Carillons, musical instruments of bells in the percussion family, are found throughout Belgium. Several institutions maintain registries on the location and statistics of carillons. Some registries specialize in counting specific types of carillons. For example, the War Memorial and Peace Carillons registry counts instruments which serve as war memorials or were built in the name of promoting world peace (and tracks five in Belgium); [1] the World Carillon Federation counts carillons throughout the country, along with the rest of the world.
Two Belgian carillon associations –the Flemish Carillon Association and the Walloon Carillon Association –count carillons in their respective regions. According to their registries, there are 94 carillons in Belgium: 70 in the Flemish Region, 22 in the Walloon Region, and 2 in the Brussels Capital Region. They are distributed across 77 different cities; several are located within the same city, and two are even within the same building –at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen. The population has a wide range in total weights, with bourdons spanning between 30 and 8,180 kilograms (66 and 18,034 lb). They also span a wide range of notes, from 21 (which the Flemish association considers a carillon despite failing its definition that requires at least 23 [2] ) up to 64. Many carillons were constructed over several centuries by several bellfounders; a minority are constructed entirely by a single bellfounder. The majority of carillons are transposing instruments, and often transpose such that the lowest note on the keyboard is B♭ or C.
According to the World Carillon Federation , the carillons in Belgium account for 14 percent of the world's total [3] and is consequently considered one of the "great carillon countries" along with the Netherlands and the United States. [4]
Despite not being a part of their respective regions, both the Flemish Carillon Association and the Walloon Carillon Association track the number of carillons located in the Brussels Capital Region, of which there are two. The larger both in terms of weight and number of bells is located at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. The smaller is located at the Palace of the Nation, Belgium's federal parliament building. Constructed in the 20th century, these carillons are much newer relative to others in the country. [5] [6] Brussels once had nine carillons in 1541; none survived past 1914. [7]
Location | City | Bells | Bourdon weight | Total weight | Range and transposition | Bellfounder(s) | Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
kg | lb | kg | lb | |||||||
Palace of the Nation | Brussels | 37 | 254 | 560 | 1,353 | 2,983 | Up 12 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 1985–88 | [6] [8] | |
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula | 49 | 3,164 | 6,975 | 15,797 | 34,826 | None (concert pitch) | Royal Eijsbouts 1958–75 | [6] [9] |
