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Izmir square clock tower photo by User: Sailko –

Top 10 Sensational Facts about 陌zmir Clock Tower

Clock towers are a particular kind of building that has one or more clock faces on the top exterior walls and a turret clock inside. Clock towers can be attached to or placed on top of other buildings in addition to being common standalone constructions.

There are additional buildings with clock faces on their exteriors, but they have different purposes. One such renowned clock tower is 陌zmir Clock Tower.

The most well-known structure in 陌zmir is the clock tower, which is frequently used to represent the city. The Konak tram, ferry, and metro station are all nearby, and the Aegean Sea is only a few feet away from the hotel’s location in Konak Square.

The clock tower’s convenient location close to attractions like the Kemeralt Bazaar, Konak Pier, Agora Open Air Museum, and the 陌zmir Archaeology & Ethnography Museum may result in tourists accidentally visiting it.

This beautiful structure, which adorns Konak Square, has come to represent the city of 陌zmir. Here are the top 10 sensational facts about the tower.

1. 陌zmir Clock Tower was constructed in 1901

陌zmir Clock Tower photo by Rrburke –

Dominating 陌zmir鈥檚 busy Konak Square, the 陌zmir Clock Tower (陌zmir Saat Kulesi) has been a city landmark since its construction in 1901. The Clock Tower in Konak is the most important symbol of 陌zmir but is not the oldest clock tower in the city.

Alsancak Station Clock Tower is the oldest of the four clock towers you can find in 陌zmir. There is the phrase 鈥淟ondon 1890鈥� on the tower built by the British.

2. It was constructed to celebrate Sultan Abdulhamid II’s accession to the throne

A coloured photograph of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II. photo by Abdullah fr猫res –

On August 1, 1900, K芒mil Pasha, the governor of Aidin Vilayet at the time, met with important 陌zmir citizens. In honour of the 25th anniversary of Abdul Hamid II’s accession, it was decided to erect a clock tower.

The Ottoman Empire was ruled by Abd眉lhamid or Abdul Hamid II from 31 August 1876 to 27 April 1909, making him the last sultan to exercise real power over the disintegrating realm.

The Hamidian Era is the name given to the time when he ruled the Ottoman Empire. He oversaw a period of decline, with rebellions, and he presided over an unsuccessful war with the Russian Empire (1877鈥�1878) followed by a successful war against the Kingdom of Greece in 1897, though Ottoman gains were tempered by subsequent Western European intervention.

The tower was completed in August 1901 and officially inaugurated on 1 September 1901, the 25th anniversary of the sultan’s accession to the throne. 

3. It was designed by the Levantine French architect Raymond Charles P茅r茅

The Levantine French architect Raymond Charles P茅r茅 constructed the clock tower. The stones composing the main building of the Clock Tower, whose architecture was created by the French architect Raymond Charles P茅r茅, were imported from Sarayk枚y, while the green and red mosaics used in its construction were brought from Ephesus.

The Somaki marble columns in the Clock Tower were damaged by powerful earthquakes. Raymond Charles P茅r茅 (1854鈥�1929) was a French architect who was born in Roquefort-de-Marsan, in the Landes region of France.

He first came to Turkey in 1880 as a French teacher in Smyrna (now 陌zmir), where he married Ana茂s Russo and lived out the rest of his days.

He is best remembered as the designer of the 陌zmir Clock Tower, the landmark of 陌zmir situated in the city’s Konak Square.

4. The clock itself was a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II

Head and shoulders portrait of Kaiser Wilhelm II by Court Photographer T. H. Voigt of Frankfurt, 1902. photo by Thomas Heinrich Voigt –

The clock was worn by the German Emperor Wilhelm II. The stones composing the main building of the Clock Tower, whose architecture was created by the French architect Raymond Charles P茅r茅, were imported from Sarayk枚y, while the green and red mosaics used in its construction were brought from Ephesus.

The Somaki marble columns in the Clock Tower were damaged by the powerful earthquakes that struck in 1928 and 1974. Since its founding, Saatin is claimed to have stopped just once.

The earthquake that occurred in 陌zmir in 1974 is claimed to have caused the clock to stop. There are records that the clock of the tower, designed by the architect Raymond Charles P茅r茅 from 陌zmir, was presented as a gift by the German Emperor Wilhelm II.

Various symbols were placed on the tower to reflect the rule of Abdulhamid II.

5. 陌zmir Clock Tower features four fountains

Nighttime view of Clock Tower in 陌zmir, Turkey. photo by BSRF –

The tower, which has an iron and lead structure, stands 25 meters (82 feet) tall and contains four fountains (艧adrvan) that are arranged in a circular arrangement around the base.

The tower’s ground area is 81 m2 (870 sq. ft.) The tower has four stories and an octagonal plan.

6. 陌zmir Clock Tower has four clocks with a diameter of 75 cm

The tower has four clocks with a diameter of 75 cm. The outer facade of the Clock Tower is made of lozenge reliefs, and 4 clocks with a diameter of 75 cm. were added.

7. 陌zmir Clock Tower was made of marble and stone

clock tower Izmir photo by Canel 脰lg眉n –

The Clock Tower, 25 meters high and four stories, is built on a marble platform in the shape of an octagonal shape and a four-step cross on a level of 81 square meters.

The tower’s platform is made of white marble, and the rest of the structure is composed of cut stone.

8. The tower was damaged in an earthquake of 5.2 magnitudes in 1974

陌zmir Clock Tower under restoration in 2019 photo by BSRF –

The tower was damaged in an earthquake of 5.2 magnitudes in 1974 and the clock of the tower stopped at 02.04 when the earthquake occurred. Within two years the tower was repaired again and the clock still works today.

9. It was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 500 lira banknotes

The clock tower appeared on the reverse of Turkish 500 lira banknotes from 1983 to 1989. It is also featured on the emblem of 陌zmir Metropolitan Municipality A 1:25 scale model of the tower is on display in Miniat眉rk.

10. A clock in the tower was stolen during the 2016 Turkish coup d’茅tat attempt

The tower’s clock was stolen during demonstrations against the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.

An attempt was made to overthrow the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoan by a section of the Turkish Armed Forces known as the Peace at Home Council.

They attempted to take over several locations in Ankara, Istanbul, Marmaris, and other cities, including the Asian entry to the Bosphorus Bridge, but were thwarted by state-affiliated forces and were unable to do so.