Ivan the Great Bell Tower on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin is the highest bell tower in Moscow, its height is 81 m. There is an observation area on the height of 25 meters.
It was built in 1505-1508. Ivan Kalita, Moscow prince, ordered to erect an octahedral tower of 60 meters on the place of the ancient church of John Climacus. During the reign of Ivan II the architecture Bon Fryazin added three more tiers and in Boris Godunov’s reign there were two more tiers and a gold dome erected (that time the name of the bell tower was “Godunov pillar”. In 17-19 centuries it was the highest building in Moscow. The Ivan the Great tower served also as a patrol tower of Kremlin. Moscow and its outskirts were surveyed very well from it.
Later to the bell tower were gradually added other buildings – a belfry, Ascension church (from 1555 the Nativity of Christ), a new bell tower – Filaretovsky belfry (by master Ogurtsov).
Later the Ascension church was transformed into an opened Assumption belfry. Now at the ground floor of the Assumption belfry there is an exhibition hall of the museum.
In 1812 the belfry was exploded by Napoleon army and restored in 1814-1816. Fortunately Ivan the Great bell tower wasn’t damaged.
There are 34 bells on the bell tower Ivan the Great and Assumption belfry, many of them are unique and have own names (Bear, Tatar, Swan..)
Opening hours from 10:00 to 18:00;
Ticket office: from 9:00 to 17:00 in summer and from 9:30 to 16:30 in winter;
Free day: Thursday and festive days, check on the website
Website: http://www.kreml.ru
Metro station: Alexandrovsky sad
