Belfry of Mons

Beffroi de Mons is a very characteristic building inscribed in the landscape of Mons, a Belgian city in which I have been living for several years. Castrum (a Roman fortified camp built by legionnaires according to a well-defined plan) was built in Roman times (Belgica), giving the settlement the Latin name Castrilocus, later renamed Montes for the mountain on which the castrum was built. In fact, it is a small hill, but in relatively flat Belgium, each hill is a mountain.

The Baroque bell tower, unique in the country, is the most famous monument of Mons. It was built in 1661-1669 on the site of an old round clock tower, which dominated the hill and since the end of the 14th century gave it its characteristic appearance. The fourteenth-century tower was damaged in 1548 during a great fire that devastated the city. It was restored, but in April 1661 it collapsed, probably because it was too high for its diameter and too heavy to be supported by a small base.

The deputy mayor of Mons did everything he could to rebuild the belfry, which is characteristic of the city's landscape, despite the financial support of the state, it was a huge financial effort for the city. The architect Louis Ledoux's square base design was chosen, and Vincent Anthony supervised the project after his death.

The main purpose of the tower was to observe and protect the city, which was also the case in 1691, when French troops siege the city of Mons. It also served as a fire watchtower, as a place to observe fires and inform the inhabitants in case of their outbreak.

The 87-metre-high stone tower is crowned with a complex structure in the shape of a light bulb, which gives it an unusual, picturesque appearance. Each level has its own architectural decoration inspired by old styles (Tuscan pilasters, Ionic columns, pilasters with coloured volute, etc.).

Inside the belfry, a very narrow stone spiral staircase in the 15th and 16th century style leads to the third floor, to the highest level where the lighthouse is led by a wooden ladder. On four sides of the belfry there are clocks, and inside there is a carillon with 49 bells, from different periods of time, which was renovated and modernized in 1953 and 1985. Nowadays, the sound of the bells informs about the full hours and commemorates important events in the city, the light from the lighthouse is visible after dark from afar.

 

 

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