The small green tower at the far left houses the Pummerin (meaning “Boomer”). It’s the second-largest swinging bell in Europe, measuring nearly 10 feet across and weighing 21 tons. It was first cast in 1711 from cannons and cannonballs captured in 1683 after the Ottoman siege of Vienna was lifted. It was recast of its original material in 1951, after having fallen and cracked in 1945 during a fire set by looters when Soviet troops entered the city. It’s still rung today on special occasions, such as at midnight on New Year’s Eve. (We were lucky enough to hear it.)