This 48cm bell with 50kg was built by Antoni Zechenter in the year 1724. It was located in the Hussar Tower of the Mathias Church in Budapest and used as death knell. In WW II it was hit by a bullet and got useless. Now it is displayed in the upstairs exhibition of the main tower.
It is decorated with images of the crucified Savior and the Virgin Mary. The latter follows the type of the Patrona Hungariae: Mary sits in front of the sun’s crown of rays, holding her divine Son in her left, scepter in the right hand, resting her feet on a crescent moon. On the shoulder of the bell, an inscription runs around between two bands: “Goss mich Antoni Zechenter in Ofen 1724”.
In the great fire of Buda in 1723 all the bells perished, five bells were casted in the foundry of Zechenter in Buda between 1723 and 1725 to replace them, including this small soul bell. Antoni Zechenter was born in vienna and went together with his father to budapest as royal cannon and bell founder.
Matyas Templom Huszártorony Harang
Comments