Here are listed 45 existing and one former
great bells of Germany,
in descending order by weight.
The list includes qualifying bass bells of carillons, chimes, peals, etc.,
and is believed to include all bells heavier than 10000 kg.
Not yet included are about 200 other great bells between 4000 and 10000 kg.
Separately listed are other
great bells of mainland Europe
(bearing the 142
sequence numbers which are not included below).
A regional locator map
includes most of these great bells, whether contained in some instrument or independent.
Following the list are some References to related
information about the data found here.
"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., 11A, 11B).
Pitch is in the zero-octave of the carillon scale,
which is the third octave of the piano scale.
All are hung on straight headstocks and swung by electric motor,
except when in carillons or stated otherwise.
Bells in italics no longer exist.
Prior versions of recast bells may or may not be separately listed.
Replaces bell of 1874 (see #1 above).
Diameter 322 cm, height 440 cm (presumably with crown).
Also reported as 35000 kg, 27000 kg or 24000 kg; or 350 cm.
Sub-bourdon of a peal of 8 bells,
two of which are also listed here
(see #33A and #125C, both below).
Links:
> (For locator map and gazetteer link, see the peal page linked above.)
> On the Cathedral Website
(German and English), the Virtual Tour includes an
entire section about the belfry and each of its bells.
> The English Wikipedia
article about the bell
has a photo of it, and reports its history.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
Town Hall bell, D, 14750 kg, Bochumer Verein (Bochum), 1867
Rathausplatz (Town Hall plaza)
LL: N 51.48211, E 7.21548 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 313 cm Disused; clapper removed.
Heaviest cast steel bell in the world
Cast for exhibition at the Paris International Exposition in 1867;
thereafter it was displayed outside Gate 11 of the Bochumer Stahlverein works
until it was given to the city in 1979.
15.Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany - ~30800 lbs
"Kaiser-Ruprecht-Glocke", E-flat, 14000 kg, Bochumer Verein (Bochum), 1949
North tower Stiftskirche (ev.) Marktplatz
Turmstrasse & Kartoffelmarkt
LL: N 49.35399, E 8.13591 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 321 cm; cast steel - the heaviest steel swinging bell ever made.
Bass bell of a 7-bell peal, all of the same origin and year,
hung in tucked-up yokes and swung by motor;
the two heaviest hang in the north tower, and the rest in the south tower.
The second is in this list at #81 below.
Links:
> An German Wikipedia article on the building has a section
about the peal, the bass being the second-heaviest church bell in Germany.
> Where this peal lies in the total sequence of output of the
Bochumer Verein bellfoundry.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Eijsbouts bellfoundry.
"Maxima", E-flat, 13.3 tonnes, Johannes Jacobi (Berlin), 1702
Dom zu St.Mauritius & Katharina (Cathedral; ev.)
North tower, upper belfry
LL: N 52.1247, E 11.6345 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Heaviest of a peal of 3; the second also qualifies as a great bell, but is
not listed here.
Diameter 245 cm
Also reported as E, 8800 kg, 246.4 cm
Links:
> The German
Wikipedia article about the building has several photos of it,
and a section about the bells.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
"Gloriosa", E, 11950 kg, J.G.Grosse (Dresden), 1877
Kaiserdom St.Bartholomäus (Cathedral, RC)
LL: N 50.1106, E 8.685
Diameter 2585 mm
Largest of a peal of 9,
all from the same founder and year.
Intended to be a copy of the "Gloriosa" of Erfurt
(see #29 below).
Cast by Carl Louis Hermann Grosse,
proprietor of the J.G.Grosse bellfoundry.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
> The German Wikipedia article
about this building has photos of it and a section about the bells.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
"Kreuzglocke", E, 11511 kg, Franz Schilling (Apolda), 1899
Kreuzkirche (ev.)
LL: N 51.04878, E 13.73936 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 2586 mm
Largest of a peal of 5 by the same founder in the same year
Links:
> The German Wikipedia article about the building has current and
historical photos of it, as well as a section about the bells,
with a photo of the largest and its curious steel-framed suspension.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Schilling bellfoundry.
"Maxhöhen Glocke", E flat, 11.46 tonnes, Albert Bachert (Karlsruhe), 2003
Private estate
near Starnberger See
LL: N 47.964, E 11.337 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 257 (or 271) cm
Bass bell of a glockenspiel of unreported size
Also reported as "König-Ludwig-Glocke" (D#/E; see video below),
cast in Nov-Dec 1999 by Bachert; stood at the Füssener Festspielhaus until 2008,
after which it was reclaimed by its owner.
