Josh
July 25th, 2005, 09:50 PM
This town hall dates from 1225,and is probably the oldest in the Netherlands. The quadrangular floorplan and volume with corner towers looks very similar to that of the Leuven town hall,that is about two centuries younger.
It was built in ledestone.
The high understructure still recalls the defensive function.
The back facade has an early gothic profile, with a stepped gable. The windows of the ground floor are omanesque, with ate romanesque arches with diving columns. The round turrets accentuate the square form of the building ,and make the building more slender.
When the town was devastated 1380 by the people of Ghent under Lodewijk van Male, the aldermen's house partially burnt down. Only the east facade was saved. In 1407 the front- and side facade along the Grote Markt were rebuilt. The square belfry tower itself was built in 1460 and contains the carillon. The tower is crowned with a beautiful wallwalk with an octogonal bell chamber on top. The two half raised statues on the facade of the bell tower represent the counts of Flanders and Aalst.
the sundial between the two statues was originally as old as the bell tower . In 1600 the new sundial was placed and 80 years later it was regilded by Jan Lipperry.
http://schoolweb.argo.be/ka/aalst/koninklijk%20lyceum/images/belforten/belfort01.jpg
http://www.photoblog.be/carmen/images/000/267/267767.jpg
http://www.monument.vlaanderen.be/belfort/beelden/belfort/aalst/aalst01gr.jpg
It was built in ledestone.
The high understructure still recalls the defensive function.
The back facade has an early gothic profile, with a stepped gable. The windows of the ground floor are omanesque, with ate romanesque arches with diving columns. The round turrets accentuate the square form of the building ,and make the building more slender.
When the town was devastated 1380 by the people of Ghent under Lodewijk van Male, the aldermen's house partially burnt down. Only the east facade was saved. In 1407 the front- and side facade along the Grote Markt were rebuilt. The square belfry tower itself was built in 1460 and contains the carillon. The tower is crowned with a beautiful wallwalk with an octogonal bell chamber on top. The two half raised statues on the facade of the bell tower represent the counts of Flanders and Aalst.
the sundial between the two statues was originally as old as the bell tower . In 1600 the new sundial was placed and 80 years later it was regilded by Jan Lipperry.
http://schoolweb.argo.be/ka/aalst/koninklijk%20lyceum/images/belforten/belfort01.jpg
http://www.photoblog.be/carmen/images/000/267/267767.jpg
http://www.monument.vlaanderen.be/belfort/beelden/belfort/aalst/aalst01gr.jpg