Pummerin

The Old Pummerin was originally cast in 1705 by bell founder Johann Achammer from 208 of the 300 cannons captured from the Muslim invaders in the Second Turkish Siege of Vienna.

On December 15, 1711, Bishop Franz Ferdinand Freiherr von Rummel consecrated the bell, which was then installed in the lower part of the high south tower of the cathedral.

But the forces from swinging the 18,161 kg bell endangered the structure of the beloved tower, so in 1878 Friedrich von Schmidt, the cathedral's architect, ordered that it be rung only by pulling its clapper, instead of being swung.

Like the Old Pummerin, the heads of Turks adorn the brackets at the top, and an interlocking square chain design decorates the bottom rim.

The new Pummerin was driven through the Giant's Door on the west facade and installed on a steel structure within the north tower on 5 October 1957.

Full peal can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c151mIKhXGE[2][3] To minimize excess vibrations of the supporting structure, since 2003 the bell's electrical swinging mechanism has been carefully controlled by a computer.