On the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin rises the bell tower of St. John Climacus, also known as the bell tower of Ivan the Great. The Kremlin and all its buildings are combined into a single whole in the very center of the capital. In 2008, this architectural monument turned 500 years old.
Church of St. John Climacus
The bell tower of the Ivan the Great Moscow Kremlin has several centuries of history, and its countdown begins in 1329. It was this year that the church of St. John Climacus was laid during the reign of Ivan Kalita. The temple was created as a bell tower, so the premises allowed several bells placed on the upper tiers of the church to sound harmoniously. Excavations that were carried out in the XIX-XX centuries indicated that the architecture of the building resembles the temples of ancient Armenians. Outside the church had eight faces, and the internal section of the temple had a cruciform shape. On the eastern side was an apse in the form of a semicircle, and on the second floor there were bell arches. The temple lasted until the beginning of the XVI century.
Bonovskaya bell tower
In 1505, during the reign of Grand Duke Vasily III, the old temple was dismantled. In the same place, a new temple was laid down according to the project of a master from Italy, nicknamed Bon Fryazin. The temple was built in memory of Tsar Ivan III. Construction was carried out for three years. In 1508, a two-tier bell tower was ready. The traditions of architecture typical of Italy at that time significantly influenced the architecture of the temple. That is why the building had several bell towers, which were located separately from each other. The church also received another name - "Bonovskaya bell tower". An impressive column united the Kremlin's diverse churches into a single ensemble. It was the second stone church in Moscow. The throne of St. John Climacus was lowered to the first floor of the building.
In 1532, a belfry was built on the north side of the bell tower with the Church of the Ascension of the Lord according to the project of another Italian architect, Petroc Maly. It was intended for a solid bell weighing 1000 pounds, called the "Evangelist." The completion of the belfry in 1543 was carried out by local craftsmen. The temple itself was located on the third floor, to which a special staircase led. On the belfry there was a majestic drum with a dome.
Assumption bell tower
In 1600, the harvest throughout the country was scanty, residents were starving. Boris Godunov, in order to save his subjects, decided to carry out a major reconstruction of the Bonovskaya bell tower, which was carried out by people who arrived from all the outskirts. He planned to build one tier to it and again create the Church of St. John the Great on the lower floor. Therefore, the entire structure began to bear a different name - the bell tower of Ivan the Great. The attached floor was cylindrical in shape, and the height of the bell tower increased to 82 meters. It became the largest building of that era. To get to the top level, you would have to go through 329 steps. An inscription in gold letters was carved under the dome of the temple , indicating the date of its construction and the names of the kings who ruled at that time (Boris Godunov and his son). On the square near the bell tower, which was called Ivanovskaya, all the decrees of the king were read. Since then, the expression "screaming all over Ivanovo" has appeared.
In the second half of the 17th century, the belfry was completely rebuilt. During the reign of Mikhail Romanov and the patriarchate of his father Filaret, in 1624, the Filaret building was erected on the north side according to the project of Bazhen Ogurtsov. The building had white stone pyramids and a tent covered with tiles. The bell tower of the Ivan the Great Moscow Kremlin received a new name - the Assumption bell tower.
The bell tower during the Great Patriotic War
The Great Patriotic War of 1812 had a detrimental effect on the monument of architecture. The soldiers of the French army removed the gilded cross from the bell tower and tried to blow it up. But only the Filaret's extension and belfry, located in the north, were affected. When the war ended, master D. Gilardi completely restored the blasted elements of the bell tower, changing some proportions and the general style of construction. And in 1895-1897, the bell tower of Ivan the Great in Moscow was restored by S. Rodionov.
Structural features
In height, the bell tower of Ivan the Great rises to 82 meters. From the highest point of the structure, you can see the surroundings of the capital 30 miles around. Despite the rather simple architecture of the bell tower, the building is majestic and beautiful. The proportions of all its elements are selected in such a way that a very harmonious architectural ensemble is created. Thanks to experienced craftsmen who had a hand in creating it, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower is a striking historical monument in Moscow.
Bells in the bell tower
In total, 34 bells are located in the building, and only 3 of them remain on the Filaret extension and belfry. In ancient times, bells were hung on wooden beams, but in the XIX-XX centuries they were replaced by iron ones. All bells were made by foundry craftsmen of various eras.
The oldest of them - "Bear", weighing more than 7 tons, was cast in 1501. The heaviest and most noticeable bell is the Uspensky (Tsar Bell) with a weight of 65 tons, which was cast in 1819 by craftsmen Zavyalov and Rusinov from old material. The second most important bell is the "Howler" weighing 32 tons, created by A. Chekhov in 1622. One tragic episode is connected with it, when in 1855 the bell mounts could not stand it and, flying 5 floors, it fell to the ground, taking the lives of more than one person. The third most important bell is “Sunday” (“Seven Hundred”) weighing 13 tons. It was created in 1704 by I. Motorin and was located on the Filaretovaya Annex.
The bell tower contains a total of 18 bells. On the lower floor there are 6 of them, including the oldest, on the average - 9. The upper tier contains 3 bells, the history of which is unknown.
Bell Tower Museums
On the first level of the Assumption belfry there is a museum hall where art objects are presented.
The bell tower houses the Museum of the History of the Kremlin in Moscow, which displays models of ancient white-stone buildings of the 14th century, a panorama of Moscow and other original objects. The walls of the bell tower are decorated with projections of various monuments. The observation deck offers a beautiful view of the Kremlin and the surrounding area. There is a special audio guide for guests, which helps tourists from different countries to find out the historical facts of such an architectural monument as the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, description and interesting details.
Monument of architecture today
Today the Ivan the Great Bell Tower is an operating museum that hosts thousands of tourists from all over the world every day. The museum exhibits ancient art objects. Thanks to the use of modern technologies, it is possible to recreate the appearance of architectural monuments that have not survived to our times.
Throughout the existence of the Soviet Union, the bell tower was closed to visitors. The bells rang again in the church in 1992, on Easter Day. And since that time, all church services in Kremlin cathedrals have been held to the bell ringing.
The bell tower of Ivan the Great in the Kremlin is a most valuable architectural monument, which has a rich and interesting history. Everyone who came to Moscow can enjoy the view of this unique building.