Netherlands Carillon
"So many voices in our troubled land are still
unheard. Let that be an incentive for all of us when we hear the
bells ringing." Queen Juliana
 A Belltower of Friendship
Near the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial stands a large bell
tower, the Netherlands Carillon. This was a gift "From the People
of the Netherlands to the People of the United States" in gratitude
for American aid during and after World War II. The carillon
symbolizes and is dedicated to the friendship between two countries
and their common allegiance to the principles of freedom, justice,
and democracy.
The idea for this symbolic gift came from a Dutch government
official. Endorsed by Queen Juliana, the concept and the drive for
funds to build the carillon and tower met with generous response
from all sections of the Netherlands. On April 4, 1952, during a
visit to the United States, Queen Juliana presented a small silver
bell to President Truman as a token of the carillon to come.
First installed at a nearby site in 1954, the tower and 49-bell
carillon were moved to their present location in 1960. Dutch- and
American-sponsored renovations were completed in 1995. A
50th bell was dedicated on May 5 of that year, on the
50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands
from the Nazis.
Design and Construction
 The 50-bell
carillon is cast from a bronze alloy of about four-fifths
copper and one-fifth tin. Its total weight is 61,438 pounds.
The largest bell, or bourdon, is six feet, nine inches in
diameter and weighs 12,654 pounds; the smallest bell, or
treble, is eight inches in diameter and weighs 35 pounds. Each
bell carries an emblem, as well as a verse by Dutch poet Ben
van Eysselsteijn. The smallest bells, for example, contain
verses about youth.
The tower housing the carillon, designed by leading Dutch
architect Joost W. C. Boks, is an open steel structure reinforced
by steel plates. It is approximately 127 feet high, 25 feet deep,
and 36 feet wide, and stands on a quartzite plaza 93 feet square.
The plaza is enclosed by a low lava stone wall. Two bronze lions
designed by Dutch sculptor Paul Koning guard the plaza steps. A
rectangular staircase leads to an observatory platform. From there
a small circular staircase winds up to the glass-enclosed playing
cabin 83 feet above the ground.
 Operation of the Carillon
The carillon is tuned to the chromatic scale. Its 50 bells give
it two notes more than four octaves. In the playing cabin are the
wooden levers and pedals of the clavier. These connect directly to
the movable inner clappers of the stationary hanging bells,
permitting the carilloneur to achieve a full musical expression.
Eighteen bells of the Netherlands Carillon are programmed to play a
medley of songs by computer at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day.
About Your Visit
The United States Marine Corps War Memorial and Netherlands
Carillon are administered by George Washington Memorial Parkway.
They are located in Virginia along the northern edge of Arlington
National Cemetery, across from major monuments and memorials in
Washington, D.C. Both are accessible via Rosslyn and Arlington
Cemetery Metro stops, as well as via U.S. 50 and I-66.
Visitors may attend free concerts by trained carillonneurs on
Saturdays from May through September. In May, September, and on
national holidays, concerts are held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. From
June through August, concerts are held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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