If you approach the Kazan Kremlin from the side of the Kremlin and Bauman streets, then from afar you will see a clearly outlined silhouette of a three-tiered white tower with a roof in the form of a tent. It is the main one in the Kremlin and one of the best preserved architectural monuments of the 16th-17th centuries. This is the Spasskaya Tower.
It will be discussed in this article.
A little about Kazan
Kazan is one of the centers of the country's spiritual life. More than 1000 years ago, the history of this magnificent city began, in which a developed modern infrastructure perfectly coexists with preserved ancient architectural and historical sites.
Kazan combines different religions, demonstrating the diversity of all of Russia. The city center is a magnificent architectural ensemble with ancient temples, mosques of the 16th-19th centuries and numerous cultural monuments.
One of the most remarkable historical places is the Kazan Kremlin, the entrance to which is throughSpassky tower. The Kremlin of Kazan is the most visited place by tourists.
The article provides a little information about the amazing history of the Spasskaya Tower, but first, in general terms, a little about the fortress itself.
Kazan Kremlin
It takes at least 2 hours to inspect the entire Kremlin. The best time for a tour is in the evening, when its facade is illuminated by bright lights. Among the sights of Kazan, the Spasskaya Tower is of no small importance. Through it opens a passage to the Kremlin. You can also enter its territory through the Tainitsky, Resurrection or Preobrazhensky gates. But the latter today are intended only for road transport.
This ancient part of Kazan, which is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, is a complex of historical, architectural and archaeological monuments. The famous Syuyumbike tower, a monument of Orthodox architecture - the Annunciation Cathedral (built in 1555-1562) and the main juma mosque in the republic, Kul-Sharif, are located on the territory of the Kremlin.
The territory in its form represents an irregular polygon, which repeats the contours of the hill. Location - the cape of the high terrace of the left bank of the Kazanka and the left bank of the river. Volga. Unfortunately, there is no written evidence of the emergence of the Kremlin, but according to the official version, the city was founded at the beginning of the 10th century.
In 1551, during the capture of the city, many objects and walls of the Kremlin were destroyed and new ones appeared in their place. And today it's like heremixed buildings of several centuries. Since 2000, this historical ensemble has been under the protection of UNESCO.
The territory of the Kazan Kremlin is 150,000 square meters. meters. The length of the walls along the perimeter is more than 2000 meters, and their width is approximately 3 meters. The height of the walls reaches 6 meters. A distinctive feature of the Kremlin is a unique combination of monuments of two religions: Muslim and Orthodox.
Briefly about the appearance of the Spasskaya Tower of Kazan
The tower was erected in the 16th century exactly in the place where Ivan the Terrible himself, after the capture of Kazan, set up a battle flag. This building was erected by the same Pskov architects Yakovlev Postnik and Shiryai Ivan, who built St. Basil's Cathedral on the capital's Red Square.
The icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which was copied from the royal banner, was exhibited above this main passage. In this regard, the tower was given such a name. Today, that image is located at the Arsk cemetery, in the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers.
Initially, the fortress had 13 powerful stone towers, of which only 8 have survived today. And the two-tiered white stone Spasskaya Tower is rightfully the most elegant and representative.
Features
The Spasskaya Tower of Kazan (the photo is presented in the article) is a four-tiered structure 47 meters high. It is located in the southern section of the fortress wall, near the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The structure has been rebuilt several times.
The tower has always been the most powerful fortification of the Kremlin. It was originally built fromwhite limestone in the form of a simple cubic battle structure with a flat roof, on which a watchtower was installed. The walls at the base of the tower are 2.5 meters thick. Initially, there was no wide passage here, and the enemies found themselves in front of a powerful fire from the defenders of the fortress. And now the portal of the tower, laid with bricks, is clearly visible, as well as iron pins (for installing gates), and grooves for an iron lifting grate.
The Spasskaya Tower of Kazan was reconstructed after fires in the 17th-18th centuries, as a result of which two additional tiers with brick octals and a hip roof decorated with rich decor appeared on the powerful quadrangle. Clocks with chimes of a peculiar design were also installed - the arrow was stationary, and the dial rotated. Today, this large and heavy mechanism has been replaced by a conventional electronic-mechanical device.
During the chiming clock, the light-and-music performance "Raspberry Ringing" starts to work. At this point, red spotlights flash on and slowly fade as the sound fades. In the evening it looks quite impressive. The walls of the tower often turn into a screen during festive light shows, which are very popular in Kazan.
Some interesting facts
Kazan is rich in historical events. The Spasskaya Tower of the Kazan Kremlin has a complex and interesting history of its construction.
Until the middle of the 20th century, it was polychrome (not painted): the lower tiers were white stone, the upper ones were made of red brick. Subsequently, like the restKremlin towers and walls, it was covered with lime whitewash to prevent the formation of fungus on the walls and towers.
Initially, one could enter the Spassky Tower of Kazan and, having passed along the perimeter through all the other towers and defensive walls of the fortress, exit it again. In this way, in ancient times, guard patrols took place in order to protect the Kremlin.
Today the walled openings are still preserved here. The bricks are still scratched to make the plaster stick better. During Soviet times, these ancient walls were not handled very carefully.
In closing
Before visiting this thousand-year-old city, when making a travel route to the sights of the capital of Tatarstan, you should definitely include a visit to the Kremlin, where the Spasskaya Tower of Kazan is located.
Plunging into the atmosphere of centuries ago while walking through the fortress, you can hear an interesting and more detailed story about the history of this historical complex, which includes many interesting objects that hide mysteries and mysteries.
