Peter the Great in Vologda
Vologda is considered to have been visited by Peter the Great six times. The sovereign was interested in our city because international trade routes went through it. The Vologda masters took the active part in the construction of the Russian fleet. They equipped ships with sails, ropes, anchors and built boats and barges for the tsar's campaigns from Vologda to Arkhangelsk and further to Western Europe.When the Northern War began Vologda became a close rear and a base for the supply of the Russian army. Two steel factories were built in our region to cast cannon and cannonballs. Due to the lack of bronze, Peter I even issued a decree on melting of bell copper into cannons.There is a story connected with the Vologda bells. One of Peter's visits to Vologda coincided with his birthday. The Russian tsar was 30 years old. The celebration took place in the magnificent Krestovaya Palata of the Simonovsky Building of the Vologda Bishop's Courtyard (now it is the territory of the Vologda Kremlin). The guests were treated to a variety of dishes: geese, red and black caviar, fish, corned beef, wine and many other delicious things.Suddenly, during the luxurious feast, the Emperor heard a bell ringing. The angry tsar wondered why his order had not been carried out. To save the bells, the local bell ringer, the Lame Ivashka, climbed the bell tower by many steps, and played the bells. He performed a favourite Peter’s music "Kamarinskaya". Peter the Great was so impressed by the bell ringer's abilities that he let all the bells leave as a reward.But this is a legend, of course. Anyway, not a single bell was removed from the Sofia Belfry for military needs. To follow the tsar's order, The Vologda Bishop Gavriil sent not only the required bell copper, but also 200 poods from the reserves of the bishop's treasury to the casting yard in Moscow. The sovereign, delighted with such a generous donation, sent a certificate of commendation to Gavriil. Moreover, Peter I also ordered Ivan Motorin, who had created the Tsar Bell, to cast two bells for the Vologda bell tower. And two years later, the citizens of Vologda received two bells – Bolshaya Lebed weighing about three tons and Malaya Lebed weighing 400 kg.Nowadays citizens and visitors of the city can still admire these bells on the Sofia Belfry.