Tower bells of the Kremlin,
Moscow (Moskva), Russia

The old central fortress (or Kremlin) of the ancient capital city of Russia is unique in the number, size and significance of of its tower bells and bell instruments.  While those are individually treated in detail elsewhere on this Website, their proximity to each other gives reason to view them collectively; hence this page.  They are as follows:

• The Tsar Bell, largest in the world (though broken before it ever rang), sits on a low pedestal near the structures containing the companions which it was intended to join...
• The Ivan Veliki (Ivan the Great) Bell Tower complex, consisting of the Tower, the Uspenskiy (Assumption) Belfry and the Filaret Annex, now houses an immensely heavy 21-bell zvon; other bells which used to be part of the zvon were taken down in the Stalinist era.
• The Spasskaya (Saviour) Tower, which stands above the main entrance to the Kremlin from Red Square, houses an old Dutch-made carillon.
• The Spasskaya Tower also houses a much newer bar chime (i.e, a chime made with flat bars).

Weblinks to pages or photographs which treat those bells or instruments individually are cited on the appropriate pages, linked above.  Weblinks to pages or photographs which include or relate to two or more of those bells or instruments or towers are listed here:

• Wikipedia has an article on all the Kremlin towers as well as a fine photo of the Kremlin from the river side.
• In a tagged photograph, the Bell Tower complex and the Spasskaya Tower can both be seen.  (Identifying tags can be shown or hidden.)
• A page of Moscow Photos describes many sites, and provides clickable photos of each.  Included are two photos of the Tsar (or Czar) Bell, and one of the Bell Towers (though the Belfry and Annex appear shrouded in scaffolding!).
• A Russian-language tour of the Kremlin opens with a brief sound clip of bells ringing; a rotating series of photos includes one view of both the Spasskaya Tower (at left) and the Ivan Veliki Tower (at right); another panoramic view shows the entire Kremlin.
• A history of the Kremlin describes all of the buildings and mentions the two largest bells, with several small photos.
• The Website of the Moscow Kremlin (English version) includes a perspective map and an illustrated page about each of the towers; see especially the one about the Spasskaya (Saviour) Tower.
• A translated article from the St.Petersburg Times, about the bells of the Spasskaya Tower, provides the only solid evidence of the flat bar chime; with photos.
• A Moscow Kremlin tour page includes a small but complete photo of the Spasskaya Tower (near the bottom).
• A tour page has photos of the Spasskaya Tower (upper left) and Tsar Bell (center left)
• A traveler's photo of Red Square, with the Spasskaya Tower at right.
• A tourist page shows the Bell Tower complex; in front is the Tsar Bell on its pedestal.
• A traveler's photo of the Spasskaya Tower
• Another traveler's collection of photos of towers, the Tsar Bell, etc.
• Another traveler's very large page of fine large photos of the Kremlin - don't try this from a dial-up connection!
• A professional photographer's extensive gallery of photos around the Kremlin. (The Savior Gate is the Spasskaya Tower.)

It is possible that other towers on the walls of the Kremlin house additional bells or bell instruments which have not yet been adequately documented.  History records that a second Dutch-made carillon was shipped to the Kremlin centuries ago, but its fate is unknown.  Current histories make passing mention of clocks and/or chimes having once been installed elsewhere in the Kremlin's towers, but what they really were and whether they survived the purges of the Stalinist era are likewise unknown.  Clearly, much research remains to be done in and about this marvelous and fascinating place.

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Return to the Russian section of the European index to all tower bell instruments.

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This page was created 2006/12/02.

Please send comments or questions to csz_stl@swbell.net