Smolensk fortress (Smolensk Kremlin). Smolensk Fortress Wall (Smolensk Kremlin), Smolensk What is the name of the architect of the Smolensk fortress

Smolensk fortress wall: yesterday, today, tomorrow

Wall in numbers

The wall initially included 38 towers.
17 of them have survived to this day.
150 - 160 meters - the distance between the towers of the fortress.
10 - 19 meters - the height of the wall with battlements.
5 meters - wall thickness.
6.4 kilometers - the original length of the wall.
3 kilometers - the length of the surviving part of the wall.
15 - 22 meters - the height of the towers.
4 - 4.5 meters - the width of the combat platform of the Smolensk wall.
20 thousand rubles were allocated from the treasury in 1599 for the construction of the wall.
6 thousand people simultaneously worked on the construction of the wall.

"Necklace of All Russia"

The far-sighted Tsar Boris Godunov spared no expense for the construction of the Smolensk fortress wall for a reason. He understood that the strengthening of Smolensk - the western outpost of Russia - would make the whole state stronger.
The earliest predecessor of the current fortress is a defensive rampart erected around the Cathedral Hill in the initial period of the city's existence. Evidence of this is the mention of Smolensk in historical documents as a fortress along with Kyiv and Vitichev.
The wooden fortifications that appeared around the 12th century consisted of several parts. The old city was located in the area of modern Lenin Street. Pyatnitsky prison - on the right bank of the Churilovka River, closer to the mouth. The outlines of the New City are clearly visible on the map of the 17th century - the remains of these ramparts can still be seen in the Lopatinsky Garden Central Park.
Preparations for the construction of a stone fortress instead of a wooden one from the time of Ivan the Terrible began in 1595, when a special commission was sent to Smolensk. At the same time, the largest Russian architect of that time, the "sovereign master" Fedor Savelyevich Kon, who built the White City in Moscow, was sent to Smolensk. Almost half of Russia worked on the wall: the piles for the foundations of the fortress were made and delivered by the peasants of the palace villages on duty, the rest of the work was done by hired people. Lime was burned in Verkhovye, white stone for foundations was brought from Staritsa and Ruza. Boris Godunov personally went to Smolensk to observe the progress of construction and reported to Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich that the new fortress would become "the necklace of all Orthodox Russia." The haste in the construction of the wall was explained by the expiration of the 12-year truce with the Commonwealth: Russia was preparing for new clashes. Basically, the fortress wall was completed in 1600, but minor work continued for another two years. Then the wall was consecrated. Boris Godunov sent to Smolensk an image of Our Lady of Smolensk painted by Posnik Rostovets. This icon was placed in a niche above the Dnieper Gate and was considered miraculous.

There were 38...

Thanks to the clear and beautiful contour of the towers, the fortress that encircled the entire city could be seen from afar. The towers - hexagonal, square or round - were completed with a high board or tiled roof in the form of pointed tents - this eternal form of Russian national architecture. The towers were intended for observation, firing at the enemy in the event of an attack on the city, and served as a shelter for the defenders. During the siege, the towers became strongholds of defense. Mounted loopholes of the towers were intended for firing at the enemy from squeakers and muskets. They were equipped with even more formidable weapons - devices for dropping stones, pouring boiling water or hot brew on the heads of enemies. The towers were interconnected by passages arranged in the thickness of the wall.
Of the 38 towers, 17 have survived to this day: Avraamievskaya, Bubleika, Dolgochevskaya (Shembeleva), Donets, Gromovaya (Tupinskaya), Kopytenskaya, Red (Kostyrevskaya), Makhovaya, Nikolskaya, Oryol, Pyatnitskaya, Poznyakova (Rogovka), Veselukha, Volkova (Semenskaya ), Voronina, Zaaltarskaya, Zimbulka.

11 curious facts about the Smolensk fortress wall

1. Peter I himself had a hand in strengthening Smolensk. By his order, an earthen fortress was built - Kronverk, which lasted until 1830.
2. The wall stands on oak piles driven into the bottom of a specially dug pit.
3. The towers had deep earthen wells called "rumors". During the period of the enemy invasion, blind elders sat in them, listening day and night to see if the enemy was digging under the walls.
4. They say that a certain girl was immured alive at the base of the Veselukha tower.
5. Because of the haste, the eastern part of the wall had to be erected in late autumn. Later, it was this section that turned out to be the “weak link” and was broken through by the troops of Sigismund after a 20-month siege.
6. In order to pass the water of numerous streams that ran along the beams and ravines to the Dnieper, Fyodor Kon made special pipes in the northern part of the wall, which were closed with iron bars that prevented enemy scouts from entering the city.
7. According to legend, Boris Godunov said that you can drive a troika along the battlefield of the Smolensk fortress wall.
8. Initially, the brickwork was covered with lime whitewash, so that the Smolensk fortress was white.
9. The Thunder Tower got its name from the fact that lightning often hit it.
10. Once, an underground passage led from the Eagle Tower to Lake Rachevsky, in which robbers and counterfeiters hid during the time of Catherine II.
11. A small section of the fortress, located in the TsPKiO, was turned by fans of Viktor Tsoi into a wall of his memory. Inscriptions like “Tsoi is alive” and so on regularly appear on the stones of the wall.

Quote

“If the same steps are taken as for the spins No. 1 and No. 23, then the Smolensk fortress wall will be preserved for another, maybe 100 years, to please our children and grandchildren”

(V.A. Kazepin, Director of the Center for the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments).

Fortress wall: a new reality

Today, some of the surviving "pearls" of the "necklace of all Russia" have found a new life. Thus, the Nikolskaya Tower houses the City Center for Communications and Information (NCCA) and an Internet club. The Thunder Tower in Smolensk, devastated by the Great Patriotic War, was used for housing, and now its building houses the Smolensk - Shield of Russia museum. But in the Pyatnitskaya Tower there is a museum of Russian vodka, the exhibits of which, step by step, reveal the secrets of wine and vodka production in Russia.
Red tower on the street. Soboleva has been the Red Tower nightclub beloved by informal youth for several years. Another part of the Smolensk informals, namely the punks, chose a section of the wall located near the Eagle tower as their place of "hangout". Rock climbing competitions are held at the same place: the stones of the Smolensk fortress, worn out by time, act as “rocks”.
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View from space

Recently, not only the Great Wall of China can be seen from space: now, thanks to digital technologies, every inhabitant of the Earth with Internet access can walk along the Smolensk fortress. The first virtual tour in our city was developed as part of the Smolensk Travel project based on the most popular Google Maps mapping service. Now, with a light press of a button, a computer “tourist” can go on a journey through the 17 towers of the wall, get acquainted with their history, and look at photographs. At the same time, he will be able to trace his route from above - from "space".

