GRASSMAYR
BELL MUSEUM & FOUNDRY
Innsbruck Bell Making History
“Every
time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings” goes
the famous line from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
To that might be added, whenever you hear a great church or city bell
bong with sonorous
resonance, it might have come from Innsbruck in the Austria Alps where
the Grassmayr family has been casting bells in the Tyrol since
1599. “Everything
derives from God’s blessing” Bartlme Grassmyr wrote in his
diary as he wandered the Alpine mountains and valleys of Austria as
a journeyman bronze worker, perfecting his craft and artistry. Settling
in Innsbruck,
Grassmayr and his decedents established their bell foundry which has
been in the family for 400 years, with the secrets to the craft discovered
by Bartlme carefully guarded from competitors. Now, visiting the Grassmayr
Foundry and Bell Museum in Innsbruck a few of those secrets will be revealed.
The
tonal quality of Grassmayr Bells, in bell towers and steeples in over
100 countries is produced by their unique ribbed design which makes
them musical instruments capable of producing as many as 50 notes, with
a long lasting, vivid tonal duration echo. The oldest Grassmayr bell
still ringing is near Brixen (Brennaro) Italy, cast in 1636. The heaviest
Grassmayr bell at 10 tons rings in a nature park in Germany. Grassmayr
also makes small bells. The cows of the Tyrolean Austrian and Swiss Alps
wear bells so their herders can keep track as they wander the mountains.
Great
bells are still made to order. The specifications of a bell’s
size, shape and desired tone are cut into an outline, then modeled in
clay over a brick foundation. Decorations and designs are modeled in
red wax, the bell is cast in the same foundry pit used for centuries.
The
other
secret
to
master
bell making – horse manure. The problem of creating a clay model
large enough to cast a giant church bell requires a clay which will hold
its shape and not crack. The ancient secret in the old masters diary
revealed the formula for mixing clay and horse manure, 
molasses
and other curious ingredients for the perfect consistency. At the museum
of bell making
at the Grassmayr foundry, you can discover a little bit about the history
of bell making, watch some of the process, play with bell sounds of different
metals in the sound room, feel the sound vibrations in a water filled
upside down bell. The shop at the foundry has a variety of bells and
souvenir bronze items which can purchased. The Grassmayr’s will
even cast a personalized bell on order.
Visiting the Grassmayr Bell Museum
The foundry
tour (by appointment) and the small museum are free of charge, open
during business hours from
9 to 5 Monday to Friday. The Grassmayr Bell Museum and Sound Room (Glockenmuseum
und Klangraum) are located at the south end of central Innsbruck at
53 Leopoldstr, a tram ride or walk from the old town - from the Triumph
Arch in the center of Innsbruck, follow Leopoldstrasse toward the Olympic
ski jump. The family foundry is near the great baroque churches, the
Wiltener Basilica and Stiftskirche. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Grassmayr
Museum
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SEE ALSO:
INNSBRUCK'S
KING & QUEENS
- HOFKIRCHE
INNSBRUCK
HOTEL GOLDENER ADLER
SKIING TYROL INNSBRUCK OLYMPIC SKI WORLD
CASTLE AMBRAS - HABSBURG RENAISSANCE PALACE
