The 125-Year History and Maintenance Secret of the İzmir Clock Tower
The workings of the 125-year-old Clock Tower, the symbol of İzmir, whose clocks operate with a single mechanism, and the efforts of the master craftsman who has maintained this duty since 1994, are detailed.
Located in Konak Atatürk Square in İzmir, the Clock Tower, which has been the symbol of the city for 125 years, draws attention with its original mechanism and architectural features.
The Historical Symbol of the City
As one of İzmir's iconic structures, the Clock Tower has continued to witness the city's transformation in Konak Atatürk Square for 125 years.
Architecture and Construction Process
The foundation of the Clock Tower was laid on September 1, 1900, and it opened a year later, designed by French architect Raymond Charles Pere. Influences of North African and Andalusian architecture are visible in the twenty-one-meter and 12-centimeter-tall tower.
Clocks Operating with a Single Mechanism
Located below the fourth floor of the tower and facing four different directions, the 75-centimeter-diameter clocks are operated by a single mechanism consisting of 22 gear wheels. Working on the principle of weight and gravity, this special system is wound once every six days and undergoes periodic maintenance every three months.
Maintenance Entrusted to Master Hands
The maintenance of the clock has been carried out by watchmaker Feti Pamukoğlu since 1994. Stating that he has come to know the mechanism down to its finest detail over the passing years, Pamukoğlu notes that the structure is one of the rare clocks that has not lost its original mechanical nature and continues to operate just as it did on day one.