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The
Campanile
(Italian
for
"bell
tower")
is
located
at
the
north-east
corner
of
the
Cathedral
complex.
Built
of
the
same
architectural
concrete
as
the
Cathedral,
it
complements
the
Church
while
remaining
autonomous.
Following
tradition
from
the
Middle
Ages,
the
Campanile
stands
detached
from
the
Cathedral
itself.
Originally,
a
Campanile
served
several
purposes:
a
belfry
for
the
Cathedral,
a
watch
tower
to
guard
against
invaders,
and
a
civil
monument
in
a
town
or
city.
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The
famous
Florence
painter
and
architect,
Giotto,
is
thought
to
be
the
main
inspiration
for
all
Cathedral
Campaniles
after
he
designed
and
built
the
magnificent
Campanile
for
the
Florence
Cathedral
in
1334.
The
Giotto
Campanile
was
entirely
faced
in
marble
and
ornamental
sculptures.
It
was
such
a
beautiful
addition
to
the
city
that
it
became
known
as
"Giotto's
Tower."
The
Cathedral
of
Our
Lady
of
the
Angels'
Campanile
is
built
to
hold
18
bells.
Four
bells
are
in
place
now,
two
bells
cast
in
the
1880s
from
St.
Vibiana's
Cathedral
and
removed
in
the
mid-1960's
when
it
was
decided
the
wooden
beams
were
no
longer
able
to
support
them,
and
two
bells
from
churches
in
the
archdiocese.
The
bells
are
about
4
feet
high
and
one
weighs
2,800
lb,
the
other
1600
lb.
One
of
the
bells
was
given
to
St.
Vibiana's
in
memory
of
Manuel
Dominguez
by
his
family,
known
for
their
land
holdings
throughout
Southern
California.
It
was
cast
by
the
McShane
Foundry
of
Baltimore
in
1888.
Another
of
the
giant
bells
is
from
Mission
San
Juan
Capistrano,
cast
in
Massachusetts
in
1828,
and
blessed
at
St.
Vibiana's
on
July
4th,
1875.
When
the
bells
originally
were
installed
at
St.
Vibiana's,
two
men,
one
for
each
bell,
pulled
long
ropes
to
peal
the
bells.
Around
1940,
motors
replaced
the
men
and
the
bells
were
rung
with
electric
ringers.
The
bells
in
the
new
Campanile
are
computerized.
The
bells
swing
as
they
are
rung,
as
opposed
to
being
static
and
being
struck.
As
the
swinging
bell
moves
towards
and
away
from
the
listener
it
creates
a
Doppler
effect,
much
as
the
increase
and
decrease
in
the
pitch
of
a
train's
whistle
as
it
passes
an
observer.
The
Campanile
rises
156
feet
and
is
topped
by
a
25
foot
cross.
At
10
feet
per
story,
it
is
over
15
stories
high.
It
sits
on
four
specially
designed
base
isolators
to
separate
ground
shock
from
the
Campanile
itself
during
even
eight
point
earthquakes.
With
few
openings,
the
Campanile
tower
emanates
a
solidity
at
its
highest
levels.
However,
it
is
positioned
as
the
centerpiece
of
the
Meditation
Garden
to
create
a
tranquil
space
against
the
rush
of
the
freeway.
Architect
Professor
Rafael
Moneo
has
designed
the
upper
portion
of
the
Campanile
so
that
different
numbers
and
configurations
of
the
bells
are
seen
from
each
of
the
four
directions.
The
tower
itself
changes
form
as
it
rises
from
the
ground.
It
is
a
piece
of
sculpture
that
relies
on
subtle
transformations.
The
slight
shifts
in
the
planes
of
the
campanile
reflect
different
lights
on
each
surface.
Learn
more
about
the
CAMPANILE
ARCHITECT.
