Even Luther could hear the „Gloriosa“, which is heard in the Leipzig St. Thomas Church. The historic bells in the church in the city center have therefore been around for several years. Last year, therefore, it was decided to renovate the bell plant. Now, the project has received a hefty financial boost.
As the association „Thomaskirche – Bach e.V.“ announced on Tuesday, were recently received 44,000 euros from two private donors from the United States. The donation comes from Albert & Ingrid May from Ohio. Albert May has been a member of the Förderverein since 1998 and has already supported the St. Thomas Church in the past. Of the 350,000 euros required for the work, 216,000 have already been collected through donations.
„The preparatory measures for the work on the historic bells are largely completed. If everything goes according to plan, the first scaffolding will be erected on the tower of the St. Thomas Church in the spring, „the association says on its website. „From the beginning of June, the work will follow in the tower, in which the first two bells will be shut down. The decommissioning is necessary so that the work in the lower belfry can be carried out. “
The restoration work should not start as planned in 2020, but already in 2019. Among other things, a new, wooden belfry is provided, the four bells so far would be extended by four more, smaller. These should preserve the historical stock. As part of the restoration, the drive technology of the bells will be modernized.
The bells of the Thomaskirche is a valuable testimony of Saxon cultural and architectural history, according to the Förderverein. The largest bell of the Thomaskirche, the Gloriosa, is 540 years old. The other bronze bells are from the years 1574, 1634 and 1585. Each of them is unique. Together, they would form one of the most significant chimes of the Saxon Church.
