A true regional symbol, the belfries are the architectural pride of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and are undeniably part of the area's built heritage. In bygone days, the belfry served as a watchtower to prevent any enemy attacks, and had a carillon and a pirouette on top. Some of them have been listed by UNESCO and are therefore of inestimable historical value.
The department of Pas-de-Calais has several remarkable belfries. Among them, the belfry of Béthune is a high square tower with a campanile and a dragon weather vane on top, possessing one of the finest carillons. The belfry of Boulogne-sur-Mer is located in the fortified town and is characterised by its square Romanesque tower with an octagonal tower on top. In Arras, the belfry with its Flamboyant Gothic architecture culminates at a height of 75 metres and offers a panoramic view of the city. All three are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as are the ones in Calais and Hesdin, the latter crowned by an octagonal lantern whose bell weighs 2,000 kg!
The department of Nord is not to be outdone and also has very beautiful listed belfries. We should mention the one in Bailleul, built from yellow bricks in the Flemish Neo-Renaissance style. It was completely destroyed during the First World War and then rebuilt. The mermaid Melusine, the town's protective symbol, appears on top of its bulb-shaped bell tower. Made famous by the film Welcome to the Sticks (Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis), the belfry of Bergues can be recognised by its lion-shaped weather vane and its 50-bell carillon. A mixture of Flemish and Gothic architecture, the red brick belfry of Douai is remarkable for its electric carillon that plays a tune every 15 minutes. Lille is home to the tallest belfry in Northern Europe: 14 floors and 104 metres high! The ray of light from its beacon can be seen up to 30 km away. There too, the building is a mixture of styles, combining Flemish Renaissance and 20th century. As for the city of Dunkirk, it possesses two belfries. One stands on the city hall, built from red bricks in the Flemish Renaissance style, and the other is the ochre brick belfry of St. Eligius, both Gothic and Romanesque, with a carillon of 50 bells.