To our shame

The main historical and architectural monument of the Smolensk region today resembles a large dump. Over the past few years, employees of the Center for the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments have been trying to solve the problem of cleaning the most visited towers by attracting students from Smolensk universities.
- I was extremely unpleasant and ashamed, - shares Vitaly Alekseevich Kazepin, - when representatives from Poland, Germany, visiting the Smolensk fortress, walked on fragments of bottles, which it was impossible not to step on. After that, together with volunteers, we tried to clean up the garbage, but cleanliness and order are kept only for a month and a half. They tried to brew with bars to protect access, but they were immediately broken out. And you can't put a company of soldiers there for protection.
Due to the fact that the inhabitants of the city use the wall and the area around it for leisure activities, in some places the spindles and towers are literally littered with mountains of garbage! From time to time, various volunteer movements try to clear the main Smolensk landmark from rubble. One of the largest attempts was made in the summer of 2004 as part of the Russian-American SYNergy program: Smolensk schoolchildren, together with American volunteers, tried to remove debris around a section of the wall outside the Nikolsky Gates, then there were no forces or garbage bags left to clean the fortress itself.
By the way, this year the fortress wall was finally cleared of bushes. Previously, foreigners passing along Sobolev Street photographed the overgrown walls as a local curiosity, probably later showed them to their friends and were surprised at such a dismissive attitude of the Smolensk people towards the monument.
It comes to the point that athletes invited from other cities themselves clean our fortress wall. Recently, the Cup of Russia on mountain tourism was held there, and rock climbers had a subbotnik before the competition.
Employees of the Center for the Protection and Use of Monuments would like to agree with universities on the systematic cleaning of the area around, and for cleaning on the wall, on the tower - to attract people who have climbing experience. And one more thing - to convey to the Smolensk people a simple truth: if you litter, clean up after yourself.

How much more to do!

The Smolensk fortress wall requires a complete restoration, which requires about 250 million rubles. Galina Nikiforova, Deputy Director of the Center for the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments, told us.
- Every year we submit applications for participation in the federal target program for maintenance of works on repair, restoration, emergency protection, conservation of historical and cultural monuments, - said Galina Ivanovna. - In 2007, 40 applications were sent, and only five were approved. 10 million rubles were allocated for the restoration.
Last year, within the framework of the federal target program "Culture of Russia" (2006 - 2010), restoration work began on the spindle No. 1 (from the Volkova Tower to the Dnieper Gates along Sobolev Street) and the spindle No. 23 (from the Governor's Break to the Donets Tower near the Eternal Flame) .
By the end of November, the work there will be completed.
And in 2007, the administration of the Smolensk region turned to the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography on the issue of allocating funds for repair and restoration work on the Donets Tower. But, unfortunately, it did not provide funds for restoration work, but allocated money for project documentation, which will be ready by the end of the year.
As for the plans for 2008, according to the director of the Center Vitaly Kazepin, “an action plan for the restoration of the fortress wall has already been drawn up, which includes the Donets tower (scientific and design documentation will be ready for it) and spinner No. 26 in the Central Park of Culture and Culture - these objects are included in the federal target program "Culture of Russia" (2006 - 2010), and now the issue of allocation of funds is being considered.
A project of measures for 2008-2012 has also been prepared, which provides for the restoration of part of the fortress wall, as well as the towers. The problem of financing is handled by the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography. The project requires funding in the amount of 234 million 200 thousand rubles. When calculating this amount, the specialists of the Center took into account the restoration coefficients, which change annually. This figure, however, does not include the cost of the fixture design, which the users or tenants will be required to develop in accordance with the functional purpose of the facility at their own expense.

The root of all troubles is ownerlessness

As for the remaining 16 towers and 3.2 kilometers of the fortress wall, the situation with them, as the Center's employees admit, is much more complicated. Many towers do not have a roof, without which they are in danger of destruction from precipitation. In addition, it is necessary for the adaptation of these towers (their functional purpose will be considered after the restoration work is completed, at the same time users and tenants will be determined).
- We tried together with the city and the Ministry of Culture to develop a concept for the preservation and adaptation of the Smolensk fortress, - says Vitaly Kazepin, - but this work has not been completed. We are now reactivating it. The issue is being considered at a very high level: after the report of the region's governor Viktor Nikolayevich Maslov in August this year, the government's proposal to give a helping hand to the Smolensk region, in particular, to preserve the Smolensk fortress, followed.
Now there is no so-called owner of the monument of federal significance, hence the continuous, “chronic” destruction.
- In my opinion, the main problem in the maintenance of the fortress wall is the uncertainty of property ownership. Today it has been handed over to the treasury. What is a treasury? The abyss, - says Vitaly Alekseevich. - The Smolensk fortress is under its jurisdiction, but there are no people responsible for the state of the “necklace of all Russia”, carrying out any measures for conservation and use. From January 1, 2008, in accordance with Federal Law No. 258, the Russian Federation transfers powers in the field of conservation, use and state protection of cultural heritage objects to the constituent entities of the country. I think that there will be fundamental changes in the property issues of monuments of federal significance and the situation will stabilize.
After the transfer of powers in the region, a Territorial Federal Service for Supervision of Compliance with Legislation in the Field of Mass Communications, Communications and the Protection of Cultural Heritage should be created, which will control and apply penalties. It will become possible to punish unlawfully acting users, tenants or owners, whereas today regional bodies do not have such powers, which contributes to the destruction, even destruction of monuments.

The stone walls of the Smolensk fortress were erected around the old part of the city, descending to the Dnieper. Smolensk had a strategically important location in the west of the Russian state, so the project turned out to be large-scale. Often the fortress in Smolensk is called the Kremlin, but this is not entirely true, since the fortification here was built not as a city administration, but for the purpose of military defense.

The original length of the Smolensk fortress wall is 6.5 km.

The width of the walls is about 6 m, and the height of the Smolensk fortress wall reaches 13-19 m in different places.

Panoramic view of the Smolensk Kremlin (fortress wall):

Towers of the Smolensk fortress

An interesting fact is that all the towers of the fortress wall of Smolensk differ from each other - there were no identical samples here. Their sizes were determined depending on the relief. In total, 38 towers were built on the Smolensk fortress wall. The main among the 9 passing towers was Frolovskaya (Dneprovskaya), the road from which led towards the capital. The second most important was the Molokhov Tower, opening the way to Kyiv.

