Weapons for the Vatican

Now it is increasingly difficult to meet people who are engaged in traditional crafts. The Schmidberger brothers make armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. It takes 120 hours to make some armor, which is almost identical to the original armor forged 500 years ago. For fifteen generations, the Schmidberger brothers ' family had been engaged in blacksmithing, and Georg and Johann continued this tradition.

The "Old Blacksmith Shop" sign on the smithy of the brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger in Moln, Austria. Johann, 29, and Georg, 28, are forging armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard. 

The smithy of the Schmidberger brothers in Moln, Austria. 

Brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger stand outside their blacksmith shop in Moln, Austria. 

Georg Schmidberger forges armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Georg Schmidberger forges armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Georg Schmidberger forges armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

The Schmidberger brothers forge armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Georg Schmidberger forges armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

The Schmidberger brothers forge armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Hammers lie in a blacksmith shop in Moln, Austria. 

Brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger make armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

A piece of armor lies by the hearth in the smithy of the Schmidberger brothers in Moln, Austria. 

Brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger make armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger makes armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

One of the Schmidberger brothers forges armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger forges armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger forge armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger makes armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger makes armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger makes armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger makes armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Johann Schmidberger makes armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at his blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger make armor for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at their blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Armor made for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at a blacksmith shop in Meaulnes, Austria. 

Ready-made armor made for the Vatican's Swiss Guard at the blacksmith shop in Moln, Austria.