Falling towers of Europe. Arau railway station. Switzerland. Prague clock tower

Modern people already accustomed to the accelerated pace of life, have long ceased to pay attention to watch, and many use only hours on mobile phone. Nevertheless, the city clocks on town halls and turrets still attract attention, as if taking us to the past. historical eras during their stop. Watches can tell a lot even now, strange watches can be called a work of art, masters have been working on their mechanisms for years, and today's watchmakers find it quite difficult to correct problems that have arisen over a long period of operation.

A journey into the past, counted by chronometers, can be started with a tour of London's Big Ben, which announces the time with the help of a powerful and sonorous bell, the echoes of which can be heard in all historical districts capitals of Great Britain. The birthday of the English Big Ben can be considered May 31, 1859, when for the first time the inhabitants of London, when the clock was wound for the first time, today they are the main attraction of the city and attract millions of foreign tourists.

Big Ben

Big Ben - an old clock created in 1859, it decorates the tower of St. Stephen, which is integral part Palace of Westminster in London, capital of Great Britain. The size of Big Ben strikes the imagination of tourists, the diameter of the dials of the old clock is seven meters, each dial is lined with small plates of unique frosted glass, and 312 glass panels were used to decorate one dial. The cast metal hour hand is 2.7 meters long, much larger than the height of one person. And only the numbers on the old London clock are small - the height of each number is only 61 centimeters, but the numbers are clearly visible from afar.

As for the name of the London clock, stories put forward two versions. According to the first version, the watch is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the master who supervised the important work of casting a large hour bell, which is why the watch was called Big Ben. According to the second version, the London clock got its name due to the heaviest bell, whose weight is 13.7 tons, it was associated with the then popular heavyweight boxer Benjamin Count. The system by which the accuracy of the old clock is carried out is surprising. For this, an ordinary English penny is used - a coin weighing only 1.5 grams. Such a coin is simply placed on the clock pendulum, which allows you to speed up the clock by 2.5 seconds per day.

Kremlin chimes

The Kremlin Chimes, created in 1851, adorn the Spassky Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, Russia's main clock eight years older than its British counterpart. The clock built into the tower has four identical dials, one on each side of the Spasskaya Tower. The dial diameter of the Kremlin clock is not much smaller than the English Big Ben - it is 6 meters 12 centimeters. The metal hour hand reaches a length of 2.97 meters, and the minute hand - 3.27 meters, and the pendulum of the chimes weighs 32 kilograms.

The ringing of the Kremlin chimes is achieved with the help of 10 bells of different weights and sizes, one of them only strikes the clock, and the ringing of nine bells, spreading throughout Red Square, can be heard every 15 minutes.

The name of the Kremlin Chimes comes from the French word "courant", which can be translated into Russian as running or current. In the old days in Russian Empire so called all the tower clocks located in various cities of the country. The Kremlin chimes occupy the eighth, ninth and tenth floors of the Spasskaya Tower, towering over Red Square.

Previously, the main Moscow clock was musical, before the revolution, their built-in mechanism was tuned to play various melodies - at noon the music “How glorious is our Lord in Zion” played, and at midnight - “Transfiguration March”. In 1917, during the memorable revolutionary events, an artillery shell hit the chimes, and after a long repair, the watch was able to show the time again only a year later. During the repair, the musical mechanism was changed, other melodies were laid in it, reflecting the philosophy of the revolution, at noon the chimes played the anthem "The Internationale", and at midnight - "You have fallen victim", in 1935 the authorities of the Soviet Union decided to abandon the musical accompaniment of the battle chimes, and the unique musical mechanism was dismantled.

Puppet Theater Clock

The clock of the Puppet Theater was created in 1970 and is 4 meters high and 3 meters wide. You can see them by visiting the Obraztsov Puppet Theater, they are the decoration of the facade, arousing interest among young spectators of puppet shows. These unusual clocks are more designed for children than for adults, every hour a rooster flies out of a small clock window and starts to crow loudly, and after that the melody familiar to us from childhood “In the garden, in the garden” sounds, and from one of the windows of the clock appears some animal - in one hour a donkey, in another hour - a bear, and then a cat, after - an owl. All animals together can be seen only twice a day - at noon and at midnight.

