The largest clock in the world: tower, flower, wrist. Tower in Bern, Switzerland. Khan Al-Umdan Clock Tower
City clocks on the towers are always a decoration of cities and local attractions. Every more or less self-respecting city at one time set a clock on the towers. Today they are the pride of the townspeople. Let's take a look at the clock towers around the world, which are famous for their beauty and attract crowds of tourists...
London's Big Ben, which was installed on the tower in 1859. The tower itself is called the Elizabeth Tower.
Equally worthy of our admiration is the Rajabhai Clock Tower, located on a university campus in Mumbai, India.
4.
One of the most famous clocks in Europe is the astronomical clock on the Old Town Hall in Prague. The movements of his allegorical figures always attract a crowd of spectators to the Old Town Square. The clock was installed in 1410.
The Zutglogge clock tower in Bern, Switzerland is less noble, but also photogenic. The tower is located in the old part of the city, is an object world heritage UNESCO, and was built between 1218-20.
Atlantis R&D firm specializes in the design and manufacture of large facade, flower, street and tower clocks. The company's specialists will quickly design, manufacture, install, maintain, upgrade and repair large clocks around the world.
6.
The clock tower in Bukittinggi, Indonesia has a distinct South Asian flavor.
7.
Islamic style clock tower in Kuala Lumpur, which is attached to the Sultan Abdul Samad Mosque.
8.
This is the Caravanserai in Acre, Israel known as Khan al-Umdan. It was built in 1784 with a clock tower and granite pillars that surround the courtyard.
9.
The elegant Hamidiue Clock Tower in Beirut, Lebanon was built in 1897 and was renovated after the civil war.
10.
Clock tower Hotel Royal The Hotel in Mecca is the tallest in the world and is also known as the Abrai Al-Bayt Tower. The tower dominates the tower complex in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The clock is also the largest in the world, measuring 43 meters in diameter.
11.
This clock tower in Metz, France has its fair share of fans.
12.
Another famous European clock tower is on the town hall in Munich, Germany. This Gothic structure resembles Big Ben, but it was built much later, in 1908.
13.
Moscow, of course, has the reddest clock on the list. The Spasskaya Tower frames the eastern wall of the Kremlin and is main tower complex. It was built in 1491 by an Italian architect. The clock came later.
14.
This clock tower is located at the Old Kowloon Station, one of Hong Kong's most recognizable landmarks. The tower is 44 meters high and was completed in 1915.
Another clock is on the tower of the capital of Belarus. It is part of the City Gate ensemble and this watch is a trophy from Germany after the Second World War.
By the way, Belarus is one of the countries in whose economy you can safely invest. On the portal http://startupnetwork.by/ they will help to implement investment projects in interesting start-ups, business ideas and other advanced information areas of business in Belarus.
16.
More recently built clock towers boast more modern style. Like this one in Potsdamer Platz, Berlin. It is also used as a traffic light to regulate traffic. The first traffic lights in Germany were installed in 1924.
17.
Also of note is the Deira clock tower, located at a busy intersection in Dubai.
18.
America also has noteworthy clock tower located on Philadelphia City Hall. It was built in 1901.
19.
The clock tower Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco is located in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. It survived two major earthquakes in 1906 and 1989.
We look at them, getting out of bed in the morning, we look for them with our eyes, going to work, they are our companions. Everyday life which we cannot do without. Who are they? The answer is simple and suggests itself - an ordinary watch.
The largest tower clock
The largest clock in existence is located in the center of the holy Muslim land, namely in the city of Mecca. The building, grandiose in scope, is a complex of seven towers, in the central of which 4 clock mechanisms are mounted, located strictly on the cardinal points. The diameter of each of them is 46 meters.
This monstrous mechanism weighs about 36 thousand tons, a little less than 100 million mosaic pieces were used to decorate the dials.
Largest flower dial
Most big clock in the world, created from flowers, adorn the Park of Heroes in the Ukrainian city of Krivoy Rog. To implement such grand design it took about 22,000 plants, but how could it be otherwise, because the diameter of this living fragrant dial is as much as 22 meters!
These flower clock relatively recently, in 2011, as part of the City Without Borders program. At night, the mechanism is illuminated by colored lights, winter period covered with artificial needles. For 6 years, this clock has become the hallmark of the city, lovers make dates around it, and tourists are taken to it on excursions.
Giant watches
The well-known Diesel company, distinguished by brutality in its collections, has developed the largest watch in the world that can be worn on the hand - Diesel Grand Daddy.
