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ALOISIO DA CARCANO - b. ~1480 ?, d. ~1520 Russia - WGA

ALOISIO DA CARCANO

(b. ~1480 ?, d. ~1520 Russia)

Italian architect, also known by several other names such as Aloisio da Caresana, Aloisio da Milano, Aleviz Milanets and Aleviz Fryazin. He was active in Russia. He came to Moscow in 1494 at the invitation of Ivan III to replace Pietro Antonio Solari as a senior court architect responsible for fortifications and palaces. In 1495, he rebuilt the walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin along the Neglinnaya River.

In 1499-1508, he constructed a few stone chambers, which today constitute the first three floors of the Terem Palace. In 1508-1616, he also dug a moat (later dubbed the Alevizov moat in his honour) along the Kremlin wall on the side of the Red Square, covered with limestone and bricks. It was filled up in the 19th century.

Aloisio da Carcano also constructed a dam on the Neglinnaya River in 1508 and a bridge over it in 1516.

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The Kremlin Wall is a defensive wall that surrounds the Moscow Kremlin, recognizable by the characteristic notches and its towers. The original walls were likely a simple wooden fence with guard towers built in 1156. The Kremlin is flanked by 19 towers with a 20th, the Koutafia Tower, not part of its walls.

To date twenty towers survived, highlighting the walls. Built at a different time, the oldest one, Tainitskaya dates to 1485 whilst the newest one, Tsarskaya to 1680. Three of the towers, located in the corners of the castle have unique circular profiles. From the ground level it is only possible to enter six of the towers, the rest only from the walls.

Four gate towers exist, all crowned with ruby stars, they are Spasskaya, Borovitskaya, Troitskaya and Nikolskaya.

The Troitskaya Tower (Trinity Tower) is a tower with a through-passage in the centre of the northwestern wall of the Moscow Kremlin. It is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin (80 metres). It was built by the Italian Aloisio da Carcano. The Troitsky Bridge leads to the gates of the Troitskaya Tower which is now the main visitors’ entrance into the Kremlin.

The photo shows the Troitskaya Tower.

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General view
General view by

General view

The Kremlin Wall is a defensive wall that surrounds the Moscow Kremlin, recognizable by the characteristic notches and its towers. The original walls were likely a simple wooden fence with guard towers built in 1156. The Kremlin is flanked by 19 towers with a 20th, the Koutafia Tower, not part of its walls.

To date twenty towers survived, highlighting the walls. Built at a different time, the oldest one, Tainitskaya dates to 1485 whilst the newest one, Tsarskaya to 1680. Three of the towers, located in the corners of the castle have unique circular profiles. From the ground level it is only possible to enter six of the towers, the rest only from the walls.

Four gate towers exist, all crowned with ruby stars, they are Spasskaya, Borovitskaya, Troitskaya and Nikolskaya.

The Troitskaya Tower (Trinity Tower) is a tower with a through-passage in the centre of the northwestern wall of the Moscow Kremlin. It is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin (80 metres). It was built by the Italian Aloisio da Carcano. The Troitsky Bridge leads to the gates of the Troitskaya Tower which is now the main visitors’ entrance into the Kremlin.

The photo shows the Troitskaya Tower.

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