A bell tower is a scaffold of thick wooden or iron beams in which one or more bells are hung. A bell tower can be mounted at the top of the church or bell tower, but can also be freestanding. A carillon also hangs in a bell chair.
Bell chair from 1989 in the tower of the St. Martin's Church in Gennep
The church and bell tower of Tjalleberd, Atlas Schoemaker: Friesland, 1710-1735
The church and bell tower of Terwispel, Atlas Schoemaker: Friesland, 1710-1735
In masonry church towers, the need to install a bell tower soon arose once an assembly of shutter bells had been built. The ringing of these bells caused cracks in the tower body. That is why various oak constructions were developed that conducted the vibrations downwards well and could still support the weight of the movable bells, which sometimes weigh more than 500 kilos each.