The largest bell in Cologne Cathedral was consecrated 100 years ago

It is said that around 20,000 people gathered in front of the main portal of Cologne Cathedral on November 30, 1924. Film footage from the time shows police officers trying to keep the crowds at bay while a large decorated bell is driven through downtown Cologne.

Finally, an act took place here that was also unique for the cathedral townspeople: Archbishop Joseph Schulte consecrated the new and largest bell in Cologne Cathedral, which is affectionately known locally as “Becke Pitter”, also known as “Fat Peter”. For the first time, gar loudspeakers were used so that the crowd could hear the archbishop’s words.

Its nickname is no coincidence – 24 tons of bronze were melted for the St. Peter’s Bell. A real heavyweight that only sounds on high holidays or special occasions – for example the death of a pope or archbishop.

However, before its deep sound could resound across the cathedral city, the bell, consecrated in the name of the cathedral’s patron saint, St. Peter, had a long way to go. Cast on May 5, 1923 in Apolda, Thuringia, it came to Cologne on rails the following year – on a wagon built especially for it.

Pulled up into the belfry for 13 days

After her consecration, she was pulled up into the belfry by hand. The action lasted 13 days, and the pitter-patter rose higher across the city, floor by floor. Before that, the central pillar of the main portal with the statue of the Virgin Mary had to be removed. The “Ceiling Pitter” with a diameter of 3.22 meters would not have gotten into the cathedral otherwise.

The bell reached its final home in the south tower at a height of 53 meters in time for Christmas. But their bells were still a long time coming. On Christmas Eve, after a few hits, the rope on the electric bell machine broke. It wasn’t until ten months later that the first ringing of all the cathedral bells took place.

With its low C, it is now the lowest pitch free-swinging bell in the world. Such powerful sound is not without side effects. The St. Peter’s Bell, decorated with many inscriptions, hangs in a kind of iron frame with seven of its smaller siblings. This protects the cathedral from the vibrations, which can still be clearly felt in the bell tower.

A crack had to be repaired

While the relatively short life of the predecessor of the Rhenish heavyweight, the Kaiserglocke, was mainly characterized by mishaps, the streak of bad luck for the Petersglocke has so far been limited. But it doesn’t come without difficulties either. In the 1950s there was a crack, but it was successfully welded.

On Epiphany 2011, the clapper broke and fell onto the maintenance level of the belfry. At least that was a less dramatic fall than the one caused by the sounder of the imperial bell: it raced through to the ground floor. Nobody was injured.

The St. Peter’s Bell was silenced for almost the entire year of 2011 until it received a new clapper – and at almost 600 kilograms it was 200 kilograms lighter. Six years later it came to a standstill again. The clapper wasn’t sitting properly and needed a new suspension. The work took over a year and a half – a time that shows how complex repairs are on a bell of this size.

Today at the push of a button

But some things have become easier over the past 100 years. The imperial bell – three tons heavier than its successor – caused 28 men to vibrate. Half an hour before the bell rang, they had to hang on to the ropes with all their strength. Today the sexton presses a button on the ground floor – and it only takes a few seconds until the “Ceiling Pitter” starts moving and slowly swings into place.

For five minutes, the sound of the ceremonial bells echoes over the cathedral plate alone. Only then did his siblings join in the chord. You can hear this more than once in the coming weeks: on the occasion of the Conception of the Virgin Mary on December 8th, the patron saint of the archdiocese, and of course on Christmas Night.