Belfry

The Belfry, called Belfort in Dutch, is a freestanding medieval civic bell tower built between the 11th and 17th centuries in the Flemish cloth cities to symbolise municipal autonomy. Thirty-two Belgian belfries have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999 and 2005, including the 83-metre tower of Bruges (1240) and the 91-metre tower of Ghent (1313) (UNESCO World Heritage, 2026). Unlike a church steeple, the Belfry sheltered the city bell, the municipal charters and even a prison. A surprising detail: the Bruges carillon counts 47 bronze bells and rings every quarter hour (Wikipedia Belfries of Belgium, accessed 2026-05-24).

Hospitality context
Bruges five-star properties (Dukes' Palace, Hotel Dukes' Arms) and Ghent landmarks (1898 The Post, Sandton Grand Hotel Reylof) market premium Belfry-view rooms, typically commanding an 80 to 150 euro nightly surcharge depending on season.