The Ivan the Great Bell-Tower

A new museum dedicated to history of the Moscow Kremlin architectural complex has been unveiled in the building of a unique monument of architecture - the Ivan the Great Bell-Tower. The museum's outstanding exposition was performed on basis of advanced multimedia technologies, by means of which we can see ancient views and plans of the Kremlin and its unrealized reconstruction as well as its unique architectural monuments projected on walls and vaults of the Bell-tower. The final stage of the exposition is remarkable for a grandiose bird's-eye view of the Kremlin revealed when standing in the upper gallery. The survey tour is accompanied with individual audio-guides.

The Ivan the Great Bell-Tower complex had been formed for two centuries. The Bell-Tower was erected in 1505-1508 by Italian architect Bon Friazin. A century later another one arcade for bells was added to the Bell-Tower so that its total height achieved 81 m. The memorial inscription under the dome includes this information, the year of 1600 and the names of Tsar Boris Godunov and his son Fyodor.

In 1532-1552, a new church was built near the Bell-Tower on the project of Italian architect Petrok Maliy. In late XVII century it was dismantled and transformed into a belfry named Uspenskaya (Assumption). In 1624, Bazhen Ogurtsov (Cucumber) added to the Uspenskaya another one belfry with a marquee-top - the Filaret's Annex.

In 1812, while retreating from Moscow, the Napoleon's Army blew up the Ivan the Great Bell-Tower ensemble. However, the pillar of the bell-tower survived. The Belfry and the Filaret's Annex were completely destroyed and restored in original dimensions in 1814-1815. At present, 24 bells of XVI-XVII centuries are located on the bell-tower and belfry.

The ground floor of the Assumption Belfry houses an exhibition hall of Moscow Kremlin Museums. Artworks both from the Kremlin's collections and those of other Russian and foreign museums are exhibited in the hall.