International Carillon Festival Tower and Sound Esslingen

Carillon — the Unusual Concert Format

Esslingen am Neckar, with around 95,000 inhabitants, is located directly east of Stuttgart in the Esslingen district (state of Baden-Württemberg) and is one of the largest medium-sized cities in the Stuttgart region, alongside Reutlingen and Ludwigsburg. What makes Esslingen special every two years is a Carillon Festival on the Rathausplatz in front of the Old Town Hall.

A carillon is a musical instrument consisting of several — in Esslingen, over 30 — tuned bronze bells, played mechanically or electrically by a carillonneur via a keyboard. Carillon concerts have been a tradition in the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France since the 16th century, but are relatively rare in Germany. The Esslingen carillon — installed in 1927 — is one of the few active concert carillons in southern Germany.

Seven Open-Air Concerts on the Rathausplatz

The 2026 edition runs on September 12th and 13th and includes seven live concerts. International carillonneurs will play the Esslingen carillon with programs that have been specially arranged for the specific tuning of the bells in Esslingen — not standard 08/15 pieces, but tailor-made repertoires ranging from Baroque to Romantic to contemporary original compositions. The carillonneurs usually travel from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Scandinavia, and the Baltic countries, where the carillon schools are most actively maintained.

Special Concert on Sunday Evening

The festival concludes on Sunday evening with a special concert that combines the carillon with other instruments and a reciting actor. This concept — carillon + word — is an Esslingen specialty and transforms the purely instrumental concert into a literary-musical experience.

Tradition Since 2017

The festival was launched in 2017 for the 90th anniversary of the Esslingen carillon and has taken place every two years since then. 2026 will therefore be the 5th edition. The tradition consciously follows the model of the major carillon festivals in the Netherlands and Belgium, where carillon concerts are part of the summer city life.

Open Air, Free Admission, Whatever the Weather

All concerts take place outdoors on the Rathausplatz — in any weather, as the carillon is permanently installed. Seating (deckchairs and chairs) is available in limited quantities and cannot be reserved. The square has cobblestones, which are not accessible everywhere.