The Bell Tower of the Vilnius Cathedral – History and the Present

Abstract

The belfry is an element of key importance in the complex of the Vilnius Archcathedral Basilica and the Higher and Lower Castles, as well as one of the main vertical landmarks of the Old Town of Vilnius, which has become a symbol of the city. As a heritage object, the building is acclaimed for its volume, décor elements and authentic constructions. The 13th century tower originally was part of the defensive wall. Its ground floor has survived almost in its entirety. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved brickwork structures in Lithuania. In Lithuania, the appearance of large bells is related to the name of Grand Duke of Lithuania Algirdas. The master K.S. Skobeltas cast the first large bell for this ruler in the second half of the 14th century. In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, bells and cannons were most often cast in weapon foundries by the same masters. Sigismund Augustus established such a foundry in the territory of the Lower Castle in the 16th century. From the 16th century onwards, bells began to be cast in Varniai, Kaunas and Nesvizh as well. In 2002, six large bells were consecrated in the Vilnius Cathedral Square and installed in the belfry. It was a gift from the Archdiocese of Cologne to the Vilnius Cathedral and the city. As a token of gratitude to Archbishop of Cologne Joachim Meisner (1933-2017), the largest bell was given the name of Saint Joachim. In 2002, the bells were cast in one of the largest foundries of Germany, “Petit und Edelbrock” in Westphalia, which is in operation since the second half of the 18th century. The clock of the belfry of the Vilnius Cathedral is the oldest and most important clock in the capital of Lithuania. It was installed in this tower in 1672. It is presumed that the mechanism of the clock was produced in Germany, but the name of the master is unknown. The date 1803 incised on the forged frame bears witness to the last significant repair of the clock, supervised by the elder of the Vilnius clock makers’ guild Juozapas Bergmanas. When the clock tower of the Vilnius Town Hall collapsed in the late 19th century, this mechanism became the city’s main clock. The bell cast in 1673 by Jan Delamars, the bellfounder working in Vilnius, strikes the hours in the cathedral belfry. Its height is 58 cm, and its diameter is 107 cm. The bell is a work of art: it is encircled with a Latin inscription and an ornament, and decorated with the figures of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the patrons of the Vilnius Cathedral, Saint Casimir and Saint Stanislaus.