The Flemish Carillon Association maintains a registry of carillons in the Flemish Region. According to the organization, there are 70 carillons located in Flanders. They are distributed across 56 different cities; several are located within the same city, and two are even within the same building –at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen. [2] The carillons have a wide range in total weights, with bourdons spanning between 39 and 8,180 kilograms (86 and 18,034 lb). They also span a wide range of notes, from 21 (which the association considers a carillon despite failing its definition that requires at least 23 [2] ) up to 64. Many carillons were constructed over several centuries by several bellfounders; a minority are constructed entirely by a single bellfounder. The majority of carillons are transposing instruments, and often transpose such that the lowest note on the keyboard is B♭ or C. [5]
Location | City | Bells | Bourdon weight | Total weight | Range and transposition | Bellfounder(s) | Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
kg | lb | kg | lb | |||||||
Schepenhuis | Aalst | 52 | 628 | 1,385 | 3,827 | 8,437 | Up 12 semitones | Lokeren 1958 | [10] [7] | |
Aarschot Peace Carillon Church of Our Lady | Aarschot | 51 | — | 5,347 | 11,788 | Up 5 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 2018 | [11] [12] [13] [14] | ||
Cathedral of Our Lady | Antwerp | 49 | 4,963 | 10,942 | 27,648 | 60,953 | Down 3 semitones |
| [15] [7] | |
St. Catherine's Church | 47 | 250 | 550 | 1,820 | 4,010 | Up 12 semitones |
| [16] | ||
District House of Borgerhout | 47 | 1,056 | 2,328 | 5,531 | 12,194 | Up 5 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 1977 | [17] | ||
St. Martin's Church (Open-air carillon) | 37 | 270 | 600 | 1,808 | 3,986 | Up 12 semitones | Petit & Fritsen 1968 | [18] | ||
Belfry of Bruges | Bruges | 47 | 5,381 | 11,863 | 27,535 | 60,704 | Down 5 semitones |
| [19] [7] | |
Damme City Hall | Damme | 39 | 143 | 315 | 1,168 | 2,575 | Up 16 semitones |
| [20] | |
Church of Our Lady | Deinze | 48 | 784 | 1,728 | 4,417 | 9,738 | Up 7 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 1988–94 | [21] | |
Belfry of Dendermonde | Dendermonde | 49 | 1,225 | 2,701 | 6,800 | 15,000 | Up 5 semitones |
| [22] [23] | |
Saint Aldegondis Church | 21 | 39 | 86 | 381 | 840 | Up 24 semitones |
| [24] | ||
Church of Saint-Sulpice | Diest | 47 | 592 | 1,305 | 3,190 | 7,030 | Up 8 semitones |
| [25] [7] | |
Belfry of Diksmuide | Diksmuide | 30 | 160 | 350 | 1,100 | 2,400 | Up 16 semitones | Michiels 1935 | [26] | |
St. Martin's Church | Genk | 52 | 2,339 | 5,157 | 11,577 | 25,523 | Up 2 semitones | Petit & Fritsen 1960 | [27] | |
St Bartholomew's Church | Geraardsbergen | 49 | 1,800 | 4,000 | 8,787 | 19,372 | Up 3 semitones |
| [28] | |
Belfry of Ghent | Ghent | 54 | 6,050 | 13,340 | 30,129 | 66,423 | Down 3 semitones |
| [29] [7] | |
Basilica of Saint Servatius | Grimbergen | 49 | 1,284 | 2,831 | 7,017 | 15,470 | Up 5 semitones |
| [30] | |
Saint Gorik Church | Haaltert | 44 | 1,896 | 4,180 | 5,435 | 11,982 | Up 16 semitones | Michiels 1946–60 | [31] | |
Basilica of Saint Martin | Halle | 54 | 3,500 | 7,700 | 12,900 | 28,400 | Up 7 semitones |
| [32] | |
St. Salvator Church | Harelbeke | 50 | 1,800 | 4,000 | 7,179 | 15,827 | Up 7 semitones | Michiels 1959 | [33] | |
St. Quentin Cathedral | Hasselt | 53 | 3,175 | 7,000 | 10,980 | 24,210 | Up 4 semitones |
| [34] [7] [35] | |
— | Vernimmen Garden | Herent | 28 | 200 | 440 | 1,100 | 2,400 | — | Van Aerschodt 1912–14 | [36] |
Belfry of Herentals | Herentals | 49 | 485 | 1,069 | 2,883 | 6,356 | Up 1 semitone |
