The Giralda Tower on the Country Club Plaza will ring again. Here’s when
An iconic piece of the Country Club Plaza will greet visitors once again.
The shopping district announced the return of the carillon bells inside the 138-foot Giralda Tower, which stands on the corner of West 47th Street and Mill Creek Parkway. Plaza shoppers will hear the bells chime for the first time at noon Sunday, April 5, which is Easter.
The bells will sound on the hour between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Music will be part of the performance in the first and final hours each day.
It will reintroduce a familiar element to the Kansas City community as a part of efforts to reinvigorate the Country Club Plaza, according to a press release.
“Bringing the carillon bells back to the Country Club Plaza is a special moment for us,” Scott Keller, general manager of Country Club Plaza, said in a statement. “As we continue to invest in the Plaza’s future with new retailers, restaurants, and property enhancements, we’re also reintroducing signature elements that contribute to its distinct character and experience.”
The Star previously reported that Plaza developer J.C. Nichols wanted to build a replica of the more than 800-year-old Giralda tower based in Seville, Spain, as early as 1929, but couldn’t find the right location for it. When a business left the corner southwest of the fountain in Mill Creek Park, his son, Miller Nichols, decided that was the perfect site.
When construction ended in 1967, the Giralda Tower became the tallest structure on the Country Club Plaza. It included a carillon of 600 bells that could be operated manually or by an automatic player. The bells chimed hourly and music played daily.
During the dedication ceremony on Oct. 12, 1967, the Liberty Memorial’s carillonneur gave a 30-minute concert from the tower. The first song was “People” from the musical “Funny Girl.”
Christmas carillon concerts became an annual event on the Plaza during the 1970s, and then the performances and daily chimes happened less and less. It’s unknown when it came to a complete stop.
