San Gimignano in Tuscany, was on my must visit list for some time and the opportunity to see it finally arrived last September. It has a reputation for being horribly touristy so I went prepared for armies of people. I was pleasantly surprised, a Monday in mid September turned out to be a god day to visit, there were plenty of people but it wasn’t as expected.
When I saw this weeks photo challenge, Silence I thought about bells, how they are silent most of the time these days, just the Sunday church chime and the occasional practice ring. Do you hear bells very often, perhaps if you live in a village?
These bells at the Loggia of the Judge in San Gimignano are unlikely to chime again.
Silence prevails, that’s rather sad don’t you think?
Lucid Gypsy 
The bells were ringing at 10pm here last night – not heard them before this late. Have yet to come up with a reason why.
They look so sad! I love church bells. I’m too far from a church here in Hartlepool to hear one. You’d think it would be ding dong all day in Tavira, with all those churches, wouldn’t you? 🙂 🙂 Happy Sunday, Gilly! Busy one?
Of course Tavira has lots, maybe the art of bell ringing is dying out 😟 It’s really wet here so I’m hoping for a few rain free moments to walk the dogs, might bake a cake but lazy apart from that. And you? Slushy white stuff gone now? Happy Sunday and hugs to you honey x 😊 x
Still icy. More snow was forecast but it hasn’t happened yet. No hurry! 🙂 🙂 Watching tennis mainly. This time next week I’ll be there.
Imagine how different it would have been years ago when the bells rang out. Lovely post.
Ah, sad! I love to hear church bells, and in the summer with the windows open, I do hear them here
They are very beautiful bells though, even if silenced. I miss my Ludlow bells here. We were used to the carillon playing four times a day and then the bell ringers practising all Sunday morning and bells ringing for weddings and funerals. I rather like church bells.
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It is sad… I loved San Gimignano, a great historic place with glorious view.
Such a memorable place to visit. I love to hear church bells on occasion but wouldn’t like to live within earshot.
What an inspired image, and a thought-provoking commentary. Potato Point is bell-silent. I think last time I really heard bells was in Adelaide, soubriquet City of Churches, and that was … let me think … more than 20 years ago. It’s such a joyful noise.
Part 2! You’ve prompted memories. My friend Rosemary was a bell-ringer in Canberra many years ago. She took me up into the bell tower to show me around. The bells then had to remain silent, because there was no occasion. And then I think of the old custom of tolling bells when a death occurred – “Ask not for whom the bell tolls …” Another line from that Donne poem is “each man’s death diminishes me.” Something to remember.
When in collage I knew a pastors son who played the hand bells and He taught some of us how to play a couple of Christmas carols, such fun and they did sound beautiful
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No bells here Miss 😀 but loads of frogs croaking this morning …