of Pisa:
The Bells
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of Pisa: The Bells |
  Composite Photo from Images posted on the Official Leaning Tower Website  
Bell Tower by Prof. Piero Pierotti http://www.arte.unipi.it/Torre/cella_campanaria.html At least 650 years have passed since the beginning of the bell-tower cell, which also has the function of balancing the load. The tower was built to the design height of the project (100 arms), and seven bells were installed:
http://www.arte.unipi.it/Torre/cella_definitiva.html Conditions of the Belfry The completed belfry replaced a provisional cell that had been located on the 7th level, where places for the bells are still evident. The plane of the belfry tilts at a distinct angle relative to a horizontal theoretical plane. This angle demonstrates the value of the increase of the inclination from the completion of the belfry to today. Peter Sanpaolesi made this calculation and published the results (1956), concluding that, at the moment of the completion of the belfry, the inclination measured at the seventh level was equal to 1.43 meters. It can be argued that the inclination should be expressed in angular values for best accuracy, and therefore in degrees, rather than in centimeters. But, if we want to make comparisons, we must be satisfied with this approximation, moreover, realistically, most available calculations are expressed in linear measures. The value of the inclination pointed out by Sanpaolesi is therefore sufficiently reliable. We then make the calculations in reverse. From the completion of the belfry about 650 years have passed. The average increase in the inclination in the current century is 1.2 millimeters per year. Multiplied by 650 years, 780 millimeters, that is less than a meter. Now add it to the datum of Sanpaolesi: 1.43 m. plus 0.780 is equal to 2.21 meters. The conclusion is clear: if the tower had moved during all these years with the speed that it has in the last century, it would have an inclination less than the half of the approximately 5 meters it has today. The bells were regularly rung from the ground using a bellcord. To the 1907-1908 commission this seemed risky and it was decided to avoid the "swinging movement" of the two heavy bells, Crocifisso and dell'Assunta. Description provided by Professor Piero Pierotti Professor of Medieval Architecture at the University of Pisa http://virmap.unipi.it/cgi-bin/virmap/vmibo?docenti:8135563;listapubblicazioni;anchor From: Institue and Museum of the History of Science: Vespruccio, cast in the fourteenth century and again in 1501 by Nicola di Jacopo, weight Kg 1,000 (2,200 lbs.). Del Pozzetto, cast in 1606, weighs 652 Kg. (1,434 lbs.) Terza, cast in 1473, weight 300 Kg. (660 lbs.) Crocifisso, cast in 1572 by Vincenzo Possenti, weight 2,462 Kg. (5416 lbs.) Dal Pozzo, cast in 1606, weight 652 Kg. (1,434 lbs.) l'Assunta, cast in 1654 by Giovanni Pietro Orlandi, weight 3,620 Kg. (7964 lbs.) Pasquereccia, cast in 1262 by Lotteringo, weight 1,014 Kg. (2231 lbs.) San Ranieri, cast in 1719-21 by Giovanni Andrea Moreni, weight 1,448 Kg. (3186 lbs.) From Joy Menze: Of interest is the year of 1705 that’s given for the description on these two pages. If true, it places Pasquereccia in the Tower at an earlier date. Also, the same bell maker made another bell in 1266 that was called Pasquereccia. That one does not exist anymore. La Torre di Pisa: viaggio fotograficio e storico by Antonino Caleca, 2002; immagini di Aurelio Amendola; pp. 136-137 The Tower of Pisa: Photographic Voyage and History by Antonio Caleca, 2002; images by Aurleio Amendola 1705 Giuseppe Martini, Theatrum Basilicue Pisanae, Roma We have thus entered the fourth visible monument, the most famous building of the entire world, precisely, the bell tower known as Campanil Torto (Crooked Bell-Tower). It is about 250 palms high and with a circumference of 230 palms. It is made out of white marble and is round in shape, with seven storeys of marble columns, one on top of the other. The part of the last storey of columns is erected over several marble steps with a white marble wall surrounded by several cells or large windows where the bells are. There are 200 marble columns in this building, each one of them with capitals of the Corinthian order. All walls are made out of marble, as well as the winding stairway through which one can easily reach the top of the tower. One enters through the only entrance door and light comes through the many windows. The inside shape is round as well, similar also in size, and construction as a high parapet. This majestic building is decorated with two round