Giant Sigismund Bell of Krakow 

Zygmunt Bell - Dzwon Zygmunta in the Krakow Wawel Cathedral

Remember the famous Big Ben's chime? In Krakow you can see, and actually even touch, an equal of the London bell of the Houses of Parliament. Huge Zygmunt (Sigismund) bell, Dzwon Zygmunta in Polish, is nearly 9 feet across too. At the same time Krakow’s Big Sig is a third heavier, weighing 18 metric tons. It is also some 350 years older than its English counterpart, having been cast in Krakow in 1520. 

Jan Matejko painting of 1874 depicts the Zygmunt bell being raised to the belfry of the Krakow cathedral.

The giant which ranks among the world's largest bells is one of the many attractions of the Wawel Cathedral (Katedra Wawelska) in Krakow. It's decorated with reliefs of St. Stanislav and St. Sigismund as well as the arms of Poland and Lithuania. It was donated to the Wawel Cathedral by Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, when Krakow was the Polish capital. "Big Sig" still is where it was hung in 1521, i.e. at the top of a 14th-century tower turned into the Cathedral's belfry near the Wawel Royal Castle. 

The beautifully deep toll of the huge Sigismund Bell is heard far away on important Church holidays and at the historic moments for the nation. And it needs the strength of ten men to ring the giant bell every Christmas, New Year Day or Easter Sunday. 

Seeing the Zygmunt Bell and the Wawel Cathedral

Flocks of visitors buy tickets, queue up at the belfry entrance in the Cathedral and climb several flights of stairs of the Wieza Zygmuntowska tower in order to see the famous Zygmunt and, usually, touch its 660-pound clapper. They say the wish then whispered is to materialize soon. Also the view of Krakow from the belfry seems worthwhile. 

Note: Tickets for the Wawel Cathedral including Zygmunt's Bell and the royal crypts are sold at the box office situated in the building opposite the main entrance to the cathedral. 

Ten bells of the Wawel Cathedral

The Wieza Zygmuntowska belfry's four other bells are somewhat smaller and even older as they date from years 1455 to 1514. The Wawel Cathedral has also a second belfry, called the Tower of Silver Bells (Wieza Srebrnych Dzwonow), with five bells as well. 

The layout of the Wawel Cathedral

Wawel Cathedral
Poland's impressive national shrine shelters plenty of superb church art.

Wawel Royal Castle
Home to three dynasties of Poland's monarchs. Its stately halls and exquisite chambers are filled with priceless art, best period furniture and rare ancient objects. The collection of the 16th-century monumental Flemish tapestries is matchless.

Sigismund Chapel
The pearl of Renaissance architecture and art. Every inch of its ideally proportioned stone walls and dome is covered with fine sculptures..

Royal Tombs
Poland's medieval rulers are buried under their sarcophagi in the Cathedral's nave. Visitors can also see crypts with the tombs of the Renaissance and later monarchs

Black Christ's Crucifix
650-year-old, 13-foot-tall remarkable sculpture of the Savior provided guidance to Queen-Saint Jadwiga in the 14th century and has heard prayers of the faithful ever since.

Other Krakow Curios:
Prettiest Leonardo da Vinci
World's greatest medieval sculpture
Window of awe
Subterranean wonder world
Renaissance pearl
Miraculous images
8-foot golden crown
Signal trump
Nativity beauties
Krakow mummies
Ice-age rhino