DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29899#0220
200
BELGIAN ARCHITECTURE.
Part II.
a fine tower, though a good deal altered and its effect destroyed by
more modern additions.
The belfry at Ghent was commenced in 1183, but the stone-work
was only completed in 1337. In 1376 a wooden spire was placed upon
it, making up the height to 237 fi This was taken down in
1855 in order to complete the tower according to the original design,
which, like that of most of the unfinished buildings of Belgium, has
been carefully preserved. It has since been com-
pleted by the addition of an iron spire (375 ft.)
painted to look like stone. The Woodcut Ho. 682
is a reduction of the original drawing, which, though
not so perfect as some others, gives a fair idea of
what it was intended to be.
The belfry of Brussels was one of the finest in
the country, but after various misfortunes it fell in
1714, and is only known now by a model still
preserved in the city.
At Ypres and Bruges the belfries form part of
the great halls of the city. Those at Lierre,
Nieuport, Alost, Burnes, and other cities, have been
all more or less destroyed by aiterations, and are
more interesting to the antiquary than to the
architect ; moreover, like the cities themselves, they
never could have been of the first class, or remarkable
for any extraordinary magnificence.
The great municipal halls, which are found in
all the principal cities of Belgium, are of three
classes :—1. Town-halls—the municipal senate-houses
and courts of justice. 2. Trade-halls or market-
houses, the principal of which were cloth-halls, cloth
having been the great staple manufacture of Belgium
during the Middle Ages. And lastly Guildhalls, or
the separate places of assembly of the different
guilds or associated trades of the cities.
As far as existing examples go, it would appear
that the trade halls were the first erected. The
cloth-hall at Ypres is by far the most magnificent and beautiful of
these, as also the earliest. The foundation-stone was laid in 1200 by
Baldwin of Constantinople, but it was not finished till 104 years
afterwards. The façade is 440 ft. in length, and of the simplest
possible design, being perfectly straight and unbroken from end to
end. The windows of each storey, all of one design, are repeated,
not only along the whole front, but at each end. Its height is
varied by the noble belfry which rises from its centre, and by a
682. Belfry at Gbent.
fFrom the original
Drawing.)
BELGIAN ARCHITECTURE.
Part II.
a fine tower, though a good deal altered and its effect destroyed by
more modern additions.
The belfry at Ghent was commenced in 1183, but the stone-work
was only completed in 1337. In 1376 a wooden spire was placed upon
it, making up the height to 237 fi This was taken down in
1855 in order to complete the tower according to the original design,
which, like that of most of the unfinished buildings of Belgium, has
been carefully preserved. It has since been com-
pleted by the addition of an iron spire (375 ft.)
painted to look like stone. The Woodcut Ho. 682
is a reduction of the original drawing, which, though
not so perfect as some others, gives a fair idea of
what it was intended to be.
The belfry of Brussels was one of the finest in
the country, but after various misfortunes it fell in
1714, and is only known now by a model still
preserved in the city.
At Ypres and Bruges the belfries form part of
the great halls of the city. Those at Lierre,
Nieuport, Alost, Burnes, and other cities, have been
all more or less destroyed by aiterations, and are
more interesting to the antiquary than to the
architect ; moreover, like the cities themselves, they
never could have been of the first class, or remarkable
for any extraordinary magnificence.
The great municipal halls, which are found in
all the principal cities of Belgium, are of three
classes :—1. Town-halls—the municipal senate-houses
and courts of justice. 2. Trade-halls or market-
houses, the principal of which were cloth-halls, cloth
having been the great staple manufacture of Belgium
during the Middle Ages. And lastly Guildhalls, or
the separate places of assembly of the different
guilds or associated trades of the cities.
As far as existing examples go, it would appear
that the trade halls were the first erected. The
cloth-hall at Ypres is by far the most magnificent and beautiful of
these, as also the earliest. The foundation-stone was laid in 1200 by
Baldwin of Constantinople, but it was not finished till 104 years
afterwards. The façade is 440 ft. in length, and of the simplest
possible design, being perfectly straight and unbroken from end to
end. The windows of each storey, all of one design, are repeated,
not only along the whole front, but at each end. Its height is
varied by the noble belfry which rises from its centre, and by a
682. Belfry at Gbent.
fFrom the original
Drawing.)