The Belfries (Belfort in Dutch, Beffroi in French) are belltowers typical of the cities of the historic County of Flanders and Duchy of Brabant, which became independent from the feudal system in the late Middle Ages.
Initially used as watchtowers, they were also used as town archives, meeting place of the city council and for other purposes. Most of the belfries are attached or integrated with the city hall, the market hall, or the main church of the town. Equipped with bells, mechanical clock, and eventually a carillon, they became an important symbol of urban life.