The Kolomna Kremlin is located in the Moscow region and is an architectural ensemble of the 16th century. It consists of defensive walls with watchtowers and several historical buildings well preserved to this day.

History of the Kolomna Kremlin

The Moscow Grand Duchy sought to strengthen its southern borders from the Crimean Tatars by building defensive fortresses in Tula, Ryazan and Saraysk. The turn came to Kolomna, which was defeated by the Crimean Khan and required protection. The main part of the fortifications was burned down by Mehmed I Girey. The wooden fortress, on the basis of which the stone Kremlin was built, left almost no information about itself.

Construction began in 1525 and continued for six years by order of Vasily III. Initially, there were 16 towers included in a continuous, up to 21 meters high, enclosing wall. The territory of the Kolomna Kremlin occupied 24 hectares, which was only slightly less than (27.5 hectares). The fortress is located on the high bank of the Moskva River near the mouth of the Kolomenka River. Good defense and good location made the Kremlin impregnable. This became clear at the end of 1606 during the peasant uprising of Ivan Bolotnikov, who unsuccessfully tried to storm the citadel.

In the 17th century, when the southern borders of tsarist Russia moved further and further south, the defense of the Kolomna Kremlin lost its original significance. Trade and crafts developed in Kolomna, while the city fortification was hardly maintained and was noticeably destroyed. Several civil buildings were built inside the Kremlin wall, as well as around the citadel, during the construction of which parts of the Kremlin wall were sometimes removed to obtain bricks for construction. Only in 1826 was it forbidden to dismantle the state heritage into parts by decree of Nicholas I. Unfortunately, then most of the complex had already been destroyed.

Kremlin architecture in Kolomna

It is believed that Aleviz Fryazin acted as the chief architect of the Kremlin in Kolomna, based on the Moscow example. The architectural structure of the master from Italy really has the features of Italian architecture of the Middle Ages, the forms of protective structures noticeably repeat the fortresses of Milan or Turin.

The Kremlin wall, which reached almost two kilometers in its original state, has a height of up to 21 meters and a thickness of up to 4.5 meters. It is interesting that the walls were created not only to protect against an assault, but also for the purpose of cannon defense. The height of the preserved watchtowers ranges from 30 to 35 meters. Of the sixteen towers, only seven have survived to our time. Like Moscow, each tower has a historical name. Along the preserved western part there are two towers:

The remaining five towers are located along the former southern part of the Kremlin wall:

• Pyatnitskaya (with gates);
  
• burnt;
  
• Simeonovskaya;
  
• Spasskaya;
  
• .
  

The Pyatnitsky Gates are the main front entrance to the historical complex. The tower was named after the Paraskeva Pyatnitsa church that stood near it, destroyed in the 18th century.

Cathedrals and churches of the Kolomna Kremlin

The architectural ensemble of the Novogolutvinsky Monastery of the 17th century includes the secular buildings of the residence of the former bishop and the neoclassical bell tower of 1825. Now it is a nunnery, where more than 80 nuns live.

The Assumption Cathedral of 1379 is somewhat reminiscent of the cathedral of the same name in Moscow. Its construction is connected with the decree of Prince Dmitry Donskoy - after the triumph over the Golden Horde, he gave the order to build it.

The bell tower of the Assumption Cathedral, which plays an important role in the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, stands separately. Initially, the bell tower was built of stone, but in the 17th century it deteriorated significantly and was rebuilt again, this time from brick. In 1929, after the Bolshevik campaign, the Cathedral bell tower was destroyed, everything of value was taken out of there and the bells were thrown down. Full restoration took place in 1990.

The Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God of Tikhvin was erected in 1776. In the 1920s, all the interior decoration was destroyed, and the church itself was closed. Restoration work took place in 1990, when the dome was repainted and five domes were restored.

The oldest in the Kremlin is the Church of St. Nicholas Gostiny, built in 1501, in which the Gospel of 1509 has been preserved.

Cathedral Square

Like the Moscow Kremlin, Kolomna has its own Cathedral Square, the architectural dominant of which is the Assumption Cathedral. The first mention of the square dates back to the 14th century, but it acquired its modern look only after 4 centuries, when the city was reconstructed according to the “regular plan”. In the north of the square there is a monument to Cyril and Methodius, erected in 2007 - two bronze figures against the background of the cross.

Museums

More than 15 museums and exhibition halls operate on the territory of the Kolomna Kremlin. Here are the most curious and their descriptions:

Organizational matters

How to get to the Kolomna Kremlin? You can use personal or public transport by going to the address st. Lazhechnikova, 5. The city is located 120 kilometers from Moscow, so you can choose the following route: take the metro to the Kotelniki station and take bus number 460. He will bring you to Kolomna, where you can ask the driver to stop at the Square of Two Revolutions. The whole journey will take about two hours from the capital.

