Following is a list of the heaviest bells known to have been cast, and the period of time during which they held that title.
The title of heaviest functioning bell in the world has been held chronologically by:
| Year | Bell | Weight | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tonnes | lb | |||
| 732 | Tōdai-ji | 96000lb | Surpassed | |
| 1484 | Great Bell of Dhammazedi | 648000lb | Stolen and lost | |
| 1608 | Tōdai-ji | 96000lb | Surpassed | |
| 1633 | Chion-in Temple | 148000lb | Surpassed | |
| 1810 | Mingun Bell | 195000lb | Fell during earthquake (raised again in 1896) | |
| 1839 | Chion-in Temple | 148000lb | Surpassed | |
| 1896 | Mingun Bell | 195000lb | Surpassed | |
| 1902 | Shitennō-ji Temple Bell | 251000lb | Recycled for war | |
| 1942 | Mingun Bell | 195000lb | Surpassed | |
| 2000 | Bell of Good Luck | 116disp=tableNaNdisp=table | Incumbent | |
See main article: Great Bell of Dhammazedi. At approximately 300 tons, the Great Bell of Dhammazedi is the largest bell to have existed in recorded history.[1] Cast in 1484 by King Dhammazedi of Mon, this bell was located at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar). The bell was said to be twelve cubits (6.276 m) high and eight cubits (4.184 m) wide.[2]
The Great Bell of Dhammazedi remained at the Shwedagon Pagoda as the heaviest functioning bell in the world until 1608. That year, Portuguese warlord and mercenary Philip de Brito removed it and attempted to carry it by a specially constructed raft down the Yangon River to his stronghold of Thanlyin (later known as Syriam). However, the ship carrying the bell sank at the confluence of the Yangon and Bago rivers. The Dhammazedi Bell remains buried to this day at that location, possibly well-preserved, beneath some 8m (26feet) of sediment. Numerous attempts have been made to locate and recover the bell, thus far without success.[3] [4]
So while the Great Bell of Dhammazedi might indeed be the heaviest bell in the world, it must be disqualified from consideration as such, until it has been recovered and restored to a functional status.
Cast in 1633, the 74-ton Chion-in Temple Bell, located in Kyoto, Japan, held the title of heaviest functioning bell in the world until 1810.[5]
From March 1839 until March 1896, the Mingun Bell was not functional due to the fact that it was not hanging freely from its shackles. During this period, the Chion-in Temple Bell regained its former title.[5]
See main article: Mingun Bell. Cast in 1808, the 90-ton Mingun Bell in Mingun, Sagaing Division, Burma became the heaviest functioning bell in the world from its suspension in 1810 until 23 March 1839. On that date, it was knocked off its supports by a large earthquake.[6]
The Mingun Bell was resuspended in March 1896 by a team of men from the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company.[7] The Mingun Bell was again the world's heaviest functioning bell from its resuspension in 1896 until 1902.
The Mingun Bell regained its status as the heaviest functioning bell in the world in 1942 and held that title until 2000.
In 1902, the newly-cast 114-ton Shitennō-ji Temple Bell was hung in Osaka, Japan. The Shitennō-ji Temple Bell reigned as the heaviest functioning bell in the world from that year until 1942, when it was melted down for its metal to assist with the then-ongoing World War II effort.
Cast on New Year's Eve 2000, the Bell of Good Luck is located in the Foquan Temple in Pingdingshan, Henan, China.[8] [9] The bell weighs 116t and it is in height and in diameter.[8] [9] The Bell of Good Luck has therefore claimed the title of heaviest functioning bell in the world since its construction in 2000, up to the present date.
See main article: Tsar Bell. The 216-ton Russian Tsar Bell (also known as the Tsar Kolokol III) on display on the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin is the heaviest bell known to exist in the world today. However, a very large piece broke off from the Tsar Bell during a fire which engulfed the tower the bell was intended to be hung in, so this irreparably damaged bell has never been suspended or rung. The Tsar Bell cannot be considered as the heaviest functioning bell in the world due to its inability to serve as a percussion instrument. Rather, it may be considered to be the largest bell, or at least the largest bell-shaped sculpture in the world.
Bells weighing 25 tonnes or more:
Bells weighing 25 tonnes or more, no longer in existence (lost or destroyed):
| Name of bell (or edifice containing bell) | Location | Weight | Year cast | Manufacturer or foundry | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Bell of Dhammazedi | Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar | 1484 | King Dhammazedi | submerged in the Bago River in 1608; may be recoverable | |
| Shitennō-ji Temple Bell | Osaka, Japan | 1902 | unknown | destroyed 1942 | |
| Tsarsky Kolokol Bell (aka "Trotzkoi Bell") | Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Sergiyev Posad, Moscow Oblast, Russia | 1748 | unknown | destroyed 1930 | |
| Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery | Zvenigorod, Moscow Oblast, Russia | 1667 | unknown | destroyed 1941 | |
| Godunov Bell (also known as Old Assumption Bell, or Resurrection Bell) | Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Sergiyev Posad, Moscow Oblast, Russia | ca. 1600 | Andrey Chokhov | destroyed 1701 | |
| Kaiserglocke | Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany | 1874 | Andreas Hamm | destroyed 1918 | |
A Select List of Russian Bells Weighing 36,100 Pounds or More
