Where the fortress cities were built. Kremlins, Detintsy, Kroms

Stone fortresses in Russia have appeared since the inception of the Old Russian state. At first, they were small fences that served to protect the territory of clans and settlements from enemies. Over time, ancient forts began to symbolize the power of cities: surrounded by ramparts, fortifications included several lines of defense and defensive structures.

Symbols of fortresses on the map of the Leningrad region

The first fortress of North-West Russia in Staraya Ladoga was founded by the Vikings at the end of the 9th century. Later it was destroyed, but new powerful towers, ditches and stone walls grew in its place. We will never see a huge number of fortresses: there is no stone unturned from them, and only archaeologists and archival documents can say where and what defensive structures were located.

The famous fortress Staraya Ladoga is considered the oldest in the North-Western District

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Fortresses of North-West Russia: the ancient history of our region

But the surviving fortresses of the North-West of Russia are worth seeing and appreciating the scale of the works of ancient architects. The construction of most of them was caused by necessity: after all, for centuries the western regions of Russia lived under the threat of invasion.

Walls, towers, referred to in written sources as "vezha", gates, ditches around fortresses, suspension or swing bridges - all elements of defensive structures in different fortresses were different

Features of the architecture were determined by the conditions of the area, the territory of the protected settlement and the size of the settlement. In the photo Novgorodsky Detinets

The ancient fortresses of Russia in the Northwest can be roughly divided into:

Overland.
Marine.
Fortifications and lines of defense.

Fortresses were erected as reliable strongholds in places of probable enemy attack, from the sea or from land. They were built taking into account the passage of trade routes - by sea, land or rivers. For the construction of defensive structures, a high place was chosen, such that it was possible to see the approach of the enemy in advance. Forts were built at the confluence of rivers in order to provide reliable protection from the water side, and the opposite walls were protected:

Moats.
Suspension bridge systems.
Cunning devices.

Pskov Kremlin

Land fortresses of Russia in the North-West

The famous land-based fortresses of Russia were a powerful shield made up of stone strongholds, whose tasks were to protect the country's borders in the North-West.

If the walls could speak, would they tell us a lot of exciting stories about past battles and battles, during which fortresses passed from hand to hand, and political maps of neighboring countries were redrawn

The Pechora fortress at one time was almost impregnable. It was guarded by seven fortress towers, a massive fence and three fortified gates.

Strongholds would tell what a peak the skill of the architects reached, who built almost impregnable ramparts, towers, walls of many meters. And how selflessly the inhabitants of the fortresses defended themselves from the enemies of Russia - warriors and ordinary townspeople.

The Tikhvin fortress was built on the place where, according to legend, the appearance of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria took place

Most of the fortifications in the Northwest are land-based. Their location was not chosen by chance; often they were built at a height, near rivers or water bodies, which also serve to protect fortifications. Here are the land fortresses of Russia, the list:

Vyborg.
Gatchina.
Izborsk.
Koporye.
Ivangorod.
Novgorod.
Pechora Monastery.
Porkhov.
Pskov.
Old Ladoga.
Tikhvin.
Shlisselburg.

Each of the presented strongholds, even though the Izborsk fortress, was designed in accordance with the strategic tasks facing it. The forms of structures, their nature, parameters were determined by the classification and purpose of the fortress.

Izborsk fortress

Sea fortresses of Russia (North-West)

Photos of Russian fortresses on the sea are a bit similar. Each of them is a link in the state line of defense against an attack from the water and serves for effective defense against the enemy:

Kronstadt (citadel).
Fort Ino.
Fort Krasnaya Gorka.
Southern forts of Kronstadt.
Northern forts of Kronstadt.
Fort Alexander.

These fortifications played a significant role in the historical life of Russia, but they were also magnificent works of architecture.

Kronstadt: the city wall has been preserved for 2/3 of its length, half-towers, defensive barracks. Abandoned batteries with powder magazines can be found on the outskirts

Going with "Sharm Travel" on excursions, examining the most famous fortresses of the Russian North, you will understand that for a long time they have no practical significance. But they still fascinate with their power, inaccessibility, inner strength and reflect the heroic heritage of the people. Having become monuments of architecture, having found their repetition in hundreds of photos and videos, the fortresses of Russia are still a link between generations. Such was and remains, Shlisselburg, Krasnaya Gorka and dozens of famous defensive structures.

Korela Fortress is now a museum. At one time played a significant role in the history of the Karelian Isthmus

Guardians of the North: fortresses of Russia and fortified areas

The maps of the fortresses of Russia are dotted with points of the sea and land defenses of the North-West region. Also, fortified areas and defense lines are marked on them, along which during the past years the war passed. There are not so many of them, but it is worth noting their significance:

Fortress Leningrad.
KaUR (Karelian fortified area).
Mannerheim Line.
Krasnogvardeisky UR.
Nevsky patch.
Karelian shaft.

Many books have been written about some objects, they are well known. This is, for example, the Mannerheim Line, where concrete blocks and bunkers can still be seen today. But from the Nevsky patch there is no stone left over, and tourists cannot find any bastions or ditches. At this place there are mass graves and monuments lined with poplars. But this is also a fortress, because for a small piece of land more than 260 thousand soldiers stood and died in the period from 1941 to 1943. The size of the Nevsky patch is 1 x 1.5 km.

Join our excursions, you will see many beautiful places and learn new facts from the history of the country. Waiting for you:

and Tikhvin.
Staraya Ladoga and Vyborg.

The fortress in Vyborg is one of the few well-preserved monuments of ancient military architecture

Each trip with "Sharm Travel" gives intimate knowledge about the history of the Russian North. You will learn how steadfast the defenders of the fortresses were, even if this fortress was an Orthodox monastery. Put off plans to lie on your favorite couch next weekend, push the boundaries of your interests, take a trip into the past of our land.

Korela fortress

Amazing discoveries await you, stunning panoramic views from the observation tower in Vyborg, exciting excursions around Pskov and Novgorod.

The first known Slavic settlements on the territory of today's Ukraine date back to the 6th-7th centuries. these settlements were unfortified. In subsequent centuries, in connection with the threats of neighboring tribes, nomads in the south and Finnish and Lithuanian tribes in the northwest, fortified settlements - cities began to be created. Fortifications of the VIII-IX and even the X century. belonged, as a rule, not to populous communities that did not have the opportunity to build powerful fortifications. The main task of the fortifications was to prevent the enemies from suddenly bursting into the settlement and to cover the defenders of the fortress, who could fire at the enemy from cover. Therefore, in the construction of fortifications, they tried to make maximum use of natural barriers, the landscape of the area: rivers, steep slopes, ravines, swamps. The most suitable for this purpose were islands in the middle of rivers or swamps. But such settlements were not very convenient in everyday life due to the complexity of communication with the surrounding space and did not have the possibility of territorial growth. And suitable islands are not always and everywhere to be found. Therefore, the most widespread were settlements on high capes - "outliers". Such settlements, as a rule, were surrounded by rivers or steep slopes on three sides; on the floor side, the settlement was defended by a moat and a rampart. A wooden palisade or horizontal logs sandwiched between two pillars - "zaplot" were arranged on top of the shaft.