13 towers of the Smolensk fortress wall were deaf with a rectangular shape. They are located along the entire perimeter, round and 16-sided towers alternate between them.

Only 18 towers of those built in the past centuries have survived. The most interesting of them:

Veselukha. This tower appeared in the Smolensk fortress in 1596. It is located on the corner and has 16 faces. From it to the Nikolsky Gates, the largest section of the fortress wall has been preserved. The name is due to the cheerful view that opens from the tower - a picturesque panorama of the Dnieper, where the locals liked to relax and have fun.
was erected in 1609. It has 4 tiers and 16 faces, is considered one of the most beautiful towers of the Smolensk Kremlin. After multiple reconstructions, its original appearance was restored. It houses a branch of the Museum of the military history of Smolensk "Smolensk - the shield of Russia."
Eagle. Built at the end of the 16th century, it was later destroyed and rebuilt. An unusual story is connected with it: in the 18th century, a brick factory was built next to it. But it turned out that this was only a cover for a gang of convicts and deserters engaged in counterfeiting.
Pyatnitskaya tower Smolensk fortress wall. In another way, it is also called Resurrection or Water. It was erected in 1595 and has a rectangular base. Today it can be seen not in its original form, it was rebuilt several times, was converted into a church. In 1812, it was blown up by the departing troops of Napoleon. Later, a new building was built here, where the Museum of Russian Vodka and the Smolensk Fortress restaurant were located.
Volkova- a rectangular tower with 4 tiers. Erected in 1595, at various times it was used as a warehouse, archive and even housing. Now it is the most destroyed of the surviving.
Kostyrievskaya. The year of construction of this round tower is 1595. Today you can see the restored building with a stylization of the original appearance of the tower. It has a cafe.

You can find all the towers of the Smolensk fortress wall with names and photos on the website of the Smolensk fortress.

History of the Smolensk fortress wall

The period of construction of the Smolensk Kremlin - 1596-1606. This defensive structure at that time was the largest among the fortresses in Russia. Initially, in the middle of the 16th century, a wooden fortress was erected here. Later, it was decided to replace it with a stone one, since the tree could easily be destroyed by artillery. For the first time, it was decided to make 3 tiers for battle in a military fortification. In the future, the history of the fortress wall of Smolensk will show that the efforts to strengthen the city were not in vain.

The architect of the Smolensk Kremlin is Fyodor Kon, the author of the towers and walls of the Moscow White City.

The quick time in which the construction of the Smolensk fortress wall took place was associated with Poland's claims to the Smolensk principality. And already in 1610, the Polish king began the siege of the fortress. The stronghold closed the approach to Moscow, so Governor Shein withstood 4 assaults, but by the fifth, the city had already greatly weakened after a 20-month siege and fell. In the 30s, the Russians made an unsuccessful attempt to return the fortress. Only in 1654 did the Poles surrender the city to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. But this was not the last battle in the history of the Smolensk fortress.

Peter I significantly strengthened the fortress, but the city eventually lost its importance. The fortress walls of the Smolensk Kremlin fell into disrepair and began to collapse. The buildings were badly damaged during the retreat of the Napoleonic troops, who blew up 9 towers. Moreover, in order to restore other city buildings, residents were allowed to take bricks from the destroyed Smolensk fortress. The process of dismantling the ancient historical landmark was stopped only in 1868 by decree of Emperor Alexander II, and the restoration of the surviving parts of the fortress wall of Smolensk began.

In 1941, a battle between German and Soviet troops took place in the city, which also caused damage to the wall. After the Great Patriotic War, some towers were used as temporary housing for the townspeople during the period of restoration of houses. At the end of the last century, an active restoration of the Smolensk fortress began. Now in some restored buildings there are various organizations: museums, restaurants, a nightclub. A large-scale restoration of the Smolensk fortress wall is planned for the coming years: a project is being developed in 2019, and repair work should already begin in 2020.

Opening hours

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The Smolensk fortress, sometimes also called the Smolensk Kremlin, is one of the most powerful defensive structures in Russia. Built in the years 1595-1602, more than once delaying the enemy, it still gives the impression of a mighty stronghold. A little less than half has survived to our time: about 3.5 km of the wall, 9 wall fragments and 18 towers.

Ancient Smolensk occupied an advantageous geographical position: the famous trade route "From the Varangians to the Greeks" passed through it. True, the city stood a little to the side, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe modern village of Gnezdovo, which is 14 km west of Smolensk along the Vitebsk highway. The first fortified settlements arose there, on the right bank of the Dnieper, back in the 1st millennium BC. The first written mention of Smolensk in the Tale of Bygone Years dates back to 862. At that time it was the center of the tribal union of the Krivichi. The city was already very strongly fortified, as evidenced by the fact that in 863 Askold and Dir, on a campaign from Novgorod to Tsargrad, bypassed Smolensk, not wanting to fight with a crowded and well-fortified city. In 882, Prince Oleg annexed Smolensk to the Old Russian state and gave it to the inheritance of the young prince Igor.

In Smolensk itself, the earliest archaeological layers date back to the 9th century. They were found on Malaya Shkolnaya Street on Cathedral Hill. The heyday of the Smolensk principality falls on 1127-1274, which then gave way to a period of decline. Over time, Smolensk came under the rule of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1449, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Casimir and the Moscow Grand Duke Vasily the Dark concluded an agreement according to which Moscow renounced the Smolensk land for all eternity.

Several times Russian troops unsuccessfully besieged Smolensk. In 1513 Russian troops besieged the city again. Only the third attempt was successful: after a fierce attack launched on July 29, 1514, the Lithuanian garrison surrendered. On August 1, 1514, Grand Duke Vasily III solemnly entered Smolensk, appointing Vasily Shuisky as the first governor and governor. Local noble Smolensk, accustomed to Lithuanian liberties, tried to revolt against the new government. The plot was exposed, and its instigators were hanged from the city gates. Since then, Smolensk became part of the Russian state, becoming a powerful outpost on the western borders of Russia.

A section of the fortress wall near Victory Square

In the spring of 1554, on the orders of Ivan the Terrible, the construction of a new wooden fortress began in Smolensk. However, the wooden walls were already vulnerable to artillery, which was actively developed at that time. Therefore, in December 1595, Tsar Fedor Ioannovich “He ordered Prince Vasily Ondreevich Zvenigorodsky and Semyon Volodimirov Bezobrazov and the clerk Posnik Shepilov and Nechay Perfiriev and the city master Fyodor Savelyev Horse to go to Smolensk”(S.Platonov. The true case of the structure of the city of Smolensk).

