Of bells and bell founders. The sound of memory

It is thought that the custom of placing bells in towers is due to Saint Paulino de Nola (died 431), although this is merely a legend based more on the fame of the bronzes of Campania and in particular of that Italian city rather than on objective data on the holy bishop. It was to be in the 12th century when with the construction of large bell towers bells of considerable size began to be founded all over the west. Their use became essential for marking the daily routine of the work, rest, and religious obligations of both rural and urban inhabitants, and the bell became a symbol of the community.

The current bell tower contains fourteen bells. The largest and best known bell in Salamanca is that known by the name of “María de la O”.

A popular ditty remembers it in this way:

María de la O is my name Ten tons do I weigh. If you don’t believe it Just lift me one day.

There are various different bell chimes: for canonical hours for praying, for fire, storms, graduation from the university, the Virgen de la Vega procession… Each of these events has its own way of ringing the bells and over a hundred different chimes can be distinguished.

It is thought that the custom of placing bells in towers is due to Saint Paulino de Nola (died 431), although this is merely a legend based more on the fame of the bronzes of Campania and in particular of that Italian city rather than on objective data on the holy bishop. It was to be in the 12th century when with the construction of large bell towers bells of considerable size began to be founded all over the west. Their use became essential for marking the daily routine of the work, rest, and religious obligations of both rural and urban inhabitants, and the bell became a symbol of the community.