The wolf shows at 11.00 am, and thanks to this animal, the concept of “hour of the wolf” appeared in Moscow. It was at this time that the sale of alcoholic beverages was allowed in the store located opposite the children's theater, this Soviet law was mandatory not only for this store, it was observed in all food stores in the USSR.

Astronomical clock “Orloi”

The astronomical clock "Orloj", located in the Czech capital of Prague, in the heart of the old city on the Old Town Hall, can be considered the oldest tower clock in Europe. It has been running smoothly since 1410, and the ancient clock mechanism is constantly maintained in perfect order. There are only two dials on the watch, each of them is 2.5 meters in diameter, significantly inferior to later watches. The name of the clock is just a transcription of the Czech word "orloj", which translates into Russian as a tower clock.

The authorities of the city decided to install an old clock of the 15th century with one goal - so that the inhabitants of Prague, engaged in trade right on the square, which then served as a market at the same time, would not be late for church at the beginning of the mass. And the design of the watch, as conceived by its creators, makes every person think about his soul, bringing him closer to God. Beating every hour, the clock bell is pulled by a skeleton, which symbolizes Death, ringing with coins. The stingy and proud looking in the mirror are associated with human vices. After their appearance, the procession of the twelve apostles begins, reminiscent of the true faith as a way of a righteous life.

The clock was first repaired in 1490, and the Czech master Gashush, who managed to understand the complex clockwork and eliminate the breakdown that had arisen, local authorities he was ordered to gouge out his eyes so that he could make a similar clock for any other city.

Moscow State University Clock

The Moscow State University clock appeared on the map of Moscow in the middle of the 20th century; since 1953, it has been decorating the facade of Moscow State University, built in the best traditions of Moscow architecture. The dial diameter of this watch is much larger than the Kremlin chimes, it is nine meters. The minute hand weighs 39 kilograms and is 4.2 meters long. And the hour hand weighs as much as 50 kilograms, and its length is 3.7 meters.

Until 1957, the mechanism for starting the clock at Moscow State University was rather complicated, it could only be started using a special huge pendulum, and the entire clock mechanism occupied the same place as a six-story building. The clock was serviced by a large staff, so later it was decided to change the old mechanism for an electric motor. Until the advent of the grandiose flower clock on Poklonnaya Hill The clock of Moscow State University was considered the largest in all of Europe.

Millennium Clock

The millennium clock in Warsaw appeared only in 2001, it was decided to install it on the main skyscraper of the city, built in the middle of the 20th century - the Palace of Culture and Science. They are located at a height of 165 meters, just at the level of the 42nd floor of the building. Although the diameter of the Millennium Clock is only 6.3 meters, this clock is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as it is the tallest tower clock in the world.

Clock “World Time”

The German clock "World Time" is located in Berlin, on Alexanderplatz, it appeared on the city map in 1969, and is of interest due to its unusual design. "Universal Time" is not a tower clock. They are characterized by a unique rotating design, which is 10 meters high, and the rotating cylinder with digits 2.7 meters high looks more like a calendar than a watch.

The clock was built in the socialist era, Alexanderplatz at that time was located on the territory of the GDR in the eastern part of Berlin. The clock bears the names of all the socialist and communist countries of the world, including Beijing and Havana, and the numbers above each capital show its characteristic local time. The mosaic floor under the rotating clock structure symbolizes the wind rose, and the top of the composition is decorated with a metal planetary model resembling an atom in its shape.

Flower clock in Moscow

The flower clock on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow appeared relatively recently - in 2001, today it is the most big clock in Europe. The diameter of the hour dial is 10 meters, the length of the hour hand is 3.5 meters, and the minute hand is 4.5 meters. To cover the watch dial with fresh flowers, at least 8 thousand flowers are needed, which are planted in a certain sequence.