In the spring of 1596, in the presence of Boris Godunov, the de facto ruler of Russia, the laying of a new fortress began. Fyodor Kon (circa 1540-1606), a native of the Smolensk region, who had previously built the walls of the White City in Moscow, was appointed the head of the work. The Smolensk fortress was built on the model of the walls of other Kremlins: Moscow, Kolomna, Zaraisky, Serpukhov. However, the walls of the Smolensk fortress are much higher, longer and have three battle tiers instead of two.

Monument to Fyodor Kony in Smolensk

The work was carried out in the most difficult conditions and in extreme haste: in January 1603, a ten-year truce with the Commonwealth expired. The weather was unfavorable for construction: in 1597 it rained all summer, which flooded all the trenches and ditches, as a result of which the creeping soil had to be strengthened with piles. In 1600, famine began throughout Russia due to crop failure caused by intense heat and heavy rains. However, the work did not stop for a minute.

Fortress rampart, section of the fortress wall, Bubleika towers and Kopyten gates

The Smolensk fortress was built by the whole country. For the first time, the labor of mercenaries was used - due to the famine that broke out in the country in 1600-1602, many fled to build a new fortress in order to somehow feed themselves. More than 30 thousand people were employed at the works. The workers worked from dawn to dusk, lived in the most difficult conditions, experiencing numerous hardships. For the slightest offense they were severely punished. Many of them were injured and left crippled. In 1599, a riot even broke out, after which working conditions were somewhat relaxed.

Section of the fortress wall

The first sections of the wall were erected on the western side of Smolensk, where there was maximum danger. In general, the new fortress repeated the configuration of the old wall, which, for security reasons, was left until the end of construction. The eastern part of the fortress, which was built in the rainy autumn of 1602, turned out to be less durable. This was later used by the Poles.

Construction technology of the Smolensk fortress

At the base of the Smolensk wall there are oak piles close to each other, driven into the bottom of the pit. The space between them was filled with rammed earth. Then new piles were driven into the compacted earth, on top of which longitudinal and transverse logs chopped into each other were placed. The resulting cells were filled with a mixture of earth and rubble. In those places where the ground was hard, the cobblestone bonded with lime mortar was laid directly into the trenches. Under the foundations, "rumors" were built, intended for sorties outside the fortress during the siege.

The structure of the walls and towers of the Smolensk fortress. From the museum "Smolensk - the shield of Russia"

On this powerful wide foundation, external brick walls were erected on both sides. Bricks for construction were transferred along a multi-kilometer "living chain". They built it "with the whole world" - from each yard in Russia they demanded two bricks: there are no bricks - there is no head on the shoulders either. Apparently, this incentive contributed not only to productivity, but also to the quality of the bricks - some are still, after several centuries, almost like new. In total, 100 million bricks were spent on the construction of the Smolensk fortress.

Tools and building materials used in the construction of the Smolensk fortress. Exposition in the Museum "Smolensk - Shield of Russia"

Special bricks were also used, called "two-handed". They were about one and a half times larger than ordinary bricks and, accordingly, heavier. One hand cannot be held, which is why they were called two-handed.

Section of the fortress wall near Victory Square

The space between the brick walls was filled with cobblestones and filled with lime mortar. Shallow niches in the form of arches were laid out on the inner side of the wall. Some were made deaf, others were equipped with combat cameras. In some deaf arches from below, gaps were arranged, or, as they were called, "gates" - small arched passages outside the fortress, which, if necessary, could be quickly laid. In addition, there were passages in the wall for communication between the towers, rifle and cannon loopholes, and ammunition storerooms.

In the northern part of the wall, through special pipes, water flowed into the Dnieper from numerous streams that ran down the beams and ravines. The pipes were closed with strong iron gratings, through which enemy scouts could not get through. Thanks to this engineering solution, excess water was removed from the city, which prevented the destruction of the wall.

The fortress wall is impressive. The thickness of the walls is 5-5.2, in some places up to 6 meters. On the battlefield, the width of which is 4-4.5 meters, lined with bricks, it was possible to freely drive on a troika. The height of the walls depended on the relief: where the wall was protected by ravines and ditches, it was lower, on flat terrain it was higher: 18 meters or more. In addition, from the outside, the wall was protected by ditches and ramparts filled with water.

Walls and towers of the Smolensk fortress. Plan. From the museum "Smolensk - the shield of Russia"

The fortress walls and towers of Smolensk were originally whitewashed like the walls of the Moscow Kremlin and the White City. With their meticulous finish, white-stone pilasters with profiled corbels, and colored painting of some architectural details, they produced a very strong visual effect.

Beauty inexpressible, the like of which is not in the whole of the heavenly kingdom, for as an important boyar beautifully lies a valuable necklace, adding beauty and pride to her, so the Smolensk wall will now become the necklace of all Orthodox Russia to the envy of enemies and the pride of the Muscovite state ... - Boris Godunov (A. Mitrofanov City Walks Smolensk

Combat system

The Smolensk fortress had a three-tier battle system. Plantar combat was carried out from special chambers in which guns and squeaks were installed. To conduct a medium battle, vaulted chambers were equipped in the center of the wall, where the guns were placed. On the battlefield, fenced with alternating deaf and combat teeth in the form of a "dovetail", there was an upper battle. Above it was a gabled plank roof, protecting guns and people from precipitation and more.

The upper battle of the fortress wall of Smolensk. Section of the wall near the Thunder Tower

Towers of the Smolensk fortress

A total of 38 towers were built: 13 solid rectangular towers, 7 hexagonal and 9 round towers. Their height ranged from 22 to 33 meters. There were no two identical among them: the architect Fyodor Kon tried to make the fortress as elegant as possible. The towers of the Smolensk fortress were located at a distance of 150-160 meters from one another.

Stairway up inside the Thunder Tower

Climbing the Thunder Tower

Area under the tent

Entry gates were equipped in 9 towers. The Frolovskaya (Dneprovskaya) tower served as the main gate to the city, from here the path to Moscow went. Through the Molokhov Tower there was a road to Kyiv and Roslavl.

Other gate towers that were of secondary importance and therefore less elegant are Lazarevskaya, Kryloshevskaya, Avraamievskaya, Nikolskaya, Kopytenskaya, Pyatnitskaya and Voskresenskaya.