You also have the option to travel by train. Go to the Kazansky railway station, from which the Moscow-Golutvin trains run regularly. Get off at the last stop and transfer to shuttle bus number 20 or number 88, which will take you to the sights. It should be noted that the second option will take you longer (2.5-3 hours).

The territory of the Kremlin is open for everyone around the clock. Museum exhibition hours: 10:00-10:30, and 16:30-18:00 from Wednesday to Sunday. Some museums can only be accessed by appointment.

Recently, you can get acquainted with the Kolomna Kremlin on scooters. Rent will cost 200 rubles for 1 hour for adults, and 150 rubles for children. For a deposit for a vehicle, you will have to leave a sum of money or a passport.

To make the tour of the main attractions of Kolomna as informative as possible, it is best to hire a guide. The price for an individual tour is 1500 rubles, with a group of 11 people you can save money - you will have to pay only 2500 rubles for everyone. A tour of the Kolomna Kremlin lasts an hour and a half, it is allowed to take photos.

The address: Russia, Moscow region, Kolomna
Start of construction: 1525
Completion of construction: 1531
Main attractions: Pyatnitsky Gates, Yamskaya (Troitskaya) Tower, Faceted Tower, Kolomenskaya (Marinkina) Tower, Assumption Cathedral, Novogolutvinsky Convent, Church of the Resurrection of the Word, Tikhvin Church, Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Coordinates: 55°06"15.4"N 38°45"16.0"E

The initiative to build the Kremlin belongs to Prince Vasily III. Due to the frequent invasions of the Tatar troops, the Russian city needed a fortress to protect it from the south. For this reason, the prince issued a corresponding decree. In the late spring of 1525, the construction of the Kremlin began. The construction work, which lasted 6 years, involved both the townspeople and the peasants of the villages located around Kolomna.

Scheme of the Kolomna Kremlin. Surviving towers highlighted in red

However, the Kremlin was built of wood. Therefore, it was not strong enough and could not serve as reliable protection. In connection with the annexation to Moscow, which took place in 1301, Kolomna remained a border outpost for many years.

Each subsequent enemy raid ended in fire for the Kremlin. It is quite natural that over time it was decided to build a stone fortress. The new fortification was built along the perimeter of the former wooden fortress, which, as soon as the next section of the stone wall was completed, was dismantled.

Pyatnitsky gates of the Kremlin

Who supervised the construction of the new Kremlin? Historians do not have a common opinion on this matter. But on the basis of the architectural similarity of the Kolomna and Moscow Kremlins, the version gained the right to life that the best architects of that time, Aleviz the Great and Aleviz the Small, who led the construction of the Kremlin in Moscow, worked on the construction of both structures. It is worth noting here that the number of towers, the length and thickness of the walls, as well as the area of ​​both buildings are almost identical.

Pogorelaya (Alekseevskaya) tower

The new defensive structure turned out to be very durable - for all the years of its existence, none of the invaders could take the ancient city by storm. However, over time, Kolomna gradually lost its defensive significance and turned into a solid industrial and commercial center. Therefore, the ancient fortress, as unnecessary, began to fall into decay. These changes in the history of the city took place in the middle of the 17th century, and only in the 2nd half of the 19th century some of the Kremlin towers were restored.

Spasskaya Tower of the Kolomna Kremlin

Architectural features of the Kremlin

The ancient Kremlin in plan is a polyhedron, the shape of which is close to an oval. All the towers were distributed along the walls at equal distances, which made it possible to simultaneously defend the territory and fire at enemy forces from different sides. As for the location of the ancient fort, it promised benefits to protect the city from everywhere. Judge for yourself - from the north and north-west it was covered by the valleys of Moscow and Kolomenka, from other directions, protection was provided by a deep moat paved with stone. The total height of the Kremlin walls varied from 18 to 21 m. Only in the lowest part, the defensive wall rose by 4.5 m.

Semyonovskaya (Simeonovska) tower

Kremlin gate

From the east, the front or main Pyatnitsky gates led to the ancient Kremlin. The adjacent two-tiered tower was of considerable size. It had a length of 23 m, a height of 29 m and a width of 13 m. At its top there was a bell that informed the population of the danger with a booming warning bell. This building is still standing today.

Other important gates, which were called Ivanovsky, were dismantled in the first half of the 19th century. A similar fate touched several other gates as well.

Yamskaya (Trinity) Tower

The third significant gates are Mikhailovsky. They stand on the section of the wall between the Marinkina and the Faceted Towers. At the end of the 16th century, this passage to the Kremlin was laid, but after some time the building material collapsed, and the opening spontaneously opened. Then the Mikhailovsky Gates were restored, and today they are cordially open for visitors to the ancient Kremlin. It is through them that tourists enter its territory.

View of the Faceted Tower from the inside of the Kremlin

The main attractions of the Kolomna Kremlin

Unfortunately, the descendants cannot appreciate the whole grandeur of the ancient Kremlin, because today only a few towers and sections of the walls remain from it. But even these insignificant remnants convey the full power of the defensive structure in the ancient Russian city.

