The Clock Tower

You’re now in front of the famous Zytturm, or Clock Tower. Standing 31 metres tall, it’s instantly recognisable thanks to the mural of two giants holding up the clock face. The tower was built in 1442, but the clock it houses goes even further back. Master clockmaker Heinrich Halder from Basel created the city’s first public clock back in 1385. He wrote a detailed user manual for it, which is now considered the oldest instruction guide for a public clock in the world. The clock face is richly decorated, with a golden sun at its centre and only an hour hand, with no minute hand. The moon functions as the pendulum. At the time Halder built it, Lucerne’s city walls hadn’t been constructed yet, so the clock was placed on the city gate. It was moved to this tower in 1403, and it’s remained here ever since. The mural dates from 1547. It was restored fifty years later, and repainted in 1939. It shows two wild men—symbols of the strength of Lucerne’s soldiers—holding the city’s coat of arms. This tower wasn’t intended for defence, but instead to help sailors on the lake tell the time. If you hear it chime, you might notice that it’s a minute early! It’s a privilege granted to the tower in honour of its age. When Lucerne installed a second public clock, city leaders decided this original one should always strike first. It’s called the “right of the first strike,” and it carries political weight. In the late Middle Ages, cities sought more independence from the emperor and the Church. Having the public clock ring before the cathedral bells was a way of asserting the city council’s power. In 1535, Zurich clockmaker Hans Luter crafted a new mechanism for the tower, keeping the original structure. The clock was modernised in 1842, but it’s still wound by hand every day. Open to the public since 1978, the tower now hosts an exhibition on the history of timekeeping, showing how clocks were made and developed throughout the Middle Ages. Entry is ticketed and the tower is open everyday between April 1st and November 1st, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.