The bellringer’s trade has its origins in the Middle Ages, when in the great cathedrals and churches of Europe bells played a fundamental role in religious and social life.
The work of the bell ringer consisted of ringing the bells at different times of the day to summon the faithful to mass, announce celebrations, important events or simply to mark the passing of time.
The bell ringer’s workday was long and exhausting. It began at dawn, when the bell ringer rang the first bells of the day, and lasted until dusk. Every day. From sunrise to sunset. No breaks, no holidays, no vacations. Therefore, his work required not only skill, but also dedication, effort, discipline, punctuality and devotion.
Thus, this figure represented an essential link between the Church and the city.
The Torre de las Campanas, the bell ringer’s residence
To facilitate their work, the Cathedral of Santiago offered the bell ringers a dwelling in the same tower where the bells were located, the so-called Torre de las Campanas (Tower of the Bells).
This dwelling consisted of a small two-story house, which was adapted to the space limitations of the Cathedral and allowed the bell ringer to live close to the bells and have direct access to them.
The life of the bell ringer and his family took place in this humble but functional space, with the essentials to be able to carry out daily tasks. Although, at that altitude, the house also presented challenges such as cold and humidity.
The Torre de las Campanas was home to several generations of bell ringers. In fact, it was inhabited for more than 200 years. Thus, its history is an important part of the cultural heritage of Santiago de Compostela.
Although today nothing remains of it or of the figure of the bell ringer, his legacy lives on in the sound of the bells that continue to mark the rhythm of the religious and social life of the city.
Ricardo Fandiño Lage, the last bell ringer
The history of the residence of the bell ringers of the Cathedral of Santiago came to an end in 1962, when Ricardo Fandiño Lage and his family left the Torre de las Campanas.
Ricardo, the last bell ringer to live in this house, carried out his trade with dedication with his wife and three children since 1942.
For years, he was in charge of ringing the bells of the Cathedral and his residence in the tower was witness to this tradition. In fact, Ricardo himself was the one who implemented a series of ingenious devices to execute the repliques from his own bed through a series of cables and pulleys.
After his departure and his inventiveness, the office of the bell ringer in the Cathedral of Santiago changed, technology advanced and the need for a resident bell ringer vanished.
The end of a tradition
Today, the bells continue to mark the rhythm of the city, but the craft has changed, adapting to technological advances.
However, the legacy of the bell ringers remains in the memory of the community and in the stories that are still told about those who lived near the bells, carrying the weight of a responsibility that was not only technical, but also deeply symbolic.
The bell ringer’s house was demolished and no longer exists. However, for some time now it has been possible to visit the roofs of the Cathedral, where you can still see small marks on the walls that show its existence.
Thus, after reading this article, you can get an idea of what life was like for those who, for over 200 years, were in charge of keeping the tradition alive, uniting the city and the Church through the sound of the bells.
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