Le Défenseur du temps, Mechanical clock in Quartier de l'Horloge, Paris, France
Le Défenseur du temps is a roughly 4-meter tall brass automaton clock located at a street corner in the Marais neighborhood. A stylized warrior swings his sword against three separate mechanisms representing a dragon, a bird, and a crab, all arranged on a spherical dial.
French artist Jacques Monestier created this clock in 1979 for the newly developed Quartier de l'Horloge. It ran continuously until 2003 when funding for maintenance ran dry.
The warrior represents humanity in struggle against natural forces embodied by the three mechanical creatures. Visitors stop to watch the figures move and hear the sounds of their hourly battles.
The installation sits at a busy street corner near shops and restaurants, easily accessible on foot. The best times to watch the mechanisms move are during daylight and early evening hours.
The clock has been damaged multiple times by heavy use and vandalism, requiring restoration work. These battles between the warrior and natural forces are more than a timekeeping device, serving as a remarkable display of mechanical engineering.
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