Mikhailovsky gate

Of the 17 towers, only 7 remain today, the most attractive of which is the Marinkina (Kolomenskaya) Tower. Its 31-meter structure is a whole lookout point. The building got its name because of the wife of False Dmitry I and II Pole Marina Mniszek, who lived in the city. In troubled times, she, as a queen, was here with her son Ivan. The facade of the 8-storey Marinka Tower is assembled from 20 faces, so when viewed from the side it seems almost round.

Kolomenskaya (Marinkina) tower

The faceted tower has a combined shape. Inside it is a rectangle, outside - a hexagon. Such an unusual shape was the reason for the name of the Faceted Tower. The 22-meter tower was divided into 5 tiers, each of which was hidden under the ground. On all floors, 3-4 window-loopholes were cut through.

Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin

The 24-meter Yamskaya, also known as the Trinity Tower, owes its name to the Yamskaya Sloboda, located nearby. Also, hunting, stable and pit farmsteads were adjacent to this tower.

The Simeonovskaya or Semenovskaya Tower is identical in size to the Spasskaya Tower and the Pogorelaya (Alekseevskaya) Tower. The height of all structures is 24 m, width - 8 m, and length - 12 m each. At the bottom of the walls, their thickness is 2.9 m, and at the top - 1.85 m. A cozy gazebo is attached near the Burnt Tower, where you can relax in hot weather.

Tikhvin temple of the Kremlin

On the other side of the protective walls lies the Cathedral Square. Here stands the main temple of the ancient Kremlin - the Cathedral of the Assumption, built in the XIV century. Next to it you can see a high hipped bell tower. From the moment of its construction, and this is the 17th century, and to this day, it remains the most sonorous bell tower of this type in Russia. Nearby are two more shrines - the Tikhvin Church and the Church of the Resurrection. In 1366, a solemn wedding ceremony was held in front of the altar of the Resurrection Church, connecting the fates of Prince Dmitry Donskoy and Princess Evdokia.

Kolomna Kremlin
Year of construction
Kremlin square	24 hectares
Wall length	1940 meters
Number of towers
Number of surviving towers
Number of voros	4 + 2 (in the walls)
Tower height	from 30 to 35 meters
Tower wall thickness	from 3 to 4.5 meters
Wall height	from 18 to 21 m
Wall thickness	from 3 to 4.5 meters

Batu pogrom

Dudenev's army

Khan Tokhtamysh

Temnik Edigei

Kazan Khan Ulu-Muhammed

The end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke

Troops of Mehmed I Giray

Bolotnikov's uprising

Decline of the Kremlin

Versions and legends

Kolomna Kremlin- one of the largest and most powerful fortresses of its time, which was built in 1525-1531 in Kolomna, during the reign of Vasily III. By that time, the Moscow kingdom had already annexed the Novgorod Republic and Pskov and sought to strengthen the southern borders in the fight against the Tatars - the Kazan and Crimean khanates. In addition, the defeat of Kolomna by the Crimean Khan Mehmed I Giray in 1521 accelerated the replacement of the city's wooden fortifications with stone ones, conceived even after the fire of 1483 that devastated the city.

Having withstood the battles, the Kremlin could not withstand the attacks of time and civilians, who dismantled a significant part of the walls and towers for building material in the 18th - early 19th centuries. It is known that only the decree of Nicholas I in 1826 stopped this in Kolomna and other cities, but many monuments have already been lost, sometimes completely. Kolomna was a little more fortunate, because part of the fortress has been preserved, restored and accessible.

Military glory of the Kremlin

The Kolomna Kremlin was repeatedly destroyed during the raids of the Tatars on Russia. Almost no campaign of the khans of the Golden Horde was complete without the capture of Kolomna.

In the sixteenth century, after the construction of stone walls, the enemies never managed to take the Kolomna Kremlin by storm. And during the Time of Troubles, the Polish interventionists and detachments of the “Tushino thief” ended up in Kolomna not as a result of the assault on the fortress, but due to the indecision and treacherous mood of the temporary workers, who were completely confused in the change of royal persons.

The era of the wooden Kremlin

Very little information has come down to the present about the wooden Kolomna Kremlin. Nevertheless, it is known that in terms of its size it was practically not inferior to the stone Kremlin, since the stone Kremlin was built along the perimeter of the Kremlin destroyed during the invasion of the Crimean Khan Mehmed I Giray. According to the surviving evidence of contemporaries, the stone Kremlin was built on the remains of a wooden Kremlin, which was finally dismantled during the construction process.

