Tour de l'Horloge, Medieval stone tower in Dinan, France
The Tour de l'Horloge is a medieval stone tower in Dinan with a square base that transitions into an octagonal shape at the fourth level. The structure rises 43 meters high and originally served as a communal building for meetings and fire surveillance.
Construction began between 1475 and 1480 under Governor Jehan II de Rosnyvinen as a communal building for meetings and fire surveillance. The building was part of the medieval city's development and security measures to protect its growing population.
The tower holds five bells, including the Duchesse Anne bell that chimes each hour and symbolizes the municipal authority once granted by Anne of Brittany. These bells shape the sound of the square and remind visitors of the medieval power that governed the city.
The tower is open to visitors from February through October, with extended hours from April to September. Monday and Wednesday schedules are reduced, so it is worth checking exact opening days before a visit.
The tower houses one of Europe's oldest clock mechanisms, manufactured in 1498 by German craftsman Hamzer in Nantes. This functioning timepiece is a technological achievement from an era when such precise mechanics were extremely rare.
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