Jam Gadang, Clock tower monument in Bukittinggi, Indonesia.
The Jam Gadang clock tower rises 26 meters high in the center of Sabai Nan Aluih Park, featuring four distinct architectural levels and large clock faces.
Built in 1926 during Dutch colonial rule, this tower cost 3,000 guilders and served as a gift from Queen Wilhelmina to the secretary of Bukittinggi.
The tower incorporates Minangkabau architectural elements through its bagonjong-style roof, reflecting the regional identity of West Sumatra after Indonesian independence.
Located at the zero point of Bukittinggi, the tower functions through mechanical pendulums without external power, marking time with 80-centimeter clock faces.
The structure uses an unusual combination of limestone, egg whites, and sand instead of metal or cement in its construction methods.
Location: Guguak Panjang
Inception: 1925
Official opening: July 25, 1927
Height: 26 m
Address: Jl. Raya Bukittinggi - Payakumbuh, Benteng Ps. Atas, Guguk Panjang, Bukittinggi, Sumatera Barat, Indonesia , 26136 26136
GPS coordinates: -0.30519,100.36956
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:02
Clock towers combine technical precision with architectural styles from different periods and cultures. These highly visible structures stand in city centers, university campuses and historic squares, where they structure public life. The collection includes varied examples: the 315 foot (96 meter) neo-Gothic bell tower at Westminster Palace in London, the 1,970 foot (601 meter) Royal Clock Tower in Mecca, the Spasskaya Tower on Red Square in Moscow, the 279 foot (85 meter) neo-Gothic Rajabai Tower in Mumbai, the medieval astronomical clock at Old Town Hall in Prague, the 13th century Zytglogge in Bern, the Giralda in Seville (originally an Almohad minaret), the 548 foot (167 meter) Philadelphia City Hall tower, the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the 308 foot (94 meter) Sather Tower at the University of California Berkeley, the Zimmer Tower in Lier, the Custom House Tower in Boston, the Mughal era Ghanta Ghar in Lahore, the Union Station clock tower in Waterbury, the Renaissance clock tower on St. Mark's Square in Venice, the Jam Gadang in Bukittinggi and the Jaffa Clock Tower in Tel Aviv. Many of these towers serve as urban landmarks and connect historic architecture with practical function. They frequently offer elevated viewpoints and display remarkable mechanical achievements in timekeeping.
Natural sites and historic monuments of Sumatra and its islands, including national parks, volcanic lakes, tropical forests, beaches, temples, and palaces. This region is home to the largest volcanic lake in the world, orangutans, coral reefs, and architecture combining Malay, colonial, and Islamic styles. The surrounding islands feature white sand beaches, diving sites, and traditional villages.
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