Nabatnaya tower of the Moscow Kremlin

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Probably, there are no people who would not know about the Moscow Kremlin. This architectural complex is not only large, but also has an interesting history. The Moscow Kremlin includes a huge number of historical buildings - monuments and towers. There are more than ten of the latter in the complex. However, the Nabatnaya Tower has the most interesting history.

When it was erected

Information about who built the Nabatnaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, alas, has not been preserved. Finding out such information is not possible. The tower was built at the end of the fifteenth century. To be more precise, in the distant 1495. The building is located between other towers: Konstantin-Eleninskaya and Tsarskaya. Inside the building is divided into several tiers. The lower level is a rather complex room, consisting of many chambers. It is connected precisely with the running parts of the walls. From 1676 until 1686 the tower underwent some changes. During this period, the structure was built on. Her top became tetrahedral and tented.

Of course, the building performed not only aesthetic functions. A bell was installed on the tower, near which the attendants were constantly on duty. Their duties included monitoringbehind everything that happens on the horizon. In case of danger, the bell was rung. This made it possible to warn people about the approach of the enemy.

After the "Plague Riot" was suppressed, Catherine II ordered the tongue of the bell to be torn out. The alarm tower stood without making a sound for about 30 years.

The Story of the Plague Riot

In Russia, around the second half of the eighteenth century, an epidemic of plague began. In addition, the population of the country suffered greatly from hunger, as well as from ill-treatment and bullying by the police. However, these facts were not the main reason for the unrest. The starting point was the transfer of the icon to the Barbarian Gates in secret from civilians. From that moment the rebellion began. It was the ringing of the alarm tower bell that signaled the start of action.

People gathered in the square. However, they were brutally de alt with. Many were killed and maimed. The rebellion ended as suddenly as it began. As a result, 4 people were hanged and 72 beaten with a whip, and then sent to the galleys. After that, the Nabatnaya tower of the Kremlin fell silent for 30 years. Such a decree was issued by Catherine II.

Nabatnaya tower today

This building is still standing and reminds many of those terrible events. Of course, time saves nothing. In the 70s of the last century, the foundation of the structure began to collapse. As a result, a rather large crack appeared. This was reflected in the structure itself. The alarm tower leaned heavily. It was possible to stop this process. On theit has been abandoned by the efforts of many professional architects. However, no one has yet leveled the structure.

The top of the structure, as a result of the tilt, moved away from its vertical axis by about one meter. Of course, this made the Nabatnaya Tower even more popular, as it became known as the “Moscow Leaning Tower of Pisa.”