La Clock tower is located north of the San Marco Square in Venice, in the historic center. Designed by Mauro Coducci, it was built at the end of the XNUMXth century, in the Renaissance style. It rests on a triumphal arch that gives access to Mercería street, the most commercial street in the city.
This astronomical clock marks the hours, the lunar phases and the signs of the zodiac. It has an engineering mechanism that makes it a work of art, not only for its external beauty gained thanks to the moving parts enameled in blue and gold.
Legend has it that the inventors of the complex clock mechanism, once construction was completed, had their eyes gouged out so that they could never again make a copy of it elsewhere. But this version emerged in neighboring cities, envious of Venice. The truth is that Paolo and Carlo Ranieri were generously compensated for their work.
It has an inscription that says: "Hours non number nisi serenas”(“ I only give happy hours ”). On its façade, the winged lion that represents Saint Mark stands out on a characteristic background enameled in blue with golden stars. The tower is crowned by bronze figures that ring the bell every hour, they are known as the Moors (Mori, in Italian) because of the dark color of the patina that covers them.
It can only be visited with guide in Italian, English and French, upon reservation. The price is € 12.
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