SHARRYLAND
Clock Tower
Symbol of Padua's Humanism with its astronomical clock among the oldest in the world
Where is
What it is and where it is
In Padua, in one of the city's liveliest squares, Piazza dei Signori, close to the Piazze della Frutta e delle Erbe and Palazzo della Ragione, stands the Torre dell'Orologio, a building of medieval origin that houses the astronomical clock, one of the oldest in the world, which is still working today. Not only that: created for the city that housed one of the most prestigious universities of the time, this clock was a hymn to the measurement of time, astronomy and astrology. And also, let me add, to beauty.
Why it is special
When Jacopo designed it, it was Ptolemaic theory that described the universe: the Earth is a white disk in the exact center of the dial. Around her is the moon, a small circle with a black and white background whose proportions reflect the current phase of the moon. Next come the months and corresponding constellations, the fixed stars, in copper on a blue background, and the hours marked by a hand representing the sun. Finally, circular apertures around the hour circle mark the present hour, minute, day and month. In short, one clock condensed every possible time measurement.
Not to be missed
The most interesting and culturally really worthwhile experience is a visit to its interior. The precious mechanism works by the movement of the pendulum and has a huge wooden skeleton. It can be accessed by guided tour and by climbing some steep stairs to the top of the tower. It really deserves to be seen!
A bit of history
The astronomical clock is a reconstruction of the original mechanism that was placed on the tower of the South Gate (present-day Arco Vallaresso) of the Palace of the Carraresi, lords of Padua until 1405, when the city was taken by the Venetians. It was built according to a design by Jacopo Dondi in
Trivia
There is a game that many Paduans like to play when showing the clock to relatives and friends visiting the city. It is a simple question, "What is missing?" Warning: I reveal the answer. If you want to play, skip the paragraph and set out for Padua. There are several legends that explain why the zodiac sign of Libra, the symbol of justice, does not appear. Some speak of a commissioner's impropriety, others of political provocation toward Venice. The truth is that the zodiac system depicted is the pre-Roman one, in which Scorpio and Libra were united in a single constellation.
Enter the Map of Italy's Undiscovered Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
Paladin
Collections
Discover places and related research
The Map thanks:
Enter the Map of Italy's Undiscovered Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
Paladin
Where is
Collections
Discover places and related research