Settlements Bereznyaki III-V centuries

In the X-XI centuries. the military-political situation changed, the Pechenegs were more and more active in the south, Poland in the west, and the Baltic tribes in the north-west. The birth and development of the feudal state at this time made it possible to build more powerful fortifications. At this time, feudal castles, princely fortresses and cities appeared, where the main role was played not by agriculture, but by craft and trade.
Castles served as strongholds and residences for feudal lords.

The castle of Vladimir Monomakh in Lyubech, XI century. (Reconstruction by B.A.Rybakov.)

City fortifications most often consisted of two defensive lines: the central part - Detinets and the second line - the roundabout city.

Castle city on the Dnieper near the village. Chuchinka. (Reconstruction according to the excavations by V.O.Dovzhenko)

Fortresses were built mainly in border areas and were populated with garrisons.

The leadership of the construction of the fortifications lay with the military engineering specialists. townships or city dwellers. They not only supervised the construction of fortifications, but also monitored their condition and timely repairs. Urban affairs, as one of the difficult types of feudal obligations, lay on the shoulders of the dependent population; in the Novgorod and Pskov lands, hired labor was often used.

The construction of fortifications required large material and human resources. So on the construction of the "city of Yaroslav" in Kiev for five years, about a thousand people were supposed to work continuously. On the construction of a small fortress Mstislavl had to work about 180 people during one construction season.

The main tactic of capturing fortifications in the X-XI centuries. there was a sudden seizure - "departure" or "exile", if it did not succeed, then they began a systematic siege - "obedience". The siege was successful in the event that the reserves of water and provisions of the besieged were exhausted, they decided to take a direct assault only in case of weakness of the fortifications or the garrison.

Fortifications of the XI century were located on a high place or on a low one, in any case, the fortress had to have a wide view so that the enemy could not approach it unnoticed. Frontal firing from the walls along the entire perimeter prevented the assault on the fortifications. The system of fortifications included a moat, a rampart and powerful walls.

In the XII century. round fortresses became widespread; they were located on a flat surface with large open spaces around the perimeter. In such fortresses it was possible to make wells without hindrance, which was very important in case of a long siege and to conduct frontal shelling of enemies in all directions, since the terrain could not create areas of defense that were not shot through.

Mstislavl. (Reconstruction by P.A.Rappoport, drawing by architect A.A. Chumachenko)

The defense of some fortresses consisted of a series of parallel, usually oval rings of fortifications

Ancient Novgorod. X century.

The fortifications of many large cities consisted of a detinets built as a cape fortification, that is, bounded on three sides by natural barriers and having one floor side. The roundabout city covered the posad and was built already obeying the terrain and the area that had to be protected.

The basis of Russian fortresses of the XI - XII centuries. there were earthen parts of fortifications, these are natural slopes, artificial ramparts and ditches. Shafts were of particular importance in the defense system. They were poured from soil, the basis of which was usually soil obtained by digging a ditch. The front slope of the ramparts was from 30 to 45 degrees, the back slope was 25-30 degrees. On the back side of the rampart, a terrace was sometimes made at half its height to move the defenders of the fortress during the battle. To climb to the top of the rampart, wooden ladders were made, sometimes ladders were carved into the ground itself.

The height of the ramparts of medium-sized fortifications was no more than 4 m, the ramparts of large cities were much larger: Vladimir 8 m, Ryazan 10 m, the city of Yaroslav in Kiev 16 m.Sometimes the ramparts had a complex wooden structure inside that prevented the spread of the embankment and connected her. In ancient Russian fortresses, such a structure was oak log cabins clogged with earth.

The earliest structures inside the rampart belong to the fortresses of the 10th century. this is Belgorod, Pereyaslavl, a fortress on the river. Stugne (settlement Zarechye). In these fortresses, at the base of the rampart, oak log cabins stand close to each other, with the release of logs about 50 cm. The front wall of the log cabins was exactly under the crest of the rampart, and the frame itself went into its rear part. Under the front part of the shaft, in front of the log house, there is a lattice frame made of logs knocked together with iron crutches and filled with masonry of raw bricks on clay. The whole structure was covered with earth forming the ramp of the shaft.

Shaft and fortress wall of Belgorod X century. (Reconstruction by M.V. Gorodtsov, B.A. Rybakov)

Since the XI century. Due to the laboriousness of manufacturing, the structure of the shaft began to be made easier, the front part of the shaft was simply earthen, only a frame of log cabins filled with earth remained. Such ramparts were in Chertorysk, in the settlement of Old Bezradichi, in the settlement at the Sungirevsky ravine near Vladimir, in Novgorod, etc. With a considerable width of the rampart, a frame with several transverse walls was erected across the rampart (the rampart of ancient Mstislavl).

To eliminate the shaft slipping, log cabins of small height were placed at its base. Some of the stands on the inner side of the shaft were not filled with earth, but were left for use as residential or utility rooms. This technique was especially widely used in fortresses of the 12th century.

Moats in Russian fortresses of the XI-XII centuries. were usually symmetrical in profile, with an angle of inclination of 30-45 degrees. The depth of the ditch was usually equal to the height of the rampart. The shaft was poured about one meter from the ditch.

Most of the fortresses in Russia in the XI-XII centuries were made of wood, they were log cabins chopped "in the oblo". The first simple structure of a log wall is a frame of three walls connected to the second one of the same frame by a short piece of log.

Fortress wall of the XII century. (Reconstruction by P.A.Rappoport)

The second type is walls consisting of 3-4 m long log cabins tightly set to each other.Each such link, regardless of the structure, was called grodney. If the defensive ramparts had wooden log cabins inside, then the walls were directly connected to them, grew out of them. The disadvantage of such walls was the difference in the height of the walls due to the uneven shrinkage of the log cabins, which made the battle area uneven and the rapid decay of the adjacent walls of the log cabins due to poor ventilation.
The height of the walls was 3-5 m. In the upper part of the wall, a combat course was arranged, covered with a log parapet. Such devices were called visors. Most likely, already in the XII, the visor was made with a protrusion in front, which made it possible to conduct not only frontal shelling of the enemy, but also to hit the enemy with arrows or boiling water at the bottom at the foot of the walls.

Double took away. According to V. Laskovsky

If the front wall of the visor was higher than human height, then for the convenience of the defenders, special benches were made, called beds.

Took it from the bed. According to V. Laskovsky

From above, the visor was covered with a roof, most often a gable.

In most fortresses, the passage inside was carried out through the gates located in the driveway tower. The level of the gate was located at the base of the rampart; over the gate, especially in large cities, gate churches were arranged. If there was a moat in front of the gate, a narrow bridge was made across it, which in case of danger was destroyed by the defenders of the fortress. Drawbridges in Russia in the XI-XII centuries were used very rarely. In addition to the main gates, secret manholes were arranged in the fortresses, in the earthen ramparts, which were used for sorties during the siege. Fortresses of the XI-XII centuries were built most often without towers, except for the gates and watchtowers intended for viewing the area.

