Despite its grand stature, the Tsar Bell has never been rung, as it has been damaged since it was cast. The fragments alone weigh as much as three elephants.
Located within the grounds of the Kremlin in the capital city of Moscow, the Tsar Bell is the heaviest bell in the world. Standing at 6.14 meters tall and with a diameter of 6.6 meters, it is made from 84% copper and 13% tin, weighing a total of 202 tons, equivalent to 50 adult Asian elephants.
Tsar Bell – the heaviest bell in the world.
Commissioned by Queen Anna Ioannovna (1693-1740), the bell was recast by craftsman Ivan Monorinoy from the bell of Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich (1629-1676). Therefore, the surface of the bell features portraits of both rulers.
Inscribed on the bell is the year 1733. However, according to historical records, the bell was actually cast in the early hours of November 25, 1735. The process of pouring molten metal into the mold lasted 1 hour and 12 minutes.
Despite its grand stature, the Tsar Bell has never been rung, as it has been damaged since it was cast. The bell was placed in a deep mold with wooden supports, and during a great fire in 1737, it was heated. The bell cracked when water was poured onto it to cool it down.
This bell is located in the Kremlin.
The enormous bell remained in the mold for 99 years. It wasn’t until 1836 that it was finally raised and placed on a pedestal. Lifting a bell weighing hundreds of tons onto a pedestal was an engineering feat for the time. This task was carried out under the supervision of French architect Auguste Montferrand, who also designed the famous Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in Saint Petersburg.
When the bell was raised, it was discovered to have eight handles instead of the usual six. The top of the bell is adorned with a copper orb and a gilded cross. At that time, the bell had a large piece broken off due to the impact of the 1737 fire. This fragment weighs 11.5 tons, equivalent to three elephants, and is placed beneath the bell’s stone pedestal. Inside the pedestal is a 2-ton iron clapper, originally belonging to the bell from the time of Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich.
The Tsar Bell has never been rung.
During the Great Patriotic War, a backup communication center and operational unit of the Moscow defense forces were established inside the Tsar Bell.
Today, the Tsar Bell is one of the most famous historical artifacts in Moscow and across Russia. When visiting the Kremlin, tourists often take photos and touch the bell for good luck.
