Artist’s impression of the raising of the Tsar Bell in the MoscowKremlin, from The Engineer (1

Artist’s impression of the raising of the Tsar Bell in the MoscowKremlin, from The Engineer (1937).  The Tsar Bell is the largest bellin the world, but it has never been rung.The Tsar Bell was cast in the 1730s, on the orders of Empress Anna. It was the third such Tsar Bell, the first two having been destroyedin fires, and the same fate was to befell this one.As with the second bell, the third bell was cast using the remains ofthe previous one.  A 10-metre deep pit was dug with a clay form, andthe walls were reinforced with rammed earth to withstand thepressure.  The first casting failed, but the second, in 1735, was asuccess.  Two years later it was hoisted above the casting pit tocool down while relief ornaments were added.In May, a fire broke out at the Kremlin.  Blazing rafters fell downonto the bell.  In their haste to rescue it, onlookers poured wateronto the fire, causing the bell to crack and dislodge a pieceweighing 11 tons.  The fire also destroyed the wooden supports, andthe bell fell back into the casting pit, where it would remain forthe next 103 years.Attempts to raise it in 1792 and 1819 failed. Napoléon considered taking the bell as atrophy in 1812, but was unable to do so because of its size andweight.  He ordered it to be blown up during the retreat from Moscow,but only managed to inflict damage on the surrounding buildings.The Tsar Bell was finally raised in 1836 (thefirst attempt that year failed due to defective cables).  It roseslowly from the pit, “covered with its ancient dust”, and wasabove ground within 45 minutes.  The pit was immediately covered withstrong rafters and flooring, supporting the carriage onto which thebell was lowered.  It was then hauled up an inclined plane to itspedestal.Finally in position, the Tsar Bell was thensurmounted by a ball and Greek cross.  It stood on an octagonalgranite pedestal with a marble slab inscribed with a dedication.In 2016, a team from three American universitiesmade a computational model of the Tsar Bell, and made this versionring for the first time. -- source link
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