The tradition of the Agnone bells

Reviewing some of the historic events that have marked the fate of humankind and changed the destiny of entire populations, it's surprising to see how often a special type of church bell has played a part. A thousand-year-old town trademark, the bells are made in Agnone, a small provincial village of Isernia.

The peals of this ancient musical instrument rang over the 2000 Jubilee event where Pope John Paul II met Mikhail Gorbachev. The bells also rang at the centenary celebrations of Italian unification. On both these occasions, the skilful artisans of Agnone's Marinelli Papal Foundry had employed their full expertise and creativity to create each bell in a unique way, a true masterpiece in the art of metalwork.

A time-consuming process that can take up to 90 days, the stages of metal casting of the bells at Agnone follows exactly the same steps they did 1000 years ago. Observing one of these tradesmen intent on their work is to see a plain object slowly take form. Each bell is born from a particular clay mould over which the melted bronze is dripped. Once solid the shape of the bell is revealed.

Today, the Historic Bell Museum of Agnone is open to visitors and it's possible to admire sketches, reproductions and trade tools used in the making of these magnificent hand-built creations, one of only a few that bears the Papal coat of arms.

The fact that a small town like Agnone preserves an art form of such grand value, recognised on an international level, represents an achievement of rare exception. Now in use all over the world, the bells of Agnone carry with them a proud piece of Italy.