Clock Tower (Podgorica)

Sahat kula

The Clock Tower in 2012
General information
Type clock tower
Location Podgorica, Montenegro
Coordinates 42°26′08″N 19°15′36″E / 42.435557°N 19.260014°E / 42.435557; 19.260014
Height 19 m (62 ft)
Design and construction
Architect Adži-paša Osmanagić

The Clock Tower (Montenegrin / Serbian: Sahat kula, Сахат кула, Turkish: Saat Kulesi) of Podgorica, Montenegro is located at Bećir Beg Osmanagić square, in the Stara Varoš neighborhood. It's one of the very few Ottoman landmarks that survived the bombing of Podgorica in World War II.

Detail of the clock tower

History

Sahat Kula was built in 1667, by Adži-paša Osmanagić, a prominent citizen of Podgorica.[1] It is a freestanding 19m tall stone clock tower. It's current turret clock mechanism was made in 1890 by Pietro Colbachini foundry in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, after Podgorica was incorporated into Montenegro (original mechanism was made in Austria). Around the same time, a metal cross was installed at the top of the tower, symbolizing transfer of the city from the Ottomans into the hands of Christian Montenegrins. The cross was made by Stevan Radović, Lazar Radović's grandfather. [2]

Today, Sahat kula is an important cultural monument of Montenegro, protected by law. The clock was renovated in January 2012, when new electric mechanism was installed, as old one is kept for historic significance only. [3]

References

Coordinates: 42°26′08″N 19°15′36″E / 42.435557°N 19.260014°E / 42.435557; 19.260014

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