Spasskaya Tower, Medieval gate tower at Red Square, Russia
Spasskaya Tower rises 71 meters (233 feet) above Red Square and displays clock faces six meters (20 feet) wide on each side. The red brick walls frame the eastern gate of the Kremlin, through which visitors look onto the old fortress grounds.
Pietro Antonio Solari built the tower in 1491 as the main entrance to the Moscow Kremlin under Ivan the Great. Later, in the 17th century, craftsmen added the clock and the pointed Gothic roof that define the structure today.
The Kremlin chimes inside strike every hour and shape the rhythm of daily life in the capital. Muscovites hear the melody as a signal for important moments, especially at midnight on New Year's Day.
Guards stand at the gate, and parades pass through regularly, especially on holidays. The best view of the structure comes from the southern end of Red Square.
The red star on top rotates in the wind and holds an electric lamp at its center. Stalin had the imperial double-headed eagle removed in 1936 and replaced with this star, marking Soviet rule.
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