Links:
> Video (2:02)
showing the bell swung by motor
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
"Maria Gloriosa", F-, 11450 kg, Geert van Wou (Kampen, NL), 1497
Dom (Cathedral, RC)
Central tower, lower belfry Domplatz
LL: N 50.97591, E 11.02321 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Cast in Erfurt; founder also known as Gherhardus (Gerard) de Wou
Diameter 256 cm.
Was the largest swinging bell in the world when cast.
Heaviest of a peal of 6;
the other 5 are distributed between the north and south towers.
(#2 and #3 would just qualify as great bells, but are not listed here.)
Pitch sometimes reported as E, but by modern standards it is better described as
slightly flat of F.
A light peal of 4 medieval bells hangs in the upper belfry of the central tower,
a small modern bell hangs in the choir cupola,
and two small modern clock bells hang in the lantern.
Links:
> The Cathedral Website
has the schedule of ringing of Gloriosa, with a photo of it.
> The German
Wikipedia article about the building has several photos of it,
but only one shows clearly the highly unusual triple central towers.
> The English Wikipedia
article about the bell
has a photo showing part of it.
> The sound of this bell is the subject of a
harmonic
analysis by Bill Hibbert, based on...
> A recording
of this bell, swinging
> John Ketteringham's
recording
of this bell (a truncated version of the same)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
"Pretiosa" (Precious), G, c.10500 kg, Heinrich Brodermann & Christian Cloit, 1448
Dom (Cathedral, RC)
Diameter 240 cm; was the largest bell in the western world when cast.
Second of a peal of 8 bells,
two of which are also listed here
(see #2 above and #126C below).
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
> On the Cathedral Website
(German and English), the Virtual Tour includes an
entire
section about the belfry and each of its bells.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
"Christus- & Friedensglocke", E, 10.36 tonnes, F.W.Schilling (Heidelberg), 1960
Marktkirche (ev.)
Diameter 246 cm
Largest of a peal of 11,
mostly by the same founder (1951 and 1959).
Tower also contains an hour bell and two quarter-hour bells.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
> The German Wikipedia
article
about the building has current and historical photos of it,
and a section about the bells, with photos of the largest two.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Schilling bellfoundry.
Open Air Museum Glockenpalast Bromer Straße
LL: N 52.49341, E 10.55304 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 249 cm
Ornately decorated in high relief
Hung dead at ground level; clapper can be swung by hand when it is not locked in place.
Links:
> A city page about the Glockenpalast
mentions the bell but does not describe it, which is very surprising.
> The German Wikipedia article
about the building complex has one photo that shows the bell fairly well
.
> In a very long (31:47) video
of the dedication ceremony for Mikhail Gorbachev's 80th birthday in March 2011,
ringing of the bell starts about 13:37; oddly, the bell strikes only on one side.
> Page about the Freedom Bell, with photos of construction of the
tower-like monument within which it hangs.
In the photo of the completed monument, the bell is only partially visible.
> Dedication,
with participation of Mikhail Gorbatchev,
including a photo of ringing the bell by hand-swinging its clapper.
> Video
(1:59) of ringing by hand
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Eijsbouts bellfoundry.
"Freedom Bell", E, 190 cwt, Gillett & Johnston, 1950
Schöneberg Rathaus (City Hall)
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz 10825 Berlin-Schöneberg
GPS N 52d39.13m, E 13d20.62m
Building open M-F, 10am-5pm, Apr-Oct, free
Tel. 030 7877070 or 75600
LL: N 52.48501, E 13.34422 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Cast at 218 cwt; reduced to 190 cwt by tuning; hung for swinging
by dual electric motors, and rung daily.
This bell, "a gift of the Americans from the year 1950 for moral support
to Berlin's citizens in their resistance to the Communist threat",
traveled through the USA and England to raise funds before installation here,
the seat of government for the western part of the divided city of Berlin
for half a century.
Inscribed "That this world under God shall have a new birth of freedom."
Links:
> A photo of bell being lifted from its casting pit accompanies
a story on the origins of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.
> A brief article about the bell has a small photo of it being hoisted
into (or out of) a transAtlantic ship.
> A photo of the tower from a private tour album.
