Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Simondium, Babylonstoren

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1748Format Extent
7 colour photographs1 spreadsheet
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These items are subject to copyright protection. Reproduction of the content, or any part of it, other than for research, academic or non-commercial use is prohibited without prior consent from the copyright holder.Stellenbosch University
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Photographs and information on the bell and bell tower on the Babylonstoren wine estate near Franschhoek. Without forgetting the spectacularly beautiful surroundings, one is enchanted with the view of the magnificent tower at the wine estate Babylons Toren in Simondium between Franschhoek and Paarl. The tower is renowned for the fact that it doesn’t stand straight. For this reason some extra supporting walls were built to prevent collapse of the tower. But one easily forgets aboutl this when seeing the bell that hangs in the tower.
Below a neat band of flowers below the shoulder one reads the following sentence: SOLI DEO GLORIA A° 1748 making it one of the oldest bells in the wine country. Below this sentence there is another equally beautiful band of flowers. Looking at the reverse side of the bell, one notices that the bell has been seriously repaired. There is a crack all along the whole length of the bell. It is remarkable that this crack doesn’t seem to have an effect on the nice tune of the bell. Up to now we have no indication of the founder of the bell but it seems highly plausible that it comes from the Dutch tradition.
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