Batu pogrom

In December 1237, having defeated the main forces of the Ryazan princes in the Wild Field, the troops of Khan Batu (Khan Batu) captured the most significant cities of the principality within two weeks, and after a five-day siege, Ryazan itself. As a result of the devastation, the city was completely destroyed and in the middle of the XIV century the center of the Ryazan principality was moved 50 kilometers to the north-west to the city of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky. The remnants of the Ryazan troops withdrew to Kolomna, which was at that time on the border of the Ryazan principality with Vladimir-Suzdal Rus, and prepared for the last battle with the nomads. But then a new enemy came up against the Mongols - Yuri II Vsevolodovich, Grand Duke of Vladimir and Suzdal.

In January 1238, the Mongol troops near Kolomna met not only with the remnants of the Ryazan troops, but also with the squad of the Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich, reinforced by the militia of Vladimir-Suzdal Russia. The advanced Mongol detachments were initially pushed back, but having received the support of the main forces of the jehangir, the steppe cavalry defeated the Russian foot troops.

On January 1, 1238, Batu Khan (Batu Khan), following Ryazan, captured Kolomna. The wooden walls of the Kolomna Kremlin did not become a serious defense against the Tatars, the city was plundered and burned to the ground. In the battle, the Vladimir governor Jeremiah Glebovich and the Ryazan prince Roman died. The army of the Horde Khan lost its commander Kulkhan, the youngest son of Genghis Khan (one of the most influential opponents of Batu). Kulkhan was the only descendant of Genghis Khan who was killed during the conquest of Russia.

While the main forces of the army were besieging Kolomna, Batu moved towards Moscow and took it after a five-day assault. At the end of January, the Mongols moved towards Vladimir.

Dudenev's army

Khan Mengu-Timur, who was peacefully disposed towards Russia, died in 1280, which caused an aggravation of the struggle for power between Tudan-Mengu and Nogai. The separation of powers in the Golden Horde led to the formation of two rival groups among the Russian princes. Grand Duke Andrei Gorodetsky, accompanied by several princes of Rostov and the bishop of Rostov, went to Tokhta to renew the yarlyk and presented him with his complaints about the creature of Nogai - the ruling Grand Duke Dmitry Pereyaslavsky. The latter refused to appear at the court of Tokhta, considering himself a vassal of Nogai. Prince Mikhail of Tver (son of Grand Duke Yaroslav III and grandson of Grand Duke Yaroslav II) also took the side of Nogai and went to confirm his right to the throne to him, and not to Tokhta. And Prince Daniel of Moscow (the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky) refused to appear at the court of Tokhta.

Tokhta refused to put up with such a situation and made an energetic attempt to assert his dominance over the whole of Northern Russia. He not only recognized Andrei Gorodetsky as the Grand Duke of Vladimir, but also authorized him and Grand Duke Fyodor of Smolensky to overthrow Dmitry Pereyaslavsky. As expected, Prince Dmitry did not intend to give up the table and disregarded Tokhta's orders. Then the khan sent an army in support of his Russian vassals under the command of his brother Tudan, whom the Russian chronicles call Duden.

In 1293, the city of Kolomna was captured by the warlord Tudan. In addition to Kolomna, 14 cities in the center of Russia were burned and destroyed.

Khan Tokhtamysh

The confrontation between Khan Tokhtamysh and his regent, Mamai, leads to the Battle of Kulikovo, where Tokhtamysh uses Prince Dmitry Ivanovich (later Donskoy) as an ally, and Mamai uses the Genoese infantry. The gathering of troops of Dmitry Donskoy takes place in Kolomna and on August 26, 1380, the 150 thousandth army of Dmitry Donskoy, with the blessing of Sergius of Radonezh, sets off to meet Mamai.

After the Battle of Kulikovo, Tokhtamysh, with the help of Timur, seized the throne of the Golden Horde. Wanting to disperse the fear that attacked the Tatars after the Battle of Kulikovo, Tokhtamysh ordered the Russian guests to be robbed and their ships seized, and in 1382 he himself went to Moscow with a large army. The Nizhny Novgorod prince Dmitry Konstantinovich, having learned about the campaign of Tokhtamysh and wanting to save his land from ruin, sent his sons Vasily and Semyon to him. Oleg Ryazansky, guided by the same motives, showed him the fords on the Oka. Dmitry Donskoy was taken by surprise by the Tatars. He left Moscow and went first to Pereyaslavl, and then to Kostroma, to gather troops.

On the way to Moscow, Tokhtamysh took and burned Serpukhov and approached the capital on August 23, 1382. The Tatars broke into Moscow and subjected it to destruction. Then Tokhtamysh disbanded his detachments in Moscow possessions: to Zvenigorod, Volok, Mozhaisk, Yuryev, Dmitrov and Pereyaslavl. But only the last one was taken. The detachment that approached Volok was defeated by Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovsky, who was there. After that, Tokhtamysh left Moscow and went home, taking Kolomna along the way.

Temnik Edigei

Edigei belonged to the ancient Mongolian family of the White Mangkyts (Ak-Mangkyt) family. The Mangkyts formed the core of the Nogai Horde. Their support seriously helped Edigei in seizing power in the Golden Horde.

