Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Moscow

Ivan the Great Bell Tower is the highest building of the Moscow Kremlin and it's compositional center. Also it's said to be the center of Moscow. It was built in the beginning of 16th century by Italian architect Bon Fryazin as main bell tower for churches of Kremlin – the Uspenskiy Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Archangel and the Blagoveshenskiy Cathedral, as they don't have their own bell towers. Ivan the Great Bell Tower is architectural ensemble which consists of three elements: Uspenskaya Zvonnica (Belfry of Assumption), Ivan the Great Belltower and Filaret annex. Ivan the Great Bell Tower is called the first skyscraper of Moscow – its height is 81 meters and because of this it could also be used as a watchtower. There's a beautiful view you can enjoy from the top of tower, but to do this you have to follow 329 steps of its staircase. Ensemble contains 24 bells dated from the 16th -17th century, they remained silent for 74 years from 1918 to 1992. Today you can hear them tolling on main religious holidays.