Today’s post features the interiors of the Alexander Bell Tower and the Dormition Cathedral in Kharkiv.

It’s fair to say that this is Kharkiv’s best-kept secret observation deck. For more panoramic views, see this post.

Unfortunately, the stairs are indeed in poor condition, and opening the observation deck on the upper levels right now is hardly feasible from a safety standpoint.

Clearly, the staircases need to be reinforced and fenced off in the same way as they have been in the bell tower of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.

However, it is possible to provide safe access to the lowest level (approximately 26 meters, which is comparable to a nine-story building) without any major modifications.

And even from there, you get unusual views of the surrounding streets. Some are a bit sad, but mostly they’re beautiful.

The name “Zilberberg” can be seen on the staircase. We know only of Zilberberg’s printing house in Kharkiv, but who was this Zilberberg, whose name remains on a step of the Alexander Bell Tower? A patron of the arts? Or the owner of the foundry that manufactured the staircase?

Why don’t the city authorities or private patrons help organize a viewing platform?

The church community, which recently regained possession of the Dormition Cathedral, is currently raising funds to restore the massive iconostasis that was lost; as a result, setting up an observation deck in the bell tower is of secondary importance to them.

As a result of the Russian missile strike on the Palace of Labor on March 2, 2022, the bell tower and the building of the Dormition Cathedral itself were damaged; specifically, the windows were shattered, and the clock on the tower, the interiors, and the church furnishings were damaged.