Pummerin, Bell at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria.
The Pummerin is a bell hanging in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, measuring 314 centimeters across and standing as Austria's largest bell. It is housed high in the south tower, where its sound reaches across the city.
The original bell was cast in 1711 from captured Turkish cannons and served Vienna's religious life for more than two centuries. The cathedral fire of 1945 destroyed it, leading to a new bell being cast using traditional methods.
The bell displays three reliefs showing the Virgin Mary, the Turkish siege of 1683, and the cathedral fire of 1945. These images tell stories that have shaped Vienna's identity across the centuries.
You can hear the bell ring on ten special occasions throughout the year, including New Year's Eve, Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas. The best place to experience its sound is outside the cathedral or in nearby squares in the city center.
The crown arms of the bell are decorated with six Turkish heads, a bold artistic choice reflecting Vienna's military conflicts with the Ottoman Empire. This unusual decorative element remains largely unseen by most visitors, hidden high within the tower.
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