| [37] [7] | |
Schepenhuis | Herzele | 28 | 272 | 600 | 1,660 | 3,660 | Up 12 semitones | Horacantus 1952 | [38] | |
St Catherine's Church | Hoogstraten | 50 | 1,823 | 4,019 | 11,777 | 25,964 | Up 3 semitones |
| [39] | |
St. Hilonius Church | Izegem | 47 | 2,109 | 4,650 | 10,064 | 22,187 | Up 1 semitone |
| [40] | |
Belfry of Kortrijk | Kortrijk | 48 | 310 | 680 | 1,945 | 4,288 | Up 11 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 1994 | [41] [7] | |
Saint Martin's Church | 49 | 5,060 | 11,160 | 18,490 | 40,760 | None (concert pitch) |
| [42] | ||
Saint Martin's Church | Lede | 24 | 54 | 119 | 800 | 1,800 | Up 12 semitones | Michiels 1952–55 | [43] | |
Saint Gertrude's Abbey | Leuven | 49 | 3,750 | 8,270 | 15,061 | 33,204 | Up 1 semitone |
| [44] [7] | |
St. Peter's Church | 49 | 4,280 | 9,440 | 17,500 | 38,600 | Up 1 semitone |
| [45] [7] | ||
Academic libraries in Leuven | 63 | 7,096 | 15,644 | 35,349 | 77,931 | Down 4 semitones |
| [46] [47] | ||
Park Abbey | 40 | 2,132 | 4,700 | 10,616 | 23,404 | Up 1 semitone | Royal Eijsbouts 2018 | [48] [49] | ||
Church of St. John the Baptist | 45 | 189 | 417 | 1,333 | 2,939 | Up 14 semitones |
| [50] | ||
Saint Gummarus Church | Lier | 52 | 7,638 | 16,839 | 19,781 | 43,610 | Down 2 semitones |
| [51] [7] | |
Saint Laurentius Church | Lokeren | 49 | 3,660 | 8,070 | 16,790 | 37,020 | — | Horacantus 1955–56 | [52] | |
Church of Saint Peter-in-Chains | Lommel | 63 | 3,263 | 7,194 | 15,493 | 34,156 | None (concert pitch) |
| [53] | |
St. Rumbold's Cathedral (Old carillon) | Mechelen | 49 | 8,000 | 18,000 | 36,000 | 79,000 | Down 4 semitones |
| [54] [7] | |
St. Rumbold's Cathedral (New carillon) | 49 | 8,180 | 18,030 | 39,244 | 86,518 | Down 5 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 1981 | [55] | ||
Church of Our Lady-across-the-Dyle | 50 | 2,217 | 4,888 | 9,123 | 20,113 | Up 5 semitones |
| [56] [57] | ||
Court of Busleyden | 49 | 420 | 930 | 2,541 | 5,602 | Up 12 semitones | Michiels 1953 | [58] [59] | ||
St. Martin's Church | Meise | 56 | 905 | 1,995 | 4,615 | 10,174 | Up 7 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 2001 | [60] | |
Belfry of Menen | Menen | 49 | 770 | 1,700 | 4,764 | 10,503 | Up 7 semitones |
| [61] | |
Saints Peter und Paul Church | Mol | 49 | 3,240 | 7,140 | 16,504 | 36,385 | None (concert pitch) |
| [62] [63] | |
Postel Abbey | 49 | 382 | 842 | 2,187 | 4,822 | Up 12 semitones |
| [64] [65] | ||
Church of Saint Peter-in-Chains | Nederbrakel | 49 | 1,996 | 4,400 | 9,645 | 21,264 | Up 3 semitones |
| [66] | |
Church of Our Lady | Nieuwpoort | 67 [lower-alpha 1] | 1,407 | 3,102 | 8,976 | 19,789 | Up 5 semitones | Michiels 1952 | [67] [68] | |
Festivities and Culture Palace | Ostend | 49 | 2,497 | 5,505 | 12,393 | 27,322 | Up 2 semitones | Paccard 1964 | [69] | |
St. Walburga Church | Oudenaarde | 49 | 3,230 | 7,120 | 15,500 | 34,200 | None (concert pitch) | Petit & Fritsen 1967 | [70] | |
St. Trudo Church | Peer | 64 | 3,705 | 8,168 | 17,234 | 37,994 | None (concert pitch) | Petit & Fritsen 1951–99 | [71] | |
Saint Nicholas Church | Pelt | 48 | 1,060 | 2,340 | 3,564 | 7,857 | Up 9 semitones |
| [72] [73] | |
St. Bertin's Church | Poperinge | 47 | 800 | 1,800 | 4,380 | 9,660 | — |
| [74] | |
