Belfries of Belgium and France

Belfry of Mechelen, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mechelen_Laekenhall.jpg
Author: Viktorhauk


The Belfries of Belgium and France is a transboundary World Heritage Site. It comprises 32 Belgian belfries initially inscribed in 1999 as Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia, with a further 23 belfries in the north of France and one more in Gembloux in Belgium, making a total of 56 belfries in two countries. Thereafter the list is closed to further extensions.

The original inscription was made during the 23rd session of the World Heritage Committee which met in Marrakesh, Morocco on 29 November to 4 December 1999, while the extension was made during the 29th session meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 10-17 July, 2005.

The belfries were inscribed on the basis of their being exceptional examples of a form of urban architecture according to the political and spiritual requirements of their era. These belfries also symbolize the new-found independence of the towns in the County of Flanders and in Wallonia.

Belfry of Aalst, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aalst_belfort.JPG
Author: Vitaly Volkov


Belfry of Binche, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Binche_Beffroi.JPG
Author: Jonathan Nélis


Belfry of Brugge
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belfort_Brugge.jpg
Author: L. Ellis
)

Belfry of Gent, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BelfortGent.jpg
Author: Donarreiskoffer/SieBot


Belfry of Herentals, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herentals_belfort.jpg
Author: Frank Wouters


Belfry of Hesdin town hall
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beffroi_d%27_Hesdin.jpg
Author: Pir6mon


Belfry of Kortrijk, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KortrijkBelfort.JPG
Author: Bernard bill5


Belfry of Lier, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stadhuis01.jpg
Author: Welleschik


Belfry of Lo-Reninge, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lo_-_Stadhuis_en_belfort.jpg
Author: LimoWreck


Belfry of Namur, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:01-Namur-300605_%281%29_JPG.jpg
Author: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT


Belfry of Roeselare, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roeselare_-_City_Hall_-_Belfry_1.jpg
Author: LimoWreck


Belfry of Sint-Truiden, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sint-Truiden_stadhuis.jpg
Author: Charles01


Belfry of Tielt, Belgium
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belforttielt_28-10-2008_17-45-13.JPG
Author: Paul Hermans

Some of the Belfries of France on the World Heritage List

Belfry of Aire-sur-la-Lys, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belfry_Aire-sur-la-Lys.jpg
Author: Armont


Belfry of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne_belfry.JPG
Author: Sjwells53


Belfry of Boulogne, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boulogne_beffroi.JPG
Author: Arnaud Gaillard
)

Belfry of Dunkerque, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunkerque_Belfort.JPG
Author: Welleschik


Belfry of Loos, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beffroi_de_Loos_%283%29.JPG
Author: Chapheau Guillaume


Belfry of Lucheux, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lucheux_beffroi.jpg
Author: Matthieu Debailleul


Belfry of Saint-Riquier, France
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint-Riquier.jpg
Author: Jclesire

What to See in the Belfries of Belgium and France

The belfries of Belgium are in the following towns (names in Dutch and French) in the County of Flanders inscribed in 1999: Aalst/Alost, Antwerpen/Anvers, Brugge/Bruges, Dendermonde/Termonde, Diksmuide/Dixmude, Eeklo, Gent/Gand, Herentals, Ieper/Ypres, Kortrijk/Courtrai, Lier/Lierre, Leuven/Louvain, Lo-Reninge, Mechelen/Malines, Menen/Menin, Nieuwpoort/Nieuport, Oudenaarde/Audenarde, Roeselare/Roulers, Sint-Truiden/Saint-Trond, Tielt, Tienen/Tirlemont, Tongeren/Tongres, Veurne/Furnes and Zoutleeuw/Léau.

The belfries of Belgium in the towns in Wallonia inscribed in 1999: Binche, Charleroi, Mons, Namur, Thuin and Tournai.

The belfries of France added to the list in 2005 are in the following towns: Armentières, Bailleul, Bergues, Cambrai, Comines, Douai, Dunkerque (Beffroi de l'église St-Eloi de Dunkerque and Beffroi de l'Hôtel de Ville Dunkerque), Gravelines, Lille, Loos, Aire-sur-la-Lys, Arras, Béthune, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calais, Hesdin, Abbeville, Amiens, Doullens, Lucheux, Rue and Saint-Riquier.

The belfry of Gembloux in Wallonnia, Belgium, was also added in 2005.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 50 10 28 E 3 13 53 (This is an approximation as the belfries are located across Belgium and northern France)
Inscription Year: 1999, Extension: 2005
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, IV

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