This is a chronograph with 4 dials with a diameter of 65 mm and a thickness of 15 mm. The mechanism reliably protects which is difficult to scratch, the case is made of stainless steel. This accessory weighs no more, no less, 490 g. This largest watch in the world is incredibly popular and brings fabulous profits to the manufacturer.
Famous clocks of the world
Each country has its own special clock, the existence of which is known beyond its borders. It is hard to imagine at least one Russian who would not know how the chiming clock sounds. The whole country comes to a standstill on New Year's Eve, a glass of champagne in hand, as they count down the last seconds of the outgoing year.
The history of this watch dates back to 1491. For such a long century, the chimes have seen everything: numerous breakdowns, artillery shelling, fires. Although they long ago lost the title of “the biggest clock”, there are few people in the world who do not know about the Kremlin, in the very heart of the Russian land.
In London, the building of the English Parliament in Westminster is decorated with no less famous clock - Big Ben. The year of creation of this symbol of the Foggy Albion is considered to be 1859, the watch mechanism is the most reliable and trouble-free in those days.
The clock on the Big Ben tower owes its name to the head of construction, Benjamin Hall. This is how they called the huge 2-meter bell, which is located in the center open area and to which the narrow spiral staircase in as many as 334 steps. Ordinary mortals, for obvious reasons, are not allowed into this sentry citadel.
Germany also did not stand aside from the rest. On her famous square Alexanderplatz flaunts the World Clock - amazing both externally and with its history and symbolism. A huge cylinder 10 meters high with 24 plates on which the names of socialist countries are written appeared before the public in 1989, on the day when Berlin Wall. At the top, this structure is decorated with a composition of the orbits of the planets, but the most memorable thing about this clock is the inscription that reads "Time will destroy all walls."
Indeed, time puts everything in its place, it flows continuously, whether we like it or not. Epochs and rulers are changing, states are being erased from the face of the Earth, and the clock is running, measuring this inexorable run, as impartial witnesses of our vain life.
Almost every city in the world has clock towers. Clock towers become the main attractions of the city. Sometimes watches become a symbol of a particular state. As we say "Big Ben" is not only a symbol of Great Britain, but also the most famous watch in Europe. Today we will talk about clock towers based on various sources.
Big Ben
Tower in London
Popular name for the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. Official name towers since 2012 - Elizabeth Tower. Initially, "Big Ben" was the name of the largest of the five bells, but this name is often referred to both the clock and the clock tower itself as a whole.
The height of the tower is 96.3 m.
The architectural style is Neo-Gothic.
Spasskaya Tower
Tower in Moscow
One of the 20 towers of the Moscow Kremlin overlooking Red Square. The main gate of the Kremlin - Spassky - is located in the tower, the famous clock - chimes - is installed in the tent of the tower.
The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 during the reign of Ivan III by the architect Pietro Antonio Solari, as evidenced by the white stone slabs with commemorative inscriptions installed above the entrance gate of the tower.
The height of the tower is 71 m.
Date of construction - 1491
Clock Tower of the Old Town Hall
Tower in Prague, Czech Republic
Prague chimes, or eagle (Czech Pra?sk? Orloj, also Czech. Starom?stsk? Orloj) (from Latin horologium - clock) - a medieval tower clock installed on the southern wall of the tower of the Old Town Hall on Old Town Square in Prague. They are the third oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest that are still working.
Orloi consists of three main components located vertically on the tower. In the center is an astronomical dial that shows the Old Bohemian, Babylonian, Central European (modern) and sidereal time, the time of sunrise and sunset, the position of the Sun and Moon among the constellations included in the zodiac circle, as well as the phases of the Moon. On the sides of the astronomical dial are figures moving every hour, among which the figure of Death in the form of a human skeleton stands out. At the top, on the sides of the central stone sculpture of an angel, there are two windows, in which every hour, when the clock strikes, the figures of 12 apostles are shown, replacing each other. Above the stone sculpture of an angel is the figure of a golden rooster, which cries at the end of the procession of the apostles.
Clock tower of Munich Town Hall
Tower in Munich, Germany
The New Town Hall (German: Neues Rathaus) is a building in Munich, in the northern part of Marienplatz, intended for the work of city authorities: Oberburgomaster, City Council, city government.
