*Location:

   Belfort
   St.-Baafsplein (Saint Bavon's Place)
   Botermarkt
   Gent (Gand,Ghent),
     Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium
   LL: N 51.05364, E 3.72479

Site locator map
City locator maps and gazetteer page

*Carillonist:

   Kenneth Theunissen
   info/@/kenneththeunissen DOTbe

   Geert D'hollander
   Liesbeth Janssens
   Jos D'hollander

*Contact:

   (unknown)

*Schedule:

   Fridays 1130-1230; Sundays 1130-1230
   from Easter to mid-June and Oct-Nov;
   Saturdays 2100-2200, mid-June thru Aug.

*Remarks:

   Bells of 1541 by Waghevens, added to
   some number existing to make two
   diatonic octaves with flat 7th in both
   octaves, played by drum.  First
   clavier installed in 1552, with sharp
   4th in upper octave.  P.Hemony basses
   added in 1660 made this the largest &
   heaviest carillon in the world.
   The 1913 instrument included 38 by
   P.Hemony and 9 by O.Michaux.
   Now includes 8 Hemony bells from
   Baudeloo Abbey + 3 basses by others.
   Tower includes "Roland" by Michiels
   (1948), replacing cracked "Roland" by
   P.Hemony (1660), which is on display
   at ground level.  Drum by P.Hemony,1659.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 54 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is G  in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     A#F   /    A#G   
   Transposition is down 3 semitone(s), i.e., from C to A 
   There are three missing bass semitones
   The presence or absence of a practice console is unknown
   The instrument was enlarged in 1993
     with bells made by Eijsbouts    
   Prior history:
     In 1983, the instrument was enlarged to 53 bells
       by Eijsbouts   
     In 1969, 21 bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Eijsbouts   
       (21 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell (excluding sub-bourdon) was C  in the middle octave
       Keyboard range was: (GA)C C   /    ----  
       Transposition was nil (concert pitch)
       There were no missing bass semitones
     In 1948, some bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Michiels    
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1913, the instrument was enlarged to 52 bells
       by Michaux     
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was G  in the bass octave
       Keyboard range was:     G C   /    G G 23
       Transposition was nil (concert pitch)
       There were two missing bass semitones
     In 1660, the instrument was enlarged to 40 bells
       by Hemony      
       (9 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1659, the instrument was enlarged to 37 bells
       by Hemony      
       (15 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was unknown
     In 1552, the instrument was enlarged to 18 bells
       by an unknown maker
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     C C   /    ----  
       There were three added semitones
     In 1541, the instrument was begun with 17 bells
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       There were two added semitones
   Auxiliary mechanisms: EM    
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is unknown

The local association for the carillon has an extensive Website.

Descriptive article (in Dutch, with tower photo) from the VBV (Vlaamse Beiaard Vereniging)

Stock photo showing drum and 2 old clocks, one working on a small bell.

Stock photo: The medieval bronze alarm bell Roland (Klokke Roeland) in the belfry

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of miscellaneous bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of unknown bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Hemony bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the fourth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Hemony bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the fifth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Michaux bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the sixth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Michiels bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the seventh phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the eighth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all Belgian traditional carillons by pitch (weight).
Ranking among all Belgian traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all Belgian traditional carillons by year of completion.

Where the bass bell of this carillon ranks among all great bells in Europe.

Index to all traditional carillons in BE.

Index to all tower bell instruments in BE/Oost-Vlaanderen.

   This page was built from the database on 14-Oct-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2015/08/05
   and on technical data last updated on 2012/09/07