Bell towers in Europe
Living in France I’ve taken a lot of flack from my European friends. I don’t know how many countless cathedrals and towers and old ruins I’ve dragged them to, bearing their complaints and whining all the while. Why, they wondered, was I so intrigued with these old buildings and towers? It’s different when you’ve grown up in America, I’d tell them. We don’t have these gorgeous cathedrals and palaces that date back to the Middle Ages. I don’t know how many dozens I’ve seen, but I don’t think I’ll ever tire of them. Even if you ignore them as culturally and historically informative, they’re darn beautiful. It seems you can’t pass through even the smallest European town without stopping to gawk at a glorious tower looming over the town square.
One of Europe’s most famous is undeniably the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tower leans due to a shoddy job on the foundation, and has done so since shortly after it was erected. This tower attracts an exorbitant amount of tourists each year. One of my favorite bell towers in Europe is the stunning medieval Belfry of Brugges in Belgium. This Belfry has overlooked this uniquely beautiful town since the 1300s, and today is open to visitors at a small fee and usually has a gallery exhibit on the first floor of the surrounding structure. Another well-known tower is the Old Town Hall in Prague, the façade of which sports the grand Astronomical Clock that overlooks the square. Tourists huddle here several times each day waiting for the hour to strike and the great mechanisms of the clock to turn.
Have any old towers in Europe caught your eye? Which are your favorite?
August 16th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
OH yes, that’s true. I’m from Germany and there is not one tiny village without pompous church in its city centre. From my point of view however it’s a shame, because these buildings have been created in times when people didn’t even have enough food, just to make clear that god is there. 🙂
However there are indeed buildings with a more than impressive architecture and when I put my morals aside I can relate to that overwhelming feeling.
August 17th, 2010 at 7:41 am
Nope, America doesn’t have these beautiful, historical relics that act as teachers and remind us there were people inhabiting these areas long before modern society. Even if we America had these relics, we’d probably bull-doze them and put in a mall, shopping strip, and condos! At least in Europe they do what they can to preserve their rich history. These buildings educates each generation about the history of the area and its people.
April 22nd, 2012 at 10:44 am
Know exactly what you mean. Grew up in New Zealand anI am constantly amazed at how locals take for granted the ancient history they have all around them.