Top 10 tallest bell towers in Russia

A bell tower is a special tower, one or more bells are installed on it. They are necessary to call people to the church service. Previously, bell towers were needed to mark the time or give a signal about a fire. The bells were rung if some important event happened in the life of the parishioners.

The first bell towers stood separately. But gradually they began to be erected together with the temple building, they were located above the main entrance. In Rus’, the first bell towers were wooden. They were mentioned for the first time in chronicles in the XNUMXth century. They were regular poles. But over time, the tree was replaced with stone, coatings were made. This is what the ancestors of the belfries looked like.

Previously, the bell towers were very high so that the parishioners could hear the ringing even in the farthest corners. Over time, the situation has changed. Now the highest bell towers in Russia are lost against the background of modern buildings, but they still impress with their size.

10 Belfry of the Nikolo-Berlyukovskaya Hermitage – 90,32 m

The village of Avdotyino is located 42 km from Moscow. There, on the river Vora, is located Nikolo-Berlyukovsky Monastery. Initially, a wooden bell tower with a porch was built here. It was two stories high. In 1827, new bell towers were erected, not very high.

But in 1895 Fyodor Samoilov, a Moscow merchant, donated 30 rubles, a huge amount of money at the time. They built a new one in 4 years. It was designed by the Moscow architect A.S. Kaminsky, supervised by his student, V.M. Borin.

In the 1st tier there was an entrance gate, in the 2nd – a large festive bell, in the 3rd tier there was a bell ringing, in which there were 15 bells, and in the 4th – o’clock ringing. At the very top there was an eight-pointed cross made of copper, but gilded, this is the work of I.F. Shuvalov. Construction began in 1895 and completed in 1899.

9. Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery – 93 m

St. Nicholas Ugreshsky Monastery – This is a monastery located in the Moscow region, more precisely in the city of Dzerzhinsky. It was founded back in 1380.

In 1758-1763, a separate bell tower was built according to the designs of the architect Ivan Zherebtsov. In Soviet times, it was truncated, but then restored again. In 1850, it was completed to 6 tiers, the height of which was 93 m. 18 bells were placed in it, the heaviest of which was called Blagovestnik, it weighed 19,7 tons. In Soviet times, it was destroyed.

8. Church of Peter and Paul – 93,7 m

Church of Peter and Paul located in the village of Porechie-Rybny, the construction was completed in 1768. This is the Yaroslavl region. It is five-domed, stone, and was built at the expense of the parishioners. It was closed in 1938, the building was used as a warehouse.

The bell tower, consisting of 4 tiers, is especially distinguished, it was made in 1772-1779. To overcome the objections of the synod, which did not like the size of the bell tower, it was built on the lowest point of the village.

Unfortunately, in Soviet times it was severely destroyed, although fragments of wonderful frescoes remained. This bell tower is considered the highest in Russia, among those that were not built in the city. According to legend, the construction was carried out by a local self-taught architect, peasant A.S. Kozlov.

7. Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral – 96 m

Savior Transfiguration Cathedral can be seen in the city of Rybinsk, he has a difficult fate. The first cathedral appeared in 1654-1660, on the site of two wooden churches. But by 1811 it had become dilapidated. In 1797-1804, a five-tiered bell tower was erected in the center of Rybinsk. It was planned to build a new cathedral next to it, but for 20 years they could not decide exactly where it would be located.

The second temple was completed in 1845. Its bell tower has become one of the most famous sights of Russia. Its height is indicated in different ways: in some sources it is 116 m, in others – 94 or 96 m. 52 columns were used in its design, thanks to which it seems not only lighter, but also seems to be moving upwards. If you climb to the very top, having overcome 264 steps, you can see the surroundings 42 thousand meters ahead.

Once it was a fire tower. Monks were on duty at night, for which they received a salary from the city treasury. The project was created by the self-taught architect Stepan Vorotilov, who never saw his brainchild, because. died in 1792. His plan was carried out by a simple peasant Semyon Karpov.

6. Annunciation Cathedral – 97 m

Blagoveshchensky cathedral located in Voronezh, it was built in 1998-2009, its height is 85 m. A bell tower was added on the western side of the cathedral, of 4 tiers. Before the revolution, another bell tower was erected here in 1828, 74,5 m high. They worked on it for about 30 years. But during the Great Patriotic War it was completely destroyed.

The new cathedral began to be built according to the project of V.P. Shepelev. The new temple did not look like the lost one, more like the Vladimir Cathedral. The crosses of the Annunciation Cathedral are visible from any part of the city.

5. St. Isaac’s Cathedral – 101,5 m

Saint Isaac’s Cathedral was completed in 1858. It had 4 belfries, all of which were initially used. The largest bell, weighing 32 tons, was located in the southwestern bell tower. But in Soviet times, all the bells were lost.

Only in 2012, restoration began, the bells began to be cast and installed in their place. Almost all of them were restored, except for the largest one. But on the site of the northeastern belfry, an elevator was built, designed for staff and people with disabilities.

4. Cathedral of Christ the Savior – 103 m

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior located in Moscow, on Volkhonka street. This is a reconstructed building of the temple of the same name. It was completed and consecrated in 1883. But in 1931 the temple building was destroyed, and it was planned to build the Palace of Soviets on this site. Work began, but they could not be completed, the war prevented, the Moskva pool was built on the foundation.

3. Resurrection Cathedral – 106 m

In the Ivanovo region of Russia is the city of Shuya, where it was built Sunday Cathedral. The construction of the temple was carried out in 1792-1798. His pride was the icon of the Shuiskaya-Smolensk Mother of God.

In 1810, work began on the bell tower designed by Jacob Maricelli. But in 1819, when the 4th tier had already been built, it collapsed. It was possible to complete the work only in 1833, the work was carried out by the peasant Mikhail Savateev, led by the architect Evgraf Petrov.

2. Kazan Mother of God Monastery – 107 m

Kazan Mother of God Monastery, despite the name, is located in the city of Tambov. It has a Sunday school, a theological seminary. Once there was a monastery bell tower, which was erected in 1848. But in the Soviet years it was demolished, a school appeared on this site.

In 2009, work began on the construction of a new bell tower, which became the second largest in our country. A spire flaunts at its top, it weighs 4 tons, and is 20 meters long. It was lifted by helicopter.

1. Peter and Paul Cathedral – 122,5 m

Peter and Paul Cathedral located in St. Petersburg. From 1733 until 2012 it was the tallest building in this city, and until 1952 in Russia. The bell tower was made so high that from afar one could see the enemies approaching the city. There are 103 bells on it, 31 of them have been preserved since 1757.