Torre dell'orologio, tower in the center of Taormina, Italy

The Torre dell'Orologio, also called Porta di Mezzo, is a stone tower on Corso Umberto in Taormina that separates the medieval quarter from the ancient area. Its walls carry a clock face, and its foundations rest on defensive walls from around the 4th century BC. The tower was rebuilt in 1679 after French forces destroyed it in 1676.

Built in the 12th century on foundations from around the 4th century BC, the tower initially served as a city gate in a medieval defensive system. After French forces destroyed it in 1676 during military campaigns, it was rebuilt in 1679 with the clock mechanism that still functions today.

Locals call the tower Porta di Mezzo, the "middle gate", because it stood on the line between the medieval town and the ancient one. The bells of 1679 ring for civic occasions such as mayoral elections and the feast of San Pancrazio, Taormina's patron saint, whose relics are carried through the streets in July.

The tower stands where Corso Umberto meets the stepped lanes climbing toward Taormina's upper terraces, so the passage narrows to a single arch beneath the clock face. Visitors on foot pass through the archway itself; the surrounding paving is uneven and slopes gently. The spot is a natural orientation point between Piazza IX Aprile and the ancient theatre end of the street.

The clock face sits on the side facing Corso Umberto, and the bells mark the hours for the whole street. Look for the small bell tower above the clock, which rings for civic events and for San Pancrazio, the town's patron saint.