For the first time in nearly 800 years, the sound of an 11th-century pipe organ echoed through the halls of Saint Saviour’s Monastery in Jerusalem’s Old City. A team of researchers activated several original pipes, making it the first known instance of the world’s oldest organ producing sound again, without modern restoration.
The instrument is set to be displayed at the Terra Sancta Museum, not far from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where it once accompanied medieval liturgy.
Led by David Catalunya, scholars from the Resound project have been working since 2019 to reconstruct the historic instrument, which was originally built in France before being relocated to the Holy Land in the 12th century. According to Catalunya, hearing the pipes after centuries of silence marked a turning point in music history.
Buried by Crusaders, rediscovered in the 20th century
He explained that the organ was buried in the 13th century by Crusaders aiming to protect it from invading forces, along with other sacred items such as bells.
It remained hidden for centuries until construction workers uncovered it in 1906 in a cemetery in Bethlehem, where archaeologists later found 222 bronze pipes and other liturgical objects.
After 800 years of silence, a pipe organ that researchers say is the oldest in the Christian world has roared back to life. Researchers believe that the Crusaders brought the organ to Bethlehem in the 11th century during their period of rule over Jerusalem. After a century of… pic.twitter.com/yrqkP8ilWB
— Cate Long (@cate_long) September 9, 2025
During a recent demonstration, Catalunya performed a medieval chant as the organ’s pipes, roughly half of them original, sounded once again.
Eight of those original pipes still held their acoustic integrity, producing tones with rich character across the full register. Catalunya noted that the tone was surprisingly full and very different from modern or Renaissance-era organs.
Reconstruction efforts and technical discoveries
Organ builder Winold van der Putten contributed by placing the ancient pipes alongside replicas he crafted using traditional methods. He also designed a portable wind chest from a 3D model, allowing researchers to test and compare acoustics.
Researchers found that many of the original pipes still had engraved musical notations and hand-drawn guides, offering rare insight into historical pipe-making. Catalunya described this as a valuable discovery, enabling the team to replicate the original manufacturing process with a high degree of accuracy.
The project, based at the Complutense Institute of Musical Sciences in Madrid and funded by the European Research Council, is still ongoing. Catalunya and his team expect to complete a working replica within the next several months, with the long-term goal of building a fully restored version.
Koos van de Linde, an expert on historical organs, said hearing the pipes after so many centuries was deeply emotional and affirmed the hopes of those who had buried it. Álvaro Torrente, director of the institute, likened the moment to discovering a living fossil—something long thought lost, suddenly alive again.
