Tsar Cannon

Tsar Cannon is one of the most recognizable symbols of Moscow and all of Russia. This giant 16th-century weapon is kept in the Moscow Kremlin and attracts tourists from all over the world. The enormous bronze bombard is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest-caliber artillery piece in the world.

Where is the Tsar Cannon located?

Today the cannon is situated on Ivanovskaya (Cathedral) Square of the Kremlin, next to another famous monument — the Tsar Bell. It is accessible to all visitors of the Kremlin architectural ensemble.

History of creation

The Tsar Cannon was cast in 1586 at the Cannon Court in Moscow by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. The author was the renowned master caster Andrey Chokhov. Immediately after casting, the cannon was installed on Red Square. To transport the 39-ton weapon, hundreds of horses and special wooden rollers were required. Initially, it was meant to defend the Kremlin, but its design was more suitable for sieges — breaking fortress walls with stone cannonballs.

Did the Tsar Cannon ever fire?

The question of whether the Tsar Cannon was ever used remains a mystery. For a long time, it was believed that it never fired. During research in the 20th century, traces of gunpowder were found inside the barrel, suggesting at least one shot. However, modern restorers concluded that the cannon was never fully prepared for combat and served more as a symbol of power and intimidation than as a real weapon.

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Description and dimensions

• Barrel length — 5.34 m
• Caliber — 890 mm
• Weight — 39.31 t
• Outer barrel diameter — 120 cm

The barrel is cast from bronze, mounted on a decorative cast-iron carriage adorned with ornamentation and lion head images. On the sides there are brackets for attaching ropes used to transport the cannon. Nearby lie huge cast-iron cannonballs weighing almost 2 tons each. However, they are decorative: if anyone tried to fire them, the cannon would have been destroyed.

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Why is it called the "Tsar Cannon"?

There are several versions:

1. because of the portrait of Fyodor Ioannovich depicted on horseback near the muzzle of the cannon;
2. because of its record size — in the 16th century it truly was the “tsar” among artillery pieces;
3. in official documents of the 18th–19th centuries it was even called the “Russian Shotgun,” since it was assumed it would fire grapeshot (stones).

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Interesting facts

• In 1812, during Napoleon’s invasion, the Tsar Cannon was located near the Kremlin Arsenal and miraculously survived after the French blew up the building.
• In 1835 it was mounted on a new decorative carriage designed by architect Bryullov.
• In the 20th century several copies of the Tsar Cannon were made: in Izhevsk, Perm, and Yoshkar-Ola.
• Despite the emergence of larger artillery systems in the 19th–20th centuries, the Moscow Tsar Cannon is the one listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the artillery piece with the largest caliber.

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How to visit

• The Tsar Cannon is included in the Kremlin tour route
• Opening hours: in summer until 18:00, in winter until 17:00
• Entrance through the Kutafya Tower, tickets — about 700 rubles
• Children under 16 enter free
• Nearest metro stations: Alexandrovsky Sad, Biblioteka Imeni Lenina, Borovitskaya

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Conclusion

The Tsar Cannon is not only an outstanding piece of casting art but also a vivid symbol of the might of the Russian state. Even if it never fired, its grand scale and rich decoration make it one of the most impressive landmarks of the Kremlin. Visiting the Tsar Cannon is a must for every tourist in Moscow.