Bird tower, Medieval tower in Tverskoy District, Moscow, Russia.
The Bird Tower is a cylindrical structure made of red brick with a white stone foundation rising about 8.5 meters high. It has two levels with different types of openings: larger artillery embrasures on the lower section and smaller loopholes above for portable weapons.
The tower was built in 1535 by architect Petrok Maly and served as part of the Kitay-gorod fortification wall protecting medieval Moscow. It dates from a period when the city needed defense against invasions.
The tower shows features of Russian medieval military architecture and is the only remaining structure from the former Kitay-gorod fortification system. You can observe the various firing openings that show how defenders once used this place.
The structure sits in an urban area and can be viewed from outside as you pass by it. The interior is not open to visitors today, but the exterior walls are always visible.
The tower's interior now houses large pipes and serves industrial purposes instead of military ones. The red painted exterior walls with thick white coating on the base show the contrast between original structure and modern coverings.
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