The Évreux Belfry

Illustration by Richard P. Bonington from 1825 showing a medieval street in Évreux, France. The focus is the town belfry, built in 1491, which dominates the townscape with it’s height and ornament.

Pictured above is an illustration from 1825 showing a streetscape in Évreux, France. It was drawn by Richard P. Bonington, and it focuses on the town belfry, which was built from 1490-1497. Bonington does a great job of showing how a tower like this can dominate a streetscape, even if it isn’t that tall by today’s standards.

The design of the tower perfectly correlates with the intended functions. As a combination belfry and clock tower, the building has three functions. First, it houses a bell that can be rung to alert the public to various events. Second, the clock is meant to inform the public of the current time. Third, the tower is meant to create a landmark by rising high above the surrounding city, allowing the public to orient themselves based on its location. These three functions are bolstered by the tower’s height and it’s Gothic design. The Gothic style focuses heavily on upward movement, and as such, the entire design seems to push upward and point toward the sky. This upward push makes the tower appear taller than it actually is, which was no doubt a goal of the architect.

By raising up the bell and the clock, the architect makes each more audible and visible, respectively. The tower functions more effectively as a result, and Bonington’s rendering of the surrounding city shows this in action. The people in the foreground and the low buildings along the street are dwarfed by the height of the tower, and the street is given a stronger identity based on this. Had there been no tower, it could be any medieval street in Europe.

Check out other posts about Gothic buildings here.