External strengthening of Veliky Novgorod has had many names. Current name - Roundabout town, stuck in the late XIV century and survived until our days. The defensive line stretches for 11 km of Fortifications were located and Sofia, and on the Trade side, thanks to these fortifications, Novgorod and was named the great. For five centuries, strengthening the surrounding town, often changed and transformed, were such fortifications as Tyn and gorodki, chopped towers, stone towers, but all of this is gone into oblivion. Special impression shafts Novgorod, which has only one tower.

Alekseevskaya tower, still known as the White — has the status of a historical monument in Nizhny Novgorod. It is the only stone tower Roundabout of the city of Veliky Novgorod, which survived until our days. A tower in 1582 - 1584, it is Assumed that the construction was not without the participation of the Italian master, there is no evidence, but to exclude such a possibility can not. However, it should be remembered that by that time the Russians are well-built monasteries, churches and everything in stone and brick.

Alekseevskaya tower is an impressive, four tier structure, circular in plan, which reaches a height of 15 meters, with an outer diameter equal to 17 meters. The thickness of the walls is 2, 2 meters, in the first tier 4, 5 meters. In view of the fact that the construction begins on the tower were conducted on bulk soil, it has a fairly solid Foundation, consisting of limestone slabs and lined with granite boulders. Some people believe that it is a Foundation and is one of the reasons for the persistence of the tower to our time. Inside are three tiers of loopholes and the circle with prongs, between the tiers are the bridges, the message on ladders that are laid in the wall. But, as a rule, in the towers of this type, between the bridges were wooden stairs, which, incidentally, is well preserved, or openings in the axles for heavy lifting.

In the first tier, there are 3 gun and 3 misalnya loopholes, only six. The second tier was filled with four gun towers and one low – Ewelina, she was standing at the entrance. The third tier consisted of five embrasures for cannons. The fourth ended with battlements – prongs, with the number of 24 pieces, rectangular in shape, without loopholes in the barrel.

The tower was a powerful fortification on the approach to the South side of town. On the North side, was built Petrovskaya tower, but she did not survive. Towers of this type were ideal cannon defense. The abundance of convenient loopholes, a sufficient wall thickness, allowed a long time to resist the pressure of enemy artillery. In the 17th century, after the siege by the Swedes, the tower has undergone some changes. Changes were made, both to the appearance and internal structure. Has done the necessary repairs, increased the height of the building at an additional tier, the same work was carried out to improve the delivery and lifting of supplies. Upon completion of the main works, the tower was whitewashed, that's actually where she got her second name.

In 1697, Peter the great ordered to remove military equipment from the walls around Posad and transported to the Kremlin for storage. Thus ended the existence of one of the greatest fortresses of ancient Russia. From the mid-seventeenth century during the 350 years of the tower many times destroyed and lost the tent, but it was again restored In the second half of the last century was completely destroyed last tier, and the third grew many shrubs, destroying the walls and Foundation. But in the nineties the tower was restored, covered with a tent, and protecting it from vandals, all the entrances were bricked. Future plans include restoration of the ancient tower on the funds allocated under the Federal program "Preservation and use of cultural heritage of Russia". If the plans will not occur changes in Alekseevskaya tower will host the exhibition dedicated to ancient weapons.