balconies thanks to which one can go up a small winding stairway, on the aforementioned steps, and finally reach the previously mentioned area. Here is an elegant bell theatre, erected without covering and without stones. Eight big bells are placed in a circle in their appropriate cells, and their beauty and elegance are well superior to the materials used to make them. The bigger one is made out of gold, called dell'Assunzione, or generally l'Assunta, (Our Lady of the Assumption) and almost on its top there is a written "Assumpta est Maris in Caelum gaudent Angeli laudantes benedicunt Domini" (The angels raise the Virgin Mary to heaven and rejoicing and praising, the bless Our Lord). Still on the top there is a Cross with the image of the Beatissima Vergine Assunta, the emblem of the Serenissima Famiglia dei Medici, and another one, I believe, of Francesco del Seta, who was a Vestry man. This bell weighs over ten thousand librae (7600 pounds). The next one, not very distant from this one, is named by everyone del Crocifisso (of the Crucifix), and the image of the Crucifix stand out. It was cast in 1572 by order of Voncenzo Possento for the Vestry man Raffaele Setario, but casted again in 1702 by Antonion Petri of Pesaro for the Vestry man Giulio Gaetano and weighs more than 6800 librae. (5168 lbs.) The third bell is called la Giustizia (the Justice), because it was previously in the tower of the judge and rung when the guilty was sent to the gallows. This one, today as it did then, announces with angelic salutation the midday. This bell was brought here because of its clear and clean sound that blended so well with the sounds of the other bells. Several figures stand out on the outside, as the effigies of the Beatissima Vergine and of the Angelo Annunciante - where the following words are written: "ave maria gratia plena" - the angel with the open wings, and the emblem, if I am not mistaken, of the consul of the town of Pisa, precisely the rose, the eagle, the lamb, and the griffin. Exactly in this part, these words are engraves: "Gerardus hospitalarius solvit anno 1262 Loctirineus de Pisis me fecit" (Gerardus, the hostice man, paid for me in the year 1262, Lotheringus from Pisa made me). It weighs about 4,000 librae. (3040 lbs.) The fourth bell is commonly called La Pasquareccia (the Easter Bell). The following words may be read: "Loteringus filius Bartholomei Pisani me fecit anno Domini 1266" (Loteringus, son of Bartholomeo from Pisa, made me in the year 1266). It weighs 2,900 librae. (2204 lbs.) 
The fifth bell is called Del Pozzo. These words are written on its top: "Serenissimo Ferdinando Etrurie magno Duce Carolus Antonius Puteus Archiep" (When Ferdinand was Grand Duke of Tuscany and Carlo Antonio Del Pozzo was Archbishop). In addition, several emblems may be found in the following order: the cross of Pisa, the emblem of the Serenissimo Granduca, the emmblem of the Archbishop Del Pozzo, and the one of the Palace of the Vestry Board. This bell weighs 1,800 librae. (1368 lbs.)There are other bells but, in truth, they will not be described because of their inferior weight. However, it must be mentioned that their sound slightly interferes with silence; in fact, each one emits an analogous sound and all together join in a harmonious tune. The work of fourteen people is necessary to make them ring, while these last ones of inferior weight are easily rung. From this area and through a winding stairway one can reach a second balcony that is on top of the bells. From here it is possible to admire the beauty of this place; the wonderful countryside, the rivers, the mountains, the sea, the harbor of Livorno, and many other marvelous landscapes. From: "Leaning Tower of Pisa, A Very Detailed Artistic Description" : On the summit of the Tower there are seven bells cast to reproduce the seven musical notes. Each of them has its own name and story. The oldest is called "Pasquereccia", It was cast, as the inscription around it says, by the famous maker of bells Lotteringo. "A. D. MCCLXII -Lotteringus de Pisis me fecit - Gerardus Hospitalarius solvit" (in the year of our Lord 1262 made by Lotteringo of Pisa - Paid for by Gerardo Hospitalarius). The engraving is adorned with arabesque decorations: small rosaces, shieldes with a winged lion, an eagle, a winged horse, an angel, imperial and divine marks. The Virgin ("Vergine") with the Angel ("Annunciazione"), perhaps of Giotto's school, is to be admired. "Pasquereccia" was on the Tower of Justice and used to ring to announce the capital executions of criminals and traitors. It seems that it rung also for Count Ugolino's death. The largest