Watchman Renato Haeusler announces the time, a tradition which dates back to 1405, by yelling to the four points of the horizon from 10 pm to 2 am, before ringing the Clemence bell to signal an emergency because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Lausanne, Switzerland, April 3, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
LAUSANNE (Reuters) - In Lausanne, a Swiss city on the shores of lake Geneva, the coronavirus outbreak has revived a tradition of centuries past: The cathedral watchman climbs the 153 stone steps to his tower at night, puts on a black hat, lights a lantern and rings the "La Clemence" bell to stir residents' solidarity and courage.
It's a practice dating back to the Middle Ages, when watchmen at Lausanne Cathedral kept a vigil over the city and rang the bell if they spotted a fire.
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