MECHELEN - STR/1 : BELGIUM

   (Historic carillon)

*Location:

   Lower belfry
   Sint-Romboutstoren
   (St.Rombold's Tower)
   Onder den Toren / Sint-Romboutskerkhof
   Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin),
     Antwerpen, Belgium
   LL: N 51.02893, E 4.47829

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*Player:

   (See STR/2)

*Contact:

   (See STR/2)

*Schedule:

   Rarely played since installation of
   the modern carillon (STR/2).

*Remarks:

   Pre-Hemony bells by A.Waghevens (1,1480),
   S.Waghevens (1,1498), J.Waghevens
   (1,1515), A.Steylaert (1,1564),
   M. de Haze (2,1696/97); post-Hemony bells
   by J. du Mery (1,1735),
   A.-J. vanden Gheyn (4,1766-84),
   A.-L.-J. van Aerschodt (1,1844),
   S. van Aerschodt (1,1860),
   M. Michiels, Sr. (3,1906),
   M. Michiels, Jr. (6,1931-52).
   Drum (inop.) by A.Jullien, Lier, 1736.
   In 1981, this carillon was relocated
   (frame and all) from the upper belfry
   to the lower, above the peal bells of
   the church.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 49 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is F# in the bass octave
   Transposition is down 4 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     D C 47/    A#G   
   There are two missing bass semitones
   The instrument was enlarged in 1948
     with bells made by Michiels    
   Prior history:
     In 1945, the instrument was enlarged to 48 bells
       by Michiels    
       (8 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1922, the instrument was enlarged to 45 bells
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
     In 1674, the instrument was enlarged to 39 bells
       by Hemony
       (27 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     Previously, the instrument was begun with 26 bells
       by an unknown maker
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
   Year of latest technical information source is 1952

Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

*Links:

Descriptive article (in Dutch, with tower photo) from the VBV (Vlaamse Beiaard Vereniging), covering both historic and modern carillons.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of unknown bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Hemony bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
(The third phase of this work being an accumulation of mostly single bells by various founders, it is not separately indexed.)
Where the fourth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Michiels bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Michiels 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/Antwerpen.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on 25-Feb-08
   based on textual data last updated on 2008/02/19
   and on technical data last updated on 2008/02/19

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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