Bell Tower (Jasna Góra Monastery) - Czestochowa, Poland
Posted by: 
puczmeloun
N 50° 48.743 E 019° 05.815
34U E 365928 N 5630687
Tower of the Jasna Góra architectural complex
Waymark Code: WMJNWW
Location: Śląskie, Poland
Date Posted: 12/10/2013
Views: 9
The Jasna Góra architectural complex is dominated by a tall (106 m 30 cm high) and slender tower, which used to be the tallest in Poland until a 141 m tower of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lichen was built. The bottom part of the present day tower, already the fifth in the history of the sanctuary, dates back to 1714, while its top was added at the beginning of the 20th century.
The clock above the tower’s first floor is equipped with the so-called “Carillon”, or chime with 36 bells playing out Marian music every 15 minutes, or Christmas carols and Easter songs during other periods of the liturgical year. There are four statues in the corners of the middle floor, including the one of Saint Paul the Hermit, Saint Florian, Saint Casimir and Saint Jadwiga, Queen of Poland.
The highest fifth floor, with 516 steps leading to it, is decorated with the statues of the doctors of the church including Saint Leo the Great, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose. The spire of the tower is topped with a crow with a leaf of bread in its beak, as well as a metal flag with a monogram of the name of the Virgin Mary. At the very top there is a crucifix whose lamps, which are lit at night, symbolize the light and might of this holy place.
The tower was completely restored in 2000.
Source: (
visit link)