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Visiting and "climbing" all 56 belfries
Started as an idea with a nod to Reinold Messner, the first human to climb the fourteen mountains higher than 8,000 meters. The 56 belfries in the Low Countries are then, of course, a fine equivalent. However, even when visiting the first belfries, we were captivated by these monuments of urban autonomy. There is so much to say about it but other than brief information on wikipedia and a French-language blog, we initially found very little information online. Reason also of this website. We can plan quite a few visits on our trip for now to visit all 56 belfries but we thought it would be a good idea to make it a little easier for other interested parties.
On the UNESCO list
Visited
Still to go
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Bert van Eiken
Eric Cornelissen
When it was is no longer known but during an edition of the Ghent Festivities, an interest in the history and significance of Belfries arose.
With a fat nod to Reinhold Messner who was the first to climb the fourteen highest peaks in the world, someone had to be the first to climb all the belfries of the Low Countries!
Only later did it become clear that there were not 14 but 56.
That Messner had it easy.
Reijer Hekelaar
What began as a driver for my friends has now become a shared passion.
The penny soon dropped: this will not be a boring history lesson, but an epic road trip with culture, history and Burgundian indulgence.
Every Belfort trip offers a perfect excuse to enjoy what is really good: eating, drinking and enjoying life in the company of friends.
Why do I keep coming back.
Every trip feels like a celebration of the good free life, fueled by the history of these iconic buildings.
Where does our interest come from?
Unconsciously, Bussum’s carillon may have played a role as well. All three of us grew up in Bussum where the carillon was inaugurated on August 14, 1974. The carillon is played once every two weeks by Levina Pors on Saturday afternoons from 3 to 4 p.m.
The Carillon of Bussum
Bussum’s carillon consists of 47 bells and it was a gift from the people of Bussum and some sponsors when the new city hall was completed. The bells were cast by the Royal Bell Foundry Petit and Fritsen of Aarle-Rixtel, the third-oldest family business in The Netherlands. The bells hang in a stone tower on the square in front of the town hall. This includes the keyboard and an automatic playback mechanism.
The three most recent posts
On this page we have collected all the relevant information for visiting this belfry. To keep this up to date, we are constantly on our way to one of the 56 belfries on the Unesco World Heritage List. Below are the latest additions.
Theater Kalleke Step
Notice of an unexpected visit to theater Kalleke Step in Grembergen during a planned visit to Dendermonde.
Bayard and the Town Hall of Dendermonde
Report on the visit to Dendermonde City Hall and the Hollandse Kazerne with the common thread: Ros Carillon
Visit Belfry of Dendermonde 2023
Visit Belfry of Dendermonde 2023 Rein had managed to get in touch with Patrick Segers, the head of the Tourism Department in Dendermonde, and make an appointment to tour the Belfry. Not only was Patrick waiting for us in front of the Belfry and City Hall but he turned...