Largest Bell in the World at Cologne Cathedral is Silenced

The Eponymous Flower ^ | 01/06/2011 | Tancred

[0beron]

Largest free swinging bell in the world: Shortly before the Epiphany Mass the clapper of the 24 ton bell -- The "decke Pitter" is the German Peace Bell.

Cologne (kath.net/KAP) Shock in the Cologne Cathedral: The bell known as "Decker Pitter" by the locals is silenced. On Thursday morning the clapper with a 3.24 Meter diameter and with a weight of 24 tons, the largest free swinging bell in the world, fell. The cause is still unknown. Possibly there was some material weakening in the structure connecting the clapper to the bell itself. No one was injured as the Cathedral Provost said to the Cologne "Express".

[ClearCase_guy]

Note person standing below bell. It was cast in 1922.

[DManA]

Clap on [clap clap]
Clap off [clap clap]

[Hotlanta Mike]

[JPG]

Call Joe Friday, we’ve got another ‘clapper caper’ for him.

[HamiltonJay]

48,000 lb clapper? Wow.. the damage that thing must have done when it fell.

[wideawake]

The article specifies that the clapper itself was 800 kg (1,760 lbs or 0.9 tons).

[Onelifetogive]

the clapper with a 3.24 Meter diameter and with a weight of 24 tons

Article says it wrong...

[muawiyah]

They are getting it all backwards because they are translating from German to English ~ someone forgot to notice that the BELL is one thing and the CLAPPER is another.

We have some specialists in FR who know how to fix German stuff.

[Disambiguator]

When I saw the headline, I assumed it was “silenced” due to Muslim complaints. I’m glad to see it was a mechanical issue that can be resolved.

Cynical? You bet!

[Salvation]

Let me guess......someone was offended.....sarc off/

[Salvation]

I had the same reactions! LOL!

[Calvin Locke]

You know, if there were are real schools of journalism left in the US,
that line would make the article a case study on how to confuse the reader.

[EyeGuy]

I visited the magnificent and TRULY awesome Koln Cathedral in 1987.

Even back then it was more a museum than an active Church.

Sad.

But hopefully not for long. The Catholic Church is ancient and in Her long history, She has seen many spells of empty and cold secularism before.

[ReverendJames]

I’ll miss hearing that bell in the morning.

[mcmuffin]

Joe Biden has agreed to stand in as Ding-A-Ling until repairs are completed.

[frog in a pot]

Roger your #10.

Although, FWIW, American family members who have a home in Germany are pleased to see the locals beginning to push back.

[Haiku Guy]

It was cast in 1922.

I guess the whole "peace" thing didn't work out...

[Haiku Guy]

It was cast in 1922.

I guess the whole "peace" thing didn't work out...

[Jolla]

We live three blocks from our church that rings for 730 mass and at 6pm, it IS very soothing.

[ReverendJames]

Was just trying to be funny. Too early in the AM I guess.

[EDINVA]

I had the very same reaction.

[12Gauge687]

In 1977, I travelled around France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland to visit a number of Gothic cathedrals, including Koln, Amiens, Rheims, Notre Dame (Paris), St. Michael & St. Gudule (Brussels), and the Munster (Berne). Even back then they seemed like museums, except to the elderly folks.

[bkepley]

Sorry but I just couldn’t take it anymore.

[0beron]

LOL... anyway, bell ringing used to be an office in the Church, a bell ringer was a serious office with the bell ringer responsible for taking care of the bell, especially when the temperatures got too cold.

Perhaps if they had a bell ringer full time, assuming they don’t, we could have avoided this...

The Bell Ringer treated his bells like any experienced tradesman, with great love and religious devotion.

Bells each receive a name when they’re consecrated, and it’s said traditionally, that the peal of the bells drives away devils.

Thanks for y’all’s comments on the thread.