ABOUT THE KIZHI MUSEUM
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Bells from the holdings of the Kizhi museum and the private collection of Oleg Lavrov (Petrozavodsk).

You are going to get acquainted with the unique phenomenon of the Russian folk culture – coach bell. Coach bell appeared in the beginning of the XIX century on post coaches, courier and official carriages-and-three’s (Russian troika’s), since the postal service required a special device to give signals at the approach to the station, so that the keeper could catch up the horses beforehand. The ringing of the coach bell was in a way a prearranged sound signal, which obliged the private coaches to give way to an official carriage-and-three. Later on coach bells and jingles became essential feature of a wedding procession and festivals with driving on troika’s.

The exhibition displays a coloured sledge, a festive harness, about 200 of coach bells moulded in XIX and the beginning of the XX century in the main foundries of Russia, Finland and Sweden. The moulding of coach bells was family homecraft. You are going to get acquainted with famous dynasties of the founders and noted foundries, such as the town of Valday in Novgorod province, the village of Purekh in the region of Nizhniy Novgorod and the town of Kasimov in the region of Ryazan.

The ringing of the coach bells and video records accompany the exhibition. Songs and romances sung by famous Russian singers would carry you away to the world of roads and road experiences.