The tower stands at the south-east corner of the Kremlin triangle. Built in 1487-1488 by Italian architect Marco Fryazin. It was named after the boyar Nikita Beklemishev’s estate located inside the Kremlin walls. Under Vasiliy III, the Beklemishev’s estate and the tower became the prison for recalcitrant boyars. The tower’s present-day name - Moskvoretskaya - is linked to the bridge nearby.

It was a tower of a very important strategic role as it protected the main ferry across the Moskva River and took first attacks.

In 1680, it was overbuilt with a high narrow marquee that made the severe tower look tender. In 1707, during the Russo-Swedish War, on the order of Peter the Great, bastions were installed around the tower ‘s base and the loopholes were widened for cannons.

Its height is 46,2 m.