Walking along Poklonnaya Gora, one cannot see the complex clock mechanism, it is completely hidden underground, and on the surface there are only hands and the axis on which they are held. After dark, the clock is illuminated with a special backlight, so you can navigate it even at night. Unfortunately, flower clock they work only from May to October, and every spring the flower pattern is renewed anew.

Flower clock in Geneva

The flower clock in Geneva, Switzerland, is located on the territory English garden, they were founded back in 1955, and, unlike Moscow flower clocks, they have not only hour and minute hands, but also a second one. The second hand of the Geneva flower clock is 2.5 meters long and the dial diameter is five meters. Each year, the floral pattern on the dial is laid out in a new way, and its creation requires 6.5 thousand fresh flowers.

Floral flowers in Geneva were created to emphasize the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers and show that they are the best in the world at all times, and on the original dial, fragrant with the scent of fresh flowers, there was also a second hand, symbolizing precision. A similar watch was presented to St. Petersburg in celebration of the 300th anniversary of its founding northern capital, but the gift of the Geneva mayor turned out to be of lesser quality - the clock soon began to fall behind, and subsequently was subjected to an act of vandalism.

Greenwich Clock

The Greenwich Clock in London appeared in 1852, seven years before the world-famous Big Ben. They are located at the gates of the building of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, made of ordinary metal and glass, and their diameter is very small - it is only 92 centimeters.

Created by renowned watchmaker Charles Shepherd, the Greenwich Clock is known as the first clock to keep time accurately. It is on them that all countries of the world are guided, reporting the local time of their states and time zones, for each zone in the world it is typical to add a certain number of hours to the numbers on the Greenwich clock.

Since the invention of vertical sundial it became possible to install them on walls, facades of buildings and on city towers. The oldest solar tower clock is located in Greece on the so-called tower of the winds, which, as they say, served as the first in history. meteorological station. The date of construction of the tower itself is about the 1st century BC.

Tower clock: from simple to complex.

The history of the clock also knows other, earlier buildings, but unfortunately they have not survived to this day. In the 12th century, simple devices without a dial appeared in monasteries and cathedrals, which, by the sound of a bell, notify the brethren of the time of prayer. It was a water clock, the mechanism of which was located inside the tower. In the 14th century, purely mechanical tower clocks appeared in Italy. The oldest of those about which there is reliable information date back to 1335. They were installed in Milan on the tower of the viscount's palace that stood there.

And if we talk about those watches as we know them now, then it should be recognized that the history of European watches began precisely from that time. In addition to them, there is information about several more tower clocks of this period: in Padua, in Monza and in Modena. After Italy, city clock towers appear in Strasbourg, Augsburg, Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Lyon. The first clock tower in England was built in 1370.

History of tower clocks of the XIV century.

By the end of the fourteenth century, many cities in Italy already had their own clock towers. The history of tower clocks, which began in Italy, gradually developed - the mechanisms and mathematical methods of calculation were improved. Unfortunately, we have very little information about the structure of these first tower clocks. None of them have survived in their original form. Some disappeared, others were reconstructed. Fortunately, Giovanni Dondi's treatises, Julien Leroy's drawings, Froissart's poem and several other sources have survived, which contain descriptions of Giovanni Dondi's clock (not preserved to our time) and de Vic's tower clock before their reconstruction in the 18th century.

Without going into details of the description of Dondi's watches, it should be noted their complex structure and the number of dials - there were seven of them. Almost simultaneously with them, the clock of the Strasbourg Cathedral was created, approximately 1354.

Strasbourg tower clock were not as complex as the Dondi planetary clock, but they gained popularity as a public watch and later became a role model. This astronomical tower clock was twelve meters high and had a calendar with an annual wheel about 3 meters in diameter.

