The Naperville Millenium Carillon (and Moser Tower) can be seen from just about anywhere in downtown Naperville. For years, I have driven past the carillon while traveling down Aurora Avenue near River Walk Park. This past weekend, I decided to take a closer look…
The trip to the top of the Naperville Carillon costs $3, but is free for children four and younger. I found the height of the tower to be very deceiving. From a distance, it really doesn’t seem as tall as it is. Even standing at it’s base, I would never have estimated the tower’s height to be 160′ (roughly 14 stories tall). In fact, the Naperville Carillon is taller than the Statue of Liberty (standing at 151′ tall).
Here is short video clip of the view from the top of the carillon. The quality is of the video is not the greatest; it was shot using my cellular phone, but you get the idea. From the top, you can see the entire Naperville area, including the DuPage River (River Walk) and Centennial Beach. On a clearer day, I have no doubt that you could easily see the Chicago skyline. Here’s the video:
So what is a carillon anyway? Basically, it’s a very large musical instrument (bell tower) comprised of many huge, heavy bells. The bells are played using a series of batons (or paddles) and peddles that bears some resemblance to an old church organ. The batons are usually pressed using a closed fist, as they take considerably more force to press than the keys of a piano. Check out this article for more information about carillons and their inner workings.
If you are interested in visiting the carillon, check out the Friends of Naperville Carillon website for more information.
Here are some photos of the Naperville Carillon:
