The Kazan Kremlin was built in an era when every stone of any building had to serve a defensive function. Previously, along its perimeter it was fortified with thirteen towers, of which seven have survived to this day. One of them, the Southwest Tower, was built in 1556-1562 by the Pskov architects Shiryai and Yakovlev. It is located on the western side of the Kremlin, to the left of the Spasskaya Tower.
At first glance, it immediately brings to mind pictures from a history textbook or frames from some historical film. The Southwest Tower has a height of 17 meters, and the diameter at its base is 9.5 meters. It has two tiers, crowned with a conical roof, under which there are narrow loophole windows, necessary for safely and effectively firing back at enemies.
By the way, in earlier times, the conical roof was unique, because defensive towers usually had a platform on top with crenellated parapets.
Restoration work on the walls and towers of the Kazan Kremlin has been carried out continuously since the 18th century. The foundations are being reinforced, the white облицовка is being renewed, and buried loopholes are being uncovered. The wooden conical tented roof on the Southwest Tower was restored in 1977-1986.
