Construction of belfry vers 1440 (≈ 1440)
Replaces an old watchtower.
1450
Connection to Saint-Éloi Church
Connection to Saint-Éloi Church 1450 (≈ 1450)
Become a church bell tower.
1558
Fire at Saint-Éloi Church
Fire at Saint-Éloi Church 1558 (≈ 1558)
Only the belfry remains.
1560-1585
Aborted church reconstruction
Aborted church reconstruction 1560-1585 (≈ 1573)
Work interrupted due to lack of resources.
1782
Final separation from the church
Final separation from the church 1782 (≈ 1782)
A street separates them.
1840
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1840 (≈ 1840)
Among the first in France.
1923
Adding a cenotaph
Adding a cenotaph 1923 (≈ 1923)
First World War Memorial.
2005
Registration at UNESCO
Registration at UNESCO 2005 (≈ 2005)
World Belfry Heritage.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Maréchal de Thermes - French military commander
Leads the invasion of 1558.
Jean de Renneville - Workmaster
Leads the reconstruction of 1560.
Pierre Fritel - Sculptor
Author of the 1923 cenotaph.
Origin and history
The belfry of Dunkirk, built around 1440, replaces an old 13th century watchtower. Built in brick in a Gothic style, it peaks at 58 meters. Originally, it served as a nautical landmark and watchtower. Around 1450 he was attached to the church of Saint-Éloi as a bell tower, but it was destroyed in 1558 during the French invasion led by the Marshal of Thermes.
After the fire of 1558, only the tower remained. The reconstruction of Saint-Éloi church, begun in 1560 under the direction of Jean de Renneville, was abandoned in 1585. The belfry, isolated, then becomes a bitter, a municipal bell tower and a belfry. In 1782 a street permanently separated him from the church. In 1835 his coronation was changed, and in 1923 his base was transformed to accommodate a cenotaph dedicated to the deaths of the First World War.
Today, the belfry houses a carillon of 48 bells, installed in 1962, whose bumblebee Jean Bart weighs 5 tons. Accessible by a spiral staircase, it offers panoramic views of Dunkirk. Ranked a historic monument since 1840 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, it remains an emblematic symbol of the city.
The monument illustrates Gothic brick architecture typical of northern France. Its history reflects the political and military upheavals in the region, including the conflicts between France and Flanders. The carillon, still active, perpetuates a local musical and commemorative tradition.