From the beginning of the XIII century, the assault on the fortress in the place of a passive siege began to be used more and more often. The ditches were thrown with bundles of brushwood - "will", climbed onto the walls with the help of ladders. Stone-throwing machines began to be used. With the advent of the Mongols in Russia, a new tactic of taking the fortress was fully formed. The main weapon for fighting the fortresses were stone throwers (vices), which were installed at a distance of 100-150 m from the wall. The entire city was fenced off with a palisade around the perimeter, in order to protect themselves from attacks by the besieged. Stone throwers methodically fired at a certain section of the wall and, after its complete or partial destruction and massive artillery fire, went on an attack. The besieged defenders could no longer return fire on the destroyed section of the walls, and the attackers forced their way into the interior of the fortress, so almost all the cities were taken by storm and destroyed, especially in the Middle Dnieper region.

The emergence of new assault tactics led to a change in the construction of fortresses. The first in this were the lands of Galicia-Volyn, Vladimir-Suzdal and Novgorod lands, as the most distant from the influence of the Mongols.
They are trying to build new fortresses on heights, so that it would not be possible to roll up stone throwing machines at a sufficiently close distance to them. In the Volyn principality, high stone towers are being built - donjons (20-29 m) from which it is possible to fire at the attackers. They were usually built near the most dangerous areas of the defense.

Chertorysk XIII century. (Reconstruction by P.A.Rappoport)

Several defensive rings of ramparts and walls appear on the floor side of the fortress. As a result, the third main wall of the fortifications, which must be destroyed, is located at a considerable distance from the first wall. In Galich, this distance is 84 m. Therefore, to fire on the third wall, you need to roll the stone thrower 50-60 m to the first defensive line, while the defenders of the fortress are constantly firing at those who serve the stone throwers from close range.
In the XIV century. in North-Eastern Russia has developed its own new defense system. Most of the perimeter of the fortress was covered by natural barriers: rivers, ravines, steep slopes. The floor side was protected by powerful ditches, ramparts and walls. They began to put towers with the removal of the wall, so that it was possible to conduct flanking shelling of the enemy. They tried to make the sections of the walls between the towers straight for a more successful defeat of the enemy. Among the fortresses made according to this principle, one can name: Staritsa (Tver land), Romanov, Vyshgorod, Ples, Galich-Mersky, etc.
Fortresses of this type, with one powerful fortified side and less fortified others, closed by natural barriers, required lower costs for their construction and corresponded as much as possible to the ability to repel an enemy assault.
Since the XV century. In connection with the ever more improvement of stone throwers and the appearance of artillery, the walls began to be made thicker, from two rows of logs, walls from two and three sectional log cabins appeared, the inner space of which was filled with earth. For the construction of the loopholes of the lower battle, some of the cages were covered with earth, others were left empty to accommodate guns and shooters. The walls covered with earth withstood cannon blows no worse than stone walls.
By the middle of the 15th century, with the growth of the power of artillery, it became possible to fire at the fortress from any side, natural barriers no longer protected from enemy shelling and assault as before. Since that time, the towers are located along the entire perimeter of the defense, and the walls between the towers are straightened for the possibility of flanking shelling. The creation of regular - rectangular fortresses with towers at the corners began. In addition to the rectangle, the plan of the fortress was made in the form of a pentagon, triangle, trapezoid. If the terrain did not allow making the geometric correct shape of the fortress, then the towers were evenly distributed around the perimeter, and the areas between the towers were straightened as much as possible.

Fortress wall constructions

The simplest fortification of the first fortresses was a ditch with a rampart on which a low tyn was installed from logs dug vertically into the ground with pointed ends.

The simplest tynov strengthening is a wall of various heights, the defense of which was carried out over the tyna or through special loopholes. A more complex type is a tyn with a double fight. It consists of: an "upper battle", the platform of which was located on the transverse chopped walls and a lower "plantar battle".

Tynovaya fencing with upper and plantar fight according to V. Laskovsky

By the location of the tyna, a "standing" prison was distinguished, this is when the fence is located perpendicular to the ground and the "oblique" prison with a slope of the tyna towards the enclosed space.

A - slanting fort, B - backfill tynovaya fence, C - transitional type from tynovy fences to the walls. According to V. Laskovsky

There were back walls with "needles", these are inclined support logs, the sharp ends of which were directed outward.

More serious protection was provided by the backfill fence, when the space between the rear and rear uprights was covered with earth. Another type of backfill stockade is transitional to chopped walls. Here, a low masonry fence, which plays the role of a parapet, is placed on adjacent log cabins filled with earth. Chopped walls are stronger and more durable. The ancient type of chopped walls are "grodny" log cabins placed close to each other.

The walls were chopped by grodnyas. Mangazeya. XVII century Reconstruction

The disadvantage of this design was the rapid decay of the side walls adjacent to each other and the uneven settlement of log cabins, which led to large differences in the height of the upper battlefield.

These disadvantages were eliminated in the construction of the walls with "taras". Such walls were widely used in the 15th century. The outer and inner walls were made solid and interconnected by transverse walls at a distance of 3-4 sazhens, inside they were covered with earth or stones.

Axonometric section of the wall, cut by "taras", Olonets (1649), reconstruction

To give greater stability, the base of the walls was broadened with slopes.

Wall section with broadened base. According to V. Laskovsky

Another type of walls "tarasami" was more complex. The transverse walls were on the outer surface at a fathom distance from each other, and at the inner surface they converged to form triangular cages. Moreover, the arrangement of the logs of the transverse walls alternated every two crowns of the longitudinal walls. This design gave greater stability and made it difficult for the besiegers to make a partial collapse in it.

Walls of the city of Korotoyak (1648)

According to written sources, the height of the chopped walls was 2.5-3 fathoms, the width of the walls was from 1.5 to 2 fathoms. Tynovye walls had a height of 1.5 to 2 fathoms.

With the proliferation of firearms in the 16th century, when fire fighting began to be used in defense, the lower tier of the defense, the plantar battle, appeared in the structure of the walls. For this, niches with loopholes in the front wall were made in taras.

The plan and sections of the walls of Tarasami with the lower battle. According to V. Laskovsky

For the shooters of the upper battle, a log floor ("bridge") was laid on top of the taras, covered with a log parapet with loopholes and covered with a gable roof on top. The upper battle hung over the wall, forming a "field" for shooting from the top, dropping stones and pouring resin over the enemy storming the wall.

Walls of Olonets (1649). According to V. Laskovsky

The wooden chopped walls had a gable roof, the rafter structure of which was held on the outer wall and on the inner pillars supported by the outlets of the upper logs of the cut-off walls. The roof of the wing is usually in two pieces, less often in one, but then a strip was used or shit was put under the piece.

Towers until the 13th century had limited use, they bore different names: "vezha", "strelnitsa", "fire", "pillar". The term tower appeared in the 16th century. The towers were made quadrangular, six and octagonal in plan. Polygonal towers made it possible to increase the field of fire, they fit especially well into fortresses with a complex plan configuration.

The corner tower of the Olonets fortress. XVII century Reconstruction

Quadrangular towers were often placed in fortresses with a geometrically correct configuration. The upper part of the tower, especially of a later period, had the dimensions of the frame wider than the base; such overhanging of the frame on the consoles logs created “oblam”. Through the resulting gap, it was possible to hit the enemies who had accumulated at the base of the towers. In the walls of the towers, loopholes were made to the size of the weapons used. The loopholes for the squeakers were 8-10 cm and were widened from the outside on the side and bottom to increase the firing space, for the guns the loopholes were 30x40 cm.

