“Ch’Bédouf”, as it is commonly known by the inhabitants of Amiens, is the last in a long line of belfries ravaged by war. Its foundation, resembling a fortress, dates from 1408, its crown from 1988, on a base identical to the work of the architect Beffara in 1753. This baroque dome was then poorly received by the population which called it “Gargantua’s syringe”.
It was at this time that the belfry acquired an extraordinary great bell weighing 11 tonnes, which was lost in 1940. To get the Marie-Firmine in, it was necessary to knock down a wall and pierce a hole in the vaults, creating an oculus that is still visible, flooded with light.
The building’s interior is atypical, the northern side with four levels from the 15th century and the southern side three floors from the 18th century! The belfry was used as a prison until 1932, even though it was a long time since prisoners had been shut up in the dungeons hollowed out to a depth of 4.5 m.
.jpg)
.jpg)
