The name of the biggest bell in the world is "Tsar Bell". You'll see it during
the tour of Moscow Kremlin. It weighs 201,924 kilograms (more than 200 tons) with a height of 6.14 meters. The bell was cast by Ivan and Mikhail Motorin in 1730s during the reign of the empress Anna Ioanovna.
The Tsar Bell has never rung; it was broken during its casting. How could it happen? The bell was almost completed when a fire broke out in the Kremlin in 1737. Soon the wooden support structure caught fire, and the guards threw cold water on it. As a result it caused 11 cracks and a huge piece (11 tons) fell off. It would have been impossible to restore the bell. Only a century later The Tsar Bell was lifted from its pit and placed on a stone pedestal.
It's believed that if the bell rang, it would be heard at a distance of 50-60 kilometers. Can you imagine its deafening sound?
In Russia bells were used not only for the church service, they played a great role in everyday life, announced important ceremonies, coronations, or were used as an alarm during enemy attacks or fires. People would always understand the language of bells.
The biggest bell ever working in Russia was cast in the 17th century, it weighed around 130 tons. Today the biggest working bell is in Sergiev Posad. It's much smaller than the Kremlin giant, weighing only 72 tons, but you can hear its vigorous boom during the tour to
The St. Sergius Monastery.
Your
Moscow tour guide will tell you lots of amazing facts about bells in the Russian culture.
