Clock Tower, Skopje

elevation / altitude

256 meters

distance

1.07 km from main square / Skopje

  about Skopje Clock tower

This monument is located on the "Krste Petkov-Misirkov" street, on a hill behind the "Sts. Cyril & Methodius University". It is a Turkish object, built east of the famous and oldest market place of Skopje, Bitpazar. It stands in the forecourt of Hjuncar - the mosque of Sultan Murat 2nd. It has a hexagonal foundation and has a different rooftop which resembles the numerous lateral domes of the new Moscow style of the Russian medieval architecture. This element had been previously employed by Mongolians.

The Clock Tower was built between 1566 AD and 1572 AD, most probably on the foundations of an already existing building. Initially, the upper part of the Tower was made of wood and the clock mechanism was brought from the city of Siged in Hungary. Writers that visited Skopje in the 16th and 17th centuries, noted that the Turks even brought a clock-master from Siged for the clock's maintenance. This was of great importance for the accurate performance of the five daily prayers. Many travelers mention the clock tower in their journals, as a large and important building in Skopje and add that its sound can be heard several kilometers away.

After the great fire in 1689, when the tower was seriously damaged it had to be repaired. Some alternations were made in 1902/3, a new top (made of Thessaloniki bricks) replaced the original wooden top of the clock, during the reign of Ali-Hivza Pasha. In addition, the clock mechanism was replaced with a new one, this time brought from Switzerland. During the 1963 earthquake, the clock tower was seriously damaged in addition to the Hjunkar mosque. The clock mechanism, was stolen during the 1963 earthquake and was replaced by no one, so far.