Nikolskaya Tower, Gate tower at Red Square in Moscow, Russia
Nikolskaya Tower is a gate tower on the Kremlin's eastern wall, featuring white stone ornamentation and a red star crowning its peak. The structure creates a passage that links Red Square with the fortress's interior areas.
Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari completed this defensive structure in 1491 as part of the Kremlin's fortifications. The tower later suffered damage during Napoleon's invasion and the Russian Revolution.
The tower takes its name from an icon of Saint Nicholas displayed above the Red Square entrance, a religious symbol that shaped how people understood this passage for centuries.
The passageway through the tower is typically accessible when Kremlin grounds are open, though the narrow corridor can get crowded. Visiting early in the day helps you move through more comfortably.
The interior still contains original medieval ironwork and stone defenses from when it protected access to the estates of high-ranking officials inside the Kremlin. These remains reveal how the site once functioned.
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