Krasnaya Ploshchad in Yaroslavl is adorned by a structure that is impossible not to notice. This is the Fire Tower, which recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Its height is more than 30 meters - that is almost like a 9-story building. It was built in 1911 according to the design of the city's chief architect, Grigory Sarenko.
Previously, there was a wooden tower on this site, but wood is a material that does not hold up very well against the weather, so over time it had to be replaced with stone. For many years, the tower faithfully served the city - it was the tallest building in Yaroslavl, and firefighters were on duty here around the clock to detect suspicious smoke or fire in time.
Interestingly, the tower also used to be the city's largest thermometer: when the temperature outside dropped below –25°C, a flag was hung at the top in the morning, which meant that classes in the gymnasiums were canceled for that day.
Since 1974, it was decided to abolish fire watch duty, as telephone communication proved to be a more effective signaling method. At present, the building houses the Main Directorate of the MChS RF for Yaroslavl Oblast, as well as a federal fire defense unit.
The height of this structure is very attractive to photographers, who can take several successful shots of the city right from the historic center.
