Great Bells of Europe
by country

Here are listed 124 existing and 4 former great bells of Europe, in countries for which the numbers of such bells are relatively low.  They are grouped by country, and then shown in descending order by weight.  The list includes qualifying bass bells of carillons, chimes, zvons, peals, etc., and is believed to include all bells heavier than 14000kg.

Not yet included are some other great bells of France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain weighing between 4000 and 14000 kg.  Separately listed (and sequenced) are the great bells of the British Isles and the great bells of Russia.  Separately listed but not separately sequenced are the great bells of Germany, bearing the 46 sequence numbers which are not included below.

Following the list are some References to related information about the data found here.

A regional locator map includes most of these great bells, whether independent or contained in some instrument.


Key:

nr.   City, County, Country - EquivalentWeight lbs

"nr" is the sequence number of each bell in the matching table of all European bells by weight.  Bells of the same (estimated) weight share a sequence number, and are distinguished by a capital letter appended to it (e.g., 55A, 55B).


Countries included (with number of listed bells), in order by the heaviest bell of each:   Italy (5),   Austria (8),   Portugal (4) & France (24),   Estonia (1),   Poland (6),   Spain (8),   Czech Republic (1),   Latvia (1),   Greece (1),   Bulgaria (1),   Vatican (1),   Malta (8),   Switzerland (7),   Netherlands (26),   Hungary (1),   Belgium (18),   Finland (1) & Ukraine (2),   Luxembourg (3),   Belarus (1)  


Bells in italics no longer exist, and are not mapped.  (Prior versions of recast bells may or may not be separately listed.)  

Italy

3.  Rovereto, Italy - 49910 lbs

8.   Bruneck/Brunico, Italy - ~39900 lbs

21.   Messina, Sicily, Italy - ~29100 lbs

60.   Milano (Milan), Italy - ~19000 lbs

78.   Catania, Sicilia (Sicily), Italy - 16790 lbs

 

Austria

4.   Wien (Vienna), Austria - 44383 lbs

14.   Salzburg, Austria - 31429 lbs

37.   Wien (Vienna), Austria - 22930 lbs

40.   Mösern, Tirol, Austria - 22443 lbs

55.   Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria - 19950 lbs

62.   Salzburg, Austria - 18239 lbs

83.   Innsbruck, Austria - 15803 lbs

120A.   Wien (Vienna), Austria - 12566 lbs

 

Portugal

5.   Lisboa (Lisbon), Portugal - ~44000 lbs

34B.   Mafra, Portugal - ~23100 lbs

49.   Mafra, Portugal - ~21253 lbs

56.   Mafra, Portugal - ~19900 lbs

 

France

6.   Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France - ~44000 lbs

7.   Paris, France - 41524 lbs

9.   Sens, Yonne, France - 35780 lbs

16.   Sens, Yonne, France - 30115 lbs

20.   Paris, France - 29258 lbs

34C.   Metz, Moselle, France - ~23100 lbs

37.   Reims, Marne, France - ~22950 lbs

44.   Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France - ~22000 lbs

47.   Auch, Gers (Pays d'Oc), France - 21495 lbs

52.   Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France - ~20940 lbs

57.   Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France - ~19600 lbs

75.   Bordeaux, County, France - 17200 lbs

76.   Lyon, Rhône, France - ~16976 lbs

86.  Dunkerque (Dunkirk), Nord, France - ~15500 lbs

103.   Avignon, Vaucluse, France - 10250 lbs

110.   Paris, France - 29258 lbs

123.   Tourcoing, Nord, France - ~15500 lbs

131A.   Douai, Nord, France - ~12000 lbs

131D.   Soissons, Aisne, France - ~12000 lbs

135A.   Chambéry, Savoie, France - ~12000 lbs

140.   Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France - ~11900 lbs

146.   Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France - 11650 lbs

149A.   Blois, Loir-et-Cher, France - ~11000 lbs

153.   Perpignan, Pyrénées Orientales, France - <11000 lbs

153.   Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, Nord, France - 10250 lbs

160.   Bergues, Nord, France - 10115 lbs

 

Estonia

10.   Tallinn, Estonia - 34315 lbs

 

Poland

11.   Licheń Stary (or Stary Licheń), Konin, Poland - ~33000 lbs

26.   Licheń Stary (or Stary Licheń), Konin, Poland - ~25600 lbs

32.   Kracow (Cracow), Poland - ~24200 lbs

64.   Częstochowa, Poland - 18078 lbs

111D.   Toruń (Torun), Poland - ~13200 lbs

111E.   Kracow (Cracow), Poland - ~13200 lbs

125B.   Licheń Stary (or Stary Licheń), Konin, Poland - ~12345 lbs

143A.   Częstochowa, Poland - 11795 lbs

148B.   Częstochowa, Poland - 11025 lbs

148C.   Częstochowa, Poland - 11025 lbs

 

Spain

13.   Toledo, Spain - ~32100 lbs

43.   Pamplona, Spain - ~22200 lbs

79.   Valencia, Valenciana, Spain - ~16570 lbs

89.   Santiago de Compostela, Spain - 14683 lbs

91.   Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain - 13693 lbs

119.   Toledo, Spain - 12865 lbs

142.   Seville, Spain - ~11800 lbs

158.   Toledo, Spain - 10210 lbs

 

Czech Republic
(formerly part of Czechoslovakia)

18.   Praha (Prague), Czech Republic - ~29760 lbs

 

Latvia

22.   Riga, Latvia - 28942 lbs

 

Greece

23.   Mount Athos - ~28600 lbs

 

Bulgaria

24.   Sofia, Bulgaria - ~24200 lbs

 

Vaticano

30A.   Vaticano (Vatican City) - ~24200 lbs

 

Malta

A 2014 article on bells of Malta includes some information about Maltese great bells.

