The bell tower was built in the second half of the 18th century between the churches of Archangel Gabriel and the Presentation, on the site of an old stone bell tower from the 16th century, which was dismantled due to dilapidation. It is one of the tallest buildings of the monastery. The architectural forms of the bell tower reflect the style of church construction in the northern provinces of Russia in the mid-18th century, combining the traditions of Russian stone architecture with elements of baroque, which were interpreted in their own way and sometimes naively. The construction was led by the mason Fyodor Zhukov from the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery. The bell tower of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery is similar in composition and details to the bell tower of the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery. At the same time, its architectural style connects it with older structures that form the core of the ensemble, thus it harmoniously fits into the architectural complex of the monastery.

The bell tower consists of four blind floors and one open one. Beneath it is a passage connecting the Assumption Cathedral with the Church of the Transfiguration and Lake Siverskoye. The bell tower plays an important role in the silhouette of the monastery, uniting the surrounding buildings and creating a central accent that emphasizes the verticals of the churches and towers. In the 18th century, the bell tower housed 26 bells, the largest of which weighed about 20 tons. The ringing of the bells of the Kirillov Monastery could be heard from afar. Unfortunately, there are no bells on the bell tower now. They began to be removed during the reign of Peter I during the Northern War, when a quarter of the monastery's bells, weighing about 6.5 tons, were sent for military needs, and the process was completed during the Soviet years. Almost all the bells were destroyed in 1930-1931, and more than 31 tons of bell bronze were removed from the monastery.

In 1989, the top of the bell tower was reconstructed and the foundations were partially examined. In 2006-2007, the decorative protective covering of the walls and vaults in the interiors was restored, and the wooden ceiling on the ringing level was renovated. The mechanism of the chime clock, which is displayed on the fourth tier of the bell tower, has partially survived. There are plans to restore the bells and the clock.