The bells and chimes of the Palácio de Mafra, in the Lisbon district, rang again, this Saturday, after restoration works, after the first signs of deterioration appeared on September 11, 2001, sending them to silence.
The 119 bells and the two chimes were subject to a “forced silence” for 20 years, waiting for requalification works and “stuck” by scaffolding since 2004.
THE rehabilitation contract, in charge of the company Augusto de Oliveira Ferreira Lda., from Braga, started in May 2018 and ended in December 2019, representing an investment of 1.7 million euros, returning this unique heritage and allowing to start a concert program every Sunday.
Braga company begins “historic restoration” of the 119 bells of the National Palace of Mafra
Supplementary funding from Turismo de Portugal also allowed the hour bells to start.
The inaugural concert takes place this Sunday, a unique occasion to hear the two chimes and the bells of both towers ringing an unprecedented composition written on purpose for the event by the guitarist Abel Chaves, announced himself.
reproduction
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On Saturday, there were recitals at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 16:30, in addition to a lecture at 14:30.
At Torre Sul, there will be two carillionists interpreting the piece on the keyboards of the carillon, with the respective bells emitting music.
At the North Tower, there will be a group of 12 bell towers, including construction workers and technicians from the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, beating the bells with hammers.
During the concert, the carillionist will interpret the “national anthem” and the carillionists Abel Chaves and Liesbeth Janssens compositions by Vivaldi, in the monument’s South Tower carillon.
The two chimes and 119 bells, divided by hour bells, liturgy and chimes, constitute the largest bell set in the world, together with the six historical organs and the library, the most important heritage of the National Palace of Mafra, classified as World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, last July.
The heaviest bells are estimated to be 12 tons.
The Mafra carillons were classified as one of the “Seven most threatened sites in Europe”, by the movement to safeguard the Europa Nostra heritage.
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