Kladovaya Tower is a round tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, laid on 1 September 1500. It is located in the Upper Part between the Dmitrievskaya Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, at the head of Zelensky Congress. It is a federal-significance cultural heritage site (reg. no. 521410066380036).[1]

History and names

According to the Solikamsk Chronicle, the tower was laid on 1 September 1500 under the name "Tverskaya." The name is thought to derive from the participation of Tver craftsmen in its construction; the only documentary confirmation of this name appears in the Town Register of 1662: "Alekseyevskaya — also Tverskaya."[1] According to another version, the word "tverskaya" goes back to the word "tverd'" — a fortified, solid place.[2]

In the 17th–18th centuries the tower was known as "Alekseyevskaya," after the Church of St. Metropolitan Alexius, built nearby and not preserved to the present day. In the early 18th century the tower housed a large stock of artillery weapons, stores, and masons' tools — hence the current name "Kladovaya" (literally "storehouse"). In the 18th–19th centuries, when the tower was used primarily as a warehouse, it was also called "Tseykgauznaya" (from the German Zeughaus — "arsenal").[1]

Construction

The tower has a circular plan with wall thickness of 4.6 m and consists of four tiers, one of which is currently below ground level.[2] Fragments of lime whitewash survive on the façade — evidence that in the 19th century all the Kremlin walls were light-coloured.[2] The completion of Kladovaya Tower in 1508 marked the conclusion of construction of the entire stone kremlin.[3]

Later history

In 1785–1786 the tower was adapted for use as a civilian warehouse.[1] During the Soviet period a café occupied its interior.[2] The tower was nominated in a competition as the largest advertising column in Europe.[1]

In 2026 the tower opened a multi-level gastronomic project called "Tsitadel" (Citadel), associated with the name of Yekaterina Zaydes: each tier is devoted to a distinct format — from a quick urban café to a bar space and a venue for special gastronomic events; the project's kitchen is led by Artyom Atopshev, who places emphasis on local produce and regional flavor combinations; the average bill is around 2,000 rubles.[4]

Sources

  1. Wikipedia (ru) — Kladovaya Tower (archive)
  2. gorbilet.ru — Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin: history and tours in 2026 (archive)
  3. kp.ru — Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin: photos, prices, history, reviews, how to get there (archive)
  4. thetaste.io — Tsitadel in the tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. The Taste — restaurant guide. — In 2026, the multi-level gastronomic project "Tsitadel" opened in Kladovaya Tower, associated with the name of…