Bell Tower

 Barrack Square, Riverside Dr, Perth WA 6000, Australia +61 8 6210 0444 Website 10am – 4pm Perth Campervan Hire

drymorel (contributor)

I had read and seen many photos of the Bell Tower, home of the Swan Bells, so when I emerged from Supreme Court gardens and saw construction going on around it, it was disappointing! The whole area was in upheaval!

What is the Bell Tower?
Located in the Tower, are 12 bells from St Martin-in-the-Fields, one of London’s most famous Churches located in Trafalgar square. The Royal Bells are from the 14th century and were rung for important historic events such as –

Quote from website
“England’s victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588, The World War II victory at El Alamein in 1942, ringing in the New Year at Trafalgar Square for more than 275 years, celebrating the coronation of every British monarch since King George II in 1727, the homecoming of Captain James Cook after his voyage of discovery in 1771.”

So, if you go up the Tower, you get to see the Ringers making these historic bells ring.
There is an Observation Deck, where you have 360 degree views and a 26 bell Carillon that plays several well known tunes & national anthems if you pop a gold coin in the slot. It is the first of its kind in the world.

We decided against going up the Tower because of the price, instead had a look around the shop. On display, was a Turret clock from 1896 and a model of the Bell Tower. I read with interest, all Western Australians were asked if they would like to “send a message to the future.” This was by way of putting something in a time capsule which will be opened in 2100. Not only did people leave messages, many included a photo too! It will be interesting reading for those around in 2100 when it is opened!
Another display was of a wedding cake somebody had made, clever person!

Open daily from 10am.
Opening times vary seasonally.
Not open Good Friday or Christmas Day.
Open from Noon on Anzac Day.

ADMISSION FEES
$14 Adults / $9 Concessions
Children $9
Family $30
Entry provides unlimited access to all five public areas of the Tower.

RINGING TIMES – http://www.thebelltower.com.au/content/ringing-times-at-the-bell-tower/

halereal (contributor)

This wonderful Bell Tower reputed to be the worlds biggest musical instrument is really worth the visit…the bells here were a gift to the people of Western Australia and the City of Perth for Australias bi-Centenary..The bells original home was from Londons famous St.Martins in The Fields church in Trafalgar Square.. take the lift to the top of the Bell Tower and enjoy the wonderful views it offers and also check on the bell ringing times..

hingmarl (contributor)

One of the newer tourist attractions in Perth is the Swan Bell Tower. It’s 82,5 m high and houses bells from the church of St-Martin-in-the-Fields in London. They were presented to Perth in 1988 to commemorate the bicentenary.
You can hear the bells on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30pm – 2pm.
Admission to go up is 10 AU$ and the tower is open from 10am to 4.30pm.

zanylilly (contributor)

Ding Dong, Ding Dong.

Anyone crazy about bells should pay this place a visit.
The idea of some folks accumulating so many historical bells under one roof just amuses me.
Now, this is a place to live in (if they allow) should you never intend to be late for work!!

Go through the galleries of time-pieces, bells and optical pieces as well.

There is an open-air observatory deck on the 6th floor, overlooking both the CBD and the Swan River.

The building is a bell itself.
Ringing Times:
– Bell Handling Demonstrations (single bell): Wednesday & Friday, from 11:30am-12:30pm
– Full Bell Ringing: Monday – Tuesday & Thursday -12:00pm-1:00pm; Weekends – 12:00pm-1:00pm

The Swan Bells Tower is open every day except Good Friday and Christmas Day.
* Summer opening hours 10am-4:30pm. Last paid entry 4.15pm.
* Winter opening hours 10am- 4pm. Last paid entry 3.45pm.
Rates: $6 Adults; $4 Concessions; Free admissions 1st Tuesday of every month!

farrierhoop (contributor)

The Bell Tower was erected in 1988 to host a special gift the capital of Western Australia received to commemorate the bicentennary of Australia. The twelve bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London as well as five specially cast bells came to Perth. Together with one more that was donated by the state of Western Australia for the millennium, they now form a circle of 18 bells.

Each bell is rung by hand with a rope. Groups of volunteers have been trained to do the ringing. The bells can be heard in Central Perth in certain intervals throughout the day.
Visitors can watch the bell ringers from a gallery.

The extravagant architecture with the glass spire and copper sails has become a new landmark in the cityscape of Perth.

In addition to the Swan Bells, the tower contains an exhibition on clocks, bells and bell casting. The terrace at the top offers a nice view of the river and downtown skyline.

The entrance fee is $ 11 for adults, which is a bit exaggerated for the tower’s attractions in my humble tourist opinion. If you have a lot of time in Perth the tower and the bells might be interesting to see. If your time is limited, however, this is not one of the top must-sees that absolutely have to be done.

vanbooker (contributor)

There was much who-ha when the WA Government unveiled their plan to build a bell tower on the foreshore. The money could be spent better, it looked hideous, blah, blah, blah. But the story is that these bells had been a gift from St Martins in the Field Church in London to WA in celebration of the Bicentennary in 1998 and had sat in storage since that time. The Bell Tower was constructed only a few years ago and the building was designed to represent the blend of our past and our future and I personally think it’s a fantastic testement.

The Bell Tower is open daily from 10am, except for Good Friday and Christmas Day.

fardageferrari (contributor)

We went for a walk down to the Barrack Street Jetty on the weekend and were delighted to hear the ringing of the bells. Due to the bell tower’s closeness to the city business district the ringing of the bells is restricted during work days, however it must ring on the hour on weekends. We were surprised by the length of time they rang, it must have been for a minimum of 5 minutes. The tower is modern and looks good to me and is located in a nice garden about 150 metres from the Swan River and ferry jetties. The area also has a very popular bar, souvineer shops, resturants etc. You can then take the ferry ride across the river to fashionable South Perth.

argumentsuckling (contributor)

The Bell Tower is a significant icon here in Perth. It is located right on the water front of the famous Swan River.

Not one much for history or details of how it got there, I just accept it for mostly what it is with us locals, a vt meeting mark……..’just look for the Lucky Shag pub, near the Bell Tower on Barrack Street jetty and you’ll find us….can’t miss it!!’ …….haha :o)

Anyway, here’s a different view….the famous Bell Tower by night.

Latest Images of Bell Tower, Perth