Siege of the Smolensk fortress in the 17th century

In the 17th century, the Smolensk fortress was besieged three times during the Russian-Polish wars, and they could never take it by force, only by betrayal. September 16, 1609 Smolensk was besieged by the army of Sigismund III. The defense of the city was headed by Mikhail Shein. The siege lasted 20 months. Despite the fact that the besieged could leave the city through “rumors” and receive reinforcements, dysentery and scurvy began among the townspeople. But the city did not give up. As always, there was a traitor. Andrei Dedeshin pointed out to the Poles a weak, eastern section of the wall, which was hastily built in the wet autumn of 1602. He was the most fragile.

On the night of June 3, 1611, the Poles, having concentrated all their forces on this site, began shelling. The defenders of Smolensk locked themselves in the ancient building of 1101 and blew themselves up: a gunpowder warehouse was set up in the cellars on Cathedral Hill. Part of the cathedral collapsed, burying people under it, others were killed by the Poles who burst into the city. Mikhail Shein was taken prisoner, in which he remained until 1619.

The Poles took Smolensk. But exhausted by the long siege of the city, they no longer went to Moscow, since Sigismund spent all his money and was forced to disband the army. It can be said that in 1611 Smolensk, at the cost of its capitulation, saved Moscow: not having received reinforcements, the Moscow garrison of the Poles surrendered to the people's militia.

In 1613-1617, Russian troops tried to recapture Smolensk, but to no avail. According to the Truce of Deulino in 1618, Russia recognized Smolensk as part of the Commonwealth. In 1633-1934, the Russian army, led by Mikhail Shein, who by that time had been released from Polish captivity, again laid siege to Smolensk. But the troops of King Vladislav IV, who arrived in time, were able to besiege the besiegers themselves, as a result of which they were forced to capitulate.

Shein bastion, poured in 1633 by the Poles, which Mikhail Shein could not break through and a section of the fortress wall near Victory Square

Mikhail Shein, upon his return to Moscow, was accused of treason and executed on Red Square. In particular, he was charged with the fact that during his captivity he "kissed the cross to King Sigismund III and the young prince Vladislav." Historians are still arguing whether Shein was a victim of a boyar conspiracy or whether he really made a number of gross tactical mistakes that cost Smolensk.

On August 16, 1654, Russian troops led by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich again stormed Smolensk. The first assault was unsuccessful, the Russian losses were 7,000 killed and 15,000 wounded. Nevertheless, on September 23, 1654, the Smolensk garrison, having exhausted all means, capitulated.

Smolensk was finally annexed to Russia. The Andrusovo truce of 1667 legally secured this accession, and the Eternal Peace of 1686 between Russia and the Commonwealth confirmed it.

A section of the fortress wall, now part of the Lopatinsky Garden

Smolensk fortress during the Patriotic War of 1812

On August 17-18, 1812, the Battle of Smolensk took place between Napoleon's army and the Russian troops, as a result of which both sides lost about 20 thousand people. The Russians were forced to retreat. Napoleon's army occupied Smolensk, engulfed in flames. In early November 1812, retreating from the city, Napoleon ordered to mine and blow up all the towers of the Smolensk fortress. On November 5, 9 towers were blown up, the rest were recaptured and cleared of mines by the Don Cossack Corps, led by Ataman M.I. Platov.

Photo of the Nikolsky Gates, Museum "Smolensk - Shield of Russia"

After the Patriotic War of 1812, the entire city lay in ruins, at least 80% of the buildings were burned. The total loss was estimated at a huge amount for those times: 6.6 million rubles. Therefore, it is not surprising that the locals dismantled the dilapidated fortress in order to restore their homes.

A section of the fortress wall near the Lopatinsky Garden. Photo by S.M. Prokudin-Gorsky, 1912

Smolensk fortress in the XX century

In the 1930s, when active construction was going on in Smolensk, some sections of the wall were demolished to clear new construction sites. Bricks and cobblestones from the dilapidated fortress went to the construction of new buildings. The Smolensk fortress suffered both during the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war period, when Smolensk was raised from the ruins. As a result, only 18 towers and 9 fragments of the wall have survived to our time. Nevertheless, even the surviving sections of the Smolensk fortress are amazing.

Eastern section of the fortress wall, view from Cathedral Hill

The following towers have been preserved: Volkovskaya (Semenovskaya, Strelka), Kostyrevskaya (Red), Veselukha (Luchinskaya), Dnieper gates, Pozdnyakova (Rogovka), Oryol (Gorodetskaya), Avraamievskaya, Zaaltarnaya (Belukha), Voronina, Dolgochevskaya (Shembeleva), Zimbulka, Nikolskaya tower (Nikolsky Gate), Mokhovaya, Donets, Gromovaya (Tupinskaya), Bubleika, Kopytenskaya Tower (Kopytensky Gate), Pyatnitskaya Tower.

Lost towers: Antifonovskaya, Pyatnitskaya tower (Water), Bogoslovskaya, Ivorovskaya (Verzhenova), Water gates (Voskresensky gates), Faceted, Gurkina, Frolovskaya, Evstafyevskaya (Briarevskaya), Kassandalovskaya (Kozodavlevskaya, Artishevskaya), Round No. 11, Round No. 13 , Kryloshevsky Gates, Lazarev Gates, Molokhov Gates, Mikulinskaya Tower, Stefanskaya, Kolominskaya (Sheinova), Gorodetskaya (Semenovskaya), Quadrangular No. 8, Quadrangular No. 12, Quadrangular No. 19.

The longest section, over 1.5 kilometers long, is located in the eastern part of Smolensk. It runs along the Nikolsky Gate in the southeast to the Veselukha Tower in the north. On both sides, the wall is bounded by ravines up to 30 meters deep, which, coupled with magnificent panoramic views, creates an extremely strong visual effect. A particularly impressive view opens from the top platform of the Eagle Tower.

Smolensk is the oldest Russian city that has been constantly attacked by its European neighbors. It has always been of great defensive importance for the country, so the Russian tsars took care of its strengthening.

During the reign of Boris Godunov and Fyodor Ioannovich, the Smolensk Kremlin was built. This building is unique in every sense. For several centuries it was considered the largest and most reliable in Europe.

History of the Smolensk Kremlin

In 1554, Ivan the Terrible issued a decree in which he ordered the construction of a new very high wooden fortress. However, in those days, the development of artillery began, and wooden fortresses were no longer impregnable. For this reason, at the end of the 16th century, it was decided to start building a stone fortress. From December 1595, active preparatory work was carried out.

