Ivan the Great Bell Tower

The Bell Tower of Ivan the Great stands 81 metres tall and is the highest structure within the Moscow Kremlin, and until the 19th century it was the tallest building in Moscow overall. Built between 1505 and 1508 by Italian master Bon Friazin for Grand Prince Vasili III, it served the surrounding cathedrals of the Dormition, Annunciation and Archangel Michael, which have no bell stages of their own. Its name comes from a heightening under Boris Godunov around 1600, an early high-rise gesture. Ivan the Terrible is said to have watched executions on Red Square from up here. Today the tower holds a museum on the architectural history of the Kremlin, and a climb of 137 steps leads to a viewing platform overlooking Red Square, Cathedral Square and the Moskva river. The Kremlin has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.