A visit of Arras always starts with the Belfry. Majestic, it prompts admiration from the ground, wonder at its summit, and awe when it is illuminated every year.
The record-breaking Belfry
Included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005 and voted the favourite monument of the French in 2015, the iconic tower of Arras overlooks the Places des Héros from its full 75 metres
The emblem of Arras
Universally identifiable thanks to the gilded lion standing atop it, the Belfry takes us on a journey through history. The history of the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, whose reign saw the start of the construction of this symbol of civic freedoms and independence in 1463. In pure Flamboyant Gothic style, it was completed almost a century later, in 1554.
Lion d’Arras au sommet du beffroi
Transported back to the sixteenth century
Timescope, an amazing panoramic looking glass, invites you on a 360°C discovery of the square and the Belfry in 1518, when its construction was in full swing. A vivid realistic immersion into Arras life in the Middle Ages, and the bustle of the Place des Héros.
An identical reconstruction
It took intensive German bombardments during the First World War to bring this colossus down, completely destroying it.
Its status as a Historical Monument ensured its identical reconstruction under the direction of the Inspector General of Historical Monuments, Pierre Paquet. An impressive clone was erected between 1927 and 1931. A winning play on illusion, with the use of reinforced concrete in the non-visible parts of the tower. A real architectural innovation at the time!
A roof over the city
Unique in France, from its summit the Belfry offers not only a breathtaking panorama over its surroundings but also carillon chimes and a spectacular backdrop to all the events of Arras life, for instance when it is spectacularly illuminated during the closing event of the summer festivals.
Practice : Belfry visit
- Open visit daily during Tourist Office opening times.
- Last ascent 30 minutes before closing.
- Duration of the visit : approximately 20 minutes.
- 19 persons maximum per ascent.
- Closef on 1st september, 25th December, 1st January and when weather conditions are poor.
- Full price : €3.50 – Concessions: €2.40.