Plural form of campana; a series of bell-shaped or dome-shaped architectural ornaments, often used in classical design.
From Latin campana meaning 'bell,' which may derive from Campania, a region in Italy famous for bell-making. The word entered English through Italian Renaissance architectural terminology.
Medieval bell-makers in Campania became so renowned that the Latin word for their signature product eventually named the entire architectural element—talk about building your legacy literally in stone!
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