2022 – Carillon Tower, originally the Carlsberg Carillon, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place in Toronto
Carillon Tower, originally the Carlsberg Carillon, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The musical instrument was manufactured in the Netherlands by the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry and presented to the Canadian National Exhibition by Carling-O’Keefe Breweries in 1974.
In its opening year, the Carlsberg Carillon featured four 30-minute concerts plus hourly tunes each day of the CNE.
About Carillon Tower
Carillon Tower stands 26 m tall. It contains 50 bells ranging in size from 20 to 152 cm and weighing 13 to 2,177 kg. The instrument can be played manually using a keyboard by a carillonneur or automatically using a roll player or computerized tapes.
In the lower portion of the tower is a south-facing compartment that features characters based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Swineherd.” While we were there, the compartment door opened at the top of the hour, and the enchanting figures appeared. See our video below.
About midway up the green tower is the carillonneur’s cabin, which houses the keyboard. It’s reached by a steep and narrow set of stairs. Above the cabin is the bell chamber, and at the very top is a four-faced clock that can be seen from much of Exhibition Place grounds.
Carillon Tower received heritage status from the city in 1993.
What is a Carillon?
It’s a percussion instrument with a minimum of 23 cast bronze bells arranged in chromatic sequence and is usually housed in a tower. The bells are tuned so that when they ring, they have a harmonious relationship with each other.
CNE Carillon Tower Photos
2022 – Carillon Tower, originally the Carlsberg Carillon, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The structure was presented to the CNE in 1974 by Carling-O’Keefe Breweries1980s – Carlsberg Carillon, today’s Carillon Tower, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The tower stands 26 m tall and contains 50 bells tuned so that when they ring, they have a harmonious relationship with each other (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 94, Item 131)2022 – Carillon Tower, originally the Carlsberg Carillon, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place. The percussion instrument was presented to the Canadian National Exhibition in 1974 by Carling-O’Keefe Breweries1980s – Carlsberg Carillon, today’s Carillon Tower, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place. The tower is a percussion instrument and houses 50 bronze bells arranged in chromatic sequence (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 94, Item 130)2022 – Looking up at the carillonneur’s cabin and bell chamber of the Carillon Tower in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place1974 – Carlsberg Carillon, today’s Carillon Tower, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place. This photo of the lower portion of the Carillon was taken during its inaugural year at the 1974 CNE (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 95, Item 41)2022 – Looking northwest towards the clock of the Carillon Tower during sunrise2022 – Stairs in the Carillon Tower leading to the carillonneur’s cabin and bell chamber 2022 – The keyboard in the Carillon Tower2022 – The ladder and trap door in the carillonneur’s cabin leading to the bell chamber at the Carillon Tower2022 – The Bar and Carillion Tower in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place2022 – Carillon Tower, originally the Carlsberg Carillon, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place in Toronto2022 – In the lower portion of the Carillon Tower, the compartment door is open, and the characters based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Swineherd,” are making an appearance 2022 – Characters based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Swineherd,” make an appearance at the top of the hour at the Carillon Tower2022 – At the top of the hour, the characters from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Swineherd,” make an appearance in the lower compartment at the Carillon Tower in Bandshell ParkBetween 1978 and 1987 – Vintage automobiles near the Carlsberg Carillon, today’s Carillon Tower, at Exhibition Place in Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 362, Item 7)2022 – Looking west from Prince Edward Island Cres and Princes’ Blvd at Exhibition Place during the CNE. In the background is the Carillon Tower, the dome of the Horticulture Building (under restoration) and the Princess Margaret Fountain1974 – Looking north from the Shrine Peace Memorial towards the Carlsberg Tower, today’s Carillon Tower, at Exhibition Place in Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 95, Item 43)2022 – At Exhibition Place, from left to right, Acqua Dolce (originally the Bandshell Cafe), The Bandshell, the Shrine Peace Memorial and in the distance, Carillion Tower2022 – Carillon Tower, originally the Carlsberg Carillon, is located in Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place in Toronto. Its four-faced clock can be seen from much of Exhibition Place grounds1974 – CNE program cover showing the Carlsberg Carillon, scenes from The Ex, and the program price of $1 (CNE Archives)2022 – The Carillon Tower plaque reads:
“Carlsberg Carillon present to the Canadian National Exhibition by Carling O’Keefe Breweries