The new town hall was built in 1867-1908 under the direction of Georg von Hauberrisser. The entire brick and stone complex with an 85 m high tower is grouped around six courtyards. The huge facade of the building, about 100 m long, is richly decorated with figures of the Bavarian dukes, kings of the Wittelsbach dynasty, legendary characters and saints. In 1874, the city council, which occupies the town hall to this day, moved from the Old Town Hall, located just a few tens of meters away, to a new building. The building was completed and expanded until 1908-1909. Today the town hall is a building in neo gothic style, which has 400 rooms with total area more than 9 thousand m?.
The 85 m high town hall tower is equipped with an elevator and is open to tourists. This building is crowned with the figure of the “Munich baby” on the spire of the tower, who holds the Gospel in his left hand, and blesses the city with his right hand.
Clock tower of Sultan Abdul Samad building
Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The main distinguishing feature of the building of Sultan Abdul Samad is the clock tower located in its middle part, 43 meters high.
The building was originally British administrative center, then the Supreme Court of Arbitration of Malaysia was located here.
Now in this historical building Malaysian Ministry of Culture is located.
Rajabai Clock Tower
Tower in Mumbai, India
The tower in the Venetian and Gothic style with remarkable masonry was at the time of construction the tallest building in the city. Of course, the tower is admirable, and, by the way, it is surprisingly similar to Big Ben (oh yes, the Elizabeth Tower). Not surprisingly, the tower was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, an English architect who also worked on the drawings of Big Ben. Currently, the tower's chimes play the same tune every 15 minutes.
The height of the tower is 85 m.
Date of construction - 1978.
Clocktower Zytglogge
Tower in Bern, Switzerland
Clock tower of medieval origin with an astronomical clock in the historic part of Bern.
The Bernese Zytglogge is one of the oldest clock towers in Switzerland. The clock itself consists of five mechanisms combined in a single case: a driving mechanism, two clock striking mechanisms and two mechanisms responsible for moving figures. On the hour axis, the hands of both large upper 12-hour dials and the astrolabe are fixed. One of the combat mechanisms activates the alarm every hour, the other - every quarter of an hour. The moving figures of the clock are located in a special bay window under the eastern 12-hour dial, to the right of the astrolabe.
Khan Al-Umdan Clock Tower
Tower in Akko, Israel
Khan Al-Umdan, also known as Khan-i-Awamid, is the largest and best-preserved caravanserai in Israel. The building was erected in 1784, but the clock tower was added only in 1906, next to the main entrance to the palace: the tower was added in honor of the anniversary of the reign of Sultan Abd al-Hamid II.
Clock tower Abraj al-Beit
Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
The Royal Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia (Makkah Clock Royal Tower) becomes the second tallest skyscraper in the world. This building is part of the Abraj Al-Bait complex, which consists of seven towers. The largest watch face. The diameter of each of the dials (and there are 4 of them, one on each side of the skyscraper) is 43 meters. The height of the tower is 601 meters (120 floors).
A complex of high-rise buildings built in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This is the largest (but not the tallest) structure in the world by mass, it is also the tall building V Saudi Arabia and third in the world after the Burj Khalifa and the Shanghai Tower.
Clock Tower of Armenia
Tower in Yerevan
Republic Square is the most beautiful and interesting place in Yerevan. Yerevan Square was designed by architect A. Tamanyan in 1926. These oval and trapezoidal overtures carry five significant buildings: the Museum of Armenia, the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the main clock tower of the country, the central post office of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Jam Gadang clock tower
Tower in Bukittingye, Indonesia
Jam Gadang clock tower stands in the center of the city, next to the main market of the city - Pasar Atas, where a lot of beautiful souvenirs, fruits, as well as huge selection dried fruits.
The Jam Gadang clock tower stands in the center of the city, next to the main market of the city - Pasar Atas, where many beautiful souvenirs, fruits are sold, and there is also a huge selection of dried fruits. The clock tower was built in 1926, when Indonesia was a colony of the Netherlands, on behalf of the Dutch queen, and was donated to Rook Maker, who was then the city secretary.
On each side of the tower there is a clock, the diameter of the clock is 80 cm, and the height of the Jam Gadang tower reaches 26 meters. The uniqueness of the watch lies in the fact that instead of the traditional Roman numeral “IV”, the combination “IIII” is drawn on the dial. Based on local legend, the four vertical lines commemorate the four workers who died while the building was under construction. Initially, a figure of a rooster was installed on the top of the tower, but during the Japanese occupation, the figure of a rooster was removed, the roof was simply decorated with ornamental trim. In total, the facade of the roof was changed three times, and today the roof reflects the architecture that is traditional for the Minangkabau people.
