The Clock Tower is located in the heart of Baščaršija and is one of the remaining clock towers from the Ottoman period. It was built by Gazi Husrev-beg in the seventeenth century. Standing proudly for centuries, the Clock Tower showed not only time to the population, but also the time for their prayer.
In order to make the clock more visible, after the fire in 1697, the upper part of the tower was added. The only entrance on the tower is on the site of the former clock. The arches at the top remind of former loopholes.
The tower was rebuilt in 1762 and then again in 1967, when needles and numbers were gilded. The Clock Tower was rebuilt last time after the siege of Sarajevo. In 2006, it was proclaimed a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Clock Tower is unique in the fact that it shows lunar "a la turca" time, so in aksham (the end of the day and the beginning of the night) the clock shows 12 hours and it also marks the end of fasting at the time of Ramadan.
Some tourists who come to admire the building think that the clock is broken and does not show the exact time.
The original Turkish clock had a dial facing the mosque on one side. When the clock broke, two Sarajevo merchants brought the other one from London, in 1874.
There are 74 wooden steps that take up to the clock, and the „muvekit“ takes care of the clock's maintenaince. In the past, the muvekit used to calculate the exact time using the astrolabium ship instrument, so he adjusted the clock based on his calculation.
Nowadays, the muvekit climbs the tower once a week and sets the clock to be late one minute, so he does not have to climb every day.
Interesting facts:
The clock on the tower is made by the company Gillett & Johnstonb as well as the Big Ben in London.
The tower is also known for scenes from the movie "Valter Defend Sarajevo".
! The Clock Tower is not open for visits.
Author of the text
Sabina Burić - our correspondent for the city of Sarajevo
Contact: [email protected]
photo credit: Aldin Hrvačić - instagram profil