The construction was supervised by the outstanding Russian architect F.S. Kon, who was the author of the White City in Moscow. The prototype of this building, according to experts, was the Moscow Kremlin, as well as similar buildings in Tula, Nizhny Novgorod, Zaraysk, Kolomna, Serpukhov.

Construction was very active. The workers worked from morning to night, lived in the most difficult conditions - in damp cold dugouts, which were heated in a black way and very often flooded with water. For the slightest disobedience, the overseers severely punished them.

Due to hard work, cold, hunger, epidemics, many died or became crippled. Because of this, a riot broke out in 1599. Officials had to make some concessions, slightly improving the working conditions and life of workers.

Nature also gave its surprises. In 1597 the summer was very rainy. All the ditches and trenches were filled in, it was necessary to additionally strengthen the creeping soil with piles. In the summer of 1600, the incredible heat alternated with heavy rains. Almost the entire grain crop perished, and famine began in Russia. But despite this, construction did not stop for a day.

The appearance of the building was influenced by the shape of the wooden old wall. It was saved to repel the attack of enemies. The construction of the Smolensk Kremlin in many places was carried out in parallel with the old fortifications. In some places, the wall ran right over them, and in some areas it went beyond them. The first sections were built on the western side of the city.

Architectural solutions

When planning the construction of the fortress wall, Fyodor Kon decided to use ancient elements and techniques of Russian architecture: fencing of the battle course with dovetail-shaped teeth, masonry with a roller, half-stone masonry, arches located on the inside of the wall, the shape of intermediate and corner towers, white stone details etc.

Features of the building

In addition, the famous architect introduced many new products to his brainchild. He decided to make the stone walls of the Smolensk Kremlin much higher than those that were being built at that time. Previously, fortresses were equipped with two tiers of battle. The Smolensk Kremlin became three-tiered. Many more towers were built than in the old fortresses.

Oak piles were driven into the bottom of the pit. The space between them was completely filled with densely packed earth. Additional piles were driven into it, and thick transverse and longitudinal logs, cut into each other, were already laid on top of them. The cells formed by them were filled with rubble and earth. In those places where the ground was especially hard, the cobblestone was laid on the bottom of the trench and fastened with lime mortar. The result was a strong and wide foundation.

The foundations of the towers are made of huge stone blocks. Galleries were built under the foundations, which were intended for sorties outside the structure. They were called "rumors". The brickwork was horizontal. Only the northeastern section of the wall, descending rather steeply towards the Dnieper, was sloping. The middle part of the wall was a kind of stiffening belt, consisting of two vertical brick walls. The cobblestone was filled up between them and filled with lime mortar from above.

The Smolensk Kremlin in the walls has passages that communicate with the towers, cannon and rifle loopholes, and ammunition storerooms. The thickness of the walls exceeds five meters. They end with battlefields that are covered with bricks. The height of the walls ranges from 13 to 19 meters. Behind the ditches and ravines, the wall is slightly lower, in the flat areas it is higher.

Towers of the Smolensk Kremlin

Initially, thirty-eight towers were built in the Smolensk fortress. Of these, only seventeen have survived to this day. The Volkov Tower (Semenskaya, Strelka, Volkhovskaya) was rebuilt during a large-scale restoration in 1877. Kostyrevskaya (Red) was rebuilt after complete destruction. Today it has been restored, and now a cozy cafe operates inside it.

One of the favorite places of rest for the residents of the city and its guests was the Luchinskaya tower (Veselukha). From its foot opens a fantastically beautiful view of the surroundings. The following towers have been preserved in various ways:

Gorodetskaya;
Pozdnyakov;
Zaaltarnaya;
Avraamievskaya;
Zimbulka;
Shembelevka;
Nikolsky Gate;
Voronin;
Flywheel.

What to pay attention to?

Tourists show great interest in the Thunder Tower, which today houses a historical museum, as well as in the Donets Tower, near which there are memorials dedicated to the defenders of Smolensk, the heroes of the wars of 1812 and 1941-1945.

The Kopytitsky Gates, fortunately preserved in their original form, got their name in honor of the road along which, even before the construction of the Kremlin, livestock was driven to pastures. Another tower, Bublaika, also received an unusual name. The legend says that from it, when opponents approached, sound signals were given.

Where the Pyatnitsky Gate used to be, today there is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (1816). Kassandalovskaya is another tower of the Smolensk Kremlin. Today, it houses a museum dedicated to the war against Nazi Germany (1941-1945). A temple was built on the site of the Dnieper Gate (1793), and today there is a Sunday school.

Is there a plan to restore the complex?

The Smolensk Kremlin is a priceless monument of the 16th-17th centuries. It has been restored several times already, but, unfortunately, there is no talk of restoring this attraction completely. The surviving buildings are in a different state. Some of them are museums, others are commercial and public organizations. It is worth noting that even in its current form, the Smolensk Kremlin

Plan.

1. Introduction.

2 Smolensk fortress is an outstanding architectural and fortification structure

a) the need for construction

history reference

b) architect Fyodor Kon

c) building a fort

d) the defensive capabilities of the fortress

3 Conclusion.

4 Applications.

1. Introduction

This is a chronicle of battles, This is a story about the fate of Russia! This is a stone shield

What keeps her heart Moscow!...

City-worker, city-warrior, city of Russian glory!

So historians call Smolensk. For the second millennium, he has stood unshakably on the steep Dnieper hills, at the crossroads of many roads, honestly and courageously taking upon himself everything that history has assigned him. In the entire centuries-old history of the city, there was no such century when the Smolensk people did not have to take up arms.

Smolensk is the very history of our Motherland,

his fate has always been inextricably linked with

the fate of the state.

M.S. Gorbachev

At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, Smolensk, as an important strategic point, was fortified with a powerful stone wall. For six years, from the spring of 1596 to the autumn of 1602, the Smolensk fortress was built. Four hundred years ago, builders were working on the creation of a wall. The wall was erected under the guidance of the outstanding Russian architect Fyodor Savelyevich Kon.

He was nicknamed the Horse for his strength:

The power of the bityug played in him!

Tsar Ivan Vasilyich the Terrible himself

He dubbed the kid the Horse.

And indeed, accurate, though not flattering,

That nickname has stuck with him:

His tousled mane

Just like a horse curled ...

Dmitry Kedrin.

