Netherlands Centennial Carillon facts for kids
The Netherlands Centennial Carillon is a special musical instrument located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It's like a giant musical keyboard that plays 62 bells! You can find its tall tower where Government Street and Belleville Street meet. It stands proudly in front of the Royal British Columbia Museum and across from the Parliament Building.
This beautiful carillon was a gift from the Dutch people living in British Columbia. They gave it to Canada to say "thank you" for Canada's help in freeing the Netherlands during World War II.
A Gift of Thanks
The idea for the carillon started as a way to show gratitude. Queen Juliana of the Netherlands visited Canada in 1967. This was Canada's 100th birthday year! During her visit, she helped lay the first stone for the carillon. The carillon officially opened its doors, or rather, its bells, in May 1968.
How the Bells Were Made
The first 49 bells for the carillon were made in a famous bell factory. This factory, called Petit & Fritsen, is located in a place called Aarle-Rixtel in the Netherlands. These bells were carefully crafted to make beautiful music. A few years later, in 1971, thirteen more bells were added to the carillon. This brought the total number of bells to 62, making it an even more impressive instrument!
