Horní zvonice, Bell tower on Na Karlově street in Benešov, Czech Republic
The Horní zvonice is a sturdy bell tower standing beside the Church of St. Nicholas in Benešov and marking the town's skyline. It has several levels and holds working bells used for timekeeping and religious ceremonies.
The tower preserves part of one of the original towers of the Church of St. Nicholas within its masonry. It acquired its present form after a repair in 1828, when it was fitted with a clock.
The tower holds four bells. The largest, cast in 1483, bears a relief of a bishop, Saint Paul, a knight, a chalice with a host and the town coat of arms. Another dates from 1437 with a figure of the apostle Saint Jude, a third from 1593 was paid for by the Benešov municipality, and a death bell survives from around 1500.
The tower stands on Na Karlově street, just before the entrance to the Church of St. Nicholas, a short walk from Masarykovo náměstí; the second tower, Dolní zvonice, is further west on the same street. The tower is not normally open to the public, so it can only be seen from the street.
The tower holds four bells. The largest, cast in 1483, bears a relief of Saint Paul, a knight, a chalice with a host and the town coat of arms. A bell of 1437 carries an inscription and the figure of Saint Jude, and one of 1593 was paid for by the town of Benešov. The bell Salvator of 1603 now hangs in the porch of St. Nicholas Church.
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