The Cithrinchen or Bell cittern was a distinctively shaped instrument of the renaissance and baroque periods.

It was usually strung with doubled courses of thin, light tension brass or steel strings.

It usually had 3 soundholes (with decorative roses) and 5 (or sometimes 6 or more) courses (pairs) of strings.

It was popular in Germany, England and Sweden.

[1][2][3][4][5] Most such instruments built nowadays are reconstructions of historical instruments, or modern mandolin-type instruments which simply use the same body shape as the historical Cithrinchen.