Belfry of Gembloux

History

The Church of Saint-Sauveur, located in Gembloux, is regarded as the town’s main parish church. Its construction dates back to the 12th century, built on the foundations of a 10th-century structure. At that time, Gembloux received its first charter of municipal liberties in 1123, confirmed in 1187 by Godfrey III, Duke of Brabant.

Over time, the church tower was raised several times to meet the needs of the municipality. In 1478, a clock was installed in the tower, and in 1531, it was transformed into a watchtower. As in many other towns, the church tower gradually acquired an official social and communal role, while still contributing to the town’s defense.

In 1678, a fire devastated Gembloux. In the aftermath, a bell-founding workshop was established to help rebuild the town. During the post-revolutionary period, the church was closed to worship, likely when the abbey buildings were sold as national property. However, the abbey church was adopted as the new parish church of Gembloux, under the name Saint-Guibert. Saint-Sauveur Church, on the other hand, was in poor condition and abandoned. It was taken over (or repurchased) by the municipality in 1810. Fifteen years later, in 1825, the nave and the choir were demolished due to their advanced state of deterioration.

The tower, however, was preserved, restored, and transformed into the official belfry of Gembloux. Since 1889, the building’s exterior walls have been clad in bricks. In September 1905, the upper section of the belfry was destroyed by fire. A new lantern was built in 1907 at the top of the tower, with a distinctly different and unique design among the many Belgian belfries: it has a bulb-shaped form, unlike the previous one which rose sharply into a spire. The belfry is topped with a weather vane bearing the coat of arms of the city of Gembloux.

A (nearly) unique carillon in the province

The belfry of Gembloux is equipped with a remarkable carillon, originally consisting of four swinging bells, including a bourdon, installed in 1905. Later, in 1962, an additional set of 47 bells was added, creating a complete carillon — one of only two concert carillons in the Province of Namur.

In 2009, it underwent a full restoration, including automation of the system, allowing the bells to chime musical notes every quarter hour.

Bells cast on-site

In 2015, during archaeological excavations beneath the belfry, researchers uncovered an old bell-foundry workshop. In addition to an almost intact mold for a large bell, they discovered remnants of a furnace and fragments of clay molds.

Unfortunately, the workshop must be reburied. The ambient humidity causes mold that rapidly deteriorates the exposed clay molds. The only way to preserve these centuries-old relics is to cover them with earth again.

A nest for falcons

In March 2019, a raptor nesting box was installed at the top of the Gembloux Belfry to encourage the return of peregrine falcons — once an endangered species — and to help naturally control the pigeon population in the city center. Shortly afterward, a pair of peregrine falcons settled into the nest. From 2020 to 2022, several broods of 2 to 3 fledglings were successfully raised, closely monitored by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

Thanks to a camera installed on site, you can now observe the daily life of this small family of falcons by clicking here.

The future of the Belfry

For several years, the city of Gembloux has been considering how to enhance its belfry. Funding is finally arriving, and various projects can begin to take shape, including the creation of a square on the site of the former church — with some remains kept visible — as well as a redevelopment of the belfry’s interior to facilitate public access.