After the reorganization of his state, Yedigei felt strong enough to take care of Russian problems. In fact, North-Eastern Russia became practically independent from the moment of the final defeat inflicted on Tokhtamysh by Timur. Only in 1400, Grand Duke Ivan of Tverskoy (son of Michael II) considered it necessary to send his ambassador to Edigei. Two years later, Prince Fyodor Ryazansky (Oleg's son) went to the Horde and received a label on the Ryazan table (vacated after Oleg's death). However, immediately after his return from the Horde, Fedor entered into an agreement with the Grand Duke Vasily of Moscow, according to which he undertook not to provide any assistance to the Mongols and to warn Vasily about any threatening steps of Edigei. As for the Grand Duke Vasily, under various pretexts, he stopped sending tribute to the Horde and did not pay any attention to the complaints of the Khan's ambassadors about this. Yedigey could not endure such an attitude for too long.

Edigei replaced the Grand Duke of Ryazan, Fedor, whom he did not trust, with Prince Ivan Pronsky, and in the summer of 1408 Ivan, with the help of the Tatar army, occupied Ryazan. The horde of Edigey approached the walls of Moscow on December 1. The first attempt of the Tatars to take the city by storm was not successful. Then Edigei set up his headquarters a few miles from Moscow and allowed the troops to plunder the surroundings. In the meantime, he sent ambassadors to Tver with an order for Grand Duke Ivan to deliver his artillery to Moscow. Ivan promised and pretended to march on Moscow, but soon returned to Tver. He probably did not want to tempt fate and was afraid of revenge from the Grand Duke of Moscow. Edigey, without artillery, gave up hope of taking the city by storm and decided to do it with the help of a siege. The siege continued unsuccessfully for several weeks and, in the end, Edigei offered to remove it for 3,000 rubles of compensation. Having received the indicated amount, he led the troops back to the steppes.

In 1408, Khan, who was retreating after an unsuccessful attempt to capture Moscow, attacked Kolomna. Edigei. And again the wooden walls of the Kolomna Kremlin were burning.

Kazan Khan Ulu-Muhammed

The next time the Kolomna Kremlin was captured and burned by Ulu-Mukhammed. In July 1439, the Kazan Khan Ulu-Mukhammed, after a failed attempt to take over Moscow "going back", burned Kolomna and captured many people.

The end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke

The last Golden Horde Khan Akhmat went to Russia in the summer of 1472 in order to restore the Tatar yoke in its former strength. When Grand Duke Ivan III found out about this, he hastily left for Kolomna. He managed to strengthen the bank of the Oka in time. Akhmet, seeing numerous regiments, retreated. But eight years later he again went to Russia. And again, Ivan III gathered a large army on the Oka and himself was in Kolomna without a break with the troops from July 23 to September 30, 1480, that is, more than two months. But Akhmet was afraid to engage in battle with the troops of Ivan III. This was the end of the Tatar yoke in Russia.

Troops of Mehmed I Giray

In 1521, the troops of the Crimean Khan Mehmed I Girey broke through near Kolomna during a campaign against Moscow. The destruction of wooden fortifications served as an impetus for the construction of solid stone walls of the Kolomna Kremlin.

Stone Kremlin

The stone Kremlin in Kolomna was built in 1525-1531 by decree of Grand Duke Vasily III on the site of a wooden Kremlin destroyed during the Tatar invasion. The stone walls of the Kremlin were erected along the perimeter of the old wooden fortifications, which were finally destroyed as they were built. In addition to the construction of stone walls, walking towers were placed on the territory of the Kremlin, which were built into the wall in case of its destruction.

Bolotnikov's uprising

In 1606, a peasant war broke out under the leadership of Ivan Bolotnikov. The rebels on their way to Moscow approached Kolomna. In October 1606 they took the settlement by storm, but the Kremlin continued to stubbornly resist. Leaving a small part of his forces in Kolomna, Bolotnikov headed along the Kolomna road to Moscow. In the village of Troitskoye, Kolomna district, he managed to defeat government troops. Bolotnikov's army was located in the village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow. The siege of the capital began. In December 1606, Bolotnikov failed near Moscow and retreated to Kaluga. This served as a signal for the townspeople of Kolomna to crack down on the “rabble”. Bolotnikov's uprising was brutally suppressed.

Decline of the Kremlin

By the middle of the 17th century, the border of the Moscow state moved away from Kolomna. The city ceased to be a military defense. Kolomnichi took up crafts and trade, which allowed them to quickly recover from the Polish-Lithuanian intervention. The city belonged at that time to the eleven largest cities in Russia. The loss of the military-defensive status for the city made the maintenance of the Kremlin unprofitable, and it began to be destroyed and dismantled by local residents for the construction of civilian buildings. The destruction of the Kremlin was stopped by the decree of Nicholas I in 1826, but by that time a significant part of the Kremlin had already been destroyed.