A collection of videos of bell ringing in Malta

32.   Valletta, Malta - 24027 lbs

NOTE:   Maltese stationary peals are rung by hand using a technique somewhat similar to that used for very large bells in Russian zvons.  But unlike the zvon, these stationary peals are tuned to a major triad.  A loose rope is used to get the clapper swinging back and forth between opposite sides of the bell, and the strength of the pull determines whether the clapper strikes or only approaches the bell.  Beginning with a small bell, ringing starts at long intervals which are gradually shortened; more bells are added one by one until eventually all are striking at every swing.  Then the process is reversed, with lengthening strike intervals, and bells dropping silent one by one.  See some of the videos linked to the following great bells for examples of this unique methodology.

61.   Birkirkara, Malta - 18300 lbs

97.   Valletta, Malta - ~14330 lbs

161.   Victoria, Gozo, Malta - 10010 lbs

162B.   Xewkija, Gozo, Malta - 9954 lbs

169.   Lija, Gozo, Malta - 9576 lbs

170.   Qormi, Malta - 9291 lbs

171.   Siġġiewi (Siggiewi), Malta - 9002 lbs

178.   Valletta, Malta - 8836 lbs

 

Switzerland

45.   Bern, Switzerland - 21915 lbs

82.   Fribourg (Freiburg), Switzerland - ~16100 lbs

98A.   Flanthey, Valais, Switzerland - ~14110 lbs

100.   Bern, Switzerland - 14100 lbs

111A.   Geneva, Switzerland - ~13200 lbs

174.   Solothurn, Switzerland - 8985 lbs

179C.   Saint-Maurice, Lower-Valais, Switzerland - ~8820 lbs

 

Netherlands

47.   Dordrecht, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - 21670 lbs

54.   Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands - 20283 lbs

59.   Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands - ~19300 lbs

63.   Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands - 18137 lbs

71A.   Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands - ~17300 lbs

80.   Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands - ~17300 lbs

84.   Middelburg, Zeeland, Netherlands - 15680 lbs

90.   Dordrecht, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - 14595 lbs

92B.   Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands - ~14550 lbs

92C.   Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands - ~14550 lbs

102.   Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands - ~14000 lbs

104.   Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands - 13823 lbs

108.   Middelburg, Zeeland, Netherlands - 13560 lbs

111F.   Den Haag, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - ~12790 lbs

118.   Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands - 13040 lbs

120B.   Rotterdam, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - 12566 lbs

124.   Dordrecht, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - 12365 lbs

129.   Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands - 12236 lbs

131B.   Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands - 12125 lbs

132C.   Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands - 12125 lbs

147.   Rotterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands - 11405 lbs

156.   Kampen, Overijssel, Netherlands - ~10400 lbs

159.   Dordrecht, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - 10165 lbs

171.   Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands - 9420 lbs

176.   Venray, Limburg, Netherlands - 9150 lbs

177.   Dordrecht, Zuid Holland, Netherlands - 8890 lbs

 

Hungary

53.   Budapest, Hungary - 20400 lbs

 

Belgium

58.   Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium - 17990 lbs

65.   Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium - 17990 lbs

67C.   Maredsous, Namur, Belgium - ~17600 lbs

85.   Leuven, Brabant, Belgium - 15644 lbs

92A.   Brussels, Belgium - ~14550 lbs

105.   Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium - ~13670 lbs

106.   Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium - ~13670 lbs

109.   Kortrijk, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium - ~13450 lbs

111B.   Bruges/Brugge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium - ~13200 lbs

111C.   Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium - ~13200 lbs

136B.   Leuven, Brabant, Belgium - ~12000 lbs

136C.   Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium - ~12000 lbs

142.   Bruges/Brugge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium - 11863 lbs

145.   Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium - 11684 lbs

167.   Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium - 9830 lbs

175.   Ath, Hainaut, Belgium - ~8973 lbs

179A.   Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium - ~8800 lbs

179B.   Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium - ~8800 lbs

 

Finland

67A.   Pyhäsalmi, Finland - ~17000 lbs

 

Ukraine

30B.   Kiev (Kyiv), Ukraine - ~24000 lbs

67B.   Kiev, Ukraine - ~17000 lbs

 

Luxembourg

87.   Echternach, Luxembourg - 15399 lbs

88.   Echternach, Luxembourg - 15036 lbs

130.   Echternach, Luxembourg - 12192 lbs

 

Belarus

173.   Zhyrovichy, Belarus - ~9260 lbs


References:

The late John Ketteringham's collection of recordings of notable bells includes several of the above.


Return to the indexes to great bells.

Return to indexes to tower bell sites in Europe.


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This page was created 2006/04/19, and last revised 2024/03/21.

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