One of the most important historical spots in Moscow is Red Square, with its famous Kremlin Palace. Red Square is the most valuable place of the city on several different levels including politics, cultural, historic, and tourism. Since Red Square has historical attractions such as the Kremlin Complex, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the State Historical Museum of Russia, the Gum Mall, the Resurrection Gate, and several more it’s hard to imagine a tourist might miss this spectacular place. Red Square is most likely the first target for tourists who travel to Russia and visit Moscow. In Red Square, even Kremlin’s wall and towers identified as a tourist attraction. The wall has quite a history behind it as well as the wall’s towers which each of them has a unique story. One of these towers is the Spasskaya Tower which is translated to the Savior Tower.
Ivan the Great commissioned the well-known Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari to build this tower in 1491. Throughout its history, the tower’s name changed several times, for example, when the tower's construction completed, because of the Church of Frol and Lavr which do not exist anymore, the tower acquired the name Frolovskaya Tower. Later when the famous icon of Spas Nerukotvorny installed inside the tower, the tower’s name changed to the Saviour Tower which is the translation of Nerukotvorny tower. When the tower acquired the Saviour as its name, many people started to believe that the tower is the savior of the Kremlin complex, and it will protect Kremlin from outside attacks. When the icon of the Smolensky Saviour painted on the wall of the tower in the 16th century, it changed the name of the tower once again, and also made those beliefs even stronger.
The tower witnessed several changed to its exterior throughout the time, for instance, the hip-roof on the top of the tower was built in the 17th century by the architects Christopher Galloway and Bazhen Ogurtsov. Galloway who was also a clockmaker was also commissioned to repair the famous clock of the tower which is believed to be made between the late 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century. This famous clock often known as the Kremlin Chimes since Kremlin used it in its ceremonies, or as a signal for the Kremlin’s annunciations.
During the Tsarist era, the Spasskaya tower’s gate was the main entrance to Kremlin and the main path that Tsars and Imperial families used to get into the palace. Since the tower had several religious items such as the Saviour Icon and the Smolensky Saviour wall-painting people had a special respect for the tower as they were getting through its gate, they would take their hats off. It’s also said in legends that when Napoleon conquered the capital city Moscow and was to enter Kremlin, his horse went wild and with its movement made Napoleon’s hat got off his head.
During the Soviet era, the tower went through its darkest days. The gate which was the main path of Tsars and Imperial families and had the people's respect in the past was utilized with a traffic light and turned to a route for cars and automobiles. All the traditions and beliefs about the tower were erased from the memory of the people along with all the religious items and symbols from the tower. The two-headed golden eagle which was the Tsarism symbol was replaced by a red five-pointed star as the symbol of the Soviet Union. Though after the fall of the Union Spasskaya Tower got back its statues which it lost after the revolution and got back the respect once it had from the people, the traditions got lost forever. The traffic signs still can be found on the route under the tower, but the way only opens for the emergencies. The icons and the wall-painting got back to their original place inside the tower in 2010.
One of the famous music festivals of Russia which is held in Moscow and Red Square is called the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival that has a special place in tourists' and Muscovites' heart.
Ones who travel to Russia or sign for a tour to Moscow require lots of time to visit all the attractive sights of the city, but if you have the required information about any place, you can visit your favorite places more organized. Luckily, Red Square has lots of attractions inside it, and it’s quite impossible for any tourist to miss this place in Moscow. Spasskaya Tower is one of those attractions inside Red Square alongside other twenty famous towers of the Kremlin’s wall which to have the right information about their history and story will help you in your travel to Moscow as a tourist. We recommend you to pay more attention to the towers of Kremlin while you're visiting there to understand the history and glory of the place better.
