On Saturday, 9 June, the Martini tower will be open to the public for free as part of the provincial Open Tower Day.
Translation by Traci White
2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the Open Tower Day, and visitors can see the bells inside the tower up close during four sessions at the church. City carillon player Auke de Boer will demonstrate to visitors how he plays them.
The Groninger Internet Courant reports that a three-meter-tall miniature version of the Martini Tower, located on the Grote Markt, will serve as a jukebox where visitors can submit requests to be played on the carillon.
The end of the special event at 4:30 will be marked by the 12 bells of the Groningen tower being rung, which will kick off a relay of bell towers in the province.
The Groningen Churches site says that sites across the province will be participating in the special musical event, including the Nicolaïkerk in Appingedam, the garden at the Bell-foundry Museum in Heiligerlee, the Hippolytuskerk in Middelstum, the Grote Kerk in Veendam and the Marktpleinkerk in Winschoten.
Other churches that will be open to visitors are located in Hornhuizen, Uitwierde, Termunten, Finsterwolde, Den Andel, Eenrum, Noordbroek, Oldehove, Saaxumhuizen, Tolbert, Zeerijp, Loppersum, Noordwolde and Stedum.
The special excursions in Groningen are coordinated by the Martini Carillon Groningen foundation, the tourism agency VVV and the Groningen Bellringers’ Guild. The bells inside the Martini tower were cast by Pieter and François Hemony in the 17th century.
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