The ten bells of Erfurt Cathedral proclaim the Good News of Christ's Resurrection today on Easter night. The most important of these is the Maria Gloriosa, the largest free-swinging bell of the Middle Ages - one of the most beautiful bells in the world. It is the landmark of the Thuringian capital - the cathedral hill with its numerous towers and spires. Together with the neighboring St. Severi Church, Erfurt Cathedral is an unmistakable feature of the cityscape. The cathedral, which has only been a cathedral church again since the re-establishment of the Erfurt diocese in 1994, has stood on this site since the middle of the 8th century. St. Boniface is said to have consecrated the first church in the city around 752 and founded the medieval diocese of Erfurt, which, however, only lasted 12 years. The first documented evidence of a church dedicated to St. Mary at the current location dates back to 1117, and excavations date it back to the 8th century. Rebuilt and expanded several times in the following centuries, the construction of the present Gothic cathedral began in the 14th century and was completed in 1465 with the consecration of the new nave. The bishops of Mainz, to whom Erfurt had belonged again since 755, set up a foundation and elevated the church to the status of the provost church of Beatae Mariae Virginis. The cathedral foundation ceased to exist in 1837. The Second World War largely bypassed Erfurt Cathedral, which remained undamaged - apart from a few stained glass windows. In the new history, the elevation to cathedral status associated with the founding of the diocese and the papal visit of Benedict XVI are particularly noteworthy, which are unique in the long and eventful history of the city and the cathedral. In addition to the valuable and impressive furnishings inside the cathedral, the bells in particular are unique among German cathedrals. Of course, the most important bell is the great Gloriosa - the queen of bells - which has captivated people with its sound for centuries. The Maria Gloriosa, cast by the Dutch master Gert van Wou on the cathedral square on St. Kilian's Day in 1497, is today considered the largest free-swinging medieval bell in the world. The first bell to bear the name Gloriosa dates back to 1251 and was recast five times before the current monumental bell was finally created. It is dedicated to the Mother of God and shows a Madonna in a halo on both sides. After the Gloriosa was welded in 1985 and 2004 because of cracks, it is now reserved for the most important holidays in the church year and normally rings only eight times a year. But even apart from the Gloriosa, the towers of Erfurt Cathedral contain some bell treasures. The so-called silver bells, which came to the cathedral from various Erfurt churches after the war, are of particular historical value. Also after the war, Franz Peter Schilling from Apolda cast three sonorous bells for the cathedral, which together with two of the cathedral's baroque bells form the cathedral's main bell. The turret bell above the choir from 2009 serves as a weekday bell, and the striking bells in the tower lantern tell the people of Erfurt the time. -- Gl. 1 Maria Gloriosa e°+4 11367 kg 257 cm Gert van Wou, Erfurt 1497 Gl. 2 Holy Trinity g°+12 4100 kg 194.6 cm N. Sorber, Erfurt 1721 Gl. 3 Hl. Joseph a°+9 4622 kg 186 cm FP Schilling, Apolda 1961 Gl. 4 Hl. Andreas c'+11 2674 kg 155 cm FP Schilling, Apolda 1961 Gl. 5 St. Christopher d'+10 1830 kg 137 cm FP Schilling, Apolda 1961 Gl. 6 St. John the Baptist e'+7 950 kg 119.1 cm N. Sorber, Erfurt 1961 Gl. 7 Sts. Cosmas & Damian des''+5 200 kg 69 cm J. König, Erfurt 1625 Gl. 8 Cantabona g''+6 300 kg 65 cm H. Sinderam, Erfurt 1492 Gl. 9 Little angel as'' 125 kg 55 cm C. v. Mühlhausen, Erfurt ~1475 Gl. 10 Nameless b''+5 75 kg 48 cm Master Peter 1475) Gl. 11 St. Paul d''' 42 kg 39 cm Br. Michael Reuther, Maria Laach 2009 ----------------- At this point I would like to thank Auxiliary Bishop Hauke ​​for making this possible, bell keeper Uwe Kramer for his support and Ben for the successful days in Erfurt. --- I wish everyone a blessed and happy Easter!