Bratsk prison tower. 1654 Reconstruction by V. Laskovsky

The towers were usually multi-tiered, the floors were connected by internal staircases, in some cases an external staircase led to the upper tier, especially when the lower floor was used for housing (the Bratsk prison tower). The tower was usually crowned with a hipped roof, with or without policemen. On top of the tent, an observation tower was sometimes arranged.

Tower of the city of Krasnoyarsk. According to V. Laskovsky

The roof frame could be made of logs or have a rafter structure on top, the frame was sewn up with a plank. The ends of the gaps were sometimes decorated with truncated peaks.

In Russia, the word "city" was used to describe any fortified place surrounded by a fortress wall. The construction of defensive structures was vital, as it guaranteed protection from numerous external enemies.

Moscow Kremlin

The history of the Moscow Kremlin can be roughly divided into two stages: wood and stone. The word "Kremlin" itself, translated from Old Russian, means a fortress located inside the city itself, the so-called citadel. The first wooden Kremlin was built during the reign of Ivan Kalita (1328-1341). This is not surprising, since only a rich and strong prince had money to build temples and fortifications, and it was Ivan Kalita who found them, because he was the first ruler-entrepreneur.

In 1366-1367. during the reign of Dmitry Donskoy, construction began on a new Moscow Kremlin - a stone one. Instead of wooden fortifications, a "city of stone" arose, which was expanded almost to the limits of the present. The Moscow Kremlin was surrounded by the first impregnable white-stone fortress in North-Eastern Russia. The fortifications were lower than modern ones, but they did not allow the Lithuanian prince Olgerd to seize Moscow in 1368, 1370 and 1372, when he made his campaigns. Under Ivan III (1462-1505), the rebuilding of the Moscow Kremlin began. fortifications of Dmitry Donskoy were dilapidated and were no longer a reliable defense against the enemy. The character of the Grand Duke affected the construction: the fortifications were erected slowly and thoroughly - for centuries to come. For this work, not only Russian, but also Italian architects were invited. Probably, Ivan III did this on the advice of his second wife Sophia Palaeologus, who was brought up in Italy.
The construction of the Moscow fortifications was completed only in 1516, already during the reign of Vasily III, the son of Ivan III and Sophia Palaeologus.

Pskov Kremlin

The Kremlin or Krom, as the Pskovians call it, is located on a rocky promontory at the confluence of two rivers - Velikaya and Pskova. The wooden walls of the Kremlin were erected in the 8th - 10th centuries, in the 10th - 13th centuries. the first stone fortifications appeared, after which the construction of new Kremlin towers began, the strengthening of the fortress walls and their building up in height. Two southern passage gates led to the Kremlin, of which only the Great (Trinity) gates have survived, reliably protected by the Trinity Tower and the Zhab. Initially, the Great Gate was 5 - 6 m below today's level. From which we can draw a conclusion about the power of Perseus (the first stone wall of the Kremlin on the south side), the height of the walls of which exceeded 20 m. The Deep Moat - Rowing - paved by the Pskovians parallel to the foot of Perseus, turned the Kremlin into an impregnable fortress. Nobody lived in the Kremlin. Here the people's council gathered, food supplies were stored, there were cages, which were guarded by guard dogs - "Krom dogs". Theft from the Kremlin was considered a grave crime against the state and was punishable by death. On the territory of the Kremlin there is the Trinity Cathedral - the main temple of Pskov and the Pskov land.

Dovmont city is the second belt of Krom's fortifications. The territory fortified with stone walls and towers adjoins the Pskov Kremlin from the south. It was named after Prince Dovmont (in the baptism of Timothy), who reigned in Pskov from 1266 to 1299. honor was delivered to a stone church in the southern part of the Kremlin. Despite the small area - about one and a half hectares - in the XII-XVI centuries. Pskovians are building more than 20 church and civil buildings made of stone in Dovmont town. At the time of the veche republic (until 1510), Dovmont city was considered the center of the church and administrative administration of Pskov and the Pskov land. Unfortunately, the temples and administrative buildings of Dovmont's town have not survived to this day. The ancient buildings can only be judged by the foundations of some medieval churches raised above the ground, the number of which, it is assumed, corresponded to the number of Pskov suburbs.

Kremlin of Novgorod the Great

The Novgorod Kremlin is one of the oldest monuments of the military-defensive architecture of Russia in the 15th-17th centuries. The total area of the fortress inside the walls is 12.1 hectares. A deep moat surrounds it from the north, west and south. The fortress walls, standing on the rampart, have a length of 1487 m, a height of 8 to 15 m, a thickness of 3, 6 to 6, 5 m. Of the twelve towers that existed in Detinets of the 15th century, nine have survived: Palace, Spasskaya, Knyazhaya , Kokuy, Pokrovskaya, Zlatoustovskaya, Metropolitan, Fedorovskaya and Vladimirskaya.
The original Detinets was made of wood, but over the years it was rebuilt many times, and finally, after the annexation of Novgorod to the Moscow State in the 15th century, it became stone. By the way, the Moscow Kremlin was also rebuilt at about the same period. This is probably why the walls of the Moscow and Novgorod Kremlin are similar.
Until the 18th century, the Novgorod Kremlin performed purely defensive functions in the north-west of Russia. And after the annexation of the Baltic states to Russia, it lost its defensive purpose, however, like many other fortresses of Russia.
In the Kremlin there are: the most ancient temple in Russia, St. Sophia Cathedral (1045-1050), the oldest civil building - the Vladychnaya (Faceted) Chamber (1433) and other monuments of the 15th-19th centuries.
In the center of the Kremlin there is a monument to the Millennium of Russia (1862).

Kazan fortress

No historian will name the exact date of the construction of the Kazan Kremlin. Researchers believe that the complex appeared between the X and XII centuries. At first, all buildings were erected from wood, and the Kremlin itself consisted of fortress walls. But every year more and more structures appeared, and then the complex turned into a real city - this is how Kazan was born. At first the fortress was an outpost for the Bulgar princes, then - for the khans of the Golden Horde. Since the 16th century, it came under the control of the Russian state - it was captured by Ivan the Terrible.

At first, the troops turned the Kremlin fortifications into ruins, but from this moment a new page in the history of the complex begins. Ivan the Terrible started a grandiose restructuring of the Kremlin: architects and bricklayers came from Pskov. For six years, the craftsmen have changed the appearance of the building beyond recognition. Orthodox churches, bell towers and towers were built on the territory. Instead of wooden fortifications, stone ones were erected. For a long time this citadel was famous as the most impregnable fortress of medieval Russia.

But in the 18th century, this function became unimportant - the state expanded its borders. Only during the uprising of Yemelyan Pugachev was the Kremlin used as a fortress during the siege of Kazan. After that, the complex lost its military purpose completely. Since the end of the 19th century, the fortress began to take on a modern architectural image, and today it is a symbol of the mutual reconciliation of Orthodoxy and Islam.

