Cathedral.

When Stalin ordered the construction of the Uglich Reservoir in 1939, old part Kalyazin, including several medieval buildings, were flooded with water. The Kalyazin Tower became the main tourist attraction in the east of the Tver region, and the island below was fortified. There is also a small boat dock there.

4. Inclined tower of Yekaterinburg, Russia

The Yekaterinburg TV Tower is a tall, unfinished structure located in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Construction of the tower began back in 1983, but was suspended in the early 1990s, when its height reached 220 meters. According to the project, the height of the television tower should have exceeded 400 meters.

The building consists of three parts: the tower body, its base and metal antennas. In total, the tower has 26 floors (not counting those floors that are located at its base).

The elevators were never installed. Instead, visitors must climb the concrete steps of the half-finished structure. The tower is a local landmark.

The tower has a slight tilt due to a design error that was not noticed during construction. However, she does not pose a threat to the tower and it will not fall in the near future.

5. Ciechanow Tower, Poland

The Ciechanow Water Tower, located in Poland, is a hyperboloid structure. Its design used hyperboloid geometry, which maximizes structural strength while minimum cost materials.

The Ciechanów Water Tower was built in 1972 by Jerzy Michal Boguslawski. On this moment There are plans to open a restaurant and surveillance area there, but for now the building remains abandoned.

6. Pirate Tower, USA

This landmark of the Californian city of Laguna Beach, a tower that seems to have been brought into our time from the Middle Ages, is located slightly north of Victoria Beach. Built in 1926, it was designed as a private spiral staircase to access the beach from above. Today this tower is closed, but you can still admire it from the outside at low tide.

To the uninformed beachgoer, the 18-meter rock-like tower appears to be carved out of the cliff. When you look at it for the first time, you get the impression that it was carved by waves many centuries ago.

The ocean breeze moans through the small openings of the tower, covered by rusted gates, and a huge door at the base of the tower, also covered in rust, reveals a wooden spiral staircase leading to the rooms above.

Tourists arriving in Baku usually first go to see the Maiden Tower, which is located in the Old City. However, in fact, this fortress is not at all the only one of its kind. Thus, in the vicinity of the city, on the Absheron Peninsula, other majestic monuments of the Middle Ages have been preserved. These powerful strongholds have endured countless assaults and sieges, and, having withstood the most difficult trials, continue to tower over the Baku villages. "Moscow-Baku" offers a tour of five unique architectural structures Absheron.

Raman fortress
This tower has a magical look: it looks like it was copied from the pages of fairy tales about Aladdin, where Princess Budur lived in a beautiful castle. The Ramanin fortress was built by order of the Shirvanshahs in the middle of the 14th century on the top sheer cliff. This location allowed it to seamlessly merge with the rocky landscape of Absheron. Unlike European castles, Absheron buildings were not suitable for long-term living and served only as temporary shelter for soldiers during attacks. The height of the quadrangular tower in the village of Ramana is 12 meters, it consists of four tiers. You can get from floor to floor only by a ladder. Narrow slot-like openings that widened inwards in all tiers of the towers, except the first, served mainly for lighting and ventilation. By the way, the tower also has a primitive sewer line - risers and wells with water. There is written evidence that in the Middle Ages there was an underground road from the Ramana fortress to the Maiden Tower.

Tower in Gala
This tower gave the name to the entire Absheron village - after all, Gala is translated from the Azerbaijani language as “tower, fortress.” Built in the 14th century, the citadel is similar to the quadrangular towers that still stand in the villages of Mardakan and Ramana. However, unlike them, this citadel was in a dilapidated state for a long time. When they began its restoration, only a 2-3 meter high wall remained. However, the fortress was completely restored and a whole ethnographical museum under open air. The complex, created with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, also includes burial mounds, tombs, residential buildings, underground reservoirs, mosques and other historical monuments.

Fortress of Light
This fortress was called Ishig galasy (Fortress of Light), as it played a signaling role - when an enemy approached, torches were lit on its top, and thus the population was notified of the approaching danger. That is why the tower was erected close to the sea - just 500 meters from the Caspian coast. The building inscription carved on the stone indicates the date of its construction - 1232, and the name of the architect - Abdulmejid ibn Masud. The 16 meter high tower is located in the center of a square courtyard and is surrounded by stone walls. Three internal tiers, covered with spherical domes, communicate with each other by spiral stone staircases laid in the thickness of the wall.

