The Sigismund Bell
| The Sigismund Bell Dzwon Zygmunt | |
|---|---|
The Sigismund Bell | |
| Etymology | Named after King Sigismund I of Poland |
| Location | |
| Tower | Sigismund Tower |
| Building | Wawel Cathedral |
| Location | Kraków, Poland |
| Coordinates | 50°03′17″N 19°56′09″E / 50.05472°N 19.93583°E |
| History | |
| Cast by | Hans Beham |
| Commissioned by | King Sigismund I of Poland |
| Cast | 1520 |
| Installed | 13 July 1521 |
| New clapper | 14 April 2001 |
| Physical dimensions | |
| Volume | 1.2 m3 (42 cu ft) |
| Weight | 12.6 t (12.4 long tons; 13.9 short tons) |
| Width | 2.42 m (7 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 2.41 m (7 ft 11 in) |
| Materials | |
| Body | Bronze (80% copper, 20% tin) |
| Clapper | Iron |
| Clapper belt | Leather |
| Yoke | Oak |
| Other characteristics | |
| Hung | Swinging |
| Struck by | Clapper |
| Operated | Manually by 12 bell ringers |
| Musical note | F♯ |
| Earshot | 30 km (19 mi) |
The Sigismund Bell (Polish: Dzwon Zygmunt or colloquially Dzwon Zygmunta) is the largest of the five bells hanging in the Sigismund Tower of the Wawel Cathedral in the city of Kraków, Poland. It was cast in 1520 by Hans Beham and named after King Sigismund I the Old, who commissioned it. The bell weighs almost 13 tonnes (28 thousand pounds) and requires 12 bell-ringers to manually swing it. It tolls on special occasions, mostly religious and national holidays, and is regarded as one of Poland's national symbols.