One of the most striking and important architectural symbols of the city of Venice can be observed in the complex of Piazza San Marco, we are talking about the Torre dei Mori. The artistic masterpiece can be seen above the access to the commercial street of the city: the ancient Merceria.
The Torre dei Mori, which has become one of the symbols of Venice, is characterized by a large astronomical clock which, inaugurated in 1499, continues to mark time, the phases of the moon and the zodiac even after more than 500 years.
The astronomical clock is an iconic masterpiece of architecture, mechanics and harmonic beauty, composed of a gold and blue enamel dial. The clock machine is the heart of a complicated set of gears which, thanks to the intervention of Bartolomeo Ferracina (1753-57), remain understandable even today even if significantly modified compared to the original machine built at the end of the fifteenth century by Rainieri.
The Clock Tower is part of the Venice Civic Museums Foundation and can be visited upon reservation here.
