The Saviour (Spasskaya ) Tower (Frolovskaya)
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The tower was erected instead of the Frolovskaya strelnitsa of 1367-1368. Its gate facing Red Square has always been the main entrance to the Kremlin. The holy gate has always been admired by the Russian people. The Spasskiye Gate was used for royal and patriarchal ceremonial processions as well as foreign ambassadors’ receptions.
Initially, the pass-tower had been called Frolovskaya as it stood near the Frol and Laur Church. In 1516, a wooden drawbridge was mounted across the moat. In the late XVIth century, the tower was topped with a marquee and a double-headed eagle.
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On April, 16, 1658, according to the decree of Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, the tower was renamed Spasskaya after the Vernicle Icon placed over the gate facing Red Square. The icon itself has not survived. However, its place is still seen.
In 1624-1625, the Spasskaya was the first Kremlin’s Tower overbuilt with a high many-tier top and a stone marquee. Russian architect Bazhen Ogurtsov (Cucumber) and English clockmaster Christopher Galloway supervised the construction of the marquee.
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The first clock on the Spasskaya Tower was installed by the project of Galloway. In 1707, a new Dutch musical chimes was sent to Moscow on the order of Tsar Peter the Great.
In 1763, the clock was replaced again. The present-day clock and chimes were repaired and installed by the brothers Butenop in 1851.
In 1920, during the restoration of the Spasskaya Tower, musician M. Cheremnykh and the Kremlin’s plumber N. Berens rearranged the playing mechanism as to play the tune of “The International”.
In 1935, the tower’s marquee was crowned with a five-pointed star. In 1937, it was replaced by a new, larger one (diameter of 3,75 m).
Day and night the star’s surface is illuminated from the inside by a lamp of 5.000 W. The star rotates under the wind like a weathervane.
The Spasskaya Tower is a ten-story construction. It is 67,3 m high without the star and 71 m high with the star.
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