Prechistenskaya bell tower in Astrakhan Kremlin

The Prechistenskaya bell tower (the bell tower of the Most Holy Mother of God) is one of the symbols of not only the Kremlin but Astrakhan as a whole. It reaches the height of 80 meters. The four-tier bell tower was built above the gate of the same name and has a beautiful decor.

The first bell tower appeared in that place in 1710. It was then called the Cathedral bell tower. However, ground constantly subsided there and the bell tower soon got covered with cracks.

In 1809 the Varvatsievskaya bell tower was erected in that place. The bell tower was built for the money of a citizen of Astrakhan Ivan Varvatsiev and was named after him. But this bell tower at first inclined and then again got covered with cracks.

In 1911 it was decided to build the new Prechistenskaya bell tower by the project of Astrakhan eparchial architect S. I. Karyagin. The bell tower was designed in the Russian-Byzantine style and was much higher than the previous ones. It nicely blends with the Assumption Cathedral and we can still admire it.