The monumental bell of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Veszprém, which has not been moved once in the past 300 years, will be highlighted and restored so that it can regain its original sound.
“Since 1725, this huge bell has never left the tower of St. Michael’s Cathedral,” said Balázs Most, an internationally recognized bell expert, about the Veszprém Holy Trinity bell. The bell hanging in the north tower of the main cathedral, 47 meters high, was commissioned by Count Imre Esterházy, bishop of Veszprém, later Archbishop of Esztergom, in the Vienna workshop of master bell-caster Franz Ulrich Scheichel between 1723 and 1725.
The bell, also referred to as Old Michael, is an outstanding work due to its age and size.
This is the oldest of Hungary’s great bells, so there are no exact data on its weight, but according to experts’ estimates, it may weigh around 3,400 kilograms, and its lower diameter exceeds 170 centimeters. The monumental bell was not moved from its place even during the remodeling of the main cathedral in the early 20th century, although the external appearance of the towers was changed. The other three bells, also made in Vienna, were later confiscated for war purposes, but the artistic value of Mihály the Elder was already considered special at the time, so he avoided requisitioning all along.
The condition of the Holy Trinity bell has deteriorated in recent decades. “In the 1930s, a new bell tongue was made, and an inappropriate swing mechanism, a steel bell ring with a broken line, was added to it, which increased the risk of cracking, and compared to what was used up until then, the sound became less favorable. The bronze crown of the bell was sawed off and instead attached to the yoke with six screws. These screws have been rusting continuously for a hundred years and are in bad condition, which is why we haven’t been able to hear the sound of the bell for a while – just to prevent even more damage,” Balázs Most explained.
As part of the investment of the Archdiocese of Veszprém, the main cathedral bell will soon be restored. “Using a special method, the bell body is heated to 800 degrees Celsius for weeks, and while it is kept under a heat shield, the cracks around the screws are eliminated using a special welding method, and a new bronze crown faithful to the original is made, and then this is also welded back onto the bell” – highlighted the expert. After the repair, the bell will be made with a new bell seat, carriage and tongue, so that it will regain its original sound and signal the consecration of St. Michael’s Cathedral in 2025.
The three churches in the castle district originally had 12 bells: six in the main cathedral, three more each in the Piarist St. Imre and Franciscan St. István churches, but most of them did not survive the two world wars.
Two bells were taken from the tower of the Franciscan church during the Second World War, so currently only the smallest bell, made in 1932, rings. In the same way, one of the Piarist’s bells, which was replaced in 1839, also remained. The special feature of the bell, which weighs 200 kilograms and has remained in its original condition, is that it can still be rung by hand in the traditional way.
During the renovation of the Veszprém castle quarter, all 12 bells will be returned to the three churches by 2025. New belfries are placed in the towers of the Franciscan and Piarist churches, and the equipment that moves the bells, as well as the clock hammers, are replaced. After the investment, the bells of the castle quarter will be able to be operated centrally, so visitors to the castle will have a special musical experience.