Quadrangular fortress in Mardakan
The round tower is connected by underground passages to the quadrangular castle - the largest building on Absheron. Its height is 22 meters, and consists of 5 tiers connected spiral staircases. It is located inside a courtyard surrounded by fortress walls 7 meters high. The rough surface of the castle walls is set off by slit-like embrasures and a rich crown of battlements. The tower was erected in 1372, and was repeatedly attacked by enemies. The fortress suffered most severely during a seven-month siege by Mongol-Tatar troops, as a result of which part of the tower and the adjacent mosque were destroyed. During the Soviet years, the tower was restored, but the restorers slightly changed its previous appearance. Thus, the crenellations of the crowns of the walls, which had the shape of a crescent, were replaced with ordinary, round ones. In turn, historical finds are still being discovered on the territory of Mardakyan - tombstones, coins, teeth, tools, and even an ancient juicer in which grapes were decanted and sherbet was made from it.

Nardaran fortress
This tower, like other defensive structures of Absheron, served as a reliable stronghold against foreign invasions. Laconic inscriptions in Arabic made on the southern wall of the fortress tell that the architect Ali Mahmud ibn Saad built this fortification in 1301 at the expense of the governor of the Arab caliphate, Khur Berke. By the way, the same master was the author of the old Bibi-Heybatov mosque and the Molla Ahmed mosque in the Baku fortress. The height of the round tower is 12.5 m and, unlike others, it has a more spacious courtyard, and there are practically no stepped parapets with battlements on the crown.

85-meter clock tower, made in Venetian and gothic styles. Located on the campus of a university in southern Mumbai, India. At one time it was the tallest building in the city. Construction of the Rajabai Tower began on March 1, 1869, according to the design of the English architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, and was completed in November 1878.

Old Joe

Old Joe or Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Tower is located on the grounds of the University of Birmingham, in the suburb of Edgbaston, UK. It is the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. Its height is 100 meters. It was built in 1908 and named after the first chancellor of the university, Joseph Chamberlain.

Peace Tower

In eighth place on the list of the most famous clock towers is the Peace Tower, officially the Victory and Peace Tower. Located in the heart of the parliament building in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. This 92.2 meter tower was built on the site of the old 55 meter Victoria Tower, which burned down in 1916, along with most of the complex.

Cytglogge

Zytglogge - medieval origin clock tower with an astronomical clock, located in the historical part of Bern, Switzerland. It was probably built between 1218 and 1220 and was used at various times as a defensive tower, a prison, and also as a clock tower, which served as the official time indicator for the city. Now, perhaps, it is considered the most popular attraction in Bern.

The Spasskaya Tower (formerly the Frolovskaya Tower) is one of the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin, which overlooks Red Square. The main gate of the Kremlin - Spassky - is located in it, and the famous clock - chimes - is installed in the tent. The 71-meter tower was built in 1491 according to the design of the Italian architect Antonio Pietro Solari, during the reign of Ivan III.

Rathaus-Glockenspiel is a popular tourist attraction located on the central square of Marienplatz, in the city of Munich, in southern Germany. It was built in 1908 as part of the New Town Hall. Every day at 11 a.m. (and at noon and 5 p.m. summer time) to the sound of the chimes, 32 human-sized figures stage two stories that took place in the 16th century in Munich. The “show” lasts about 12–15 minutes.

The Old Town Hall, 56.59 meters high, is located in historical district Czech capital Prague. The complex was founded in 1338, and over time it was gradually completed and expanded. The Old Town Hall clock, first installed in 1410, is the third oldest astronomical clock in the world, as well as the oldest still working.

Abraj al-Bayt - a complex of high-rise buildings with total area 1,500,000 sq. m., located in the city of Mecca, in the west Saudi Arabia. It is the largest building in the world by mass, as well as the tallest building in Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper - the Royal Clock Tower Hotel - has a height of 601 meters. The diameter of the clock is 43 meters.

Philadelphia City Hall is the 167-meter tall seat of government of the American city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Second Empire style building was built between 1871 and 1901 and was designed by Scottish-born architect John MacArthur Jr.

Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)

Big Ben is the unofficial name of the largest of the six bells Palace of Westminster in London. Often the clock and even the tower itself are called Big Ben, although the correct name for the 96.3-meter giant is “Elizabeth Tower”. It was built in 1858 and opened in May 1859. It is considered one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The Great Westminster Clock, with a dial diameter of 7 meters and a total weight of 5 tons, is the world's largest four-sided striking clock.

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