Yıldız Clock Tower, Clock tower in Beşiktaş, Turkey
The Yıldız Clock Tower is a 20-meter-tall structure with three stories and an octagonal shape crowned by a weather vane. The design features both Ottoman and Western architectural details throughout its height.
Sultan Abdülhamid II commissioned the tower in 1889, and construction finished in 1890 as part of Ottoman modernization efforts. It arose during a period when the empire was adopting Western technologies and scientific advancement.
The tower blends Ottoman and neo-Gothic architectural styles, with weather instruments that display old Turkish inscriptions relating to meteorological conditions. The placement reflects how Ottomans wove together Western technology and Eastern design traditions in their structures.
Three separate staircases allow visitors to climb toward the clock mechanism housed at the top of the structure. The interior preserves the original working elements that kept the timepiece functioning.
Four external inscriptions on the first floor often go unnoticed by visitors walking past. A decorated compass rose adorns its roof, revealing the Ottoman interest in navigation and scientific measurement.
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