Post date: Sep 22, 2015 8:51:32 PM
To this point in our project we have been able to wrap our heads around the original purposes of bell towers when they were religious pieces of architecture. Bell towers all over the world were once used to act as the vertical element to point towards the heavens while also helping people feel a closer connection to God. These structures, especially in Venice since they are the only vertical element of the Venetian skyline, once acted as surveying posts during periods of war. Venetian citizens were once able to hear the bells ring for marriages, funerals, at the top of an hour, and especially for Christian festivals. As a group, we've come to realize how vulnerable these historic structures really are, especially to the salt water and salt air, cracking in the foundation of the tower, grease from the bell mechanisms, and bird droppings.
In order to fully understand the significance of these buildings I ended up researching more into the purpose they served in the religious world. My findings included global secularization being one of the main sources for the lack of interest in religious activities in the world. With these it is easy to understand why the disrepair status of these bells and bell towers is such a large issue. Also the constant change and upgrading of today's technology, the artifacts of these amazing pieces of architecture slowly but surely becoming obsolete. Today's technology, including smartphones, watches, and the internet, are all replacing the need for bells and bell towers thus taking any sense of purpose away from these structures.
By this time next week our team will have a complete analysis on the history of bell tower uses for the background section of our proposal!