Architecture

Comparison of the Moscow and Kolomna Kremlins

There is a version that the construction of the Kolomna Kremlin was led by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin (Old), who took part in the construction of the walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin and took it as a model during the construction of the Kolomna. This is indicated, for example, by the period of construction of the Kolomna Kremlin. The Kremlin was built in six years, which indicates that the builders of the fortress had a lot of experience, because construction of a comparable scale in the capital lasted more than ten years.

It should also be noted that the Kolomna Kremlin has Italian features. However, this was also reflected in the details of the fortresses of other Russian cities of that period, such as Veliky Novgorod, Ivangorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Zaraysk, Tula, in which the fortification forms of northern Italian fortresses, such as Turin, Milan, Verona, etc. are repeated. In addition to general building techniques and Italian architectural details, such as mashikuli - loopholes of the plantar battle in the towers, a combat parapet with teeth in the shape of a dovetail, faceted towers of the main fence, diverting towers, etc., other similarities of the Moscow and Kolomna Kremlins are noted. Kremlins are similar, but not the same.

The walls of the Kolomna Kremlin, despite the already somewhat archaic high-rise structures in the serfdom at that time, were created not only to counter the assaults by manpower, but also for cannon defense. The towers and walls of the fortress are already saturated with loopholes of plantar battle. The loopholes themselves are designed to accommodate firearms, have a characteristic shape of embrasures - a bell, and sometimes are covered with vaults. From the loopholes of the towers, the adjacent sections of the walls and the moat are well shot through.

Walls and towers of the Kolomna Kremlin

The Kolomna Kremlin had 16 towers, of which three were passage towers, and gates in the western and northern sections. Now 7 towers have survived, one whole and two sections of the walls.

Surviving towers (clockwise):

• Pyatnitsky Gate
• Pogorelaya (Alekseevskaya) tower
• Spasskaya Tower
• Simeonovskaya tower
• Yamskaya (Trinity) Tower
• Faceted Tower
• Kolomenskaya (Marinkina) tower

Lost towers:

• Voznesenskaya (Catherine) tower
• Ivanovo Gate
• Borisoglebskaya tower
• Oblique (Solovki) gates
• Resurrection (Taynitskaya) Tower
• Sandyrevskaya tower
• Bobrenevskaya tower
• Sviblova Tower
• Zastenochnaya (Malaya or Pokrovskaya) tower

In addition to the towers, there were gates in the walls (Water, Mikhailovsky and Melnichy (Georgievsky)), as well as the Secret (a large-scale specialized building that protected and covered the path to the water in the event of a siege).

Cathedrals and churches of the Kolomna Kremlin

• Assumption Cathedral
• Bell tower of the Assumption Cathedral
• Novogolutvinsky Convent
• Resurrection Church
• Tikhvin Church
• Church of St. Nicholas Gostiny
• Dormition Brusensky Convent
• Holy Cross Church

Versions and legends

During their centuries-old history, the walls and towers of the Kolomna Kremlin have become a participant and witness to many events in the Ryazan Principality, the Moscow Principality, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. As mute witnesses, they looked at the internecine squabbles of the great princes, the confrontation between the Moscow principality and the Golden Horde, the unity of Russian troops for campaigns against enemies, adventurers of troubled times, and others. Over time, people's rumor gave new features to the events that took place near the Kremlin walls, adding up legends and their own versions.

• The chronicle says the following about this: in 1525, “the great prince Vasily Ivanovich ordered the city of Kolomna to be made stone”, and with a brief entry under 1531, the chronicler notes “... the city of Kolomna stone was completed the same summer.”
• According to one version, in 1611, the well-known troublemaker Marina Mnishek was imprisoned in the Marinka Tower of the Kolomna Kremlin, in which she died. But there is a legend in the city, according to which Marina did not die in captivity within the walls of the Kolomna Kremlin, but, turning into a crow, flew out the window.
• There is another legend in the city, according to which the already mentioned Marina Mnishek, together with her husband, the Cossack ataman Zarutsky, buried the treasure no one knows where in the Kolomna district under the Pyatnitsky gates.
• It is generally accepted that the Marinka Tower was named after its great prisoner, Marina Mnishek.

“... what we saw defied any explanation. An old man with a pointed beard and in his underwear was walking towards us along a narrow corridor. He either smiled maliciously, or was angry and shook his finger at us. We wanted to run away, but we had a wall behind us and our legs gave way. Approaching us for a couple of meters, the old man disappeared. From the story of eyewitnesses on an excursion in the Kolomna Kremlin.

