Teremok Tower in Krutitsy Metochion, Gate tower in Tagansky District, Russia.
The Teremok Tower is a two-story gate tower in the Krutitsy Metochion complex, located in the Tagansky District of Moscow, Russia. It connects the metropolitan chambers to the Assumption Cathedral through covered galleries and has a passage opening at ground level.
The tower was built between 1693 and 1694 as part of a broader expansion of the Krutitsy complex led by Metropolitan Adrian. That period marked the height of the metochion's development, before its influence declined in the following century.
The name Teremok comes from the Russian word for a small decorative wooden structure with a high roof, and it suits the tower's playful appearance well. Visitors today can walk past the facade and look closely at the hand-painted ceramic tiles that still cover every surface of the outer walls.
The Krutitsy Metochion is an active religious site, so some parts of the complex may not be open to visitors. The tower's exterior facade is clearly visible from the courtyard and can be seen without entering any restricted area.
All of the roughly 1,500 ceramic tiles on the facade were made by a single craftsman, Stepan Ivanov, which was an unusual way to complete a project of this scale in the 17th century. Each tile was individually shaped and painted before being set into the wall.
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