The Great Clock Tower

The Great Clock Tower

Adana is home to one of its most remarkable features - The Great Clock Tower. This modern clock tower, standing tall at 32 meters, has been a defining feature of the city since its construction in 1882. It not only offers a close view of Ottoman late-period architecture but also serves as a symbol of Ottoman modernization during the 19th century. The city became a hub for the booming cotton trade during this time, attracting numerous European and Ottoman companies.

The construction of The Great Clock Tower began in 1879 under the guidance of the Turkish mayor, Kirkor Bezdikyan. The tower's design was contributed by an Armenian architect named Kasbar Agha Bzdikian. Over time, other mayors like Mayor Mangoyan and Hacı Yunus made significant contributions to the tower's completion. Eventually, it became one of Adana's most famous landmarks, attracting visitors from all over the world.

The Great Clock Tower

Built using bricks, The Great Clock Tower was designed as a square prism. Its height reaches 32 meters (105 feet), but there are speculations that the construction extends even further underground, up to 35 meters (115 feet). According to rumors, the water springing from these foundations possessed healing properties.

The construction of The Great Clock Tower took place during the same time as other clock towers in major cities across the Ottoman Empire, but it surpassed them all in terms of height. Istanbul's Dolmabahçe Clock Tower remains the second-tallest clock tower in the empire.