Description of the attraction
The Church of John Climacus, located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, is one of the oldest churches in the capital. The temple stands on Cathedral Square, and next to it rises the bell tower, nicknamed "Ivan the Great".
The church became one of the first three white-stone churches, which were founded in the first half of the 14th century by Prince Ivan Kalita. The first was laid the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist on Bor, then the Assumption Cathedral and the third - John Climacus in 1329. The saint, in whose honor this temple was consecrated, lived in the 6th-7th centuries and became the author of the work "Ladder" on the path of man to God. After the completion of construction, the church and the bell tower were assigned to the Assumption Cathedral as a side temple.
The bell tower of the Church of St. John Climacus became the first such structure in Moscow and for a long time was considered the highest.
The church was originally built "under the bells": the temple was located in the lower tier, and the belfry - in the upper one. This ensemble of religious architecture acquired its present appearance in the 16th-17th centuries, when the entire Kremlin was being rebuilt. The previous building was demolished in 1505, and in its place the Italian architect Aleviz Novy built a new two-tiered bell tower, and a new church at its base. After about 25 years, the Assumption Belfry was also built nearby.
At the beginning of the 17th century, by order of Boris Godunov, the bell tower was built on one more tier, for which it was named "Godunov Pillar". A little later, by order of Patriarch Filaret, another belfry was added, named after him.
In Soviet times, the Church of John Climacus was closed, and the building was used for other purposes. After the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953, the Kremlin was opened to visitors, and exhibitions were held in the church building.
