Corner Arsenal Tower

The Corner Arsenal Tower (formerly the Sobakina Tower) was built in 1492 byarchitect Pietro Antonio Solari.The tent roof was added in the 1680s. The height of the tower is 60.2 m(198 ft).

This was Solari's last building and it completed the Kremlin'sline of defense on the Red Square side.It was originally called the Sobakin Tower after the residence of the Sobakinboyar family nearby. Its present name appeared after the erection of theArsenal in 1737.

The most powerful of all the corner towers, the Arsenal Tower has sixteen facets, which giveit a special austere expressiveness. The broad base creates an impressionof massive strength. The upper section of the tower is encircled with numerousmachicolations which form a kind of frieze. The walls are up to four metresthick. The tower contains a well, fed by a spring.

In 1707, fearing an attack on Moscow by King Charles Xll of Sweden, Peter the Great orderedloopholes to be made for cannons.

The tower's interesting decorative uppersection of octagons, a truncated tent roof and an octagonal turret toppedby a metal flag, were added in the seventeenth century. In 1812, the towerwas badly damaged when the Arsenal and neighboring St.NicholasTower were blown up.