Famous Tower Clocks

World Tower Clocks

Tower clocks are, as the name suggests, usually mounted on church or clock towers, but also on castles and town halls, and are distinguished above all by their size and high visibility.

In the past, only very few people could afford a clock of their own, so tower clocks often benefited many residents of a town. As the first mechanical clocks, they became widespread toward the end of the Middle Ages. Usually, an automatic bell chime or a tower watchman announced every full hour.

Nowadays, it is rare to find mechanical tower clocks that are still functional. Since these clocks require a great deal of maintenance and technological progress has since produced radio-controlled clock movements, the old tower clock mechanisms have either worn out or been sold to private individuals. However, they are increasingly being regarded as historical monuments and restored.

Big Ben tower clock from London

Probably the most famous tower clock is that of Big Ben in London, which, at 96.3 meters tall, is the third-largest freestanding clock tower in the world. The British themselves call the chime of this world's largest four-faced clock "The Voice of Britain."

Current time with the Big Ben clock:

However, the clocks of this famous tourist attraction have not always run smoothly. Between 1976 and 1977, the clocks were stopped for a total of 29 days. The clock also does not always seem able to withstand the weather: while it stopped twice in 2005 because of the hot temperatures, in 1962 it rang in the New Year 10 minutes late due to snow and ice.

You can now order a replica of this tower clock from Uhren4you.de! An absolute eye-catcher for your living spaces! Of course, the original size of 7 meters was reduced to a total diameter of 45 cm so that you can now bring a piece of Great Britain into your home.

Orloj tower clock from Prague

Another world-famous tower clock is that of Prague City Hall, which is also called the Apostles' Clock or the Old Town Astronomical Clock. This clock was built in 1490 and has since been gradually completed. First, the mechanical movement with the astronomical dial was created and later, in the year 1490, supplemented by a calendar below this dial. Then, in 1551, two sundials were installed on both sides of the dial so that the clock could continue to function even if the mechanics failed. In a final step, figures representing the 12 apostles were added on both sides of the dials in the 17th century. Altogether, the clock has been in operation for 600 years, although it has often stopped over the centuries and has frequently undergone extensive repairs.

At Uhren4you.de you can also order this elaborately designed astronomical tower clock with its multicolored dial! It has been recreated in great detail and supplemented with an Arabic numeral dial. This town hall clock impresses not only with its many functions, but above all with its stylish and elegant appearance.

Tower clock from Strasbourg Cathedral

An astronomical clock can also be found at Strasbourg Cathedral, which is unique in the world in showing the Earth's orbit, the Moon's orbit, and the orbits of the planets Mercury through Saturn. This clock is especially well known for its gear mechanism, which calculates the dates of the movable feasts every year at the turn of the year.

A replica of the clock can be found not only in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, but also at Uhren4you. Here you can get this masterpiece with its most important visual features in a total diameter of 45 cm.

Marco tower clock from Venice

In St. Mark's Square in Venice, more precisely on the Torre dell’Orologio clock tower, there is another masterpiece of astronomical tower clocks. Its clock shows both the phases of the moon and the sun as well as the signs of the zodiac. This clock stands out especially because of its lapis lazuli dial, a blue-shimmering mineral mixture, which Uhren4you has also adopted in its replica of the work of art. Not least because of its true-to-original representation, this tower clock creates a cozy atmosphere in your home with its Venetian flair.

Horloge tower clock from Auxerre

In the French town of Auxerre in Burgundy, on the Tour de l’Horloge, or clock tower, there is a tower clock with Gothic ornaments from the 17th century. This clock has two dials, each with two hands that move independently of each other. While one hand indicates the position of the sun, the other shows the position of the moon.

d'Orsay and De Lyon tower clocks from Paris

The former Paris train station Gare d’Orsay, which was converted into an art museum in 1977, is adorned on its entrance facade with a gold-colored station clock decorated in a stucco-like style. The restored station clock can still be admired today and is a popular destination in Paris for connoisseurs. For those who have now caught the travel bug but unfortunately cannot make it to Paris, Uhren4you offers a wooden replica of the elegant station clock in its range. Delight your guests with this masterpiece or give it as a gift to lovers of the Paris museum.

A replica of the tower clock of Gare de Lyon station, one of the most important train stations in Europe, is also available for you in our shop.

Cremona tower clock

In the Italian city of Cremona, a remarkable astronomical clock adorns the Torrazzo, the tallest bell tower in Italy. On the fourth floor of this tower is the mechanism of this clock, which was built between 1583 and 1588 and still exists today in its original form. The exterior of the clock was originally painted in 1483 by Paolo Scazzola and depicts the sky as well as the signs of the zodiac. Overall, the clock has a diameter of 9 meters, making it the largest astronomical clock in the world.

King's tower clock from London and Montreal tower clock from Canada

Of course, there are many other well-known and popular tower clocks around the world. In distant Canada, for example, the clock of the ornamental Beaux-Arts tower adorns the old town of the city of Montreal. Another work is located on the tower of King's in London. You can also find replicas of both in our clock shop.

You can find more famous tower clocks in our World Tower Clocks online shop!