The main entrance to the Kremlin lies through the Spasskaya Tower - on May Day Square. Note the Zilant Dragon statue. This creature is considered the symbol of Kazan and the protector of the city. There are many legends about the Kazan basilisk - it is believed that the monster lives at the bottom of the lake and the hills at the mouth of the river, it happens in the surrounding forests.

The Spasskaya Tower stands out as the main part of the complex. Sheinkman Street stretches from it - the former Bolshaya Street, which was the most important in the Kremlin. This tower was built later than the others - in the 17th century as a symbol of the greatness of Russia. Pskov masters worked hard to create a traditional Russian bell tower with a majestic eagle on the spire. For a long time there was a church inside, and a chapel nearby. But later the building was dismantled, making a through entrance.

The Spasskaya Tower is not the only one, only eight of the thirteen original ones have survived. No less interesting is Taynitskaya, also built in the 17th century. A massive lower and miniature upper tier, a magnificent view of the city from the gulbisch - all this deserves attention.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

In 1221, at the confluence of the Oka and Volga rivers, Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich founded a border fortress, which became the main defensive structure in the war with the Volga Bulgaria. Initially, the fortifications were made of wood and earthen, and the fortress had an oval shape. The main feature of the fortress was that it was built on uninhabited territory. Soon the fortress was in the center of the struggle between the Suzdal princes and the Mordovian tribes. However, this war could not compare with the misfortune that would fall upon Russia decades later - the country would plunge into the "Mongolian darkness." Nizhny Novgorod residents will repeatedly leave Novgorod at the mercy of the Tatars. The fortress will also be captured, however, it will happen in its "wooden" existence. In the future, along with the growth of the city, the expansion of the fortress will also take place: stone walls and the Dmitrievskaya gate tower will be built. The stone Nizhny Novgorod fortress will never be captured by the enemy, despite the fact that he will repeatedly appear under its walls.
The Kremlin of Nizhny Novgorod is notable for the fact that of all Russian fortresses it has the largest difference in height between its structures. The legend also adds fame: allegedly somewhere in the local dungeons the missing library of Ivan the Terrible is buried.

Astrakhan fortress

Kolomna fortress

The Kremlin was built by Italian craftsmen for six years. Researchers believe that the construction was headed by the architect Aliviz New - a native of Venice or Milan, Aloisio Lamberti da Montagnana. And since 1528 Petrok Maly was in charge.

16 towers were erected along the perimeter of the Kremlin, all the achievements of Western European fortification architecture of that time were used in the construction. The area of 24 hectares was surrounded by a two-kilometer wall, the thickness of which was more than three meters, and the height of the walls was more than 20 meters.

The construction was completed on August 15, 1531. The Kolomna Kremlin became a first-class fortress, one of the most interesting buildings of its era. After that Kolomna remained a military center for a long time: it was here in 1552 that the army of Ivan the Terrible gathered before the campaign against Kazan.

How many towers were originally - 16 or 17, it is not known exactly. Only seven towers have survived to this day, including the passage gate. By the middle of the 19th century, in some parts of the Kremlin there was no longer a single tower, only ruined walls.

The Pyatnitsky Gate, the four-sided Pogorelaya (Alekseevskaya) Tower, the Spasskaya Tower, the Simeonovskaya Tower, the Yamskaya (Troitskaya) Tower, the six-sided Faceted Tower and the round Kolomenskaya (Marinkina) Tower, which is the tallest, have survived to this day. Marinkina was nicknamed by the people in honor of Marina Mnishek. During the Time of Troubles, it was through her fault that the impregnable fortress was taken by the Poles for the only time - Marina Mnishek fraudulently let them into the city. There is a legend that after these events the traitor was imprisoned in a tower and died in it.

Smolensk Kremlin

A remarkable example of the achievements of military engineering at the end of the 15th century - the Smolensk Fortress - was built according to the design of Fyodor Kon. A precious necklace of 38 towers, laid on the Dnieper hills - this is what this fortress is called today. It was built on the initiative of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, who sought to protect Smolensk from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. The first stone in the foundation of the fortress was laid by Boris Godunov in 1595, and by 1602 the fortress had already been completed and consecrated. Its main feature was the ability to conduct a three-level battle. In 1609, the Smolensk fortress was able to withstand 20 months of the siege of the Polish king Sigismund III, in 1708 - it stopped the Swedish king Charles XII, who was marching to Moscow. In 1812, the French lost many soldiers at the walls of the Smolensk fortress, blowing up 8 fortress towers in revenge. Initially, the length of the fortress walls was equal to six and a half kilometers. Unfortunately, today there are sections of no more than three kilometers in length. The impressive sixteen-sided towers not only acted as a defensive structure, but also served as the face of the city, as they overlooked the Moscow road.

Ivangorod fortress

Ivan the Terrible ordered to build a fortress protecting the Russian borders from the Teutonic knights in 1492. The place was not chosen by chance: the fortress was erected opposite the Livonian fortress of Narva. Repeatedly Ivangorod then passed to the Swedes, then again returned to the Russians. In 1704, after the capture of Narva by the Russian troops, Ivangorod capitulated and was finally returned to Russia. The fortress was badly damaged during the Great Patriotic War. On its territory there were two concentration camps for Russian prisoners of war. Before the retreat, the Germans managed to blow up six corner towers, large sections of walls, a cache and buildings in the inner courtyard of the fortress. However, 10 towers with stone walls and the ancient Orthodox Church of Ivangorod in the Leningrad region have been well preserved to this day.

Shlisselburg Fortress (Oreshek)

Founded at the source of the Neva on Orekhovy Island, the fortress received its second name - Oreshek. The construction was initiated in 1323 by the grandson of Alexander Nevsky, Yuri Danilovich. The fortress, built of wood at the age of 30, completely burned down, after which it was rebuilt from stone. After the annexation of Novgorod to the Moscow principality, the fortress was seriously strengthened, dismantled to the foundation and rebuilt along the perimeter of the entire island new defensive 12-meter walls with a thickness of 4.5 meters. The old rivals of Russia, the Swedes, repeatedly tried to take possession of the fortress, and in 1611 they succeeded. For 90 years, the Swedes ruled the fortress, which they called Noteburg. Only during the Northern War did it return to its old owners and was again renamed Shlisselburg, or "Key City". Since the 18th century, the fortress has lost its defensive significance and has become a prison of ill fame and harsh order. For the slightest disobedience, the prisoners were expected to be executed, the prisoners died of consumption and tuberculosis. For all the time, no one managed to escape from the Shlisselburg fortress.

Vladivostok fortress

A unique monument of military-defensive architecture, which has no analogues in the world. The Vladivostok Fortress is the only Russian naval fortress that has survived since the 19th century and is included in the UNESCO list. The tsarist government, according to experts, invested very serious capital in its construction. In the 70s – 90s of the XIX century, earth batteries were built, which served as the main defense of the city. The birthday of the fortress is considered August 30, 1889, when the sea keyser-flag was raised over its walls. In 1916, on the territory of more than 400 sq. meters, about 130 different forts, strongholds, fortifications and coastal batteries with almost one and a half thousand guns were erected. All structures had telephone and visual communications, as well as the necessary communications, including ventilation and electricity. Thanks to the available reserves, the fortress could withstand a two-year siege. The immensity of the fortress frightened the enemies so much that they never dared to attack.

