Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower), Aix-en-Provence
The Clock Tower (Tour de l'Horloge) is a notable monument on the Town Hall Square (Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville). The tower, which dates to 1510, was built on the site of a military checkpoint in Roman times.
The Clock Tower is distinctive for its decorative ogees, braces, and pinnacles. Its Gothic architectural style is accented with commemorative plaques and sculptures added over the years. Perhaps most notable is the white limestone foundation of the tower, which was part of the original military checkpoint of Sextius.
The Clock Tower has an astronomical clock installed in 1661. There are four wooden statues under the clock that represent the four seasons. These statues are manually rotated as the seasons change. Among the statues is a blindfolded cherub that serves as a reminder that love is blind.
The tower's interior has a wrought-iron cage with a bell that rings the hours of the day. The bell was installed to notify the town of any dangers approaching the borders.
The Clock Tower is distinctive for its decorative ogees, braces, and pinnacles. Its Gothic architectural style is accented with commemorative plaques and sculptures added over the years. Perhaps most notable is the white limestone foundation of the tower, which was part of the original military checkpoint of Sextius.
The Clock Tower has an astronomical clock installed in 1661. There are four wooden statues under the clock that represent the four seasons. These statues are manually rotated as the seasons change. Among the statues is a blindfolded cherub that serves as a reminder that love is blind.
The tower's interior has a wrought-iron cage with a bell that rings the hours of the day. The bell was installed to notify the town of any dangers approaching the borders.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) on Map
Sight Name: Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower)
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence, France
Create Your Own Walk in Aix-en-Provence
Creating your own self-guided walk in Aix-en-Provence is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Aix-en-Provence Fountains and Squares Tour
Aix-end-Provence is known for its fountains. With more than 1,000 fountains, a tourist could spend weeks walking around the city without glimpsing them all. The fountains began appearing under the Roman empire when the Romans discovered Aix's natural thermal water source. They referred to the area as Aquae Sextiae or the Waters of Sextius.
The fountains appear throughout the city and are... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
The fountains appear throughout the city and are... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
In the Footsteps of Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne, often called the “father of modern art” for bridging 19th-century post-impressionism and the birth of early modernism, caused a bit of a stir early in his career. While staying with Doctor Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise, he painted his take on Manet’s Olympia-but with a twist. Instead of just a reclining nude, Cézanne inserted himself into the scene, back turned, like a shy... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Aix-en-Provence Introduction Walking Tour
Aix-en-Provence may not have coastal views, but it compensates in style with its Roman bathwater and city logistics. Founded in 123 BC by Roman consul Gaius Sextius Calvinus, this southern French settlement-originally named Aquae Sextiae, which means “Waters of Sextius”-was built around its thermal springs and the promise of a good soak. Centuries later, the name was streamlined to “Aix”,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles