Checking out the architecture in an older city is one of my favorite things to do.
I love exploring and you can just imagine my delight when I found the county courthouse in downtown Newport, Kentucky, marveling at the red brick and limestone building from the late 1880’s.
But as I turned to walk across the street, I saw a huge structure that looked like it was encased on two sides by glass.
I asked my husband,
Wow. Did you see that bell? It’s gigantic. I wonder what it’s all about?
And that’s when I learned about the World Peace Bell.
World Peace Bell
Part of the Millenium Monument in downtown Newport, the World Peace Bell is the world’s largest free-swinging bell.
It weighs 66,000 pounds, measures 12 feet high and 12 feet in diameter. The bell clapper alone weighs over three tons!
From what I learned, the bell rings each day at noon. But we were downtown after noon and missed the ringing.
With little information about the bell at the monument, I did some research online to learn more about it.
Here’s what I discovered:
- The bell in Newport is one of 20 World Peace Bells around the world, built to raise awareness that peace begins at home and in our schools.
- It was cast in Nantes, France on December 11, 1998, which was the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (signed in Paris in December 1948).
- Rung for the first time on March 1999 at Nante, the bell took a month and half ship journey to the United States, arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana for their Fourth of July celebration.
- The bell traveled by barge up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers before arriving for the 1999 Tall Stacks Festival, a Cincinnati, Ohio festival.
- On January 1, 2000 at midnight, the bell was struck for the first time in the United States. According to news, the peal was heard for distances up to 25 miles away.
During the weekdays, you can take a guided tour and get a close-up view of the bell from the second floor.
As I was leaving, a couple passed by me and I mentioned the bell to them, asking if they knew anything about it. They didn’t. But they paused for a few minutes to check it out.
If you find yourself in Newport, Kentucky, I recommend taking some time to visit the World Peace Bell. It’s in impressive sight!
Here’s another view of the bell, to get a sense of its size. (Too bad there are so many wires in front of the bell.)
And if you happen to be there when the bell is ringing, take a video so I can hear the bell ring!
