Russian Orthodox bell ringing has a history starting from the baptism of Rus in 988 and plays an important role in the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
A bell-ringer in a bell tower. Ropes lead from the clappers of the bells to the station where the ringer stands.
The Tsar Bell standing beside the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in Moscow; the sculpting of the wall of the bell can be seen in the broken section.
Ringing the bells at Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma, Russia.
A bell-ringer works the ropes on top of a small church in Old Kstovo.
Bell tower
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A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell towers, often part of a municipal building, an educational establishment, or a tower built specifically to house a carillon. Church bell towers often incorporate clocks, and secular towers usually do, as a public service.
Elizabeth Tower, London completed in 1859; better known as Big Ben.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, campanile of the Duomo di Pisa, Italy
St Mark's Campanile, Venice