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
- The bell tower stands on an artificial island in the Uglich Reservoir. The Tver Diocese notice, republished by TverCard, describes a free seasonal boat transfer from Kalyazin’s embankment, daily 08:00–20:00 from the April 28, 2026 navigation opening; it gives no season-end date. This transfer is separate from paid private excursions. Landing and tower-interior access can change, so confirm locally; do not treat winter ice as a visitor route.
- Admission
- Viewing from Kalyazin’s embankment is free. The Tver Diocese notice describes the 2026 seasonal public transfer to the island as free. Private boat tours are separately priced. A local August 2026 guide lists a RUB 250 tower-climb charge, but the tariff and interior opening arrangement were not confirmed on an official operator page; verify before paying or travelling.
- Time needed
- No official duration is published for the free transfer or time on the island. One local boat operator lists a one-hour private excursion including the boat ride; this is an operator example, not a standard tower visit duration. Allow time for waiting, boarding and any separately arranged tower access.
- Best season
- No official best season is published. Boat transfers are seasonal: the reported 2026 navigation service opened April 28, but the announcement gives no closing date. Confirm whether boats are running for your date. The tower can be viewed from shore; do not walk onto reservoir ice.
- Opening hours
- No permanent tower opening hours were found. The 2026 Diocese notice republished by TverCard lists the seasonal free boat transfer daily 08:00–20:00 from April 28, with no end date stated. Private operators publish their own excursion schedules. Confirm both boat service and tower access locally; do not assume the summer schedule remains in effect after navigation season.
- Location checked
- 2026-11-02
- Facts checked
- 2026-11-02
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