Saint Peter's Church | Puurs | 50 | 505 | 1,113 | 3,890 | 8,580 | (Range not available) Up 9 semitones | Royal Eijsbouts 2017 | [75] [76] | |
Saint Michael's Church | Roeselare | 49 | 890 | 1,960 | 5,154 | 11,363 | Up 7 semitones |
| [77] [78] | |
Saint Hermes' Church | Ronse | 49 | 2,355 | 5,192 | 12,211 | 26,921 | — |
| [79] | |
Basilica of Our Lady | Scherpenheuvel-Zichem | 49 | 2,812 | 6,199 | 13,200 | 29,100 | — |
| [80] | |
Sint-Niklaas City Hall | Sint-Niklaas | 49 | 850 | 1,870 | 5,200 | 11,500 | — |
| [81] | |
Belfry of Sint-Truiden | Sint-Truiden | 50 | 1,800 | 4,000 | 6,000 | 13,000 | — |
| [82] [7] | |
Basilica of Our Lady of Kortenbos | 27 | 2,365 | 5,214 | 5,252 | 11,579 | — | Michiels 1947–53 | [83] | ||
Saint Rumolds Church | Steenokkerzeel | 49 | 1,416 | 3,122 | 7,185 | 15,840 | — |
| [84] | |
Temse City Hall | Temse | 38 | 509 | 1,122 | 3,076 | 6,781 | — |
| [85] | |
Belfry of Tielt | Tielt | 35 | 105 | 231 | 831 | 1,832 | Up 9 semitones | Dumery 1772–1827 | [86] [7] [87] | |
Saint Germain's Church | Tienen | 54 | 1,529 | 3,371 | 7,071 | 15,589 | — |
| [88] [7] | |
Basilica of Our Lady | Tongeren | 49 | 1,593 | 3,512 | 10,384 | 22,893 | (Range not available) Up 2 semitones |
| [89] [7] [90] | |
Saint Peter's Church | Turnhout | 50 | 1,105 | 2,436 | 4,325 | 9,535 | — |
| [91] [7] | |
Saint Nicholas Church | Veurne | 48 | 1,794 | 3,955 | 9,185 | 20,249 | — | Michiels 1955–60 | [92] | |
Saint Amand's Church | Wingene | 49 | 738 | 1,627 | 4,189 | 9,235 | Up 8 semitones |
| [93] [94] | |
Ypres Cloth Hall | Ypres | 49 | 2,494 | 5,498 | 11,892 | 26,217 | Up 2 semitones |
| [95] [96] | |
Church of Our Lady of the Ascension | Zottegem | 49 | 1,338 | 2,950 | 6,828 | 15,053 | Up 3 semitones |
| [97] [98] | |
St. Leonard's Church | Zoutleeuw | 39 | 140 | 310 | 1,225 | 2,701 | — | Horacantus 1963 | [99] |
The Walloon Carillon Association maintains a registry of carillons in the Walloon Region. According to the organization, there are 22 carillons located in Wallonia. They are distributed across 20 different cities; three are within the same city – Liège. The carillons have a wide range in total weights, with bourdons spanning between 30 and 4,070 kilograms (66 and 8,973 lb). They also span a wide range of notes, from 25 up to 55. Many carillons were constructed over several centuries by several bellfounders; a minority are constructed entirely by a single bellfounder. The majority of carillons are transposing instruments, and often transpose such that the lowest note on the keyboard is B♭ or C. [6]
Dendermonde is a city in the Flemish province of East Flanders in Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Dendermonde and the towns of Appels, Baasrode, Grembergen, Mespelare, Oudegem, Schoonaarde, and Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde. Dendermonde is at the mouth of the river Dender, where it flows into the Scheldt. The town has a long-standing folkloric feud with Aalst, south along the same river, which dates from the Middle Ages.
Kaprijke is a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Kaprijke proper and Lembeke. In 2021, Kaprijke had a total population of 6,508.
Sint-Niklaas is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sint-Niklaas proper and the towns of Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, and Sinaai.
