Should-See Clock Towers Across the World

Our ancestors undoubtedly appreciated clock towers in bygone days, when most individuals lacked every other approach to inform time. Right this moment, clock towers are priceless neighborhood symbols — historic artifacts that exemplify architectural acumen. If you happen to love studying about time-honored engineering strategies, add these well-known locations to your journey itinerary.  

1. Elizabeth Tower (London, England)

The clock in probably the world’s most iconic clock tower started ticking on Might 31, 1859, with now-familiar accompanying chimes first heard round England’s capital on July 11 that very same yr. Renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, the Nice Clock, typically referred to as “Huge Ben,” is a alternative tower on the present web site as soon as occupied by England’s first chiming clock tower, constructed in 1367.

Curiously, the Elizabeth Tower’s much-used nickname, Huge Ben, is a misnomer. In context, Huge Ben is the title of the bell hanging within the tower, which produces the sound you hear round London each hour on the hour. Since in depth renovations to protect the Elizabeth Tower for coming generations led to 2022, Huge Ben and the Nice Clock have functioned like clockwork.

2. Munich Glockenspiel Tower (Munich, Germany)

The Munich Glockenspiel types a part of the town’s city corridor within the Marienplatz sq.. An unique and entertaining vacationer attraction, the Glockenspiel comprises two ranges of collectible figurines that draw crowds to observe them enact scenes from a historic royal wedding ceremony day by day at 11 a.m. and midday. The clock’s 43 bells play completely different tunes, which change all year long, whereas guests collect to observe the Glockenspiel’s prime stage painting the story of Duke Wilhelm V’s 1588 wedding ceremony to Renata of Lorraine.

Full with horses and a jousting match between a Bavarian and a Frenchman, the higher stage regales the marriage story, whereas the decrease stage sees barrel maker collectible figurines carry out a standard dance, the Schäfflertanz, celebrating the tip of a plague. If you happen to miss the common day by day Glockenspiel performances, now solar-powered, you’ll be able to nonetheless catch one at 9 p.m. each night. The Angel of Peace and a nightwatchman blowing a horn to mark the then-curfew time in Munich present the short-lived figurine leisure.

3. Petrovaradin Fortress Clock Tower (Novi Unhappy, Serbia)

The Petrovaradin Fortress, within the city of the identical title on the outskirts of Novi Unhappy, was the place an Austrian military victory over Turkish troops in 1716 ended the latter’s menace to Central Europe. The fortress’ well-known clock tower, courting again to the 1750s, features a bewildering timepiece recognized by locals as “Pijani Sat,” which immediately interprets to “Drunk Clock.”

Whereas trendy architectural clocks have reliable mechanisms for exact timekeeping, climate resistance and fluid movement, Pijani Sat seems to have issues in these departments. Apart from its longer hour hand and shorter minute hand, its face is a mirror picture of a traditional clock, and it retains time in an anti-clockwise path. Furthermore, the timing mechanism loses time in chilly temperatures and positive factors time in hotter climate. This unique clock tower is a must-see when you’re touring in Serbia. 

4. Price Avenue Clock Tower (Florida, United States)

The ritzy Price Avenue buying district is dwelling to a contemporary landmark clock tower in Palm Seaside, Fla. Since 2010, the Moorish Revival-styled, 25-foot-tall Price Avenue Clock Tower has adorned the previous web site of the Palm Seaside Pier. A Danish immigrant affectionately often known as Captain Gus constructed the pier in 1925. It was dwelling to a cocktail lounge, espresso store and fisherman’s deal with store by means of the years earlier than its demolition in 1969 attributable to security issues.

The clock tower, made out of coquina stone, has 4 exactly maintained faces — one on both sides. Many Palm Seaside locals historically collect on the location at dawn each New 12 months’s Day for a neighborhood selfie to mark the celebratory spirit related to the now-absent Palm Seaside Pier. The buying district and Price Avenue Clock Tower are must-see sights once you go to Palm Seaside. 