Porkhovskaya fortress

One of the few surviving one-sided fortresses in the north-west of the country. Similar structures were erected in Russia from the middle of the 14th century to the end of the 15th century. Alexander Nevsky founded the Porkhov Fortress, as well as most of the entire defensive system of the Novgorod principality. For a long time, the fortress protected from the raids of the Lithuanians, who passionately wanted to capture both Novgorod and Pskov. Initially, the fortification was built of wood and earth. But already at the end of the XIV century, the Lithuanians increased the power of their attacks and their number so much that the Novgorodians urgently began to erect stone walls. It is curious that these walls are the first walls of a Russian fortress capable of withstanding the blows of gunpowder weapons. In the second half of the 18th century, the fortress was in such a state that, in order to protect the people from the stones falling out of the walls, it was decided to dismantle it. The fortress was saved, oddly enough, by bureaucratic red tape. Only "the most dangerous places" were dismantled. Today, a sample of military Novgorod architecture of the XIV-XV centuries is open to tourists.

Over the centuries, the borders of Russia have been changed many times due to all kinds of wars, invasions and other historical events. One of the most important tasks of Russia at all times was the protection of its borders. Especially in the north-west, where there was a constant threat from Lithuania and Sweden, which tested the strength of the borders of the Russian state many times. In this regard, in the Middle Ages, powerful defensive structures were built, which created a solid shield from enemies on the borders of our state. Many of the great fortresses of Russia were well preserved throughout the day, many were partially preserved, some were completely destroyed or for other reasons were wiped off the face of the earth over time. This article will focus on the greatest examples of ancient architecture that can be seen today.

The legacy of past eras

Most of the fortifications on the territory of our country were built precisely in the Middle Ages. However, there are both earlier and later fortresses of Russia, which performed very important functions in the life of the country. They, of course, no longer carry any protective functions, but are architectural monuments and cultural heritage, because they are a reflection of the heroic past of the Russian people. Most of the structures presented below are military fortresses of Russia, but among them there are also fortified monasteries and other valuable masterpieces of ancient architecture of past centuries. The territory of our country is truly huge, and there is a really large number of various defensive fortifications on it. It is worth highlighting the most strategically important and famous fortresses in Russia. The list is as follows:

1. Old Ladoga fortress.

2. Fortress Oreshek.

3. Ivangorod fortress.

4. Koporskaya fortress.

7. Porkhovskaya fortress.

8. Novgorod fortress.

9. Kronstadt fortress.

10. Moscow Kremlin.

More details about each of them are written below.

Old Ladoga fortress

The list should start with her, since in Staraya Ladoga, it is also called the "ancient capital of Northern Russia", the first fortress in Russia was built by the Vikings in the 9th century. An important point: it was the first stone fortress on the territory of Ancient Rus. However, it was destroyed by the Swedes, and in the XII century. it was rebuilt, and in the 16th century. rebuilt. In later centuries, it fell into decay and collapsed, and to this day, only part of the walls, two towers and a church have survived.

Nut, or Shlisselburg, or Noteburg

This is the number of names for this fortress of Russia, which is also located on the territory of the present Leningrad region. It was founded in 1352, the remains of the first boulder wall are still in the center of a more modern fortress. In the 15th - 16th centuries, it was rebuilt and became an example of a classic fortress designed for all-round defense. In the 17th century it belonged to Sweden until it was recaptured by Peter I. From the 18th century, the fortress became a prison, where members of the royal family, favorites, schismatics, Decembrists and many others were sent. During the blockade of Leningrad, the Germans were never able to take it. At the moment, there are many museum exhibits that once belonged to the prisoners of these walls.

The power of Ivangorod

In 1492, the foundation of this fortress-city of Russia was laid over the Narva River on Maiden Mountain and named in honor of the great Russian prince. The Ivangorod fortress took only seven weeks to build - an incredible speed for that time. Originally square with four towers, it was completed and expanded in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was a strategically important center of Rus, which controlled ships on the river and the exit to the Monument of Military Engineering Art has been very well preserved to this day, despite the damage during the Great Patriotic War.

Ancient Koporye

It is first mentioned in the annals of 1240 as a fortress, which was founded by the crusaders. They retreated thanks to the army of Alexander Nevsky, under whose son in 1297 the Koporskaya fortress was completed. In the 16th century, it was thoroughly rebuilt. In the 17th century, it, like some other fortresses in north-west Russia, was taken over by the Swedes, and only in 1703 was it managed to be recaptured. For some time it was the military-administrative center of the Ingermanland province (the first province of Russia). Only fragments of walls and 4 towers have survived to this day, but at the same time, the underground passages have been remarkably preserved. In Koporye itself there is "Rusich" - a glacial boulder, one of the largest of the existing ones.

Great Pskov

It was the first fortified city on the northwestern border of Russia. It has been mentioned in chronicles since 903. And from 1348 to 1510 it was the center of the Pskov Veche Republic - a small boyar state. In the center of the ensemble of the Pskov fortress was the Krom (Kremlin), built in 1337 on a promontory at the confluence of two rivers, inside which there were: Trinity Cathedral, governing bodies, treasury, archive, where they conducted court, collected veche and stored weapons and supplies. The second line of fortifications - Dovmont town - was built in the XIV-XV centuries. Another wall was erected to the south of Dovmotnov town, and in the resulting so-called stagnation there was a Trade. In 1374 - 75 years. the city was surrounded by another wall - the Middle City.

The defense of the city consisted of four belts of stone fortifications. The total length of the walls was 9.5 km, along the entire length of which there were 40 towers. During sieges and battles, even women fought on the walls of this fortress of Russia. Most of the cities of Ancient Rus were made of wood, while Pskov was built up with stone churches since the 12th century, many of which still exist today.

The Pskovo-Pechersky Monastery is unique for its fortress ensemble, its center is located between the hills, and the edges are hidden by ravines. Despite the fact that the monastery did not fulfill exactly a military function, it was able to withstand the attack of the Swedes. In addition to the ground part with the usual churches and outbuildings, this monastery also has a cave church - the Assumption. It appeared back in 1473, at the same time the monastery itself was consecrated. At the moment, the monastery is open to the public.

One of the first

Izborsk is located in, which was one of the first cities in Russia and is indicated in the annals as far back as 862. In 1330, a stone fortress was erected, which in its history was completed and changed several times, and fragments of which have survived to this day, albeit thoroughly destroyed by time. The walls were about 850 meters long. In the XIV century, one of the participants in the siege christened Izborsk "the iron city", and until the Great Patriotic War, no one was able to take the fortress. Nowadays, a festival of military-historical reconstruction called "Iron City" is being held in these places. Almost from under the walls of this fortress of Russia springs are gushing, the water from which is considered curative, and in the spring they become whole waterfalls flowing into the lake.

