Bely Gorod

Bely Gorod (Russian: Бе́лый го́род, that is, "White Town") is the central core area of Moscow, Russia. The name comes from the color of its defensive wall, which was erected in 1585-1593 at the behest of tsar Feodor I and Boris Godunov by architect Fyodor Kon. Bely Gorod had 28 towers and 11 gates, the names of some of which are still preserved in the names of squares, namely: Trehsvyatsky, Chertolsky (Prechistensky), Arbatsky, Nikitsky, Tversky, Petrovsky, Sretensky, Myasnitsky, Pokrovsky, Yauzskiy, Vasilievsky. The length of the wall - 10 km, width up to 4,5 m. The walls were cogged, like the Kremlin walls, loopholes allowed to keep a continuous fire.

During the reign of Catherine the Great and her grandson Alexander I the wall was demolished and replaced by a chain of boulevards, known as the Boulevard Ring.

  • Semiverhaja tower, Vsehsvjatsky and Chertolsky (Prechistensky) gate on the plan of 1610

  • Semiverhaya (Seven-tops) angular tower. By Apollinary Vasnetsov

  • Myasnitsky Gate. By Apollinary Vasnetsov

  • "Truba" ("Tube") at the river Neglinnaya. By Apollinary Vasnetsov