One of the most mysterious and enigmatic places in the Moscow region is undoubtedly Kolomna - a city of mysteries and legends, mysticism and facts, stories and legends. Only one secret underground passage and many dungeons of the Kolomna Kremlin attract treasure hunters and historians. And all because such historical figures as Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan the Terrible, Marina Mnishek and the villain-robber Ivan Zarutsky pretty much left their legacy here. Near Kolomna, during the siege, the youngest son of Genghis Khan Kulhan died. Upon learning of this, Genghis Khan ordered to take Kolomna at all costs and exterminate all the inhabitants. It was not possible to exterminate everyone, some of them managed to escape towards Moscow. The place where they settled was later called the settlement of Kolomenskoye. Kolomna was first mentioned in chronicles in 1177 as a frontier town of the Ryazan Principality.

During the Mongol-Tatar yoke, Kolomna paid the largest tribute to the Horde - as much as 342 rubles. A rich city was in those days. Subsequently, the courts of princes Vasily and Andrei Ivanovich Shuisky were located in Kolomna. Golitsyn, Sheremetev, Godunov and other influential people of the capital.

Pyatnitsky Gate

Since the 13th century, Kolomna has been a bone of contention between Ryazan and Moscow. After the battle on the Kulikovo field, Kolomna was annexed to Moscow, but the Ryazans could not endure this for a long time and in 1385 took Kolomna back from Moscow, weakened by battles with the Tatar khans. Sergius of Radonezh put an end to these strife, and in the end Kolomna remained with Moscow. Only after the armistice, the Kolomna volost began to gradually grow stronger and multiply.

The Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich, going to battle with Mamai on the Kulikovo field in 1380, made a stop in Kolomna to revise his regiments and replenish food and ammunition. Here he had a headquarters, and here the Don Cossacks brought him the icon of the Don Mother of God, to which he prayed before the battle. Pretty well known icon. Some historians claim that it was written by Theophanes the Greek, a famous icon painter. Ivan IV, that is, Ivan the Terrible, prayed in front of this icon in Kolomna, preparing to march on Kazan. Currently, she is in the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow, and only her origin is connected with Kolomna.

The first time Ivan the Terrible visited Kolomna in his youth, when he was 16 years old. The young tsar learned that the Crimean Tatar hordes under the leadership of Said Giray were approaching the Oka. All Moscow regiments were immediately assembled and transferred to Kolomna in the area of ​​​​modern Golutvin. Such a maneuver frightened the Crimean Khan and he retreated. The next time Ivan the Terrible visited Kolomna in July 1547 with 150 thousand troops, when he was preparing to march on Kazan. If you remember, it was not possible to take Kazan the first time, the Crimeans interfered, and only on the third time he won a great victory and Kazan was taken. In honor of this victory, the Brusensky Monastery was built in Kolomna. Therefore, as we can see, the tsar-father was delayed in Kolomna, hence the multitude of all kinds of legends and myths. And Ivan Vasilievich lived at that time in the Kremlin in the Grand Duke's Palace not far from the Assumption Cathedral.

In general, Kolomna has always been a kind of outpost for the Russian state, and therefore has always attracted rulers of all stripes. Apparently because 3 rivers join in this place: Moscow, Oka and Kolomenka. Those. the place was strategically important.

From the 17th century, during the great turmoil, Kolomna became the royal inheritance. Who was not here at that time. The Kremlin, like a powerful stone fortification, was built in the 16th century by Prince Vasily III, Ivan the Terrible's father. By the way, the walls were higher than the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. Initially, there were 17 towers, but now only 7 remain. The most majestic are the Marinka Tower, Faceted Tower and Pyatnitskaya Tower. And the oldest building in the Kremlin is the Church of the Resurrection, in which in 1366 Dmitry Donskoy married Evdokia of Suzdal. When you visit the Kremlin, pay attention to one rarity of ancient Russian architecture, the Church of St. Nicholas Gostiny. It is famous for being one of the first brick buildings in Russia.

Marina tower.

In 1612, an amazing woman lived in Kolomna, an adventurer, a Russian queen for a week, and the only woman crowned in Russia (before Catherine I) - Marina Mnishek. The wife of False Dmitry I, then False Dmitry II and, finally, the wedding with the adviser of the Tushinsky thief Ivashka Zarutsky. Fate was not very kind to her. After the death of the former serf False Dmitry I, misfortunes and failures fell upon her. However, the strength of character, the thirst for power and the resourcefulness of the mind helped her survive. True, her happiness did not last long. But she just wanted to become a Russian queen. “The perverse fortune deprived me of everything, only the legal right to the Moscow throne turned out to be with me, sealed by a wedding to the kingdom, approved by the recognition of me as an heiress and a double oath of all state Moscow ranks. Now I present all this for the gracious and careful consideration of Your Royal Majesty. I am convinced that your royal majesty, after wise discussion, will pay attention to this and, in your natural kindness, accept me, and generously reward my family, which greatly contributed to this with their blood, courage and means. This will serve as an undoubted guarantee of mastering the Muscovite state and attaching it to a secured alliance, with the blessing of God, which generously rewards justice. Desiring what, I entrust myself to the protection and gracious attention of your royal majesty.

