Arta Clock Tower #1125

Description

This 21-meter-high clock tower dates back to the 17th century. While the exact year of construction is unknown, it is believed to have been built between 1630 and 1650. It is the oldest clock in Epirus and one of the oldest in Greece.

The first recorded mention of the clock comes from the Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi, who noted that the sound of its bell could be heard from a distance of about an hour’s walk away. He also remarked that its mechanism was more advanced than any other city clock within the Ottoman Empire.

Originally, the clock measured time according to the Islamic timekeeping system, which is based on the intervals for daily prayers. The tower was adorned with Arabic inscriptions. In 1908, this original clock was replaced with a Western-style pendulum clock. In 1994, the pendulum mechanism was replaced with an electronic system.