The second clock Strasbourg Cathedral, created by Isaac and Josie Gabrecht, existed from 1574 to 1789. Built in 1356-1361, the Nuremberg tower clock, the name of the creator of which history has not preserved, was a rather complex device and at that time enjoyed well-deserved fame among the people. Installed on the tower of the Nuremberg Cathedral, they were made in honor of the election of Charles IV as emperor. The figure of Charles sat on the throne, surrounded by his electors, and the figures passing before him to the sound of trumpets bowed their heads.

Less famous and Parisian Clock de Vic, created and installed in 1370 in royal palace in Paris by order of Charles V. The master carefully developed and implemented the interaction of the clock striking mechanism with the running gear.

History of clock towers in England is fraught with many ambiguities, however, the first tower clock, about which there is reliable data, was built on a specially built in 1365, the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. In addition to them, the oldest English tower clocks are in Wales (from about 1325 to 1392), Conen (1379) and Salisbury (1386).

The history of the Dover Castle clock tower is of great interest, since very few clocks with such an old running mechanism and rate regulator have survived. Unfortunately, we do not know the exact date of their creation, but for some design features it is safe to say that this clock was made in the XIV century. In Cassiobury there is a clock with a similar device, probably the same craftsmen made it and the clock at Dover Castle.

Tower and city clocks - movement in the same rhythm.

In any major Western European city, by 1500 there was a tower clock, and in addition to them, a city clock was also often built on the main Cathedral of the city, but they, as a rule, were more complex. The complexity, however, was not in the structure of the clock mechanism of movement and battle, but in the presence of additional mechanisms that serve to move various figures at the time of the battle, adding entertainment to the watch. The city clock ensured the life of city residents, if I may say so, their movement in the same rhythm of city life, since there were no pocket watches yet, the townspeople were guided precisely by such watches. A lot of old tower clocks of the 15th-16th centuries have survived to this day, but almost all of them have been reconstructed and only a small number of them, still having a pristine mechanism, attract the attention of professionals and are popular with tourists.

Prague clock tower.

In 1338, the building of the Prague Town Hall was erected, acquired its own tower in 1364, from which a specially appointed person announced what time it was. In 1402, a tower clock with two dials appeared on it, the upper one showed the position of the Sun and the Moon, and the dial below it was a perpetual calendar. In 1597, a dial was built to display the four phases of the moon. In 1824, the tower clock of the Prague Town Hall was repaired and they worked until May 5, 1945, when the Town Hall building was destroyed. The watch repair took two years. This tower clock has a unique running mechanism and additional mechanisms used to move various figures. Before the clock strikes, 12 apostles come out of the opened doors above the dial. When the clock strikes, the terrible statue of Death, located to the right of the upper dial, turns the scythe, followed by the hourglass, as a reminder that a person’s life will end sooner or later. Next to her standing man nods, as if agreeing with this inevitability. To the left of the same dial, a man jingles a purse of coins, reminding him that time is money. The traveler, standing nearby, strikes the ground with his staff, showing that a person is walking along the road of life, but this is all vanity. After the tower clock of the Prague City Hall has struck, the rooster crows 3 times. Then Jesus Christ appears, who blesses all the people standing below, who now, as well as 600 years ago, come to look at this oldest tower clock in Prague.

Tower clock in Lübeck.

The device of the tower clock, located since 1405 in the city of Lübeck, on the western side of the high altar of the church of St. Mary, is interesting. Refurbished in 1860 and 1889, this city clock still runs today. The dial shows the movement of celestial bodies, and at noon, when the clock strikes, the scene of the emperor’s coronation is reproduced: the doors open on the side, the German electors enter, the ceremony of the emperor’s accession to the throne takes place, then Jesus Christ who appears gives a blessing and all automatic figures leave to the sounds of fanfare and choir of angels.

Clock tower in St. Mark's Square in Venice.

