Twisted bell towers, a French speciality...
There are about a hundred twisted bell towers in Europe, but they are mainly concentrated in France, with 65 units.
And, in France, they are mainly concentrated in the bourgeoisie, in Anjou.
These twisted bell towers are particularly unusual, since they seem to be twisted at their base.
Now, what is the origin of this mysterious shape that they acquired little by little, since, of course, when they were built, they were quite normal?
Octagonal bell towers
These are mainly medium-sized towns that have churches with octagonal bell towers.
Smaller towns, for cost reasons, tend to have two or four door bell towers.
And the big cities use specialized craftsmen.
As its name suggests, an octagonal bell tower has eight sides, and in the center of this pyramid, a vertical master beam, the punch, supports the weight of the whole. In the event of uneven sagging of the framework, the bell tower will twist, as the sides become uneven, causing this phenomenon of compensation.
Well, that's the theoretical technique!
Voluntarily...
Some bell towers were directly built in this way, to demonstrate architectural prowess.
In Maine-et-Loire, for example, this was done at Mouliherne and at the Fontaine Guérin.
Accidentally...
Other bell towers have unintentionally taken on this helical shape! Like the one in Fougeré, now part of the association of communes to move in Anjou, and which, in 40 years, has nevertheless taken four tornadoes recognized as natural disasters. This is obviously enough to make your head spin!
An accident too, if you like, as the irregular drying of the timber, which therefore leads to irregular deformations. In some cases, and in particular for a village in the Allier, Saint Bonnet De Four, the fact is proven.
Diabolically...
But then... that doesn't explain everything!
Why is it that in France, 78% of the twisted bell towers turn from left to right, like 75% of the Belgian twisted bell towers, whereas in Austria and Switzerland, 100% turn from right to left, like 63% of the German bell towers?
Strange, isn't it?
Why is it that the Baugeois country alone has five churches with twisted bell towers?
Why is it said that it was the hand of the devil that twisted the bell tower of Vieil Baugé?
And what does the mule of the King of England's brother, who was fleeing a local battlefield in 1421, and who would have made a furious run, have to do with it?
And what does this story of two boys who married twins, and, kissing them after the ceremony, on the church square, would have been the wrong woman, the bell tower, then, writhing with laughter, have to do with it?
It's up to you to investigate on the side of Baugé in Anjou, or, at the Vieil Baugé, to go and question the members of the association of the twisted bell towers of Europe!
Association des clochers tors d’Europe
Mairie
49150 Le Vieil-Baugé
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
(free version) ***
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