What to do and see in Agnone, Molise: The Best Things to do Good for Big Groups

Reviewed By 662francesb - Yorkshire, United Kingdom

We had been recommended a visit to the Agnone bell foundry. It is located in the centre of Agnone, at the top of a side street and just a short stroll from the main road. The foundry is entered through a gift shop that is best perused once the tour has been completed, in order to fully appreciate the handcrafted gifts on offer. The entrance fee is €5 and includes a 15 minute extremely informative video on how a bell is made (this video is available in different languages) I had never given the bell making process a huge amount of thought before, that was until I visited the Marinelli foundry. What a thoroughly interesting process it is and one that has remained unchanged for centuries. The bell makers and bell artists are true artisans and their finished products breathtaking. I really enjoyed wandering through the foundry, following the video. We didn’t have a guide but the staff were happy for us to wander. There is an exhibit area showing the visitor many of the different bells made over the years and some are mounted onto frames allowing them to be rung. These bells are huge and something I had only really viewed when looking up at a bell tower. The chimes of the different bells are delightful and it felt like a real treat to be able to ring them and see them up close. Many of the Marinelli bells over the years have been made for the Vatican and other significant Italian landmarks. Their foundry has also been given the Papal seal. Lastly the tour takes you through the working foundry. The smoke scented aroma from the wood fired furnaces really enhances the educational environment. All in all a great place to visit. A visit here only takes around an hour.