Abbeville Belfry

Abbeville, France

The belfry of Abbeville is one of the oldest in France, built in 1209. On 20 May 1940, during a bombing, its roof was damaged and it was only in 1986 that it was rebuilt. The belfry is one of the fifty-six belfries of Belgium and France registered in 2005 by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in recognition of its testimony to the rise of municipal power in the region and its architecture. It has housed the museum of the city since 1954.

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1209
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in France
Historical period: Late Capetians (France)

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jérémy THIRY-CESAIRE .•. (14 months ago)
Original
Daniel Gering (16 months ago)
Nice building from the outside. Too bad it's closed to visitors
Peter Van Renterghem (2 years ago)
The Belfry of Abbeville, built in the 13th century, is one of the oldest in France and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. A symbol of the municipal liberties of Abbeville , it testifies to the municipal power obtained with the Charter received in 1187 from the Count of Ponthieu. This Charter, still preserved, is the foundation of the birth of the city of Abbeville. The belfry also houses part of the Boucher-de-Perthes museum, named after a great Abbeville prehistorian and collector of the 19th century. In front of the belfry is the statue of Admiral Courbet. Born in Abbeville in 1827, Amédée Courbet was from Abbeville to the China Sea, an unmissable figure in French maritime history at the end of the 19th century.
Martine Allain (2 years ago)
Very nice from the outside! Too bad there are only a few interior visits, by reservation...
Lexi Donne (2 years ago)
Currently closed to individuals.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Santa Maria in Trastevere

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the 340s, and much of the structure to 1140-43. The first sanctuary was built in 221 and 227 by Pope Callixtus I and later completed by Pope Julius I. 

The inscription on the episcopal throne states that this is the first church in Rome dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, although some claim that privilege belongs to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. A Christian house-church was founded here about 220 by Pope Saint Callixtus I (217-222) on the site of the Taberna meritoria, a refuge for retired soldiers. The area was made available for Christian use by Emperor Alexander Severus when he settled a dispute between the Christians and tavern-keepers.

The church underwent two restorations in the fifth and eighth centuries and in 1140-43 it was re-erected on its old foundations under Pope Innocent II.