Mechelen is a city and municipality in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Mechelen proper, some quarters at its outskirts, the hamlets of Nekkerspoel (adjacent) and Battel, as well as the villages of Walem, Heffen, Leest, Hombeek, and Muizen. The river Dyle (Dijle) flows through the city, hence it is often referred to as the Dijlestad.
Tienen is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises Tienen itself and the towns of Bost, Goetsenhoven, Hakendover, Kumtich, Oorbeek, Oplinter, Sint-Margriete-Houtem and Vissenaken.
Sint-Truiden is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, and has over 41,500 inhabitants, which makes it one of the largest cities in Limburg. The municipality includes the former communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden, Melveren, Metsteren, Ordingen, Runkelen, Velm, Wilderen, and Zepperen.
St. Rumbold's Cathedral is the Roman Catholic metropolitan archiepiscopal cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium, dedicated to Saint Rumbold, Christian missionary and martyr who founded an abbey nearby. His remains are rumoured to be buried inside the cathedral. State-of-the-art examination of the relics honoured as Saint Rumbold's and kept in a shrine in the retro-choir, showed a life span of about 40 years and a death date between 580 and 655, while tradition had claimed 775 AD.
The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's seat of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. It was constructed in the Gothic style by architects Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos. The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Belgium, with its tower rising 123 meters over the city.
The Belfries of Belgium and France are a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, in recognition of the civic belfries serving as an architectural manifestation of emerging civic independence from feudal and religious influences in the former County of Flanders and neighbouring areas which once were possessions of the House of Burgundy.
The Belfry of Bruges is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium. One of the city's most prominent symbols, the belfry formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other dangers.
Pieter Hemony and his brother François Hemony were the greatest bellfounders in the history of the Low Countries. They developed the carillon, in collaboration with Jacob van Eyck, into a full-fledged musical instrument by casting the first tuned carillon in 1644.
Ommegang or Ommeganck is the generic name for various medieval pageants celebrated in the Low Countries.
Luc Rombouts is a Belgian carillonneur and author. He is the city carillonneur of Tienen in Flemish Brabant. He is also the official carillonneur of both Leuven University carillons and the Park Abbey. He has given numerous concerts in Europe and the US and appeared in festivals and conventions. Together with Twan Bearda he performs in a carillon duet called The Bells' Angels, exploring, expanding and performing four hand carillon repertoire.
CornilCacheux was a French pipe organ maker.
The church of Our Lady, Melsele is a Roman Catholic parish church in Melsele, in the commune of Beveren, in East Flanders, Belgium. It is a registered heritage site.
Ninove Abbey was a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order in the center of Ninove, in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Only the abbey church now remains.
Huibrecht, Hubrecht, Hubertus or Hubert van den Eynde was a Flemish sculptor. He is mainly known for his religious sculptures and church furniture although he also worked on some secular projects. He was the first prominent sculptor of the van den Eynde family of artists and merchants. In the early 17th century, van den Eynde was one of the leading Flemish sculptors who rejected contrived Mannerist formulae in favour of greater realism. His work shows a development from the early Baroque to the high Baroque. His late style is characterized by a penchant for movement and dashing draperies.
Wortegem is a village and seat of the municipality of Wortegem-Petegem in the Belgian province of East Flanders. It is located about 17 kilometres (11 mi) east of Kortrijk.
Jacobus van Eynde or van den Eynde was a Flemish organ builder.
We spreken over een beiaard (of carillon) als er tenminste 23 (2 octaven) ten opzichte van elkaar gestemde bronzen klokken aanwezig zijn die handmatig worden bespeeld met behulp van een stokkenklavier waardoor expressiviteit mogelijk wordt. [We speak of a carillon if there are at least 23 (2 octaves) bronze bells tuned relative to each other that are played manually with the help of a baton keyboard, allowing expressiveness.]
... and the three 'great' carillon countries –the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium –are responsible for almost 70% of all carillons worldwide.