Remnants of an ancient monastery, Kalyazin Bell Tower
The unique structure of the flooded bell tower serves, as a marker for ships and sailors travelling near the small town of Kalyazin. Sometimes, the tower also becomes a venue, for certain Orthodox Christian rituals.
The bell tower was part of a much larger structure of the St. Nicholas Cathedral. It was flooded and submerged under water, after the construction of a dam: a part of Josef Stalin’s pursuit of modernisation of the USSR.
Nevertheless, the iconic bell tower can still be seen risen from the water. The inside of the tower was completely empty, as any relics or furniture were removed quickly before the water levels rose. Now, the structure has been filled and strengthened and many tourists still come to visit the iconic tower, to look inside and marvel at the ancient structure. It also attracts swimmers and has a small boat dock on the outside.
If you’re somewhere near Kalyazin, don’t forget to have a look at the bell tower and capture a piece of pre-Stalin history of the USSR.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Flooded Bell Tower of St Nicholas Cathedral, Uglich Reservoir, Kalyazin, Tver Oblast, Russia
- Coordinates
- 57.24388, 37.85685
- Access
- Tver Region reporting in January 2026 quotes a Kalyazin municipal administrator saying the restored tower is open, with summer visitors arriving by boat and climbing its levels. An August 2026 local visitor guide also lists a separate charge for access to the second tier. A July 2026 guide contradicts this and says the interior is closed, so confirm directly with the local boat operator before paying or planning to climb. Boats operate seasonally; winter access is only on safe ice confirmed locally.
- Admission
- A local visitor guide updated August 2026 lists RUB 500 per person for a motorboat crossing and RUB 250 for access to the second tier, charged separately; the operators set prices and they can change. A July 2026 guide gives a different boat price (from RUB 250) and says the inside is closed. Confirm both availability and current price with the operator. The tower can be viewed free from Kalyazin’s embankment.
- Time needed
- Allow about one hour for the tower stop including the water trip, according to an August 2026 local visitor guide. A 2026 tour listing estimates the boat outing itself at about 30–40 minutes. These are operator/guide estimates, not an official fixed duration; waiting and boarding time vary.
- Best season
- Summer navigation is the most dependable season for boat access; one 2026 packaged tour lists departures from June through September. Local reporting says winter visits may be possible over the ice, but only after local confirmation that ice conditions are safe. Do not treat either schedule as guaranteed for every operator.
- Opening hours
- No official fixed daily opening hours were found. Boat visits run on seasonal operator schedules; the tower’s access and any second-tier entry should be confirmed locally before setting out. Winter access depends on safe ice conditions.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-27
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-07
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