American Engineers' Memorial Carillon

*Location:

   Universiteitsbibliotheek
   (University Library)
   Mgr.Ladeuzeplein
   Leuven (Louvain),
     Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
   LL: N 50.87810, E 4.70755

Site locator map
City locator maps and gazetteer page

*Carillonist:

   Luc Rombouts,   (A)
     universiteitsbeiaardier
   T: 015/20 68 00   C: 475-69 06 69
   E: luc DOTrombouts @ telenet DOTbe

   19??-91 Renaat van Steenwegen

*Contact:

   Dienst cultuurcoördinatie
   Naamsestraat 96
   3000 Leuven
   T: 016/32 03 40
   - or -
   Katholieke Universiteit Leuven   (A)
   Mgr.Ladeuzeplein 21
   3000 Leuven (B)
   E: beiaard@kuleuven.be
   - or -
   Dienst cultuurcoordinatie KU Leuven
   Oude Markt 13
   3000 Leuven
   T: 016/28 40 09

*Schedule:

   Tuesday & Thursday 1900-1945 during
   academic year; Saturday 8-10pm Jul-Aug.
   Quarters = 6-note Fantasy on the
   Reuzenlied, via G&J fixed drum (1928),
   2 hammers per bell.

*Remarks:

   The 16 G&J bells removed in the 1983
   enlargement became an automatic chime
   in  LEUVEN - SJD  and then a carillon.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 63 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is F# in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     A#D   /    A#G   
   Transposition is down 4 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G#
   There are two missing bass semitones
   The presence or absence of a practice console is unknown
   The instrument was enlarged in 1983
     with 31 bells made by Eijsbouts        
   Prior history:
     In 1928, the instrument was begun with 48 bells
       by Gillett & Johnston
       (32 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     A#C   /    A#C 24
       There were three missing bass semitones
   Auxiliary mechanisms: M6E   
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 2012

Wikimedia photo of the library and tower

A peace carillon page has photos and additional information.

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

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston 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.
Where the #2 bell of this carillon ranks among all great bells in Europe.

Index to all traditional carillons in BE.

Index to all peace carillons worldwide.

Index to all tower bell instruments in BE/Vlaams-Brabant, including the present location of the trebles removed in 1983.

   This page was built from the database on  2-Mar-25
   based on textual data last updated on 2025/02/02
   and on technical data last updated on 2012/09/06