Danilov Monastery (Moscow)

 monastery, residency, Russian Orthodox Church, 13th century construction

Danilov Monastery, (Svyato-Danilov Monastery or Holy Danilov Monastery), founded in the late 13th century by Alexander Nevsky's son Daniil, is the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox church situated on the right bank of the Moskva River.

During the Time of Troubles, the monastery was severely damaged in 1610. After that it was surrounded by a brick wall with seven towers. The almshouse opened in 1805 for elderly women in the monastery was later turned into an almshouse for elderly clergymen and their widows.

When the monastery was closed in 1929 and 1930, its bell set was purchase by Charles R. Crane of America. The largest of the bells, Bolshoi weighs 13 tons and has a clapper of 700 pounds. The smallest weighs just 22 pounds. Crane donated the bells to Harvard University and later the bells were returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in August 2007.