Unfortunately, this tower clock has not survived to this day in the form in which it was created in 1495. They were created by the Italians Giovanni and Carl Reynald. Almost nothing is known about the first clock and its device, but we have something to tell about the second clock, which was installed after 1600. They showed the time, the movement of the Sun and its satellite, as well as the signs of the Zodiac. Above, above the dial, on the gallery were the Magi coming to Jesus, in front of the Angel. All together they, bowing, pass before the Mother of God. Even higher were the Moor and the Hindu, who, holding hammers in their hands, struck the bell with them.

Lyon tower clock.

These hours are cathedral Saint Jean in French Lyon. They are 40 feet high and shaped like a tower. History dates back to 1598 the creation of this tower clock, and the authorship is attributed to Nikolai Lipp from the city of Basel. But there is also information that in 1572, Lyon master Jacob Levet worked on the manufacture of watches (this or some others are unknown). But, in any case, the Lyon tower clock has been reconstructed many times and now looks quite majestic. Animation is brought by various figures, playing various scenes during the battle. The tower clock of Lyon has, as it were, three "floors". At the top are the same moving figures that were discussed above.

At the middle level there is a large oval-shaped dial that serves to show the minutes. This dial was added in 1661. The main dial shows the calendar and dates of Easter, the time and position of the Sun and Moon. You can find out what day of the week it is by what figure is in the gilded niche. They change at 12 noon.

The kneeling Mother of God is above these figures, above her is God the Father and Angels. A rooster sits on the highest point of the clock tower. The clock tower is crowned with a rooster. When the Lyon tower clock struck, the rooster crowed three times, and the Angel standing on the left turned the hourglass, the upper Angels played hymns on the bells, and the Angel standing on the right struck the time. The door opened, the Archangel Gabriel appeared, bringing the Good News to the Virgin Mary, the ceiling opened and a dove descended through it, personifying the Holy Spirit. After the blessing of God the Father, all figures were removed.

Rouen tower clock.

Rouen tower clock was created in 1389. The creator of this tower clock was the mechanic de Felens. History says that it was one of the first tower clocks to strike every 15 minutes. They also showed the phases of the moon, time and day of the week. The clock has become a very useful tool for the townspeople, their whole life was measured day by day by this watch. Therefore, when in 1572 the clock tower of Rouen broke, the inhabitants of the city were in disarray.

Masters who installed clock tower in French Besançon, showed the whole world what can be achieved by complicating and improving mechanical watches. The tower clock they created had 30,000 parts and fifty-seven dials.

If we talk about the history of watches in the XIV - XVII centuries, then the development of tower clocks was quite intensive, a counting circle was used to beat quarters, half hours and hours. One mechanism served to show the time, and the second mechanism, designed for combat, was activated every time the hands measured the hour, half hour and quarter. A special mechanical device regulated the turning on and off of the chime mechanism of the tower clock. Since there was no minute hand on the dial, then, given the busy urban rhythm of life, the chime of the tower clock every fifteen minutes seemed a very practical innovation.

For the first time, it was in tower clocks that they began to use multi-stage kinematic wheel transmission chains with large gear ratios, clutches, ratchet, cam mechanisms.

In the XIV-XVI centuries, the tower clock was the most technically complex object of that time. However, the complex and in many ways perfect scheme of tower clocks, until the time when the pendulum was invented, lacked accuracy. Later, everything changed. Pendulum clocks had a higher accuracy and over time, watches for individual use began to appear. They were installed in houses on the floor, hung on the wall. There were desktop and pocket watches. And although the tower clock has lost its role as the only time meter in the city, however, they represented an undoubted convenience for the majority of the population until pocket watches became cheap, and at the same time more accessible to most residents. Pendulum stationary clocks with high precision became known as astronomical clock. But it should be noted that before the advent of Short's electric clock, the accuracy of calculating time using astronomical instruments was higher than the accuracy of any astronomical clock. The most famous in the 19th century were the astronomical clocks of Dent (Great Britain, London), Leroy (France, Paris) and Rifleur (Bavaria, Munich).

