Spasskaya Tower in Moscow

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Description

The Spasskaya Tower is the main tower with a through-passage on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, which overlooks the Red Square.

History

The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 by an Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari. Initially, it was named the Frolovskaya Tower after the Church of Frol and Lavr in the Kremlin (no longer there). The tower's modern name comes from the icon of Spas Nerukotvorny (The Saviour Not Made by Hands), which was placed above the gates on the inside wall in 1658 (it was removed in 1917) and the wall-painted icon of Spas Smolensky (Smolensky Saviour), which was created in the 16th century on the outside wall of tower (plastered over in 1937, reopened and restored in 2010). The Spasskaya Tower was the first one to be crowned with the hipped roof in 1624–1625 by architects Bazhen Ogurtsov and Christopher Galloway (a Scottish architect and clockmaker). According to a number of historical accounts, the clock on the Spasskaya Tower appeared between 1491 and 1585. It is usually referred to as the Kremlin chimes (Кремлёвские куранты) and they designate official Moscow Time.

The tower gate was once the main entrance into the Kremlin. In czarist times, anyone passing through the gates had to remove their headgear and dismount their horses. This tradition was broken in the soviet era. Cars approached the gate head on from the place of skulls and the road beside GUM. In order to pass through the gate, you had to be a head of state, top politburo member, or top government member. All other traffic was routed through the borovistky gate. The spassky gate posed an issue following the collapse of communism. In the new capitalist and market based economy, the passage of vehicles disrupted the flow of pedestrians to GUM and other shopping centers, even though few vehicles actually passed through the gate each day. In 1999, the decision was made to finally close the gate to all traffic. The signal lights and guard platforms still remain. The gate is used occasionally when repairs must be made to the borovissky gate. However, in that case, all traffic is routed from vasilievsky spusk. Nowadays, the gate opens to receive the presidential motorcades on inauguration day, for the victory parades, and to receive the new years tree.

On top of the gates of the tower there was inscribed the following inscription: IOANNES VASILII DEI GRATIA MAGNUS DUX VOLODIMERIAE, MOSCOVIAE, NOVOGARDIAE, TFERIAE, PLESCOVIAE, VETICIAE, ONGARIAE, PERMIAE, BUOLGARIAE ET ALIAS TOTIUSQ(UE) RAXIE D(OMI)NUS, A(N)NO 30 IMPERII SUI HAS TURRES CO(N)DERE F(ECIT) ET STATUIT PETRUS ANTONIUS SOLARIUS MEDIOLANENSIS A(N)NO N(ATIVIT) A(TIS) D(OM)INI 1491 K(ALENDIS) M(ARTIIS) I(USSIT) P(ONERE). (Ivan Vasiliyevich, by the grace of God Grand Duke of Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, etc. etc.)

In 1935, the Soviet government installed a red star instead of a two-headed eagle on top of the Spasskaya Tower. The height of the tower with the star is 71 m. In August 2010 the icon of Smolensk Saviour was uncovered and restored above the gate.

  • Spasskaya Tower

  • Spasskaya Tower at night

  • A Kremlin star (Spasskaya tower)

  • A Soviet stamp featuring the tower.

  • Spas Smolensky

  • Sanctification ceremony of the icon. August, 2010.

  • Location of the tower in the Kremlin marked with a circle.

  • Kremlin clock

  • Spasskya Tower after restoration (2015)

Street view

Reviews

Vladislav
This is the main Baley Kremlin!
Each tower of the Kremlin is a Museum. Should see at least once in life on every.
Dimitri
The name of the tower - Spasskaya - came from the Russian word "spasat" which means "save". In old times people saved themselves behind the walls of the Kremlin, the part of which Spasskaya is, from outside enemies.
Viktoriya
So much fun in Moscow! I decided to take their free tour for me and my friends that came from Canada. We never had so much fun on the tour. Our guide was great, she made us smile, and surprised us with all kinds of facts, showed us local places that only locals know about. We have good memories left and hundreds of great photos from the tour. Loved it!
Max
The most famous tower of Moscow Kremlin — the Spasskaya (71 m with a star). It was a Grand entrance to the Kremlin. Walking inside the street from the Kremlin's Spassky gate is also called the Spasskaya was the main thoroughfare of the fortress.
Okan
Huge bell tower made up of red color bricks. It is a part of Kremlin Palace Walls facing to Red Square and St. Basil Cathedral. Clocks on the tower are huge and tower itself is amazing.
Stanislav
Spasskay Tower is apart of The Moscow Kremlin construction from one side and part of the Red Square from the other. U will see big Big Ben alike clocks on it and two officer guardians on the entrance. Must visit Moscow tourist place.
Aleksandr
Boring. Build a decent restaurant with beautiful lighting for a beautiful background. That turned out beautiful pictures with tourists.
Aleksandr
The most famous tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Enjoy the night views of the Kremlin from the inside only in the winter. After the Kremlin Christmas tree walked a little territory and not yet illuminated all looked rather dull - and then in an instant everything was transformed into a fabulous beauty.
Foto
For photographers, both beginner and professional, the best time to visit is after sunset. Illuminations is awesome! Day feel dull...
TS
Cool, now when you visit the Kremlin you can go through the Kutafya tower and exit through the Saviour.
An incredible feeling. For the moment trying to realize that going the path of the secretaries.
But they then left the mausoleum, and we are right on Vasilevsky. Under the clicking cameras of Japanese tourists :)))
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