In translation, the name of the Jam Gadang Clock Tower sounds like “big clock”. The tower is often depicted on souvenirs, and the square near Jam Gadang is the centerpiece during the Bukittinggi New Year celebrations. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Clock tower of the Metz railway station
Tower in Metz, France
Between 1905 and 1908, the Berlin architect Jürgen Kröger and a team of assistants built a building in Metz railway station over 300 meters long with a 40-meter clock tower.
Speaking of time, we cannot fail to note the role played by the tower's clock. Clock towers attract simply huge crowds of people and are iconic sights of many cities. Take, for example, the face of Chicago, the Wrigley Building, at the time the official figures for how many visits this tower received, but in 2012, 42,000,000 people visited the windy city, many of whom probably spent a lot of time in the city center, exploring architectural landmarks of the city, including this famous tower.
The tower clock is a good landmark in the city, it will tell you where you are and you can easily navigate where you are going relative to it. Clock towers at train stations help people not to miss the train. And in Saudi Arabia, newest tower with the world's clock reminds people when to pray. All this information undoubtedly helps people, so the clock tower was built in important places. historical events squares, railway stations, etc. But over time, some tower clocks have become larger than the clocks they have become. business cards cities. The most famous of course is the clock in London Big Ben (Big Ben), now officially called the Elizabeth Tower (Elizabeth Tower). Whether you're looking for a tower clock or not, these lovely symbols of their cities will help guests find their way far from home.
Now let's take a look at the most famous tower clocks one by one.
Big Ben, London.
Originally Big Ben, it was a nickname that referred to the giant bell that was installed inside this tower. Nowadays, Big Ben is understood as the whole tower as a whole, the clock and the bell. But in 2012, the tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower (Elizabeth Tower), in celebration of the sixtieth birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. The tower was built in 1854, the arrows were originally cast iron, over time they were replaced with lighter copper ones.
Spasskaya Tower, Moscow
The Spasskaya Tower (formerly the Frolovskaya Tower) is a unique decoration of Red Square. The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari and was used for solemn processions. The clock was first installed in 1625 and acquired its current form, was updated in 1851. The self-luminous star crowning the Spasskaya Tower rotates like a weather vane. The height of the tower to the star is 67.3m, with the star 71m.
Tower of Abraj al-Bait, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The clock is located on a building 601 meters high and has a diameter of 43 meters, it is the largest clock in the world. The clock has LED backlight, during the call of believers to prayer, the watch can be seen from a distance of 30 kilometers.
Wrigley Clock Tower, Chicago
Wrigley, a chewing gum company, was headquartered in the building with this beautiful clock tower. The clock tower was built in 1920. The tower was decorated with terracotta tiles in six shades of white, from pale white at the bottom to blue-white at the top, with the aim of making the tower visually brighter.
Clock tower Zytglogge, Bern, Switzerland
This medieval tower (built in 1191) served as watchtower western fortifications of Bern, then it was a prison, and then a clock tower.
Izmir clock tower, Türkiye.
Watches are so popular in Turkey that they even appeared on banknotes at one time. The clock tower was built in the early 1900s to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II.
Clock tower of the old city hall, Prague
The tower was founded in 1475. The height of the tower is 65 meters. On the tower is Observation deck from which you can view great views Prague.
Rajabai Clock Tower, Mumbai, India
The tower is located in the center of the University of Mumbai. The tower was designed by the English architect George Gilbert Scott and paid for by the founder of the Bombay Stock Exchange, who insisted that the tower be named after his blind mother Rajabai. Gilbert never visited Mumbai, he sent all the drawings and instructions by mail from his office in London.
Sights of Europe: "Big Ben", London in the UK
The most famous clock in Europe is Big Ben. They were created in 1859 and fixed on 4 sides on the Tower of St. Stephen's Palace of Westminster in London,. The dial diameter is 7 meters, the length of the hour hand is 2 m 70 cm (metal), the length of the minute hand is 4 m 30 cm (copper). The clock got its name from the name of a large bell fixed on the Tower, weighing 13.7 tons, which strikes every hour. In the event of a clock lag, a coin weighing 1.5 grams is placed on the pendulum - an old English penny.
