This elegant octagonal bell tower was built in 1505-8 to a design by Marco Bon Friazin. It takes its name from the Church of St. Ivan Climacus, which stood on the site in the 14th century. The bell tower is called "the Great" because of its height. In 1600 is became the tallest building in Moscow when Tsar Boris Godunov had a third storey added to extend it to 81m (266 ft). The four-storey Assumption Belfry, with its single gilded dome, was built beside the tower by Petrok Maliy in 1532-43. It holds 21 bells, the largest of which, the 64-tonne Assumption Bell, traditionally tolled three times when the tsar died.
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with broken 11-tonne section  |
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Ivan the Great Bell Tower, with the Assumption Belfry and annexe  |
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