Important traditional handicrafts can be seen during a visit to the Grassmayr house. This sight in Innsbruck is rich in history as bells have been cast here since 1599. Since then, 14 generations have perfected their craft in the traditional family business.
The Bell Museum combines museum exhibits with lively craftsmanship. During operating hours visitors can see the bell founders at work. In the new bell foundry, there is a 6-metre deep pit where it is possible to produce bells weighing up to 37 tons.
The bell foundry guild is a world of its own. In the bell foundry, visitors gain insight into the Occidental culture of these impressive resonant forms. Visitors will also learn lots about the significance of bells as complex musical instruments.
Visitors to the sound room can look forward to an acoustic experience in a class of its own, as bell sounds can be seen, felt and heard here. Thanks to their complex structure, Grassmayr bells can sound up to 50 different tones. Grassmayr's art consists of bringing the tones within a bell into tonal harmony with several bells.
Only two people know the secret of the sophisticated bell construction: the father who manages the com-pany and his son. The Grassmayr family has succeeded in transforming the historical bell foundry into a modern, quality-oriented business.
History is omni-present when visiting the Grassmayr Bell Museum & Bell Foundry with the SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck. In the old casting hall, a 200-year-old wood-burning stove, which is still in operation today, mesmerizes visitors. The heart of bell making is the bell casting, which even includes the praying of the casting, so the blessing shall immediately pass to the bell. Once a month, various bells are produced for the monthly large casting. Visitors who happen to be there by chance will have an unforgettable experience when tasting the Tyrolean Gussschnaps. The bells then make their way all around the world. Today, the famous Grassmayr bells can be heard in around 100 countries.