Small Porkhov

Another area is Porkhovskaya. Relatively small, it had only three towers, a church and a bell tower. It was founded back in 1387, and was later completed, like many other ancient fortresses in Russia. The city of Porkhov itself, according to the chronicles, was founded during the reign of Alexander Nevsky to cover the waterway from Pskov to Novgorod. Under Catherine II, a botanical garden was laid within the walls of the fortress. In its place is now a small cozy corner where medicinal plants grow, and inside the fortress there is a museum post office. The town of Porkhov is interesting with even a large number of other architectural monuments, such as merchant houses, historical estates and unusual temples.

Detinets of Veliky Novgorod

One of the largest and richest cities in Russia in the XI-XV centuries is Novgorod. From 1136 to 1478, it was the center of the Novgorod Republic, after which it joined the Moscow principality. Located on the banks of the Volkhov River, close to In the center of the city since 1333, there was a wooden Detinets (Kremlin), which was later burned down. At the end of the 15th century, it was rebuilt in stone. At the moment, the entire stunning architectural ensemble of the Kremlin is a UNESCO monument. The complex consisted of twelve towers (round and square), and the walls were more than one and a half kilometers long. Unfortunately, many of the fortifications have not survived to this day.

Contemporary history of Russia

Refers to a later era in the history of the country than the above fortresses in Russia. The fortified city of Kronstadt, located on the Kotlin island, along the periphery of which there are numerous forts of the complex, is the largest in Europe and is also a UNESCO monument. Despite this, many of the fortifications today are in a very neglected state. The forts "Grand Duke Constantine", "Kronslot", "Constantine" and "Emperor Alexander I" are currently the most accessible and visited. There are also a lot of old and interesting buildings in Kronstadt: the palace, the Gostiny Dvor, the Admiralty complex, the Tolbukhin Mayak, and many others.

The most important

In different periods of the history of our country, various fortresses played an important, if not decisive role. Today we can say that this function is performed by the Moscow Kremlin. This main fortress in Russia is located on the banks of the Moskva River on Borovitsky Hill. Back in 1156, the first wooden fortifications were built on this site, which were replaced by stone ones in the XIV century (they used local white stone). It is believed that this is why Moscow was called white-stone. However, although this material withstood many enemy attacks, it turned out to be short-lived.

During the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich, the restructuring of the Kremlin began. Palaces, churches and other buildings were erected by invited Italian masters. In the 16th century, the building of new churches continued: the Cathedral of the Ascension Monastery, the Cathedral of the Chudov Monastery and others. In parallel with this, new walls were built and the area of the fortress was increased. At the time of Peter I, when Moscow ceased to be a royal residence, and the great fire of 1701 carried away many wooden buildings, it was forbidden to erect wooden structures inside the Kremlin. At the same time, the construction of the Arsenal began.

Later, the Kremlin was completed and rebuilt more than once, and a single architectural ensemble appeared in 1797. In 1812 Napoleon entered Moscow and the Kremlin, respectively, and when he left its walls through a secret passage, he ordered all buildings to be blown up. Fortunately, most of the buildings survived, but the damage was still significant. Over the course of 20 years, much has been possible to restore, reconstruct and eliminate the traces of the explosions.

Subsequently, the Moscow Kremlin has undergone various changes many times; most of all, its architectural ensemble suffered during the coming of the Bolsheviks to power. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1990, and since 1991 it has become the residence of the President of the Russian Federation. Since that time, it has been periodically restored. More than 2 km is the length of the Kremlin walls, along which there are 20 towers. Cathedrals and churches: Arkhangelsk, Annunciation, Assumption, Verkhospassky and others. On the territory there is the Big Golden Tsaritsina Chamber, the Arsenal, the Armory and other buildings. Four squares, a garden and a public garden, as well as two monuments - Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell, and many other buildings are located on the territory of this important historical, artistic, social and political complex of our country.

The center of any old Russian city was a small fortress, at different periods of time called Detinets, Krom and, finally, the Kremlin. Usually it was erected on a hill - on a hill or a steep bank of a river. The prince lived in the Kremlin with his retinue, as well as representatives of the higher clergy and city administration. Around the settlement grew, inhabited by artisans and merchants, also surrounded by an external fortress wall. Traces of this ancient urban landscape have been preserved in some places to this day. We toured some of the most iconic sites.

Kolomna was founded in the middle of the 12th century. At first, the city fortifications were made of wood. The stone Kremlin was built in the second quarter of the 16th century by order of Vasily III to protect the southern borders of the Moscow principality. It is believed that it was designed by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin, and the Moscow Kremlin itself was taken as a model. Gradually, the borders of Muscovy expanded, the Kremlin lost its military significance. In the 18th-19th centuries, it was gradually destroyed and rebuilt several times. Fragments of the fortress wall of the 16th-17th centuries with towers and gates have survived to this day. The Cathedral Square of the Kremlin contains the Assumption Cathedral, the Tikhvin Cathedral and the tent-roofed bell tower. Catherine II stayed at the Novo-Golutvin Holy Trinity Monastery, adjacent to the square. It is believed that it was here that she first tasted the local delicacy - Kolomna marshmallow. Dmitry Donskoy was married in a small Church of the Resurrection. Today, most of the Kremlin is occupied by private residential quarters of the 19th-20th centuries.

The first fortifications on the territory of Kazan appeared in the 10th century. The modern appearance of the Kremlin was formed after the conquest of the city by Ivan the Terrible. White-stone fortifications and buildings mainly date back to the second half of the 16th-17th centuries. However, construction continued until the end of the 20th century. The Kremlin includes a complex of defensive structures, the Annunciation Cathedral, the Transfiguration Monastery, the governor's (khan's) palace with the palace church and the Syuyumbike tower, offices, a cannon yard, a cadet school and the Kul-Sharif mosque.

The city was founded in 1221 on a high bank at the confluence of the Oka and Volga. The stone Kremlin was built at the beginning of the 16th century. A unique military-technical fortress withstood many sieges, and was never captured by the enemy. The mighty wall connecting thirteen towers has been perfectly preserved to this day. Today, themed museum exhibitions are organized in individual towers. Also on the territory of the Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael with the ashes of Kozma Minin, the military governor's palace, the vice-governor's house, the cadet corps, garrison barracks and war memorials.

Pskov, first mentioned in 902, is rightfully considered one of the oldest Russian cities. After joining the Moscow principality, it was the most important defensive center in the north-western borders. The first stone fortifications appeared in the middle of the 13th century. In the 15th-16th centuries, they were reinforced with towers. As a result, the Pskov fortress became one of the best Russian fortresses. It consisted of several defensive rings. Three have survived to this day. Actually, the chrome was erected at the mouth of the Pskova and Velikaya rivers. On the territory of the Kremlin there is the Trinity Cathedral with a majestic bell tower.

The city appeared, presumably, in the second half of the XIII century as the winter headquarters of the Mongol khans. The stone Kremlin was erected in the last quarter of the 16th century, after the conquest of Astrakhan by the troops of Ivan the Terrible. Fragments of the fortress walls and towers have survived to this day. Also, the historical and architectural ensemble of the Kremlin includes the majestic Assumption Cathedral, the complex of buildings of the Trinity Monastery, the house of the senior cathedral clergy, the Prechistenskaya bell tower, an artillery courtyard with a torture tower, officers' rooms.

