Tophane Clock Tower In the second half of the 19th Century, architect Balyans constructed the clock tower with Sultan Abdulmecid’s orders. The clock tower is four floors tall, four sides of the towers are identical except the side facing the sea that has Absulmecid’s tughra which reads; 1848-49.
Tophane Clock Tower
Sultan Abdulmecit is the first Ottoman Sultan to travel to Europe. He requested to construct clock tower in Istanbul after being mesmerized by many in Europe. As many knows, the most famous clock tower is the one infront of the Dolmabahce Palace. The second one is the Tophane a.k.a. Nusretiye Clock Tower that was built in the yard of Nusretiye barrack which no longer exists.
Tophane Clock Tower
In old photographs, the clock tower is seen by the sea, on the Tophane dock. After the sea was filled for the construction for the Salipazari Customs, the clock tower was stuck behind the walls of the Customs, therefore not noticed by the Istanbulians.
Nusretiye Baracks, Tophane Clock Tower
The Tophane clock tower is constructed in a neoclassic style and is 15 meters tall. When the clock tower was first built, it had a tall pike, although it was collapsed after the fire in 1913. On the top floor of the tower, there is the round Zenith clock inside a garland.
Pole and Tophane Clock Tower
After its horrible fire on 1913, the tower was mostly ruined, and was used as storage for machine oils, ship ropes, and other motor parts by the Salipazari Customs. Although, in 2010, European Culture Capital Agency partly renovated the clock tower.
The biggest highlight from the Istanbul Project is no doubt getting the historical clock tower back to Istanbul and not using it as storage for the Customs. The clock tower is regaining is worth as the historical artifact again.
We as Erke Group proud to be a part of the important project to rise the Tophane Clock Tower.
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