TORRE DELL'OROLOGIO (The Clock Tower) (currently undergoing restoration) The main tower was built between 1496 and 1499 on a project by Mauro Codussi. The two lateral wings were built betweenl 1500 and 1506 with additional floors by dal Massari around 1755. On the terrace at the top there are the MOORS: two bronze statues that owe their name to the dark patina and strike the hour with a hammer on a large central bell. If you look a little further down, you will see the lion of St. Mark's, a Virgin with Child in gilded copper, two concentric circles with quadrants show the hour and minutes and another quadrant for the position of the sun with respect to the constellation of the zodiac signs and phases of the moon. The archway leads to the first part of the Mercerie (Mercerie dell'orologio), the main street linking S. Mark's and Rialto. Part of the clock mechanism and quadrants are currently being exhibited at the Palazzo Ducale. [Beginning of the page] [Home] [Preceding page] [Next file] translated by C.Cawthra http://www.venicebanana.com - copyrights 2000-2001 SAMIS

The Tower (undergoing restoration) [50 K]