Veselukha Tower in Smolensk
Description
Veselukha tower of Smolensk Kremlin.
Tower Veselukha — sixteen-sided corner tower of the Smolensk fortress wall. Other names — Luchinskaya and Krivoluchinskaya. It is located on the crest of the hill. The closest towers were from the South Pozdnyakova tower, and from the Northwest — not extant Stefano tower. Between the towers Veselukha and Nikolskie gate there is the largest fragment of the old fortress wall.
History
Perhaps the construction of this tower was supervised by Fedor Kon (architect of Smolensk Kremlin and Bely Gorod fortification ring of Moscow), as indicated by the particulars of the battlements of the tower.
The name "Veselukha" (fun) was given to the tower according to this place where citizens in the bosom of nature: it offers a "funny panorama" — scenic view of the river. With the location on the edge of the high bows is associated another, the original, the name of the tower — Luchinskaya (Bow).
The tower was surrounded by additional fortifications, and under the basement of the wall there was erected a gallery.
In 1633, the tower was badly damaged during the siege of Smolensk by the Russian army headed by M. B. Sheinin. In 1706 the tower was defended by the earth embankment until the end of XVIII century there were the remains of the batteries defending the Eastern part of the fortress.
In 1780 the tower was repaired. And at the end of XIX — early XX centuries, the tower became a part of the tour route through the city. In 1941-1943 had lost its roof, which led to rapid ageing. After that it was renovated and covered with a wooden hipped roof.
