The high bell tower dominates the entire grounds of the St. Sophia Museum. Its site on the east side of the cathedral was dictated by the historical topography of Kiev: from an architectural point of view it was necessary that it face St. Sophia Square (now Bogdan Khmelnitsky Square). The Bell Tower was the first brick building to arise on the grounds of the St. Sophia Monastery after the 1697 fire. It was built from 1699 to 1706. In 1709, the victorious army of the Battle of Poltava, led by Peter I, was given a triumphant reception near the bell tower.

The original bell tower had three tiers. The architect is unknown: one document preserves only the name of Savva Yakovlev, 'under-master of stone masonry', who took part in the construction. Soon after it was completed, the upper tiers began to collapse due to an earthquake. From 1744 to 1748, the building was restored under the guidance of J. Schadel, a famous Petersburg architect. The two upper storeys were dismantled and replaced by new structures. Gifted Ukrainian artisans from Zholkva, Ivan and Stepan Stobensky, worked on the plaster embellishments of its walls. The new tower also had three tiers. It was crowned by a baroque dome topped by a tall gilded spire.
Architect - Iohann Shedel.