Oľga Danglová
It is presumed that the trade of casting bells started in Europe, more specifically in Ireland and Scotland through the Celts. Historical resources show that bells were cast and used in Slovakia since the 12th or 13th Century. Over the course of time, the casting of bells started to expand abruptly. The craft flourished in the 15th Century, since nearly every church had its own bell. In the 19th Century the number of centres, workshops and masters slowly declined. In Slovakia, the last bell-casting workshop operated in Trnava in the 1940’s. Knowledge of the bell-casting craft slowly spread to villages from the 17th Century. Bell casting spread as a village craft mainly in those parts with developed sheep farming. New bells for the dome of St. Martin’s were consecrated in 2000. Countries neighbouring Slovakia financed and this church with a bell, for which they chose the decoration, title and name. The bells were cast in a workshop in Moravia (Czech Republic).