The Dmitrievskaya Tower () is the main tower on the southern wall of the

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin () is a fortress (Kremlin (fortification), kremlin) in the Historic centre of Nizhny Novgorod, historic city center of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. History The first attempt to replace the wooden fort with a stone Krem ...

which overlooks the

Minin and Pozharsky Square The Minin and Pozharsky Square (), also known as just Minin Square, is the main square of Nizhny Novgorod. It is a social and cultural center of the city, the venue of the most important celebrations. It is located in the Historic centre of Nizhn ...

. The tower named after a powerful Prince of

Suzdal Suzdal (, ) is a Types of inhabited localities in Russia, town that serves as the administrative center of Suzdalsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which is located along the Kamenka tributary of the Nerl (Klyazma), Nerl River, north o ...

and Nizhny Novgorod

Dmitry of Suzdal Dmitry Konstantinovich (; 1323–1383) was Prince of Suzdal and Grand Prince of Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal from 1365. He took the title of Grand Prince of Vladimir from his son-in-law, Dmitry Donskoy, from 1360 to 1363.Demetrius of Thessaloniki Saint Demetrius (or Demetrios) of Thessaloniki, Thessalonica (, ), also known as the Holy Great martyr, Great-Martyr Demetrius the Myroblyte (meaning 'the Myrrh-Gusher' or 'Myrrh-Streamer'; 3rd century – 306), was a Greeks, Greek Christianity, ...

. This church was located opposite the tower.

History

The Dmitrievskaya Tower was built between 1500 and 1516 during the construction of the

. Its earliest mention comes in 1516 in the

chronicle A chronicle (, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events ...

. After 1782 the Dmitrievskaya Tower began to disintegrate and redevelop. The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin has been completely renovated between 1785 and 1790. Part of the tower above the gates was completely reconstructed. Wall thicknesses was reduced, loopholes were replaced by rectangular windows. Low slanting iron roof was erected. In the early 18th the Kremlin walls and the Dmitrievskaya Tower were traditionally painted white, in accordance with fashion. Height of the tower decreased by 6 m after back filling of a moat between 1834 and 1837 around the Kremlin. A garrison school for soldierly children occupied the tower at the end of the 18th century and the early the 19th century. The fortress become dilapidated meanwhile. Between 1958 and 1856 the tower was occupied by the provincial government's archival depository. Then the Dmitrievskaya Tower was abandoned. In 1894-95 the tower was restored upon the project of architect Nikolai Sultanov. He was instructed to transform it into an art and historical museum. The upper level was completely rebuilt. Large windows were installed instead of straight teeth, decorating

machicolation In architecture, a machicolation () is an opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement through which defenders could target attackers who had reached the base of the defensive wall. A smaller related structure that only protects key ...

s. Caravans were built up above the West-European-style. The museum was opened in 1896. At the opening ceremony of the museum, Emperor Nicholas II and his wife attended. In 1913 a big celebration was held in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov family near the Dmitrievskaya Tower. The art and historical museum was located in the Dmitrievsky Tower until 1919. Then the exhibits and paintings were taken out and distributed to other places. Some of them were destroyed. In 1994 the icon of Yuri II of Vladimir was restored above the gate (see picture below).

Gallery

File:Blagoveshchenskaya Square during the holiday days of Minin.jpg, Dmitrievskaya Tower in 1913 File:Dmitrievskaya Tower. The inner side.jpg, Dmitrievskaya Tower in 1895 File:Icon of Saint Yuri II Vsevolodovich (founder of Nizhny Novgorod) above the entrance to the Kremlin.jpg, Icon of Yuri II of Vladimir File:NN 01-09-2021 11.jpg, Dmitrievskaya Tower inside the Kremlin

References

{{coord, 56.327064, 44.005697, region:RU_type:landmark, name=Dmitrievskaya Tower, display=title Historic centre of Nizhny Novgorod Buildings and structures in Nizhny Novgorod Buildings and structures completed in 1516 Towers completed in the 16th century Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast Towers in Russia