The Tsar's Bell Or The Kremlin Bell

A gilded bronze bell known as the Kolokol or Kremlin bell. These bells are typically found with a bronze patina; the base is made of Belgian black marble. Including the base, it measures 15.5 cm.The Tsar’s Bell was cast on the orders of Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1735 (its production had begun in 1733) at the Moscow foundry. The work was supervised by the Motorin family—Ivan, the father, and his son Mikhail. The goal was to create a gigantic bell that would surpass all previous ones, symbolizing the power of the Russian Empire. In May 1737, the Great Trinity Fire ravaged Moscow. Burning logs from the foundry’s blazing roof fell onto the wooden structures from which the bell was suspended. To prevent it from melting, water was poured onto the red-hot metal. The sudden change in temperature caused cracks to form, and a large piece, weighing about 11.5 metric tons, broke off. The bell never rang again. This fallen giant lay in a pit on Ivanovskaya Square in the Kremlin for over a century. During this time, it became a Moscow curiosity, displayed to travelers. It was not until 1836 that the Tsar’s bell was removed from its pit, which had been designed by the architect Auguste de Montferrand (who also designed St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg). It was installed on a specially constructed pedestal near the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, where it remains to this day, a remarkable example of Russian bell-casting art.