*Location:

   Sint-Geertruikerk  (Abdij)
   Halfmaartstraat at Kleine Begijnhof
   Leuven (Louvain),
     Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
   LL: N 50.88413, E 4.69902

Site locator map
City locator maps and gazetteer page

*Carillonist:

   Marc Van Eyck   (A)
   T: 475/67 89 01
   E: marc/@/vew DOTbe

*Contact:

   Pastorie
   Sint-Geertruiabdij 9
   3000 Leuven
   T: 016/23 68 74

*Schedule:

   Wednesday 1800-1830;
   also at noon Sundays in July

*Remarks:

   Chime of 1642 by B.Cauthals, Mechelen,
   incorporating some older bells, was
   entirely replaced by A.-J. vanden Gheyn
   carillon, cast 1777-79.  The bell
   added in 1802 was cast by J.Zeelstman
   in 1446 for nearby Sint-Michielskerk,
   but did not become part of the carillon
   until 1830, when A.-L. vanden Gheyn
   and A.-L.-J. van Aerschodt also added
   a bell they had cast in 1829.  ALJ vA
   supplied at least 7 more bells between
   1843 and 1857. Keyboard and trans-
   mission replaced by J.Denyn & D.Somers
   in 1892.
   The F.Sergeys bell of 1954 replaced one
   damaged by bombing in 1944.  Final
   enlargement/replacement by J.Sergeys.
   Also 6 peal bells.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 49 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is B  in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     F#C 43/    A#--  
   Transposition is up  1 semitone(s), i.e., from C to C#
   There are two missing bass semitones
   The presence or absence of a practice console is unknown
   The instrument was enlarged in 1971
     with 15 bells made by Sergeys      
   Prior history:
     In 1954,  1 bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Sergeys     
       (1 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was unknown
     In 1857, the instrument was enlarged to 47 bells
       by vanAerschodt
       (3 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was B  in the bass octave
       Keyboard range was:     C C   /    C F   
       Transposition was down 1 semitone(s), i.e., from C to B 
       There were two missing bass semitones
     In 1830, the instrument was enlarged to 39 bells
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was unknown
     In 1802, the instrument was enlarged to 38 bells
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       (1 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1778, the instrument was enlarged to 37 bells
       by vandenGheyn 
       (29 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1642, the instrument was begun with 20 bells
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 2012

Descriptive article (in Dutch, with tower photo) from the VBV (Vlaamse Beiaard Vereniging); the description is incomplete, but there are additional photos.

Local association article (and alternate URL)

A city page about the four carillons includes a slide show.

The Website of Campanae Lovanienses has a page about the three carillons of the city of Leuven, with a frame for each: Sint-Pieterskerk, the University Library, and Sint-Geertruikerk (all in Flemish; some photos missing).

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 the Vanden Gheyn bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of miscellaneous bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the fourth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the van Aerschodt bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the fifth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the van Aerschodt bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the sixth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Sergeys bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Sergeys 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.

Index to all traditional carillons in BE.

Index to all tower bell instruments in BE/Vlaams-Brabant.

   This page was built from the database on 14-Oct-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2023/10/13
   and on technical data last updated on 2023/10/13