Tsarskaya Tower, Fortified tower in Moscow Kremlin, Russia.

The Tsarskaya Tower is a small red brick tower on the Kremlin Wall, built in 1680. Its steep pyramidal roof is covered in dark green diamond-patterned tiles edged with yellow and green bands. White stone spires with small yellow flags stand at the corners above arched openings with white stone trim, supported by thick bulbous red brick pillars. The lower section is solid red brick with white stone coping and small rectangular recesses.

The structure was built in 1680 as part of the Kremlin fortifications, incorporating an arched passageway at its base and a second level open on all sides. This design reflected the evolution of fortress construction in the 17th century.

The name Tsarskaya means "tsar's". According to legend, Russian rulers appeared on the tower after their coronation to show themselves to the crowd gathered on Red Square. The octagonal tent on bulbous pillars imitates the porches of stone boyar mansions, and under the tent cross-shaped beams mark where bells once hung.

The tower stands on the Kremlin wall between the Spasskaya and Nabatnaya towers, facing Red Square. It is not open to visitors: the two tiers, with a through arch below and a steep stair to the upper platform, are part of the wall walk. View it from Red Square, where the gilded weathervane and corner pyramids read best in daylight.

The tower was never a defensive structure: it was built in 1680 as an ornamental tent-roofed pavilion, the youngest of the Kremlin towers. Under the tent, crossed beams still mark where bells once hung, and a gilded weathervane on top still turns. Legend holds that Russian rulers stepped onto it after coronation to show themselves to the crowd on Red Square.