Great bells of the world

The largest bell in the world is the Kremlin Bell, known as "The Great Bell of Moscow." It was cast about two hundred years ago, and although it weighs more than two hundred tons, it was hung on big wooden beams. When Moscow caught fire, in 1737, the wooden beams burned, and it fell to the ground. A great piece broke out of one side, but it has never been moved from the spot where it fell. One of the most famous bells is "Big Ben," which is hung in the tower of the Houses of Parliament, in London.

It was named for Sir Benjamin Hall, the official who installed it. When it was first cast, in 1856, they discovered a crack while it was being tested, and so it was melted again, and recast. (The big clock in the tower is also called Big Ben.) In Independence Hall, Philadelphia, is America's most famous bell, the "Liberty Bell." It was cast in 1751, and cracked as soon as it was struck. It was recast, and cracked again, but not enough to matter, and in 1776 it was rung in celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It has engraved upon it a text from the Bible, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." The crack later became larger, and the bell can no longer ring, but Americans love it because of its history. It is not the largest bell in America, however, for Montreal, in Canada, has a bell which weighs thirteen tons. Other large and famous bells are at Breslau, Germany; Rouen, France; and Vienna, Austria.