Ivan the Great Bell Tower

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is one of the oldest and most recognizable architectural monuments of the Moscow Kremlin. The majestic 81-meter-high structure dominates the Kremlin ensemble, and from its observation deck there open stunning panoramic views of the historic center of the capital.

How the architectural complex was created

The present-day bell tower ensemble includes three historic structures built in different eras. The central element of the composition is the Ivan the Great Bell Tower proper, whose construction was completed in 1508 under the direction of the Italian architect Bon Fryazin. The work lasted three years and replaced an earlier white-stone Church of John the Ladder, dismantled in 1505.

The original appearance of the structure

Initially, the architectural design envisaged three octagonal tiers placed one atop another. The lower tier was reserved for the Church of St. John the Ladder. The original height reached 60 meters, and the facades were painted to resemble brick with white-stone architectural elements picked out.

The Godunov-era superstructure

In 1600, on the initiative of Tsar Boris Godunov, the bell tower received an additional tier — a richly ornamented drum with a gilded dome. A gilded commemorative inscription on a blue background encircling the space beneath the dome recalls this historical period. After the superstructure was added, the total height with the cross reached 81 meters, and for two hundred years the structure remained the tallest building in Russia.

Formation of the architectural ensemble

Alongside the development of the bell tower itself, associated structures were built:

• By 1552, the construction of a church was completed, later transformed into the four-tiered Assumption Belfry
• In 1624, the architect Bazhen Ogurtsov created the Filaret Annex with a tented roof to house a large bell

The trials of the War of 1812

The French occupation of Moscow inflicted serious damage on the architectural complex. The Assumption Belfry and the Filaret Annex were completely destroyed by explosions. However, thanks to its exceptionally strong foundations, the bell tower itself withstood the blasts with minimal damage. Restoration work began immediately. By 1815, the architects Domenico Giliardi, Ivan Yegotov, and Luigi Rusca had recreated the destroyed buildings, seeking to preserve their original appearance while introducing some Classicist elements characteristic of early 19th-century architecture.

Architectural features of the ensemble

Despite the different periods in which the structures were built, the ensemble is perceived as a unified whole. The austere bell tower serves as the dominant of the composition, while the belfry and annex, though lower in height, are distinguished by richer decorative ornamentation.

The bell tower pillar

The oldest structure of the complex has remained virtually unchanged since the early 17th century. Despite its considerable height, the bell tower gives an impression of lightness thanks to its compositional structure. The tiers steadily decrease in diameter, creating an upward-striving silhouette. The architectural design of the first three tiers is distinguished by its restraint. They are adorned with corner pilaster strips and narrow slit-like windows. The ringing tiers are marked by decorative arches — “Lombard” bands, which is probably linked to the Italian origin of the architect. The shape of the building recalls an Italian campanile — a medieval freestanding bell tower. However, the octagonal tiers, instead of the traditional four-sided ones, reveal the influence of the Russian architectural tradition. The drum added under Godunov is decorated with a band of keel-shaped kokoshniks. Beneath the dome is a historical inscription glorifying Tsar Boris Fyodorovich and his son, which was temporarily plastered over after the dynasty fell and restored under Peter I.

The Assumption Belfry

The second tallest structure adjoins the bell tower on the north side. The building was originally designed to house massive bells; therefore, the ringing tier within its rectangular volume consists of three wide bays. In the central bay hangs the Assumption Bell — one of the largest functioning bells in Russia, weighing 65.5 tons. The belfry has the richest decoration in the ensemble. Its architectural ornamentation reflects the desire of 19th-century architects to recreate the appearance of the 16th-century building that had been destroyed, while adding fashionable Classicist elements. Above the windows of the third tier there stand out exquisite decorations in the form of shells. The crowning element echoes the shape of the bell tower dome, but is complemented by a decorative band of small columns and pointed arches.

