Cannons and bells have always had a special relationship.
They are made from the same metals and often in the same factory.
In those days, Russian cannon masters had a reputation as among the worlds best.
They devised models of weapons that had no parallel in the West.
The Russian army also maintained one of the largest artillery arsenals in Europe.
It is 6 meters tall and 6.6 meters across, and weighs almost 202 tons.
Like the Tsar Cannon, the Tsar Bell was never used.
The bell crashed to the ground in a fire and broke to pieces.
This bell too was destroyed in a fire before it was completed.
The third incarnation of the bell was even grander, and weighed twice as much as the former.
After two years of casting, the bell was complete and was cooling when yet another fire broke out.
The bell fell back into the casting pit where it remained for almost a century.
It was finally raised in 1836 and was placed on a pedestal.
Photo credit:Leon Yaakov/Flickr
Photo credit:Martha de Jong-Lantink/Flickr
Photo credit:Alan/Flickr
