FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions readers of this reference ask most often: about the project itself, about bells and bell-ringing, and about the fate of the Danilov Monastery bells. The answers are short and factual. If a question concerns worship or religious practice, we do not answer it on the substance and instead suggest where to turn: such questions are a matter for religious organizations themselves, not for a secular reference.
Sometimes the most useful answer is to say honestly which question a reference should not answer, and to suggest where to take it.
How this section works: a question is included if readers ask it often and it can be answered neutrally from verified sources. There is no religious guidance and no information about living people here.
About this reference
Is this the Danilov Monastery's website?
No. This domain previously hosted a website about the bells of the Danilov Monastery, but the current reference is not connected with it. This is not the website of the monastery, the Russian Orthodox Church or Harvard University.
Where can I find the schedule of ringing and services?
On the monastery's official channels. We do not publish schedules, addresses or contacts of religious organizations.
Do you give religious answers?
No. We do not provide religious guidance or instruction. This reference covers the construction of bells, the ringing tradition and history.
Where does your information come from?
From encyclopedic works, including the Great Russian Encyclopedia, and from Harvard University publications about the Lowell House bells. We do not quote books; we summarise them in general terms.
About bells
How does Russian ringing differ from Western European ringing?
In the Russian tradition the bell stays still and the ringer swings its clapper. In many Western European traditions, such as English change ringing, the bell itself is swung.
What kinds of ringing are there?
The main ones are blagovest (steady strokes on a single bell), perebor, perezvon and trezvon. Short definitions are in the glossary.
Has the Tsar Bell ever been rung?
No. It was cast in 1735 by the master founders Ivan and Mikhail Motorin, and in 1737, during a fire, a large piece broke off.
Why did so many bells disappear in the 1920s–1930s?
In these years many church bells in the USSR were taken down and melted down. Read more in the Historical context section.
About the Danilov bells
How did the bells end up at Harvard?
In 1930 the American industrialist and philanthropist Charles R. Crane bought them and gave them to Harvard University to save them from being melted down. Thomas Whittemore acted as intermediary.
How many bells were there?
Eighteen: seventeen were intended for Lowell House and one for Baker Library at Harvard Business School.
When did the bells return?
In 2008. In the same year replicas for Lowell House were cast at the Vera foundry in Voronezh and installed.
Who was Konstantin Saradzhev?
A bell-ringer and musician with an exceptional ear (1900–1941). In 1930 he travelled to Harvard to help install the bells.
Related sections
- Home
An independent, secular reference on the history of bells, bell-ringing and the fate of the Danilov bells.
- Key ideas
An A–Z glossary of bell terms, from blagovest to the clapper.
- The bells' journey: Moscow to Cambridge and back (in Russian)
The journey of the Danilov Monastery bells: the 1930 sale, Cambridge and the return in 2008.
Sources
- Great Russian Encyclopedia
- Harvard University — Lowell House (history of the bells)
- Harvard Gazette / Harvard Magazine (2007–2009)
- Encyclopedic sources on the history of bells
This reference relies on encyclopedic works and on publications of Harvard University. The weights, numbers and dates of individual bells can differ from one source to another, so we give only verified information and say clearly where exact data are lacking.