Overview:

: Ivan the Great Bell Tower is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Located in the Alexander Garden, it is one of the most famous and iconic landmarks of the city. The tower was built in 1505 by order of Tsar Ivan III. Originally designed as a belfry of the Cathedral of the Assumption, it now serves as a viewing platform and contains a museum dedicated to the history of the tower. The tower stands at 81 meters (266 feet) tall, making it one of the tallest structures in the city and an unmistakable landmark in the Moscow skyline. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Russia
Prominent Features:

Ivan the Great Bell Tower is a magnificent structure of the Kremlin, located in the center of Moscow. Built in 1508, it is the tallest structure within the grounds of the Kremlin and is the second tallest tower in Moscow, behind the nearby Ostankino Tower. It was built as a symbol of Ivan the Great's greatness and devotion to the Orthodox religion. The tower is eight stories high, with its top story reaching over 80 meters. On its facade, it features a variety of Russian decorative ornaments including a clock with the face of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Old Testament God, two towers topped with colorful domes and four round bells — two large and two small. It also features a magnificent gilded double-headed eagle. The Bell Tower was the first structure within the Kremlin to be fully restored in the early 1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union, and is now a major tourist attraction in Moscow. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Russia.

History:

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Moscow. Located in the heart of the Kremlin complex, the bell tower was erected in the late 15th century by the orders of Russian Tsar Ivan III (the Great). According to historical documents, the original tower was 265 feet (80 meters) tall and topped with a pyramidal hipped roof; it contained a carillon of 33 bells. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was heavily damaged during the 1571 and 1591 fires and had to be rebuilt twice. In 1624, the tower was expanded to its current structure by the orders of Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich. This expansion saw the addition of five stories and the iconic gold-plated dome. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is the tallest standing building of the Kremlin and is visible from almost everywhere in the city. It currently houses a small museum of bells and chimes, containing the Tsar Bell—the world’s heaviest bell weighing 202 tons. The main bell in the tower, also known as the Zakhariev Bell, weighs 36.1 tons and is believed to be the oldest in the world. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is one of the oldest surviving structures of the Kremlin and holds immense religious and cultural significance for the people of Russia. It continues to symbolize the power of the Russian state and is featured prominently in photographs and movies of modern-day Moscow. Visit one of the famous monuments of Russia with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was built in 1508 CE for Prince Ivan III of Moscow. 2. It stands over 80 meters tall, making it the tallest structure in the Kremlin. 3. It has nine tiers, each topped with eight bells. 4. The bells chimed at predetermined intervals to call citizens to church, declare holidays, and signal special occasions. 5. The tower also has an observation platform at the top, allowing visitors to see the city from a bird’s eye view. 6. During WW2, the bells of the bell tower were silenced for the first time in centuries to avoid alerting the Nazis of its location. 7. Today, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower is a symbol of Moscow and a popular tourist attraction. One of the historical monuments of Russia, it tells the story of a bygone era