The Filaret Annex

The lowest of the three buildings differs from the others in its top — an octagonal tent roof with four small turrets at the corners. The original version was created by Bazhen Ogurtsov in 1624 by order of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich with the blessing of Patriarch Filaret. After the destruction of 1812, the building was restored without the historical gilded inscription. Today the annex houses the museum’s research departments.

The wealth of bells

The ringing tiers of the architectural complex hold 22 bells, the oldest of which were cast as early as the 16th century. The peal of the bells is heard during services in the Kremlin cathedrals.

Principles of bell placement

On the Ivanov Pillar, the bells are distributed among the tiers according to their weight and sound:

• First tier — the largest bells with low pitch
• Second tier — medium-sized bells
• Third tier — small bells with a high timbre

Historic bells

Nemchin is the oldest bell of the ensemble, cast in 1550. Its commemorative inscription is in German, which attests to its origin. It is assumed that the bell was brought as a war trophy during the Livonian War. “Swan” and “Bear” are bells of the lower tier, each weighing more than 7 tons. They were recast by the master Semyon Mozzhukhin in 1775 from ancient 16th-century bells, with the original inscriptions preserved. The Assumption Bell occupies the central bay of the belfry. This giant, weighing 65.5 tons, was cast in the early 19th century at the factory of the merchant M. G. Bogdanov from a damaged older bell. It is decorated with portraits of Emperor Alexander I and members of the imperial family.

The Tsar Bell: the history of a peal that never sounded

The famous Tsar Bell was never used as intended and today stands on a pedestal next to the bell tower. The history of its creation includes several attempts.

Stages in the creation of the giant

1. Under Boris Godunov, a bell weighing more than 16 tons was cast, which broke during a fire
2. In the 17th century, under Alexei Mikhailovich, the fragments were recast into a new bell weighing about 131 tons, which also broke in the fire of 1701
3. Under Anna Ioannovna, in 1735, the master Mikhail Motorin completed the casting of a grand bell weighing more than 200 tons

The sculptor Fyodor Medvedev decorated the bell with portraits of Empress Anna Ioannovna and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. However, in 1737, during a fire, the bell cracked, and a fragment weighing about 11 tons broke off. It lay in the casting pit for a century, and only in 1836 was it set on a pedestal, where it remains to this day as a unique monument of foundry art.

Practical information for visitors

Location and transport

The architectural complex is located in the Moscow Kremlin between Cathedral Square and Ivanovskaya Square, next to the Archangel and Assumption cathedrals. How to get there:

• Metro: Aleksandrovsky Sad (exit No. 5), Biblioteka imeni Lenina, Borovitskaya, Okhotny Ryad stations
• Buses: Nos. e10, m1, m2, m6, m7, m9 to the stop “Metro ‘Biblioteka imeni Lenina’”
• Entrance to the Kremlin through the Kutafya Tower

Opening hours

Opening hours depend on the season:

• 15 May — 30 September: 9:30–18:00
• October — 14 May: 10:00–17:00
• Closed on Thursdays
• Ticket offices close one hour before closing time

Admission fees

To visit the bell tower, a combined ticket for Cathedral Square is required:

• Adult ticket — 700 rubles
• Concession ticket (pensioners, students, children under 16) — 500 rubles
• Additional ticket for climbing the bell tower — 350 rubles

Important information: the ascent height is 25 meters (137 steps); children under 14 are not allowed to climb.

The uniqueness of the architectural monument

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is a rare phenomenon in Russian architecture. An ensemble of three structures with a single purpose makes the complex truly unique. In the 16th–17th centuries, tent-roofed bell towers became widespread in Russia, a vivid example being the bell tower of St. Basil’s Cathedral on the neighboring Red Square. Today the bell tower functions as a museum of the history of the Moscow Kremlin’s architectural ensemble. The exhibition features original fragments of the white-stone decor of ancient Kremlin buildings. Visitors can climb to the observation deck and see the historic heart of Moscow from a bird’s-eye view, just as travelers did centuries ago.