Kremlin, 1b, Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia, 603082
The Northern Tower is a round tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. It is located in the upper part between the Taynitskaya and Chasovaya towers. Contrary to its name, the tower is not the northernmost structure in the Kremlin, but the fortress wall stretching from the Taynitskaya Tower toward the Northern Tower aligns with the direction of north.
In 17th-century historical documents, the Northern Tower was also called the Corner Tower, as it occupied the corner of the fortress wall sharply turning from the Pochaivsky ravine to the slope of Chasovaya Hill. Later, the current Northern Tower was known as the Ilyinskaya Tower due to its proximity to the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, located on the opposite side of the ravine.
In its construction, the Northern Tower is similar to the Taynitskaya Tower: it had 4 tiers with battle windows. Through a passage equipped within the thickness of the wall, one could descend to the lower tier, where there was a small room with a staircase and "small exit doors" leading to the city. These gates served a functional role: messengers and fighters replenishing the army during the fortress siege passed through them. In the 18th century, the Northern Tower was occupied by a military warehouse of the provincial company, and in 1827 it was converted into a storage facility for the police administration.
In the 19th century, there was a rumor among townspeople that Nicholas I had ordered a royal residence to be arranged within the walls of the Northern Tower. The legend is not without basis: from 1835 to 1841, after Nicholas I’s visit to Nizhny Novgorod, the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin was improved by clearing it of private houses and constructing new buildings (the governor’s house and others). At the same time, an estimate was drawn up for the repair of the Northern Tower amounting to 150,000 rubles, but this project was not realized.
Sources:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Северная_башня_(Нижний_Новгород)
