Flooded Belfry
Encyclopedia
The Kalyazin Bell Tower is a Neoclassical
campanile
rising to a height of 74.5 metres (244.4 ft) over the waters of the Uglich Reservoir
on the Volga River
opposite the old town of Kalyazin
.
The steepled belfry
was built in 1796-1800 as part of the Monastery of St. Nicholas with a pentacupolar katholikon
dating from 1694. Of its 12 bell
s, the largest weighed some 1038 pood
s. It was cast in 1895 to commemorate the coronation of Nicholas II of Russia
.
When Joseph Stalin
ordered the construction of the Uglich Reservoir in 1939, the old part of Kalyazin, including several medieval structures, was swallowed by the waves. The katholikon was dismantled, whilst the belfry was left sticking above the water.
As the structure became the main object of touristic interest in the east of Tver Oblast
, an islet was shored up underneath. It has a small pier
for boats. A divine service is held in the belfry several times a year.
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
rising to a height of 74.5 metres (244.4 ft) over the waters of the Uglich Reservoir
Uglich Reservoir
Uglich Reservoir or Uglichskoye Reservoir is an artificial lake in the upper part of the Volga River formed by a hydroelectric dam built in 1939 in the town of Uglich. It is located in Tver and Yaroslavl Oblasts in central Russia....
on the Volga River
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
opposite the old town of Kalyazin
Kalyazin
Kalyazin is a town and the administrative center of Kalyazinsky District of Tver Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River, southeast of Kashin, north of Sergiyev Posad, and southwest of Uglich . Population:...
.
The steepled belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was built in 1796-1800 as part of the Monastery of St. Nicholas with a pentacupolar katholikon
Katholikon
A Katholikon or Catholicon is the major temple of a monastery, or diocese in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The name derives from the fact that it is the largest temple where all gather together to celebrate the major feast days of the liturgical year. At other times, the smaller temples or...
dating from 1694. Of its 12 bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
s, the largest weighed some 1038 pood
Pood
Pood , is a unit of mass equal to 40 funt . It is approximately 16.38 kilograms . It was used in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Pood was first mentioned in a number of documents of the 12th century....
s. It was cast in 1895 to commemorate the coronation of Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
.
When Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
ordered the construction of the Uglich Reservoir in 1939, the old part of Kalyazin, including several medieval structures, was swallowed by the waves. The katholikon was dismantled, whilst the belfry was left sticking above the water.
As the structure became the main object of touristic interest in the east of Tver Oblast
Tver Oblast
Tver Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Tver. From 1935 to 1990, it was named Kalinin Oblast after Mikhail Kalinin. Population: Tver Oblast is an area of lakes, such as Seliger and Brosno...
, an islet was shored up underneath. It has a small pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
for boats. A divine service is held in the belfry several times a year.
See also
- MologaMologaMologa was a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, formerly situated at the confluence of Mologa and Volga Rivers, but now submerged under the waters of the Rybinsk Reservoir....
and KorchevaKorchevaKorcheva was a town in central Russia, on the territory of the modern Tver Oblast, on the Volga River, with a population of a few thousand people... - List of tallest Orthodox churches