Century Tower, Bell tower at University of Florida, US
Century Tower is a 157-foot (48 m) red brick bell tower at the center of the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Florida. Its plain brick shaft rises above the trees to a pale stone upper stage with two rows of narrow arched openings divided by vertical piers, capped by a shallow stepped top. It houses a 61-bell carillon.
The tower was built in the early 1950s to mark the university's centennial and to honor students who died in both World Wars. Over the decades it has come to stand as one of the most enduring symbols of the university's past.
The carillon chimes each quarter of the hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., using a pentatonic clock melody called "Florida Chimes" written by Dr. Budd Udell, former chair of the university's music department. Students can take carillon lessons and climb 194 steps to play in one of two daily performances. Fewer than 200 carillons exist in North America, and only four in Florida.
The carillon chimes each quarter hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and students climb 194 steps to play in one of two daily performances. The tower stands at the center of the University of Florida campus in Gainesville.
The largest bell in the tower weighs over 3,000 kilograms and produces a low, resonant tone that stands out clearly from the other bells. Anyone standing close when it strikes can feel the vibration as much as hear it.
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