Reconstruction of the clock tower in the 19th century.

The reconstruction that many tower clocks underwent in the 19th century led to the fact that not only their mechanisms were changed, but also some of the dials. A good example of such an improvement is the Strasbourg tower clock. The new Strasbourg tower clock was built over 4 years, starting in January 1838. The most complex studies and calculations for them were made by Johann Baptist Schwilge. A sphere with constellations plotted as seen from the latitude of Strasbourg was added in 1857. It makes one revolution in one sidereal day, imitating one revolution of the Earth around its axis, which is somewhat less than 24 hours. There are 110 constellations on the sphere!

Behind the sphere is a calendar on which, in addition to the month and date, church holidays and the names of the Saints are indicated. The calendar ring moves one division daily, and makes a full rotation in 365 days or 366 days in a leap year, although there is no separate mechanism for switching modes. Strasbourg astronomical clock show the phases of the moon, the time when the sun rises, when it hides behind the horizon, lunar and solar eclipses, solar time. The figures of the ancient Roman gods, located above the perpetual calendar, correspond to a certain day of the week, for example: the statue of Saturn corresponds to Saturday. The lower part of the astronomical Strasbourg clock is separated from the middle part by lions sitting in the corners. In the center of the clock is a dial measuring the mean solar time. This year shown with the help of four rings, the full revolutions of which are respectively 10, 100, 1000 and 10,000 years! Those. The clock is designed for exactly this time period!

Welsh Cathedral clock tower in England were reconstructed in 1835. The new mechanism and the new clock face already had a minute hand and a minute circle.

Reconstruction of the clock on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin was carried out from 1851 to 1852 and affected most of the mechanism. For the manufacture of new parts of the mechanism, steel and brass were used, and for bearings - a special alloy resistant to wear. The dials became iron, they were painted black, and the numbers were copper-plated with gilding, a minute hand was added. The new tower clock of the Kremlin had a mechanism with Gragham's anchor stroke, a pendulum with a temperature compensator of Harrison's typical design, four winding shafts (for the movement, striking the clock, striking the quarter hour and for playing the chimes), driven by weights. The mechanism of the game of chimes was turned on every three hours starting from 12-00.

In England, in 1860, a unique tower clock was launched, which is now known throughout the world. We are talking about the clock installed on the Victorian Tower in London. Initially, the British Parliament set conditions that Westminster clock tower had a rate constancy of 1 minute per week. Lord Edmund Denison Grimthorpe invented the double three-crank gravity regulator, he, together with J. Airey, designed the watch, and Edward Dent was involved in the manufacture. However, he died before he could finish what he started. Finished the work of his son - Fryderyk. The Westminster clock tower was installed at the 54-meter height (dial installation level) of the hundred-meter tower. The fight of the clock was carried out every hour with the help of a bell weighing 13 tons, the name of which everyone now knows is Big Ben.

And finally, a few words about tower clocks in the USA.

tower clock big size in the United States began to be built much later than in European countries. So, for example, in 1909 they established clock tower at Metropolitan Life Tower in New York City. The diameter of each of the four dials is 8.1 meters. The length of the minute and hour hands is 5.7 meters and 5.2 meters, respectively, and the numbers are 4.3 meters. The arrows are illuminated by electric lamps.

Jersey clock tower with a huge dial with a diameter of more than 11 meters and a weight of 6 tons are driven by a weight that weighs 800 kg. The minute divisions are illuminated by electric lamps and are 108 cm apart from each other. The hands and numbers also illuminate the bulbs.

Clock tower in Boston were made for the Edison Electric Company. Powered by electric current, this clock has dials with a diameter of 10.4 meters on the four sides of the tower at a height of 107 meters. At the top of the tower is a lantern that flashes every hour and a quarter of an hour. There are also bells that strike the hours and fifteen minutes, but only during "working hours", from 8-00 to 18-00.

