Laurence Dollimore
A SPANISH town is considering fining a medieval church €16,000 because its bells are ‘too noisy’.
The Ayuntamiento of Mostoles, near Madrid, said it has measured the noise level of the Our Lady of the Assumption Church following complaints from residents.
They found that the bells were 30 decibels above the 55 rate allowed by town regulations.
Normal conversation produces around 55-60 decibels while an airplane in flight can produce 110-120.
Parish priest Ignacio Torres has said the bells have always been ringing in the town, and that he has no idea how the church would pay the fine if it was enforced.
Well if it were a bar playing music too loud they would be fined, so why not the church?
The church was likely there ringing its bells long long before any bars & the people would have accepted it as part of everyday life for probably hundreds of years. To make a fuss now is quite ridiculous & should their Town Hall attempt inflicting a fine, it would likely bring strong protest from the church as a whole & not just the local priest. Similar bells are rung all over Spain although I personally don’t care for their tune—–they ARE Spanish church bells.
Who’s afraid of the big bad priest? No-one any more. A good thing too, it’s time the cold, clammy hand of the church was unclenched.