The walls were built so skillfully that they became a reliable defense to the city. Smolensk is called the "key-city", the road to Moscow. The Smolensk fortress played an important role not only for the Smolensk region, but for the whole of Russia. This wall has endured many sieges and wars.

On September 13, 1609, seven years after the construction of the fortress was completed, the Polish king Sigismund 3 approached Smolensk with a huge army and laid siege to it. For more than twenty months, the defenders of the city, all its population, selflessly held back the onslaught of a well-armed army of invaders.

In the summer of 1708, the troops of the Swedish king Charles 12 approached the southern borders of the Smolensk land, it was through Smolensk that he threatened to pass to Moscow. But Peter I arrived in the city, the most energetic measures were taken to repair the fortress and meet the enemy at the distant approaches. Having come across well-equipped fortifications, having suffered several major defeats and almost being captured, Charles 12 realized that it was impossible to break through to Moscow through Smolensk, turned south, to Ukraine, where the famous Battle of Poltava took place (1709).

The ancient city increased its military merits in the Patriotic War of 1812. On Smolensk land, two Russian armies joined - M.B. Barclay de Tolia and P.I. Bagration. This destroyed the strategic plan of Napoleon to break them apart. On August 4-5, 1812, a major battle took place near the walls of the Smolensk fortress, in which the French troops suffered heavy losses, and the Russian army was able to carry out a strategic maneuver and maintain its combat capability. When the city was abandoned, a guerrilla war unfolded in its vicinity throughout the entire Smolensk land. By this time, 38 towers remained in the fortress wall. At the end of the war, during the retreat of Napoleon, his army blew up 8 towers.

The hardest trials fell on the lot of Smolensk during the Great Patriotic War. On the far and near approaches to the ancient city, on its streets and squares, throughout the surrounding land, the largest battle of the initial period of the war thundered for two months - the battle of Smolensk, which destroyed Hitler's plans for a "blitzkrieg". When the city was under temporary occupation, the population remaining in it continued to fight the enemy. September 25, 1943 Smolensk was liberated.

The ruins of buildings, mountains of crumbled bricks, charred trees, brick chimneys on the site of former dwellings were seen by the soldiers of the Red Army when they entered the city. A new heroic feat was required to overcome devastation, to revive life in the ashes and ruins. And this feat was accomplished.

Today's Smolensk is one of the most beautiful cities in the country. In it, gray antiquity coexists with modern buildings, revived buildings delight the eye with their architectural appearance. History here reminds of itself either as an earthen defensive rampart, or as an ancient temple, or as a fortress tower... Smolensk residents are proud of their heroic past, building a new life.

Smolensk Kremlin -

an outstanding architectural and fortification structure.

Someone moves the arrows slowly

On the earthly dial of centuries,

Yes, on a white thread below

A series of golden clouds .

Get down, necklace, on your shoulders

Prydniprovsky green hills

The thread is severely torn

nothing

Patch these strands of injury,

And tie these beads of words:

Zaaltarnaya, Arrow, Belukha,

Shakhovskaya, Zimbulka, Donets,

Thunderous, Eagle, Veselukha -

Father's blood crown of thorns .

In these arches, openings, gaps,

A flock of dispersed days is circling,

Only wind within Russian limits

Only painting of colorless stones .

2.a) The need for construction - a historical background.

In the second half of the 60s of the 16th century, a difficult time came for the Russian state. . The debilitating Livonian War, which lasted a quarter of a century (1558 - 1583), had a very hard effect on the country's economy. . Costing huge sacrifices and not solving the main state task - access to the Baltic Sea, it also fell on the shoulders of the peasantry as a heavy burden. . But in the 80s of the 16th century, the economic power of the country began to gradually level off. . Construction is also revitalizing, greatly reduced during the period of desolation . Then the question of the urgent execution of large construction orders of national importance became especially acute. . Weakened by many years of inconclusive war and internal social contradictions, the country has become a tempting bait for aggressive neighbors . Crimean Tatars constantly threatened from the south , supported by Sultan Turkey . In the west, danger threatened from the side of the gentry Poland - a natural ally of the Crimea in the fight against the Muscovite state, and in the north-west, the Swedes were waiting for an opportune moment to attack . Every precaution had to be taken to prevent the possibility of outside intrusion. . Some external cities also demanded protection, the fortifications of which were either lost or simply became unusable in the south and southeast, and to try to return Votskaya Pyatina, that section of ancient Novgorod territory on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, which was lost in the Lebanese War . It was necessary, finally, to satisfy other, already internal construction needs of the country, not related to defense tasks. . However, the government did not have enough skilled labor to carry out all this construction. . Attempts to change the situation in the construction business were made during the Lebanese war . At that time, Russia, blocked from the west, was establishing relations with England, and Ivan the Terrible, in a letter to the English Queen Elizabeth, asked for an architect to be called into temporary service. . The need for specialists - builders did not disappear even during the reign of Boris Godunov (1598-1605) . Replenishment from time to time of Russian architects invited from abroad could not meet the growing building needs . A strong reorganization of the construction business was needed . Therefore, at the end of 1583 or at the beginning of 1584, during the life of Ivan the Terrible, a special construction department was created in Moscow - « Order of stonework ». The Order of Stone Affairs acquired special significance under Boris Godunov: under him it turned into the largest specialized organization that took over all state building. . It can be said with almost certainty that at the same time, the Order of Stone Affairs regulated the extraction of stone in the long-famous Myayik quarries. . At the end of the 16th century, monasteries were also involved in construction duty . The implementation of these measures allowed the Moscow government to carry out huge construction in the country in a short time. . The initiator of this construction was Boris Godunov . The reign of Ivan the Terrible is also characterized by a large construction activity. . Especially large construction work took place in Moscow . In 1565, like many others, Savely Petrov came to Moscow to work with his son Fedor, who later became a great Russian architect. , who built the Smolensk fortress .

2.b) Architect Fyodor Kon.