5. Xanthi Clock Tower (Xanthi, Greece)

The Xanthi Clock Tower is integral to the culturally numerous Greek city after which it will get its title. Situated within the city’s central sq. — a very full of life nighttime space — the tower was as soon as a part of an 1870 mosque till Bulgarian troops burned it down throughout World Battle II. Since then, the minaret tower has been freestanding. With Xanthi residents predominantly Orthodox Christian, the native municipality tried to take away it in 1973, however met resistance from the Muslim neighborhood. Lately, the Xanthi Clock Tower acquired nationwide monument standing.

If you happen to’re close to Xanthi and need to view the tower, contemplate combining your journey with a Saturday go to to the well-known Xanthi bazaar within the sq. each week. Doing so means you’ll be able to view the Xanthi Clock Tower whereas sampling the native drinks and rubbing shoulders with locals and guests who’ve traveled from nations together with Turkey and Bulgaria to partake within the festivities.

6. Makkah Clock Royal Tower (Mecca, Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia’s Abraj Al Bait seven-tower complicated in Mecca contains the 1,972-foot Makkah Clock Royal Tower — the world’s tallest clock tower since 2012. Extremely, the tower lies near Masjid al-Haram — Islam’s sacred Nice Mosque of Mecca, which is the costliest constructing globally. So this holy metropolis in Saudi Arabia hosts no less than two world document holders inside half a mile of one another.

At present the sixth-tallest freestanding construction worldwide, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower has 120 tales and homes a five-star resort, which accommodates a number of the many worshippers who go to the Kaaba, a part of the Masjid al-Haram, and people taking part within the annual Hajj. Its clock faces are additionally bigger than any others, measuring 141 toes in diameter. If you happen to’re touring by means of Mecca, you’ll be able to’t miss the Makkah Clock Royal Tower.

7. Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower (Mumbai, India)

The Fort enterprise precinct in Mumbai is a cultural and historic epicenter, with historic landmarks aplenty and plaques providing tales and reminders of previous days on each avenue. Add the spectacular Persian architecture-style Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower to the combo to achieve architectural perception into 1900s India and be taught in regards to the man who contributed a lot to training in then-Bombay. 

Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia was a well known Parsi in the course of the nineteenth century, on the board of one of many state’s oldest instructional establishments and a member of the Bombay Native Training Society. Twenty years after his loss of life, the general public donated funds to point out their appreciation for his contributions, with the Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower erected in his honor. You’ll discover the lamassus — protecting deities — at each entrance and acanthus leaf cornices adorning the just lately renovated tower. 

8. Manila Clock Tower (Manila, Philippines)

The Manila Clock Tower, at nearly 100 toes tall, is the tallest within the Southeast Asian nation. Its storied previous contains its destruction, together with the town corridor, throughout World Battle II’s month-long 1945 Battle of Manila that badly broken a lot of the town’s infrastructure. Because of this, the Manila Clock Tower remained in ruins for over 50 years till its renovation started barely earlier than the brand new millennium. 

For the reason that well-known clock tower’s preliminary rebuilding, leaders have modified and digitized the clocks to synchronize with Philippine Customary Time, with their faces painted gold. The Manila Clock Tower now hosts an artwork gallery and a museum the place you’ll be able to be taught extra in regards to the Battle of Manila. Now a well-liked vacationer vacation spot, the Manila Clock Tower is a landmark that reminds you of the town’s historic occasions and symbolizes its architectural distinction.

Additionally learn: Manila’s finest rooftop bars

9. Peace Tower (Ottawa, Canada)

Situated on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, the Peace Tower is considered one of Canada’s most distinguished and recognizable options, probably second solely to the nationwide flag that adorns its spire. It’s over 300 toes tall, with its partitions adorned by grotesques, bosses, reliefs and gargoyles that present guests with loads of photograph alternatives. Throughout the Peace Tower’s stone-carved partitions, the Memorial Chamber is a solemn reminder of Canadians who handed away throughout battles worldwide.

In 1927, the UK donated the unique Peace Tower clock to Canada to mark the sixtieth anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Its malfunction noticed it changed by 4 faces, with an electrical motor working the arms. Curiously, the federal government can’t set the grasp clock again, so an worker stops it for an hour at daylight saving time within the fall, then strikes the hour hand ahead when spring arrives. The tower’s carillon, considered one of North America’s oldest, contains 53 bells that carilloneurs play on an enormous keyboard.

10. Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower (Stratford, New Zealand)

Although New Zealand’s city of Stratford is 1000’s of miles away from its namesake, it celebrates William Shakespeare as if he have been born there. Nearly all the town’s streets take their names from the world-renowned bard’s work, comparable to Capulet Place and Montague Grove. It must be no shock that the Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower pays homage to literature’s most beloved star-crossed lovers 4 occasions day by day, on the hour.

Shakespeare buffs will discover the Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower particularly endearing. If you’re current when the tower bells strike at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. or 7 p.m., you’ll see six carved collectible figurines, three every of Romeo and Juliet, emerge from doorways throughout the tower. Audio system play some well-known “balcony scene” strains in a efficiency that lasts round 5 minutes. Although much less genuine than its Munich counterpart, the Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower is a must-see when visiting the Land of the Lengthy White Cloud.

11. Su Music Park Astronomical Clock Tower (Keifeng, China)

Believed to be the oldest clock tower on this planet, the water-driven Astronomical Clock Tower has stood in its present location because the eleventh century. Chinese language scientist Su Music designed the “Cosmic Engine” gadget, which features a mechanism that controls the water-driven wheel motion that runs the clock, much like how a mechanical clock works. Music developed the gadget 200 years earlier than the mechanical clock appeared in Europe.  

The clock now not operates, however the tower’s pagoda-style ranges nonetheless comprise the collectible figurines that rang bells and held indicators to inform the time each hour. A big vertical wheel that includes water scoops contained in the tower offered a gear system created by the fixed filling and emptying of the scoops to rotate the wheel and advance time, with smaller horizontal wheels prompting the related movement of the collectible figurines. If you happen to’re touring in China, you have to go to Su Music Park to see the remnants of this piece of historic Chinese language know-how.

12. Sather Tower (California, United States)

The 307-foot Sather Tower stands on the College campus in Berkeley, Calif. The tower resembles the since-rebuilt Twelfth-century Campanile bell tower in Venice, Italy, and therefore bears the “Campanile” nickname. Containing the biggest 4 clocks within the state, every with 17-foot Sitka spruce arms and bronze numerals, Sather Tower additionally has 61 bells within the carillon that ring thrice per day besides throughout examination durations. 

Architects constructed the Campanile in 1914 utilizing Raymond granite, structural metal and Alaskan marble. The marble makes it distinctive in a method aside from its dimension — it absorbs warmth, which causes the tower to sway. Since the remainder of the construction is immovable, Sather Tower has developed facade cracks because the marble shifts with the solar and strikes again into place when the temperatures drop at evening.

13. Gabriadze Clock Tower (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Uncommon in Tbilisi and globally since its erection in 2011, this clock tower, recognized by many because the “Leaning Tower of Tbilisi,” seems to get all its help from a single metal beam. Famend native puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze constructed the tower as an addition to his puppet theater, made out of a jumble of deserted constructing supplies from Tbilisi’s historic outdated city and remnants of the devastating 2002 earthquake that struck the capital. 

Whereas the Gabriadze Clock Tower is exclusive and astonishing to merely have a look at, extra is in retailer for guests on the hour. An angel figurine strikes the tower bell each hour from a small balcony close to the summit. Then, beneath the massive clock, you’ll witness a display screen opening to show a boy assembly a woman, the couple’s subsequent wedding ceremony, her childbirth and a funeral ending their circle of life. The Leaning Tower of Tbilisi will amaze you with its unique building, apparent creativity and inherent purity. 

There’s a Should-See Clock Tower Wherever You Journey

Irrespective of the place you go worldwide, there’ll nearly actually be an unbelievable clock tower to go to. It is likely to be a tower’s structure, historical past, cultural heritage or perhaps a novelty aspect that appeals to you. Taking time to marvel on the sheer magnitude, ingenious designs or impactful restorations will make you pleased with what your fellow people can obtain.

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Phrases by Jack Shaw