THE SECOND TIER OF THE BELL TOWER

The second (middle) tier of the Bell Tower is occupied by eight bells of a smaller size, including Nemchin, decorated with a foreign inscription, Glukhoy (deaf) with soft sound made by Andrey Chokhov and Ignatiy Maximov, and Mariinsky, made for a non-extant church of St Mary of Egypt at Sretensky Monastery. Danilovsky bell by Fyodor Motorin, founder of the bell-casting dynasty, is decorated with a beautiful frieze of six-winged seraphs, reminding of a symbolic interpretation of the bell peal as a sound of angels’ trumpets. Five more bells are located inside the tier. Two bells meant for the beginning of chime were placed at the top, along with with six more bells, mainly unnamed. The first two bells with similar name Korsunsky have a very harsh sound, which can be explained by the high assay of silver.

The most ancient bells date back to the 16th century. History of the bell Nemchin is unknown— probably it was brought as a trophy during Livonian War 1558-1583. The upper part of the bell has an inscription in German, made in beautiful gothic print indicating the date of production—1550—and the text from the Gospel of John, quoted in the Inventory of the bells of 1749. (сноска 1)

The bell Korsunsky, recast by bell founder Nester Pskovitinov in 1559 out of the bell brought from Kherson (a town called Korsun in those times), is slightly younger then Nemchin. Another bell, made by an unknown Russian founder, is of interest due to its smooth body, the absence of decoration and a special form that attests its antiquity, along with famous analogues.

Five more bells were cast in the 17th century. The bell known as Glukhoy is not in use now, as it has a crack in its body. Maybe this crack was the reason for a dull tone quality. The Mariinsky bell cannot be used as well. Its ornament suggests that it was cast by Fyodor Motorin. Unfortunately, defects of casting affected the quality of decoration and a split of metal along the lower edge attest possible fall of the bell in 1812.

Two bells of the second tier are produced by Fyodor Motorin, namely Danilovsky and Novy (new). The beautiful Danilovsky bell of 1678 is decorated with two ornamental bands: the upper—with floral motifs and “pearls”, the lower—with uncommonly figurative images of seraphs and cherubs with inscriptions. It says that the bell was designated for Saint Trinity Danilov Monastery, later it was transferred to the Ivan the Great Bell-Tower. The bell is not in use due to the crack.

Two bells of the 17th century, which were earlier placed at the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin, were raised up to the second tier for the resumption of the sound. Evidently, they had been taken from Chudov and Ascension monasteries in 1929, when monastery buildings were demolished.