One of the most famous, if not the most famous bell in Poland - the Sigismund Bell. It is located in the Sigismund Tower at Wawel Cathedral. It is also called the king of Polish bells.
On July 13, 1521 it was then that Krakow heard it for the first time and its founder was King Sigismund I the Old. The history of "Zygmunt" is described in an inscription written in Latin, which says: "To the best God, the greatest God, the Virgin Mary and the Mother of God, to his holy patrons, the excellent King Sigismund of Poland, this bell worthy of the greatness of mind and deeds of his own, ordered the execution of the year of salvation 1520". On July 9, 1521 the bell hung on the tower of Wawel Cathedral. The bell was made in 1520 by Hans Beham from Nuremberg, a ludwishist from Nuremberg, who made the bell in the Kraków ludwisery. In order to accommodate the colossus, the tower was raised and rebuilt.
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Ringing the Sigismund's bell announces only holidays and ceremonies of the church and state and the most important events in the life of Poland or the Catholic Church. He beat, for example: 1 September 1939, when Poland was attacked by the Third Reich, on 30 April 2004 after the mass for the intention of the Homeland celebrated in Wawel Cathedral on the occasion of Poland's accession to the European Union, after the announcement of the death of Pope John Paul II (the same as 27 years earlier, after the election of Karol Wojtyła as Pope), on 10 April 2010 after the crash of the Polish plane Tu-154M and 8 days later during the funeral of the Presidential Couple Lech Kaczyński and Maria Kaczyńska after the crash... For five centuries, it has been heralding to the Poles breakthrough moments in the history of the homeland. In the 19th century the heart of the bell burst three times: in 1859, 1866 and 1876. According to legend, it is a harbinger of misfortune for the country. The heart broke again in 2000. This time it could not be repaired and was replaced by a new one. The old one can be admired at the entrance to the Sigismund Tower. When "Sigismund" rings, the decision is made by the Metropolitan of Cracow, who calls the bell-ringers. If the weather conditions are right, the sound of the Sigismund's bell can be heard throughout Krakow. The sound is heard at a distance of up to 30 kilometres! Its mass is: 12,600 kg, including the heart of the bell 365 kg and the dome 9650 kg.
According to reports, the voice of "Zygmunt" disperses clouds and brings sunny weather, and the maiden who touches his heart will soon get married.
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