Koromyslova Tower is a round tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, built in the sixteenth century. It is located in Upper Part between Nikolskaya Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, above the Pochaina Ravine. Of all the Kremlin's round towers, it is considered the best-preserved in its original appearance; its distinguishing feature is that the entire structure — including the interior rooms — is built of white stone. The tower is a federally protected cultural heritage site of Russia (reg. no. 521410066380036).[1]
Architecture and Defensive Design
The tower projects slightly beyond the line of the fortress walls, which widened its field of fire; from the rear it is protected by Slope.[2] Like the other towers of the Kremlin, Koromyslova Tower has four combat tiers. The lowest — the ground-level firing tier — is now filled in with earth; its loopholes were positioned 30–40 centimetres above ground level, enabling grazing fire to "clear the moat" of the enemy.[1] The two middle tiers are equipped with firing recesses for small-calibre squeaker guns (pishchali): in 1622 and 1663, a single bronze pishchal on wheels was stationed here.[2] The upper tier consists of a fighting platform with loopholes and merlons; additional chambers are built into the thickness of the adjoining walls.[1]
The loopholes are arranged not directly above one another but in a fan pattern, which reduces the dead ground at the base of the tower. Two of them were intended to fire along the curtain walls, and one to enfilade the enemy approaching the Kremlin. The tower has two entrances: the lower one through the thickness of the wall to the left of the tower, and the upper one from the fighting platform.[2]
The curtain wall between Koromyslova Tower and Tayniskaya Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is the longest in the Kremlin at 205 metres. This length is explained by the steepness of the hillside, which was extremely difficult to assault: the builders simply reinforced the natural slope with fortress walls. The lower portion of the curtain wall, up to the height of the half-rampart belt, is faced with white limestone for added strength. The upper part of the tower is built of brown brick, while the base is laid in white limestone.[3][2]
Name and Appearance
The tower's name is explained by its silhouette: when viewed from the opposite bank of the Pochaina Ravine (Zelensky Congress), the tower together with its adjoining curtain walls resembles in shape a woman carrying a yoke — or the yoke itself.[1][2]
Legends
Several Urban Legends are associated with the tower. According to one version, during the construction of the Kremlin a young woman who had come to fetch water — carrying a yoke — was walled up alive in the foundations: the builders sacrificed her to strengthen the walls. In another variant of the legend, the woman was the bride of one of the architects. Both tales belong to the widespread Russian folk motif of the "living foundation sacrifice" in fortress construction. One legend links the tower's name to the siege of Nizhny Novgorod in 1520 by Astrakhan Tatars under Khan Girey: according to the story, a girl named Alyona who had gone out to fetch water fought off the enemy with her yoke and was killed by a sabre blow; so impressed by her courage, the Tatars lifted the siege. In honour of this legend, a commemorative marker has been placed beside the tower. There also exists a softened version of the "living foundation" tale: in it, the builders took pity on the girl and instead walled up a dragonfly, whose shape resembles a yoke.[3][1]
Sources
- Wikipedia (ru) — Koromyslova Tower (archive)
- putidorogi-nn.ru — Koromyslova Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin: legend, history, description, photos
- tourister.ru — The upper part of the tower is built of brown brick, while the base is laid in white limestone. (archive)