This afternoon the bells of the Westertoren in Amsterdam could be heard for the last time to reflect on the war in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, volunteers have been ringing the bells of the ‘Pearl of the Jordaan’ every Monday at 7 pm for twelve minutes. Now the renovation is in full swing and the clocks will soon be lowered, that will come to an end.
The ‘Bells for Peace’ initiative started nationwide, but the Westertoren is the only one that has continued to ring the bells. For almost a year now, different volunteers have been hanging on the ropes every week. Local resident Kristine Parlevliet guesses that she has already helped about twenty times. “In the beginning we thought it would be ready after six weeks,” she says. “Well, if that’s not the case, you have to keep it alive.”
The bells, which weigh up to 2000 kilos, have to be removed from the tower because the frame has rusted. Pastor of the Westertoren Herman Koetsveld regrets that the bells will no longer ring every week, because he thinks it is important to continue to commemorate the war. “What we’re doing is completely useless, it’s not good for anything. Except it’s meaningful to show solidarity in a certain way. This is our way,” he says.
The renovation of the Westertoren is expected to last until mid-2024.