The oldest building in Tula, an architectural and historical monument of the XVI century, one of the main attractions of the city, shrouded in legends, is all about the Tula Kremlin. Its walls preserve the centuries—old history of the people who built the fortress, defended it, lived, and then developed the city beyond the stone walls. The Kremlin attracts attention not only with its beauty, but also with its history, because it is shrouded in secrets and legends.
The Kremlin was built of red brick and white stone. Its shape is rectangular. The walls are built on a powerful foundation with a depth of 8.5 meters, their total length is 1 km. The building is spread over an area of more than 6 hectares.
The main architectural dominants — 9 towers - rise along the perimeter of the fortress. The main firepower was concentrated in them. The towers of the Pyatnitsky, Vodiany, Odoevsky and Ivanovsky gates are passable, the other five are deaf.
The defensive structure had an underground passage. According to legend, it stretched through Upa to the neighboring village of Torkhovo. The underground passage was intended to replenish fresh water supplies. There is information that its length was 70 m, and the inner walls were sheathed with oak veneer. Over time, the wood rotted, and due to the danger of a landslide, they decided to fill up the course.
The fortress had a torture chamber, which was set up in the Nikitskaya Tower. It contained shackles, collars, whips and other means to extract the "truth" from those who aroused the suspicion of the authorities. The executioners were ruthless: they drove splinters under their nails, beat them with rawhide belts, flogged them, and cut off their ears. Screams and groans were constantly heard from the Nikitskaya Tower, they caused fear and panic among the townspeople. Many innocent souls have been killed here, which, according to some people, have not yet found rest.
