Blagoveshchenskaya Tower

The Blagoveshchenskaya Tower is one of the most ancient of the Kremlin towers built in 1487-1488. Its base still has the slabs of white limestone, which remained from the ancient white stone Kremlin of the 14th century. The name of the Blagoveshchenskaya Tower comes from the miraculous icon of Annunciation (Blagoveshcheye) kept there, and also is connected with the church of Annunciation added to the tower in the beginning of the18th century. In the time of Ivan the Terrible the Blagoveshchenskaya Tower tower was used as a prison. The low four-sided tower has a stern look. In the end of the 17th century the Blagoveshchenskaya Tower was heightened with a stone marquee with a decorative lookout tower. At the same time seven bells were put into the lookout tower, and the weathervane was replaced by a cross.