Back, but Not to the U.S.S.R.

On the sweltering afternoon of July 8, more than 100 onlookers crowded Winthrop Street to watch the Lowell House bells descend...

[extra:Extra]

Hear a last ringing of Lowell House's old bells.

[video:https://harvardmagazine.com/sites/default/files/media/Bells.mp3 width:220 height:20]

On the sweltering afternoon of July 8, more than 100 onlookers (cell-phone cameras at the ready) crowded Winthrop Street to watch the Lowell House bells descend. After arriving at Harvard 78 years ago as refugees from Stalin’s anti-clerical campaign, the bells were returning to Moscow’s Danilov Monastery. While monks conducted a service, the crowd also got a peek at Lowell’s new Russian bells, resting on a nearby truck bed, waiting their turn to ring out over Cambridge.

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard Releases Database of 1,613 People Enslaved by University Affiliates

Research continues to track down living descendants.

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history

The Costly Choice Native Americans Faced

How the Revolution reshaped indigenous New England

Most popular

Harvard Faculty Approve a Cap on A Grades

Reforms to reduce grade inflation will take effect in the fall of 2027.

Harvard Holds a Symposium on Antisemitism and Universities

Scholars discuss the paradoxes and challenges that Jews navigate on college campuses.

Harvard Discloses Top Earners’ Compensation

The University files its annual report for tax-exempt organizations.

Explore More From Current Issue

Four stylized magnifying glasses arranged in a gradient background with abstract patterns.

AI Hunts For Stolen Harvard Coins

A museum curator and a computer scientist track down ancient coins taken in a legendary heist.

White House and Harvard University buildings split diagonally with contrasting colors.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Woman in historical dress standing in front of green foliage, smiling brightly.

This Harvard Graduate Brings Women of the Revolution to Life

Historical reenactor Lauren Shear reveals tricks of the trade for playing Tory loyalists, Revolutionary poets, and more.