Kremlin Walls and Towers

The existing walls and towers of the Kremlin were erected during the reign of Grand Duke Ivan III, from 1485-1495, under the supervision of the Italian architects Antonio Gilardi, Marco Ruffo, Pietro Antonio Solari, and Aliosio de Carcano, who came to Moscow to work on the project by special invitation.

The towering red-brick Kremlin walls, following the contours of the Kremlin hill as they have done for over 5 centuries, form an irregular triangle, with its southern flank against the Moskva River, its western wall rising high above the Alexandrovsky Gardens, and its north-eastern side following the edge of Red Square. The walls are a total of 2,205 metres long, between 3.5 and 6.5 metres thick, range from 5 to 19 metres in height, and are topped by swallow-tailed crenellations. Punctuating the walls are no less than 20 separate defensive towers of varying heights and shapes, topped with green tent roofs and gilt weathervanes or red stars. Each tower has its own name, distinctive features, and absorbing history. Running along the top of the walls is a walkway up to 4 meters in width. In this way, walking from one tower to the next, it is possible to complete a circuit of the citadel's perimeter, and get a closer look at the mighty towers that have protected Moscow's heart since medieval times.

Saviour's Tower The main entrance to the Kremlin, famous for its historic chiming clock.  ›››

Tsar's Tower The smallest and youngest of the Kremlin towers is named after Ivan the Terrible. ›››

Alarm Tower This 15th Century watchtower once housed a famous bell that was 'punished' by Catherine the Great. ›››

Konstantion-Yeleninskaya Tower An entrance tower to the Moscow Kremlin which once housed a torture chamber.  ›››

Beklemishevskaya Tower This tower was at the very centre of the Kremlin's defences. ›››

Peter's Tower This Kremlin defensive tower has twice been destroyed and restored. ›››

Nameless Towers Two towers that never managed to pick up a nickname.  ›››

Secret Tower A secret escape route from the Kremlin was hidden in the structure of this tower. ›››

Annunciation Tower This tower shows traces of the white walls of the original medieval Kremlin.  ›››

Water Pump Tower By means of an ingenious pump system, this tower fed the Kremlin with water from the River Moskva. ›››

Borovitskaya Tower This was once the backdoor to the Kremlin. ›››

Armoury Tower This tower once stood beside the Tsar's stables. ›››

Commandant's Tower This tower owes its name to the proximity of the Poteshniy Palace, residence of the Kremlin Commandant. ›››

Trinity Tower The tallest of the 20 towers that surround the Kremlin. ›››

Kutafya Tower A squat tower built to defend the bridges of the Kremlin. ›››

Middle Arsenal Tower A popular grotto lies at the foot of the outer wall. ›››

Corner Arsenal Tower This monumental tower has walls over 4 meters thick. ›››

St. Nicholas Tower A traditional place for settling disputes. ›››

Senate Tower A tower that waited 300 years for a name.  ›››