A tower with one or more clocks is a familiar landmark in almost all cities in the world. Usually in the 18th century they were erected on central square so that people can easily find out the time, since at that time there were no personal watches. Today they have become tourist sites and the pride of many cities. We offer an overview of the most amazing and interesting towers that you definitely need to visit during excursions.

The tower of the winds is located in Greek city Athens. It is an octagonal building with a clock, built of Pentelian marble. This is the earliest tower, supposedly built in 50 BC. Andronicus of Kirr. According to other sources, it was built in the 2nd century BC. The 12-meter tower houses 12 sundials and a water clock. A weather vane is installed on the tower.

The town hall tower was built on the Marienplatz square in Munich and is the main tourist attraction of the city. As part of the city government complex, it was built in 1908. There are 32 life-size figures on it, showing scenes from the 16th century, they appear at 11, 12 and 5 o'clock in the summer. In addition, a cockerel is installed in the clock, which emits its cry three times.

The astronomical clock in Prague, called the Prague Oracle, was installed on the southern wall of the City Hall in 1410. It is the oldest astronomical clock in the world still in operation. They show the position of the Sun and Moon, the calendar, and every hour they show the figures of the apostles.

The City Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota is the primary city government building for the city and county. This is the largest tower with four clocks, the dial diameter of which is 7.5 m. The clock regularly strikes 15 bells. In 1920, the tower, whose height is 105 m, was recognized as the tallest building in the city.

Skyscraper NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building is located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. The 240 m high tower houses a clock with a diameter of 15 m. It is the tallest clock tower in the world. Illumination is installed on its upper part so that it and the watch can be seen in bad weather.

The Zytglogge is a tower located in Bern, Switzerland, which is a major monument of the Middle Ages, as it was built in the 13th century. She was a prison watchtower, a war memorial and the center of urban life. For all the time, the tower has experienced several reconstructions, but they did not affect its astronomical clock, the symbol of Bern. Today it is included in the UNESCO heritage list.

The Allen-Bradley Tower is located on the skyscraper headquarters of Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the tower with the largest clock without chimes with four dials. The height of the clock is 86.26 m.

The Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Tower is located on the grounds of the University of Birmingham in the suburbs of Edgbaston. It is commonly referred to as "Old Man Joe" and stands at 110m tall. It is the tallest freestanding tower in the world.

The Elizabeth Tower is located in London in the northern part of the Palace of Westminster. Despite the official name, all over the world it is called Big Ben, in honor of the architect and the big clock. Its height is 96 m, and it is the second tallest tower with chimes. In addition, it is a symbol of London and a very popular attraction, which is depicted in films and paintings.

The tower of Abraj al-Bayt is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a few meters from the Al-Haram Mosque, the most grand mosque in the world. It's a whole complex tall buildings owned by the government and part of the King Abdulazis project. Its height is 601 m, so it is the highest tower in the world, on which there is a clock with the world's largest dial.

There are many more wonderful clock towers in the world. For example, in Moscow (Spasskaya Tower), which has the largest digital clock in the world. Similar towers are landmarks and business cards cities of the world.
However, some modern designers are ready to find completely different uses for the towers, for example, convert them into

Mankind enthusiastically built clock towers of impressive size, not because they were beautiful works of architecture, but because there was an urgent need for time. The fact is that most people did not have a watch, and everyone was guided by the clock on the tower. Moreover, humanity was soon fascinated by the time when it came to the idea that the right time of planting, for example, affects the future harvest.

A little later, Patek Phillippe invented the first wrist watch, further improved by Louis Cartier, and the need for a clock on the tower disappeared by itself. Each of us today easily recognizes the time by looking at a smartphone, wrist watch, computer monitor, etc. However, the allure of clock towers remains as powerful as it was many years ago.

I present to you a list of the most impressive clock towers from around the world. All of them are beautiful architectural creations, and if you are planning a vacation near one of them, then be sure to visit these buildings.

