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| Torre dell'Orologio |
In 2006 a remarkable Venetian landmark emerged from eight years under scaffolding. Built at the end of the fifteenth century by architect Mauro Codussi, the Torre dell'Orologio (Clock Tower) in St. Mark's Square actually took less time to construct than it did to restore five hundred years later. The interior of the tower is now open to the public, but only through small guided tours, so it's worth booking ahead. It is located on the north side of St. Mark's Square.
About the Clock Tower
The tower is an elaborate affair, with complicated systems for displaying the time, the sun, the moon and the signs of the zodiac. Before the eighteenth century, our tour guide tells us, the face of the clock also showed the planets revolving around the Earth. An arch through the base of the tower leads to the Mercerie, Venice's historic commercial streets, so this archway was designed as an impressive entrance to visitors arriving from the lagoon.
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