Extremely interesting in style and complex in its construction, Колокольня Рождества Иоанна Предтечи is located on the grounds of Спасо-Евфимиева Monastery in Суздаль. This structure was erected over quite a long period.
At first, in the first half of the XVI century, the pillar-shaped nine-sided Church of Иоанна Предтечи was built, intended "under the bells." In the monastery, Grand Prince of Владимир and Moscow Василий III quite often offered prayers together with his wife Соломония Сабурова. Most likely, he also financed the construction of the church.
From the end of the XVI century, changes began to be made to the architecture of the church: a tall arched span for the belfry was added. Even later, in the XVII century, two identical sections were added; as a result, an unusual three-span gallery was created, reminiscent of Pskov architecture.
By the beginning of the XVIII century, the belfry had eleven bells, the largest of which was a handsome 67-pood bell donated to the monastery by princes Деомид and Дементий Черемисиновы in the 1590s.
The original set of bells has not survived to this day in its initial form; however, the belfry now has 19 bells, also ancient and rare, dating as far back as the XVI century.
The structure ceased to function as a prayer church in the second half of the XVIII century due to its dilapidated condition.
