What Is It?

At 205 feet tall, the Singing Tower is the magnificent centerpiece of Bok Tower Garden in Lake Wales. It is just south of the garden’s reflection pool, allowing the full reflection of the tower to be seen in the water below.

Ringing Bells

The Singing Tower houses a 60-bell carillon—an instrument made up of tuned bells in chromatic series. Carillons are played from a keyboard, where pressing a key causes a bell to be rung. The instrument was popularized in the Netherlands, where Edward Bok—the founder of Bok Tower Gardens—was born.

History

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Bok fell in love with Lake Wales and knew it was where he wanted to create a space that could “touch the soul with its beauty and quiet.” He commissioned architect Fredrick L. Olmsted Jr. to create a bird sanctuary, garden and the Singing Tower. Since opening in 1929, more than 23 million people have visited.

There’s More

Bok Tower Gardens has more than 200 acres of gardens and hiking trails, with a diverse variety of foliage and flowers. It is a designated site on the Great Florida Birding Trail.

When to Go

Open 365 days a year with regular events, the gardens are popular in spring, when many flowers are in bloom. Carillon concerts are daily at 1 and 3 p.m., with live performances mid-October through mid-May, Thursday to Sunday. Recordings play on other days.

MORE INFO

Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last car admitted at 5 p.m. New safety requirements have been implemented due to COVID-19. For directions and details, visit boktowergardens.org, or call
863-676-1408.