From a letter from Marina to the Polish King Sigismund.

In the Kremlin, the Round Tower (Marinka Tower, among the people) remained, where, according to legend, Marinka was imprisoned for her deeds and adventures and later died here. However, according to legend, she did not die, but turned into a bird and flew to Poland, to her homeland. You'll never guess what kind of bird she's become. Find out about it at the end of the essay. There is another version, according to which Mnishek "died of anguish of her own free will" in Moscow. But, having been in Kolomna, after listening to the guide and seeing the Marinka tower, you will certainly believe in the first version.

By the way, before her death, Marinka cursed the Romanov family, promising that they would all die not by their own death and their family would disappear.

More than one dungeon remained under the Marinka Tower itself. Until 1985, it was possible to freely climb on them, but during the restoration of the Kremlin, these secret passages were filled up. It's a pity. How many secrets are buried under earthen rubble. Perhaps someday they will be dug up again and another page from the life of the great adventurer of those times will come to the surface.

“About noon, this brawl subsided. Several times skirmishes arose again and cruel oppression and torment were inflicted on our people. Blacks and priests in men's clothes did the most harm to us, for they themselves killed, and brought the mob, ordering us to beat, saying that "Lithuania" came to destroy and exterminate our faith. "Great bloodshed and incalculable harm because of that vile betrayal And the Lord God took away our minds from us and our elders, so that until that time we were not careful, for, it is true, if we had kept together and were located side by side, they would not have dared to attack us, and we would have done nothing could not, and would not have destroyed so many of ours. But what can I say, so the Lord God wanted to commit and punish us for our iniquities, for we had almost forgotten him, striving for luxury. "From the notes of Marina Mnishek. But Marinka was right , there was nothing to run into Russia, and even with someone else's faith. Ask why I call her Marinka, and not Marina? So it was the Kolomna people who called her that, she left them not a good memory of herself.

The people love all sorts of legends and everything connected with mysticism. Here is one of those legends.

About Marinka. They say that when both false Dmitrys were killed, and the third was not found, Marina fled to the south, to the Don River. And there she found greetings and affection, and Ataman Zarutsky with an army. Yes, and how not to find those who are eager for someone else's. Together with the ataman, she approached Kolomna and by vile deceit captured and plundered the city. They burned the suburbs and drove along the Kashirsky tract. Their path lay in the Ryazan lands, and from there to Astrakhan. Carrying the loot with you in Kolomna was difficult and dangerous. Therefore, they decided to bury part of the wealth twenty-five versts from the city, not far from the village of Bogorodskoye, in the tract of Startsevsky Ford. The valuables were piled in a pit, and the treasure was covered from above with forged doors taken from the gates of the Pyatnitskaya tower and covered with earth. And a terrible spell was cast on this burial place. Yes, such that many were looking for that treasure, and did not find it, but only disappeared. They say that quite recently some bearded young people wandered around and around the village for a long time, digging the earth in a ravine. But the old people only grinned: where is it seen that someone could ever find the treasure during the day.

Treasures are opened to the lucky, and only at night...

One of the walls of the Kolomna Kremlin

In 1775, Catherine II decided to visit Kolomna. She even liked it here. Still, because she was greeted with rich gifts, jokes and festivities. However, she noticed that the city was built up somehow chaotically, without any order, and the Empress instructed to put the city in order. The “perestroika” was headed by the Russian architect M.F. Kazakov and Kolomna have changed. The Kremlin was rebuilt and new economic facilities were erected. It was the second reconstruction of Kolomna. The first reconstruction was carried out by Prince Dmitry Donskoy, who got married in Kolomna, during which Kolomna flourished and grew rich. And M. Mnishek, after her death, turned into an ordinary crow.

If you still decide to come on an excursion to and see everything with your own eyes, hear with your own ears, then an interesting program awaits you. For example, the "Kolomensky tasting room" is a themed fireplace room in the old part of the city. The hall offers programs for tasting: - honey drinks of the Kolomna beekeeping plant - wines, balms; lecture; - vodka produced in Kolomna - 3 types of vodka, original snacks; lecture; - Kolomna ice cream - 3 types of ice cream, fillers, a story about the production; - Kolomna honey from a private apiary - 2 types of honey, herbal tea or classic, pie, bagels, a story about honey collection and the history of beekeeping (cost: 150 rubles per person); And what is the value of such an event as “Entertainment program “One day on a Cossack farm” - training in Cossack skills; - weaving vines and whips; - cooking Cossack pancakes; - learning to play folk instruments; - training in the preparation of moonshine; - tasting of Cossack mead; - Clockwork Cossack game "Cabbage"; - photographing in Cossack costumes; - demonstration performances of the Cossacks (possession of checkers, whips, re-creation of fragments of Cossack battles).

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