Big Ben, London, UK
Sights of Europe: "Old Town Orloj", Prague in the Czech Republic
The Prague “Eagle” (in the tower clock) cannot be called just a clock, they still show the position of the Sun and Moon relative to the Earth, however, according to medieval concepts. Made in 1410 by the master Ganush, who was then blinded so that he could not repeat his creation. There is a clock on the Old Town Hall in Prague,. Every hour, a performance is played out in front of a crowd of tourists: Death rings a bell, Greed shakes his wallet, Vanity holds a mirror and the fourth figure - the Turk, and at this time, 12 apostles pass through the opened window and already in the final, a rooster cries over the square.
"Old Town Orloj", Prague in the Czech Republic
Sights of Europe: "Kremlin Chimes", Moscow in Russia
The Kremlin Chimes were born in 1851, installed on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin,. The dial diameter is 6 m 12 cm. The hour hand is 2 m 97 cm, the minute hand is 3 m 27 cm. Every 15 minutes, 9 bells ring and a large bell strikes every hour. Previously, the main clock of the country was musical: at noon it sounded - “How glorious is our Lord in Zion”, and at midnight - “Transfiguration March”. The watch got its name from the French word “courant”, which means “current” or “running”.
One of the most important clocks from a historical point of view is the Greenwich Clock. They are at the gate. Royal Observatory in Greenwich, . They were created in 1852 by master Charles Shepherd, which is why they are sometimes called Shepherd's watches. This is the most important 24-hour clock, from which the countdown for all mankind begins. In diameter, they are not at all large, only 92 cm.
"Greenwich Clock", Greenwich in the UK
The most theatrical hours, of course, are located at the Puppet Theater. Obraztsova in Moscow, . They were created in 1970. The height of this structure is 4 m, and the width is about 3 m. Every hour, a rooster crows first, and then passers-by listen to the melody of the song “In the garden, in the garden” and some animal looks out of one of the 12 windows, but all together they can be seen at noon and midnight.
"Clock of the Puppet Theater named after. Obraztsova, Moscow in Russia
Sights of Europe: Zwinger Clock, Dresden in Germany
Hours in Palace Complex Zwinger installed in 1933 in Dresden, the same is unique in its kind. Under the clock are 40 Meissen porcelain bells. Once the bells were gilded with a white rim on the skirt. This clock is also musical, every hour they play a beautiful folk melody, which appears thanks to the electronic bell control mechanism.
"Zwinger Clock", Dresden in Germany
Belfry of the Zytgloggeturm with chimes from 1530 in Bern,. This is the oldest clock in Switzerland. One clock shows the time, the second is astronomical - the day of the week, month, phase of the moon and zodiac sign. Exactly 4 minutes before the beginning of the next hour: the golden rooster crows, then the jester hits the bells, and after him the bears (the symbol of the city of Bern) come out and show their outfits with the symbols of the city. One bear has a pipe, the second has a spear, the third has golden armor and a sword, the fourth has a drum. Then a knight on a horse and in golden armor appears on the stage. The fifth bear flaunts in a crown - a symbol of the power of Bern, the sixth holds a bundle and finally, a rooster crows, flaps its wings so that Chronos turns the hourglass over, and Hans von Tan hits the bell with a hammer. Then another lion will nod as many times as it is now, and again the rooster will crow.
Zytgloggeturm Belfry Clock, Bern in Switzerland
Watch " World Time” at Alexanderplatz in Berlin, show the universal time. They were created in 1969. The height of the directly rotating cylinder is 2 m 70 cm, and the structure itself rises 10 meters. In 24 sectors, the names of world capitals, mostly former socialist countries, are written, on the base where the pillar is mounted, a mosaic wind rose is laid out, and above the dial is a model of the solar system.
"World Time", Berlin in Germany
The Warsaw Millennium Clock entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world's tallest tower clock. They are located at an altitude of 165 meters, on the 42nd floor of the Palace of Science and Culture. Made in 2001, their diameter is 6 m 30 cm.
Millennium Clock, Warsaw in Poland
And finally, the whole sculptural composition in Paris, in front of Gare Saint-Lazare, . As the sculptor Armand Pierre Fernandez, who designed this object in 1985, said: “The number of objects brought together changes their quality and appearance.” The name of the sculpture “Time for Everyone” absolutely accurately shows the frailty of being, the transience of life and makes everyone who comes to the station think about the fact that sometimes you need to stop, just like the hands on the clock and answer the question where you are going and why.
"Time for All", Paris, France
Sights of Europe: clock towers, tower clocks of Europe
Get the most interesting news from Europe every week!