Fedor Kon was born on July 4, 1556 in Dorogobuzh . Fyodor Kon's father , Savely Petrov , was a carpenter . And in 1565, Savely Petrov came to Moscow to work, he brought his nine-year-old son Fedor with him to the capital to teach him the craft of ward construction . Savely Petrov belonged to the number of "black people" who had almost no rights . At that time, a new royal palace was being built across the Neglinnaya River, where Savely Petrov got a job. . The work was supervised by an experienced master - foreigner Johann Clairaut . In Moscow, Fyodor Kon was delighted with the almost fabulous charm of "Basil the Blessed" and the greatness of "Ivan the Great" . The harsh walls of the Moscow Kremlin and Kitay-Gorod made a great impression on him. . First he helped his father : he dragged boards, dug ditches for foundations, got used to the craft of ward building, but in the fall of 1568 an epidemic of fireweed swept through Moscow: many townspeople and newcomers died . Died and carpenter Savely Petrov . Johann Klero left his son Fyodor at the construction site, appointing him as a junior assistant to the carpenter Foma Krivousov . Soon a stranger from his native place informed Fedor about the death of his mother and younger brothers. . The orphaned Fyodor Savelyev left the construction of the royal chambers and continues to work in Moscow, erecting stone walls and chopped huts, built at that time along « samples, developed by experienced carpenters and ward building masters . In 1571, the hordes of the Crimean Khan attacked Moscow and almost all wooden buildings were destroyed by fires. . Fedor « with comrades » continued to build . A tall and smart young man becomes a senior in a carpenter's artel . He stood out among his comrades with extraordinary strength and endurance. . It is no coincidence that sixteen-year-old Fyodor Savelyev was nicknamed the Horse. . « Black » Human Fedor Horse with all his heart of the simple Russian people loved Russia and gave all his knowledge and strength to strengthen its power . Wanderings around Moscow and half-starved life « stink » did not lay down in Fyodor Kon an indefatigable interest in stone city buildings . Fedor lived at that time on the Arbat in the courtyard of the parish priest Gur Agapitov, from whom the inquisitive young man learned to read and write, learned some information from sacred history . Fedor continued to walk around the yards in search of odd jobs . The thirst for knowledge led Fedor to master Johann Clairaut . The educated engineer Clairaut undertook to teach the Horse mathematics and the principles of structural mechanics. . Tales about great architects, about ancient Greek and Roman architecture, about castles and fortresses, revealed a new unknown world to the young carpenter . From Claireau Horse learned German and Latin, independent reading of foreign books . By this time, Fyodor Kon's friendship with the cannon master Andrei Chekhov belongs. . Meanwhile, the life of the artel carpenter went on as before. . Huts, sheds, chambers - rarely when a large order fell out . The spring of 1573 came . Fedor Horse « with comrades » put mansions to the German Heinrich Staden, who served at the court . For a long time the Horse did not have a big job, and he devoted himself with enthusiasm to the implementation of an interesting order. . The work was coming to an end, around the new mansion the carpenters put up a high fence . The Horse himself cut the gate patterns . But the owner - the German did not like the magnificent Russian carving . Without a word, he hit the Horse and turned to walk away. . Fedor Kon flared up and, seized with anger, knocked the German to the ground. . A fight ensued ... Fedor was accused of rebellion and godlessness . Knowing full well that severe punishment awaited him, Fedor Kon fled from Moscow. . A refugee hid in the Boldin Monastery near his hometown of Dorogobuzh . The Boldin Monastery was one of the richest in Russia by the time Fyodor Kon came to it. . The monks wanted to enclose the monastery with stone . Fedor had the opportunity to try his knowledge and experience on a large stone construction project. . Standing out for the knowledge and courage of artistic thought, the Horse led the Monastery construction . Under the leadership of Fyodor Kon, a cathedral with three altar niches, a monastery belfry, a refectory with a small church attached to it, and chopped oak walls were built. . But Fyodor Kon' did not escape for a long time in the monastery. . He was forced to leave . The participation of Fyodor Kon in the construction of the Boldin Monastery is confirmed by many researchers of Russian architecture . Analyzing the architectural details of the Odigitrievskaya Church of the Ivano-Predtechensky Monastery in Vyazma, one cannot help but be convinced that they were made by the hand of the same master as the stone buildings of the Boldin Monastery . Simultaneously with the construction of the Ivano-Predtechensky Monastery, Fyodor Kon was entrusted with the construction of the Vyazemsky City Cathedral, which later became known as the Trinity Cathedral. . The Trinity Cathedral in Vyazma has survived without significant changes to this day and testifies to the great creative talent of the architect . Fedor Kon clearly imagined what Russian fortresses should be . Based on the experience of Russian fortification art, he paved his own way in this area. . Longing for great work forced Fyodor Kon in March 1584 to leave Vyazma and secretly return to Moscow. . There he wrote a petition addressed to Tsar Ivan the Terrible . But Grozny could not forgive the escape from the sovereign's justice . That is why a week later Fedor Kon received an answer: « The city master Fedor, the son of Saveliy, is allowed to live in Moscow, and for escaping, beat the batogs fifty times ». Fedor with firmness endured the punishment for escaping . Thus began a new stage in the life of Fyodor Kon, who was destined to multiply the power and glory of Muscovite Russia. . In Moscow, Fyodor Kon met his old friend, foundry master Andrei Chekhov, who at that time was casting the Tsar Cannon . Again the ward master had to leave Moscow . This time, Fedor Kon worked in the Moscow region on the construction of the Pafnutiev Monastery in Borovsk . The board of Boris Godunov continued the policy of Ivan the Terrible to strengthen the Russian state . Godunov paid much attention to the defense of the Fatherland and especially the capital. . At his suggestion, in 1586, work began on the construction of a new Tsarev-city around Moscow. . Godunov remembered the city master Fyodor Kon . Dream « black » man came true - he was entrusted with the construction of the Tsar's city . Fedor Kon set to work with great energy, judging by the excavations carried out during the laying of the Moscow Metro, the depth of the foundations of the White City was 2 . 1 meters . The width of the walls at the level of the foundation reached six meters, and in the upper part it was 4 . 5 meters . Loopholes were arranged in the walls for close and distant shelling. , 28 towers rose above the walls . In 1593 the construction of the White City was completed. . As a reward for his work, Fyodor Kon received a piece of brocade and a fur coat from the boyar Godunov, and Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich allowed the town planner to his own hands. . The construction of the White City brought honor and wealth to Fyodor Kon . Fyodor Kon married the widow of a merchant from « cloth row » Irina Agapovna Petrova and he is accepted into the cloth hundred . At the same time, he was building the Church of the Don Mother of God in the Moscow Donskoy Monastery. . Upon completion of the construction of the Don Church, Fedor Kon begins the construction and strengthening of the Simonov Monastery - one of the brightest pages in the history of Russian fortification . Upon completion of work in the Simonov Monastery, Fyodor Kon was entrusted with the construction of the Smolensk fortress wall. In 1595, Fyodor Kon arrived in Smolensk on the orders of the tsar to build a fortress. The Smolensk fortress is the second major building of Fyodor Savelyevich Kon.