The Corner Arsenal Tower, also known as Sobakina or Bolshaya Arsenalnaya, is located in the Moscow Kremlin. It was erected at the end of the 15th century and was the final building in the defensive line from the side of Red Square. The construction made it possible to control the crossing to Torg across the Neglinnaya River. The Corner Arsenal Tower of the Kremlin will be discussed in more detail in the article.
Construction history
Before you start describing the Corner Arsenal Tower, you should consider the history of its construction. At the end of the 15th century, the Kremlin defensive buildings made of white stone (hence the name of Moscow white stone) fell into disrepair and became very dilapidated. Tsar Ivan III the Great ordered the construction of new brick structures.
As the researchers suggest, the construction of fortifications from the new material did not significantly affect the overall appearance and layout, but expanded the Kremlin territory to the northeast. Together with the expansion of the Kremlin fortressit was decided to include in its composition a spring, on which a powerful Corner Arsenal tower was erected. Written sources have been preserved that speak of the construction of corner and passage structures (towers).
General Description
In 1492, Pietro Antonio Solari, a famous architect of that time, was invited from Italy to build new Kremlin buildings. It was he who created the Corner Arsenal Tower, also known as the Sobakina or “strelnitsa with a cache over Neglinnaya”. This refers to the inner well.
This building was erected in accordance with all the rules of fortification of the XV century and was an independent defensive (fortress) building. The tower could withstand the onslaught of enemies, even if the rest of the Kremlin wall was captured by the enemy.
Due to the fact that it was corner, it was the most impregnable and powerful in the ensemble of the Kremlin buildings. It should be said that the thickness of the walls of this tower reaches four meters. The tiers of the archer, located at the top, could only be reached using special ladders, and through a very narrow opening in the vault. However, during the attack, it was possible to pull such a ladder up, and then hide in the tower using a secret underground passage.
Construction device
The corner Arsenal Tower played a special role among all the defensive structures of the Kremlin. One of the main functions was to protect the crossing to the Neglinnaya River, which was located on Red Square.
BaseThe structure was built in the form of a sixteen-sided structure on a very deep and solid foundation, in which a well-spring was hidden. It was needed to provide everyone in the tower with water in case of a long siege.
At the top of the structure, machicules (mounted loopholes) were created that protruded beyond the edges of the main structure. The tower was crowned with battlements in the form of a dovetail, which in the 17th century were replaced by a parapet with the so-called fly. Its height is 60 meters.
At the very top of the building, a wooden tent was erected with a watchtower. For quite a long period of time, the Corner Arsenal Tower of the Moscow Kremlin stood out against the surrounding landscape of the city.
Improvement
There were 7-8 tiers of loopholes in the building, and the window openings were created in the form of a bell so that the warrior inside could stand at full height. The floors of each such tier had wooden floors, which were later replaced with iron and concrete.
In the 15th-16th centuries, an additional wall was added to the Corner Arsenal Tower, which goes around the entire structure in a semicircle. This form was intended for all-round defense and assumed the possibility of flanking and frontal (barrage) fire.
In the period from 1672 to 1686, all the towers of the Kremlin were strengthened. At Arsenalnaya, the wooden pitched roof was replaced with an octagonal tent, which had a stepped base. He was crowned with an octagon with a weather vane and a tent. At the very end of the 17th century, machicules were laid behinduseless.
In 1707, by order of Peter I, the Arsenal Tower was expanded and again fortified in order to install new artillery pieces. The foothills were covered with earthen ramparts and five bolters were erected. In 1701, the construction of the arsenal building began, which gave the name to the tower itself.
Destruction and restoration
After the French occupation in 1812, Napoleon, leaving Moscow, ordered to mine the Kremlin. As a result, several buildings were damaged, part of the walls, and cracks appeared on the Corner Arsenal Tower.
In 1718, all these buildings were restored according to the drawings of the 17th century. In this form, they have survived to the present day. However, restoration work was still carried out in 1829, 1894 and 1921. The complex restoration measures of the Kremlin were completed in 2017, leaving the entire ensemble looking like new.
In the photo of the Corner Arsenal Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, you can see the recreated architectural beauty. Today, this place - along with Red Square - is a kind of calling card not only for Moscow, but for the whole of Russia.