1 Big Ben

Big Ben is without a doubt the largest clock tower with a huge bell, the tower is located in the northern part of the Palace of Westminster in London. It is Big Ben that is the symbol of the United Kingdom even more so than the red buses with two floors.

Big Ben was built in 1858 and is still one of the top three high towers with clocks on the planet, and the international time standard focuses specifically on Big Ben. Unfortunately, tourists are not allowed inside, but you can admire this unique creation architecture and outside.

2 Spasskaya tower with Kremlin chimes

This tower, erected in the very heart of Russia, on the famous Red Square, is famous for its wild history. The clock for the tower was created by Pietro Solari, later the clock was removed several times, only to be installed back with a more attractive appearance.

The chimes that guard the entrance to Red Square, which we see today, trace their history back to the early 1900s, when Tsar Nicholas was brutally murdered by the party of the Soviet Union.

3 Tsim Sha Tsui

Today this clock tower is a stand-alone building in Hong Kong, but once Tsim Sha Tsui was part of an impressive railway station. This remarkable tower is 144 feet high, and the only way to get to the top is by using the wooden ladder inside the tower.

For several years in a row, the tower was open to tourists, however, later it was closed for Maintenance. Today you will not be able to see the tower from the inside. However, it can be done outside! A magnificent building that combines granite and red brick deserves attention, especially if you are planning a trip to China.

4 Zytglogge

If you adore medieval architecture, then the Zytglogge in Switzerland should be the first stop on your itinerary. This tower has existed for eight centuries, and during this time it has played a variety of roles in the life of the country - from the gate fortification tower to the city prison.

Details architectural structure impressive - here are astronomical discs, and here is a frieze with ancient Greek gods, the facade is decorated with Roman numerals. If you are going to Switzerland, be sure to visit the Zytglogge.

5 Alain Bradley

This clock tower is the main attraction of Milwaukee, it even got into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest clock tower, which also houses an office. Each of the facades of the building is over 40 feet in diameter, and the distance between the clock numerals is about 16 feet. This is twice as much as the world famous Big Ben! Interestingly, the architect expressed a categorical protest against the addition of chimes to the clock.

6 Peace Tower

The Peace Tower is one of the parliament buildings in Canada; just like Big Ben, it is considered a symbol and the main attraction of the country. The Peace Tower was erected after the Victoria Tower died in a terrible fire. The building is 302 feet high and crowned by a carillon with 53 bells installed after the war.

The Peace Tower is a distinctive sign for the country, its image appeared on banknotes, costing 20 and 50 Canadian dollars.

7 Sailors Memorial Tower

The famous clock tower in Montreal serves as a memorial to all Canadian sailors who died during the First World War. The foundation for the building was laid during the reign of Edward VIII, at the same time, a carillon of five bells was laid into the construction plan, which were supposed to “ring out” every hour. Unfortunately, many of the initial plans never came to fruition. However, the Seamen's Memorial Tower is perhaps the most a nice place and the most unforgettable views in all of Montreal.

8 Clock tower Rajabai

Modeled after Big Ben, this tower is one of the most famous British Raj bell towers in South Mumbai. The cost of building this facility was remembered by India and went down in history - it amounted to 200,000 rupees, at that time it was a huge amount of money.

Today, the entrance to the inside of the tower is closed to the public, due to the huge number of suicides committed from the top of Rajabai. For the same reason, the chime of the bells is set to one melody, which sounds every quarter of an hour.

9 royal tower in Abraj al-Bayt

Saudi Arabia is famous for its ambitious sheikhs, who are always ready to invest their own funds in buildings of amazing architecture. So the Royal Tower is no exception, it is the tallest bell tower in the world. Moreover, if not for the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai, hotel Abraj al-Beit, with its breathtaking bell tower, would have carried the title of the world's largest structure.

10 Faisalabad

Faisalabad in Pakistan is another proof of the clock tower craze. For the country it Historical building, and the oldest building. Faisalabad was erected at a time when the British naval army was a force to be reckoned with, as it controlled most of South Asia.