Horloge du Temps, Clock tower in 9th arrondissement of Paris, France
The Horloge du Temps is a clock tower in Paris's 9th arrondissement featuring a spherical dial where a soldier figure fights mechanical creatures. These creatures represent earth, sea, and sky elements and move through a complex gear system.
The artwork was commissioned in 1975 and inaugurated in 1979 by mayor Jacques Chirac. It stood as a prominent timepiece near the Pompidou Center until 2003 when it closed for major restoration work.
The clock displays an hourly battle between a warrior and three mechanical creatures representing natural forces. This combination of timekeeping and moving figures creates a distinctive performance that draws visitors to watch.
The location is within walking distance of the Pompidou Center and is easily reached via rue Bernard-de-Clairvaux. The artwork has been operating again since February 2023 and can be viewed for free from the street.
The mechanism weighs one ton and stands four meters tall, demonstrating the scale of this mechanical construction. A radio-controlled system centrally manages all figure movements to keep the animations perfectly synchronized.
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