Bell at Smolny
When the Soviets came to power in Russia they had all the bells removed from churches and Cathedrals, smelted and used as weapons as a part of their removing religion from the Soviet. This and many bells were saved and hidden until the Soviet Union collapsed and this was the first bell returned and placed at the Smolny. Today under Putin the Orthodox Russian Church and other religions are free to practice and he has allocated a lot of rubles to their reconstruction and renovation.
© Emile Abbott
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Emile Abbott. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the express, written permission of the photographer.