The Netherlands Carillon

"So many voices in our troubled world are still unheard."

"From the People of the Netherlands to the People of the United States."

This simple dedication on the Netherlands Carillon expresses the gratitude of the Dutch people for American aid received during and after World War II. The carillon itself symbolizes the friendship between the people of the Netherlands and those of the United States... a friendship characterized by a common allegiance to the principles of freedom, justice, and democracy which has weathered temporary differences. To that friendship and those principles, the Netherlands Carillon is dedicated.

The idea for this symbolic gift came from G. L. Verheul, a Dutch government official in The Hague. When the concept took shape the drive for funds to build the carillon and the tower met with generous response from all sections of the Netherlands. Queen Juliana endorsed the project, and on April 4, 1952, during a visit to the United States, she presented a small silver bell to President Truman as a token of the carillon to come. In ceremonies at Meridian Hill Park in Washington, D.C., the Queen spoke of the importance of the small bells of the carillon:

"To achieve real harmony, justice should be done also to the small and tiny voices, which are not supported by the might of their weight. Mankind could learn from this. So many voices in our troubled world are still unheard. Let that be an incentive for all of us when we hear the bells ringing."

During the next few years the bells were completed and sent to Washington, D.C. In 1954 the forty-nine bell carillon was installed in a temporary tower in West Potomac Park, where it was formally accepted by the United States. The present tower was built near The United States Marine Corps War Memorial, and in 1960 the bells were installed. On May 5, 1960, the fifteenth anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from the Nazis, the carillon was officially dedicated.

With the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands to be celebrated in 1995, a group of prominent Dutch business men mindful of the original motivation of the Netherlands Carillon as a token of gratitude for the American assistance in restoring Holland's freedom, decided to establish a foundation to assist in the modernizationand refurbishing of the carillon and the tower. Together with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in the U.S., and with the meaningful encouragement from the Netherland-American Foundation, they established a legal entity, Foundation Nederlands Carillon Washington D.C. 1945-1995, to raise the necessary funds that would ensure that the carillon would be completely modernized. The project, with strong financial support from the Netherlands government, moved ahead with full-speed and the 50th Bell of the Netherlands Carillon was officially dedicated on Friday May 5, 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands.

The smaller bells were removed and returned to the Netherlands to be reworked. The larger bells (which would have been extremely difficult to remove) were reworked in-place. The original playing console was removed and a new unit installed. The fiftieth bell was added to the carillon as a symbol of the 50 years of freedom enjoyed by Holland since 1945.

Design and Construction

The fifty bells of the carillon were cast using a bronze alloy of approximately four-fifths copper and one-fifth tin. The total weightof the bells is approximately thirty tons (61,403 pounds). The largest bell or "bourdon" is six feet nine inches in diameter and weighs 12,654 pounds. The smallest bell or "treble" is eight inches in diameter and weighs thirty-five pounds. Each bell carries an emblem signifying a group within Dutch society. The smallest bells represent the youth of the Netherlands. The verses cast on the bells were composed by the Dutch poet, Ben van Eysselsteijn.

The tower housing the carillon was designed by Joost W. C. Boks, a leading Dutch architect. It is an open steel structure reinforced by steel plates. The tower is approximately 127 feet high, 25 feet deep, and 36 feet wide. It stands on a quartzite plaza 93 feet square and is enclosed by a low lava stone wall. Two bronze lions, designed by Dutch sculptor Paul Koning, guard the plaza steps. A rectangular staircase leads to an observatory platform from which a small circular staircase winds up to the glass-enclosed playing cabin 83 feet above the ground. Planted on the surrounding grounds are thousands of tulip bulbs.

Operation of the Carillon

The carillon is tuned to the chromatic scale. Its fifty bells give it two notes more than four octaves. In the playing cabin are the wooden levers and pedals of the clavier. These connect directly to the movable inner clappers of the stationary hanging bells permitting the carillonneur to achieve a full musical expression.

Automatic Programming

Eighteen bells of the Netherlands Carillon are programmed to play automatically by computer.

Westminster Chimes and hour strike: daily between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

About Your Visit

The Netherlands Carillon is located on the Virginia shore of the Potomac River opposite Washington, D.C. and bordering the northern end of Arlington National Cemetery, adjacent to The United States Marine Corps War Memorial . For more information call (703)289-2500/2550/2552.

Carillon concerts are presented by outstanding carillonneurs on Saturdays and national holidays from May through September. Concerts are 2-4 p.m. in May and September and 6-8 p.m. in June, July, and August. During concerts, visitors are welcome to climb the tower to watch the carillonneur perform and view the city of Washington and other surrounding features.

Safety Note!

Persons with cardiac or respiratory conditions should use caution when climbing the tower. Small children should be closely supervised by an adult.

Carillon Recital Schedule

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