bell is called l'Assunta, because it is adorned with a bas-relief representing the "Assunzione della Vergine" (The Ascent of the Virgin Mary). In addition there are Medici's armorial bearings and the Operaio Dei Seta's. It was cast by G. Pietro Orlando in 1655 and weighs 3.6 metric tons (3,620 kilograms). The most modern bell named "Crocifisso" (Crucifix) was cast in 1818 by a Mr. Gualandi of Prato. There is also San Ranieri bell with the related inscription, dedicated to the patron-saint of Pisa, Saint Ranieri, cast by Berti of Lucca in 1735. Pozzo's Bell, so called because the cost was defrayed by archbishop Pozzo in 1616 and it displays the armorial bearings of the Gran Duke, Archbishop of Pozzo, of the Operaio of that time and the Pisan cross. The two other bells are situated in the upper arcades. On South there is the bell called "Terza", (because it is the custom to ring it at the third canonical hour about 9 a.m.). It bears interesting black-letters recently deciphered by Professore Biagi: Messer Antollio of ]acopo Operaio MCCCCLXXIIII. (1474) On the North side there is the other bell named "Vespruccio", (because it is rung at Vespers about 6 p.m.).  From: Opera della Primaziale Pisa: The Belfry  The Belfry is a bit narrower than the base of the bell tower but also cylindrical. It is decorated with small arcades. It contains seven distinct bells with suggestive names, assigned by tradition: l'Assunta - the largest bell (with a weight of around 3400 kilograms) from 1655 "Pasquereccia" - the most ancient, formerly located on the Torre dell'Orologio (Clock Tower) on the Ponte di Mezzo (Middle Bridge) with the name of "Campana della Giustizia" (Bell of Justice) and datable to 1262 San Ranieri - a bell from 1735, dedicated to St. Ranieri, patron saint of Pisa Del Pozzetto - entitled to the Archbishop of the Well (Arcivescovo Dal Pozzo) who had it cast in 1606 and two bells named for their schedule: la Terza, - "Third" because it was rung at the third hour, that is at nine o'clock in the morning Vespruccio, - played in the Evening (vespers). From: TorrediPisa: In the first years of the 14th century only the bell cell was missing. This was added in 1350 by Tommaso Pisano, third and last architect of the Leaning Tower which by now was starting to become famous.  From: March 2002 CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE "Preserving Pisa's Treasure": The eight-level bell tower rises 53.3 m above the ground and is 60 m from foundations to belfry. Seven bells hang in openings in the cylindrical wall of the bell chamber, suspended on horizontal beams that pivot on their supports so that the bells swing away from and toward the axis of the tower. The bells were once swung by pulling down on wooden bars inserted into hoops attached to the pivoting beams, but in the 1930s this practice was stopped because of fears for the stability of the tower. Instead, the clappers within the bells were actuated by electromagnets, and that system remains in operation today. From Opera della Primaziale Pisa: The work was suspended for about 90 years after which Giovanni of Simone, builder of the Monumental Cemetery came back to work on the Tower and subsequently Thomas, son of Andrew Pisano, who crowned the monument with the bell cell in the first half of the 14th century. The most ancient bell of this cell is the "Pasquereccia" which by tradition was played to announce the death of Count Ugolino of Gherardesca quoted by Dante Alighieri in canto XXXIII of "The Inferno" in the Divine Comedy. From the website Temakel (in Spanish): HISTORY OF THE BELLS By Paschal CALVETE HERNANDEZ The use of bells to announce any more or less notable event is very old, but in the Church they came to be used in a relatively late time. News from the Divine Offices, in the first centuries, came by live voice; it seems that deacons existed, who were called "cursors", who passed from house to house. The use of bells appears in the Western Church in the 7th century and in the Eastern one, it seems that they were not used before the 9th century, the first bells appearing in Santa Sofía in Constantinople. Before the use of bells, other instruments were used to make announcements: Wood sheets or tablets, struck by a metal bar, horns or trumpets (prescribed by the Rule of San Pacomio to gather the monks). When the bells were first put to use, there was no more than one in each church. Later multiple bells were more common. As the number of bells grew, so did the volume. It became necessary to construct towers to locate them so that the loudness could be more diffused. Continued on the website Temakel (in Spanish): |
