Moscow, Kremlin, Kutafya tower

This is the only surviving of the Kremlin bridge towers, which served to protect the bridges leading to the fortress. It was built in 1516 under the direction of the Milan architect Aleviz Fryazin. Not high, surrounded by a moat and a river, with the only gates, which were tightly closed in moments of danger, the tower was a formidable barrier for those who besieged the fortress. The tower consisted of two battle tiers, on the upper platform there were hinged loopholes. In 1685 the tower was decorated with an openwork decorative top. Draw bridges over the moat, which surrounded the tower, led to the side tower gates. To this day, at the side gate, you can see the preserved slots for the chains of the lifting mechanisms. It is still not entirely known where the name of the tower came from. Most likely, the name of the tower comes from its shape: as evidenced by Dahl's dictionary, in Russian folk dialects the word "kutafya" meant "an awkward, ugly dressed woman."