> An article
from the Hoover Institution Archives, with photo
> A dynamic city map of Berlin shows the location of the Rathaus.
> A small replica was given to President Kennedy in 1961.
> A BBC article on President Kennedy's visit to Berlin in 1963
reports that this bell was tolled after his famous speech.
> The English Wikipedia
article about the bell
has two photos of it.
> Radio Free Europe
used this bell as its logo for more than half a century.
> An MP3 soundtrack supposedly records this bell
(with much background noise); but the pitch is wrong (B-flat instead of E).
> A 2004 local article on the history of the Gillett & Johnston
bellfoundry is accompanied by a photo of a bell which is incorrectly identified
as the Freedom Bell; but the decoration is wrong for that.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry.
Kunibertkirche (Basilica of St. Cunibert) Kunibertsklostergasse
LL: N 50.94687, E 6.96233 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
The first great Dutch-made swinging bell for Germany, and the largest bell
ever cast in the Low Countries (until 2006).
Largest of a peal of 10 bells, in which 3 others
were made by the same foundry in the same year.
Diameter 247 cm.
Links:
> The German Wikipedia
article about the
building has a long section about the bells, and there is a photo of this one.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Eijsbouts bellfoundry.
"Olympic Bell", E, 9.6 metric tons, Bochumer Verein, 1936
Olympic Stadium south side, near Coubertinplatz
LL: N 52.51351, E 13.23934 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Damaged by destruction of its tower and by gunfire (stories vary);
now displayed at ground level (unringable)
Functionally replaced by a smaller replica (see #167A below)
Also reported as 9635 kg
Links:
> Historic photo of the bell
> Wikipedia photo of the bell
> The Wikipedia article about the Olympic Stadium in Berlin has a
section about the tower which formerly held this bell.
> Partway down this long page are before-and-after photos of the bell tower.
Further down is a historic photo of the bell in the workshop before delivery,
followed by three photos of the bell in its present location at ground level.
> A related page incorrectly states that the bell was bronze.
> History of the original tower and its reconstruction,
with photos of the original bell and its replacement.
The photos in the accompanying "Review" (a slide show) show many aspects
of this history.
> photo
of the bell, undated, no location given; possibly in the tower just after
being hung, or being shown off at the foundry before shipping.
> German photo archive, with access in English;
search for "olympische glocke" to see 12 photos related to this bell.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Bochumer Verein bellfoundry.
Bass bell of a 76-bell carillon.
Diameter 236 cm
The #2 bell (G0) and possibly also the #3 bell (G#0) should be listed here as well,
but their weights are not yet known.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
67D.München (Munich), Bavaria, Germany - ~17600 lbs
"Susanna (Salveglocke)", A, c.8000 kg, Hanns Ernst (Regensburg), 1490
Dom (Cathedral), northwest tower Domplatz
LL: N 51.16634, E 13.47057 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Diameter 216 cm
This bell survived being taken to Hamburg in World War II, and was afterward rehung.
In 1977, it broke in the crown, and was silent until it was repaired in the tower
in 2010.
Four smaller bells (B0,c1,es1,f1) from the same foundry hang in the southwest tower.
Links:
> The Cathedral Website
has photos of the building, and contact information, but does not
mention this bell.
> A German-language
Wikipedia
article about the Cathedral has a paragraph about the bell and its history,
and has photo of it.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Schilling bellfoundry.
"Hamburger Michel" tower
Michaeliskirche (ev.) Englische Planke
LL: N 53.54843, E 9.97828 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Largest of a peal of 6 bells; others by Franz Schilling Söhne, Apolda
(2 from 1909, 3 from 1924)
Also 4 clock bells: 2 by F.W.Schilling, Heidelberg, 1974 + 2 by Rincker, 2015
Links:
> The German Wikipedia
article
about the building has a section about the bells.
> The ProBell Project
will be making measurements of this bell in September 2006.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
82.Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany - ~16200 lbs
"Kurfürsten-Glocke", G, 7350 kg, Bochumer Verein (Bochum), 1949
North tower Stiftskirche
Turmstrasse & Kartoffelmarkt
Diameter 255 cm; cast steel.
Second bell of a 7-bell peal, all of the same origin and year,
hung in tucked-up yokes and swung by motor;
the two heaviest hang in the north tower, and the rest in the south tower.
Links and locator map:
> (See the bass bell of this peal, #15 above.)
Diameter 203 cm
Bass bell of a peal of 6 in a collection of 8 bells,
another of which is also listed here (see #167B below).