The foundation of Pereyaslavl Ryazan (Ryazan city has been named since 1778) is attributed to the end of the 11th century. Three centuries later, the city became the capital of the Ryazan principality. Until the beginning of the 16th century, a princely court was located on the territory of the Kremlin, then the residence of the bishop. However, until the 18th century, the Kremlin continued to function as a fortress protecting the southern borders of Russia from the raids of the Crimean Tatars. The Kremlin ensemble in its current form was formed during the 15th-18th centuries. Among the architectural monuments are the Assumption Cathedral with a multi-tiered bell tower, the Arkhangelsk, Spaso-Preobrazhensky and Nativity of Christ Cathedrals, the cozy Church of the Holy Spirit, Oleg's palace (the largest civil building in the Kremlin) with a carved facade and a white-stone porch, the Singing Building, the walls and towers of the Spassky Monastery and various outbuildings.

Rostov was founded in 862. In pre-Mongol Rus, this city was considered as significant as Novgorod or Kiev. No wonder he was called the Great. Here was the residence of the archbishop, and then the metropolitan. Actually, what is called the Kremlin today is a complex of buildings that includes the Metropolitan's Palace, the Assumption Cathedral and the famous Rostov belfry. In the 17th century, the buildings were surrounded by a stone fortress wall with loopholes, wide windows and rich decoration.

Tobolsk was founded in 1587. The only stone Kremlin in Siberia is located here. It differs from other structures of this kind in that it was built in an already existing city and was intended not for defense, but for the placement of the administration. The construction of the fortress wall began only at the end of the 17th century, but at the end of the 18th century it was already partially dismantled. However, the towers with fragments of fortifications have survived to this day. The modern appearance of the Kremlin was formed mainly in the 18th – 19th centuries. On its territory there are the Sophia-Assumption and Intercession Cathedrals, the governor's palace, the Gostiny Dvor, the Prikaznaya Chamber, the prison castle and the provincial printing house.

Uglich on the right bank of the Volga was first mentioned in 1148. Since the XIV century it has been a part of the Moscow principality. The ensemble of the Uglich Kremlin was formed during the 15th-19th centuries. It includes the chambers of appanage princes (a unique monument of civil architecture of the 15th century), the Church of Tsarevich Dmitry on Blood, the majestic Transfiguration Cathedral with a multi-tiered bell tower, the mayor's house and the Winter Cathedral of the Epiphany. A fragment of the moat has been preserved from the defensive fortifications.

Veliky Novgorod is one of the oldest cities in our country, the center of the birth of Russian statehood. The official date of foundation is considered to be 859. The first mentions of the Novgorod Kremlin date back to 1044. Fragments of the 13th century fortress walls and nine towers built in the 15th century have survived to this day. On the territory of the Kremlin there is the Cathedral of St. Sophia - one of the oldest in Russia, the belfry, the Faceted Chamber, the Church of Andrei Stratilat, Likhudov corps and other structures of the 11th-19th centuries. There is also a monument to the Millennium of Russia.

The settlement of Volok on Lama was first mentioned in 1135. Thus, Volokolamsk claims the status of the oldest city in the Moscow region. Detinets appeared on a high hill in the 12th century. A century later, the city was completely burned down several times. Later it was rebuilt. The Kremlin was made of wood and was only partially built in stone. Remains of ramparts and ditches of the XIV-XVI centuries have survived to this day. On the territory of the Kremlin today there are the Resurrection and Nikolsky Cathedrals and a five-tiered bell tower.

The city of Gdov was first mentioned in chronicle records dating back to 1322. The stone Kremlin was built in the second half of the XIV-XV centuries. It occupied an extremely important fortification position on the shores of Lake Peipsi and covered the approaches to Pskov from the north. Fragments of the fortress walls (on the southern and eastern sides) and earthen hills on the site of the destroyed towers have survived to this day. On the territory of the Kremlin there is also the Dmitrievsky Cathedral.

The exact date of the founding of Vologda is unknown. The first mention dates back to 1147. The construction of the stone Kremlin began in the second half of the 16th century under Ivan the Terrible. However, the fortifications were only partially erected. Later, stone fragments were supplemented with wooden fortifications. By the first quarter of the 19th century, the fortress completely fell into decay and was destroyed. Only the southwestern tower and the remains of the rampart have survived from the ancient walls. Today the name "Kremlin" has been assigned to the Bishops' Palace, surrounded by a mighty wall. The Kremlin ensemble includes St. Sophia and Resurrection Cathedrals, government cells, various buildings and chambers.

The first mention of Tula dates back to 1146. It is believed that the settlement (probably in the form of a prison) was originally of a military nature, intended for the garrison of the Ryazan prince, and later was of major strategic importance for the defense of the southern borders of the young Moscow state. The Tula Kremlin has never submitted to the enemy. Stone fortifications were erected in the first decades of the 16th century by order of Vasily III. Then, over the course of two centuries, they were completed and rebuilt. Today, the historical and architectural complex unites buildings of the 16th-20th centuries and includes powerful fortress walls connecting nine towers, Holy Dormition and Epiphany Cathedrals, shopping arcade and the building of the first city power plant. The towers house thematic museum exhibitions.

The first buildings in the bend of the Kamenka River appeared in the 10th century. A full-fledged wooden fortress with earthen ramparts was built about a century later. In fact, the Suzdal Kremlin remained so until the beginning of the 18th century, when a strong fire destroyed all the wooden buildings. The shafts have survived to this day. In addition to them, the Kremlin complex includes the Nativity Cathedral of the 13th-16th centuries and the Bishops' Chambers of the 15th-18th centuries. In the western part of the Kremlin today there is also a wooden St. Nicholas Church from 1766. It was transported in 1960 from the village of Glotova, and installed on the site of the lost Church of All Saints.

An urban settlement on the Sturgeon River emerged in the 11th century. The stone Kremlin, as in other southern Russian cities, was founded during the reign of Vasily III. In subsequent years, he was repeatedly raided by the Crimean Tatars, but successfully defended himself. When the borders of the Moscow principality expanded, the fortress lost its military significance. The Zaraisk Kremlin is almost completely preserved. A powerful wall connects eight towers. Inside there are the Nikolsky and John the Baptist Cathedrals, as well as various buildings of the 16th-20th centuries.

The settlement of Porkhov at the confluence of Sheloni and Dubenka was founded by the will of Alexander Nevsky in 1239 as part of the defensive system of the Novgorod land. The stone fortress in the form of a pentagon dates from the end of the XIV century. It retained its military significance until 1764. The walls (currently restored) and three towers have survived to this day. Inside the Kremlin is the Nikolskaya Church built in 1412.

The Alexander Kremlin (Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda) is the oldest suburban residence of the Moscow sovereigns. The stone fortress with a magnificent palace and cathedral was erected at the beginning of the 16th century and immediately became the place of regular residence of the sovereign's court. Under Ivan the Terrible in 1564-1581, the capital of Russia was actually located here. The historical and architectural ensemble of the Alexander Kremlin today includes the Trinity Cathedral, the Crucifixion, Sretenskaya, Pokrovskaya and Assumption churches, hospital and cell buildings.