Zikmund not to ring in New Year

The biggest bell in St. Vitus Cathedral, known as Zikmund, will not ring in the New Year as usual, the cathedral’s chief bell ringer Tomáš Stařecký, told the ctk news agency. Experts say the bell is not in good shape and may have been damaged by the new clapper which was installed in 2002 after the old one cracked. Zikmund dates back to 1549 and is the biggest bell in the country. The oldest Czech bell- Vaclav – is also at St. Vitus - and was cast in 1542.