Also reported as 4800 kg (same size)
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal/collection, linked above.)
104.Herrenberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany - 14043 lbs
"Maxima", F, 6370 kg, Hans August Mark (Brocksheid), 2000
Glockenmuseum Stiftskirche Herrenberg
Diameter 221 cm
Unringable; on display at ground level
Intended to replace a 1953 Eijsbouts bell in Echternach, Luxembourg,
which had cracked in use
(see #85 on Europe page);
this first attempt did not harmonize with the rest of the bells,
and was then given to the museum.
This museum also contains a 50-bell carillon,
a 20-bell heavy peal (heaviest B0 3628kg),
an 11-bell light peal (heaviest g2 112kg),
and 6 other assorted bells.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page
for the carillon or either of the peals linked above.)
> The German Wikipedia
article about the museum
> (See the entry for the successful replacement,
#84 on Europe page.)
Katholische Pfarrgemeinde St.Aposteln Neumarkt
LL: N 50.93666, E 6.94450 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Largest of a 7-bell peal.
Also called the World Youth Day bell because it was initially displayed on an
outdoors stand at ground level for that celebration;
it was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI on the eve of the XX World Youth Day
at Marienfeld (Köln) on August 20, 2005.
Diameter reported as 218 or 220 cm.
Links:
> The German Wikipedia article
about the building has photos of it, and a section about the bells,
with detailed descriptions and photos.
> A page about this bell
with two photos (and two more pages of photos), all in Spanish.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Petit & Gebr. Edelbrock bellfoundry.
Links and site locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
126.München (Munich), Bavaria, Germany - 12456 lbs
"Salvator", G-flat, 5650 kg, Karl Czudnochowsky (Erding), 19??
Mariahilfkirche (RC) Mariahilfplatz
LL: N 48.12557, E 11.58336
Largest of a peal of 5 bells by the same founder; the other 4 (b0,des1,es1,ges1)
were cast later; all have clapper-catchers, added in 2006.
Cast in brass (copper + zinc); the 4 smaller bells are bronze.
Diameter 220 (or 224) cm
Links:
> The German Wikipedia article
about the church has a photo of the building, a section about this peal,
and a section about the carillon in the same tower.
> For a locator map and a gazetteer link, see the site data page for the carillon.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche
(Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (ev.) new bell tower)
Breitscheidplatz
LL: N 52.50481, E 13.33552 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Largest of a peal of 6 bells by the same founder in the same year
Diameter 220 cm
Also reported as 5740 kg, 214 cm, 1960
Links:
> The German Wikipedia
article
about this building complex has photos of the half-ruined old bell tower
plus the modern bell tower beside it.
There is a section about the old bells and a separate section about the new bells.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Rincker bellfoundry.
"Speciosa", A, c.5600 kg, Johannes (Hoerken) de Vechel, 1449
Dom (Cathedral, RC)
Third of a peal of 8 bells;
the heavier two are listed above
(see #2 and #34A).
Diameter 203 cm
Links:
> For a locator map and a gazetteer page link, see the site data page for the peal,
linked above.
> On the Cathedral Website (German and English),
the Virtual Tour includes an
entire section about the belfry and each of its bells.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
Diameter 1960 mm
Largest of a 4-bell peal
In the same building is a 37-bell carillon.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the carillon, linked above.)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Mabilon bellfoundry.
"Mauritius", A flat, 4820 kg, Perner (Passau), 2003
North tower
Klosterkirche Niederaltaich (RC) Am Kirchplatz
LL: N 48.76546, E 13.02695 Site locator map
City locator maps
and gazetteer page
Largest of a peal of 5 bells
Diameter 203 cm
Links:
> The German Wikipedia article
on this building has a photo of it, and a section about the bells;
the four other bells, of various ages and origins, are in the south tower.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Perner bellfoundry.
Links and locator map:
> (See the site data page for the peal, linked above.)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Bochumer Verein bellfoundry.
Walter Schäfer's list of the
biggest bells in Germany
(excluding those in carillons) - downloadable PDF, 14 pages.
As of Jan.2021, it includes 410 existing bells of pitch A (2340kg) or heavier;
246 meet our criterion of at least 4000 kg.
His list is in order by approximate pitch of the strike note and then by weight
(effectively by internal diameter at the strikepoint),
making it easy to see differences in thickness (heavy to light profiles).
