Spasskaya Tower
Encyclopedia
The Spasskaya Tower is the main tower with a through-passage on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, which overlooks the Red Square
.
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
(it is 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 gate
s on the inside wall in 1658 (it was removed in 1917) and the wall-painted icon of Spas Smolensky (Smolensky Savior), 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 clock
(Кремлёвские куранты).
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 king of Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, etc. etc.)
In 1935, the Soviets 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 above the gate the icon of Savior Smolensky was revealed and restored.
Geographical coordinates: 55.752544°N 37.621425°W.
Red Square
Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod...
.
The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 by an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Pietro Antonio Solari
Pietro Antonio Solari
Pietro Antonio Solari , also known as Pyotr Fryazin, was a Swiss Italian architect....
. Initially, it was named the Frolovskaya Tower after the Church of Frol and Lavr in the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
(it is no longer there). The tower's modern name comes from the icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of Spas Nerukotvorny (The Saviour Not Made by Hands), which was placed above the gate
Gate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
s on the inside wall in 1658 (it was removed in 1917) and the wall-painted icon of Spas Smolensky (Smolensky Savior), 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
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
in 1624–1625 by architects Bazhen Ogurtsov and Christopher Galloway (a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
architect and clockmaker). According to a number of historical accounts, the clock
Clock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
on the Spasskaya Tower appeared between 1491 and 1585. It is usually referred to as the Kremlin clock
Kremlin clock
The Kremlin Clock is a historic clock on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The clock dial is above the main gates to Red Square. For decades, the chimes have rung on the quarter hour, with bells tolling for each full hour.- Old clock :...
(Кремлёвские куранты).
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 king of Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, etc. etc.)
In 1935, the Soviets installed a red star
Kremlin stars
The Kremlin stars are the pentagonal luminescent ruby stars, installed in the 1930s on five towers of the Moscow Kremlin, replacing the gilded eagles that had symbolized Imperial Russia.-Installation:...
instead of a two-headed eagle
Coat of arms of Russia
The coat of arms of Russia have gone through three major periods in their history, undergoing major changes in the transitions between the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation. They date back to 1472, when Ivan III began using the double-headed eagle in his seal, which,...
on top of the Spasskaya Tower. The height
Height
Height is the measurement of vertical distance, but has two meanings in common use. It can either indicate how "tall" something is, or how "high up" it is. For example "The height of the building is 50 m" or "The height of the airplane is 10,000 m"...
of the tower with the star is 71 m. In August 2010 above the gate the icon of Savior Smolensky was revealed and restored.
Geographical coordinates: 55.752544°N 37.621425°W.