The recently restored
Renaissance Torre dell’Orologio was built by
Mauro Codussi towards the end of the 15th Century on the north side of St. Mark’s Square. Also called the
Torre dei Mori, the clock tower looks like a small arch of triumph dominating the access to
"Le Mercerie", the old trade street. It is also an element that links the various architectural parts of the complex of St. Mark’s Square. The large gold and blue clock decorated with the phases of the moon and the signs of the zodiac was originally designed for navigators. The winged lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venice, sits above the clock, while at the very top are two huge statues in bronze that sound the hour, called the Moors because of the dark patina that covers them.
Rumour has it that, upon completion, the two inventors of the complex clock mechanism had their eyes gouged out to prevent them from making copies. The tower, with its large astronomical clock, is a masterpiece of technique and engineering. For more than five hundred years now it has marked the life, history and the passage of time in the lagoon city.
