Name of Monument:

The Ottoman Clock Tower

Other name of the Monument:

The Hamidiyye Clock Tower

Location:

Beirut, Lebanon

Responsible Institution:

Municipality of Beirut

 About The Lebanese University, Beirut

Date of Monument:

1897

Architect(s) / Master-builder(s):

Yussef Aftimus

History:

This clock tower was built by Yussef Afimus in 1897 neara the Grand Serail to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Ottoman sultan 'Abd al-Hamid II's coronation. It was seen as an important tower, indicating Muslim prayer time as well as making up for the absence of a public clock tower in the city, as many private foreign institutions in Beirut had built Western style clock towers in recent years. The construction of the clock tower was approved by the sultan following a letter of supplication from Beirut's governor Rashid Bey. The ceremonial laying of the first stone took place on 9 January 1897 (the anniversary of the sultan) in the presence of high officials, military representatives and members of the municipality of Beirut.

Description:

At 25 metres tall, the Hamidiye clock tower was the tallest structure in Beirut at the time of its completion. Similar towers were consequently built in imitation in numerous other cities of the Ottoman Empire, such as Istanbul, Izmir, Izmit, Adana, Jaffa, Nablus, Acre and Tripoli. It was built using local stone: Beirut sandstone, Jounieh limestone, Damascene basalt and Deir al-Qamar red stone. The tower houses a huge bell weighing 300kg on its third floor, and a set of 125 cast iron steps leading up to it. Four miniature orientalist-style balconies adorn this floor. Above these balconies are four large clock faces imported especially from the Ottoman embassy in France.

Citation of this web page:

Julien El Khoury, Jeff El-Msanne "The Ottoman Clock Tower" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monuments;AWE;lb;20;en

Prepared by: Julien El Khoury, Jeff El-Msanne
Copyedited by: Flaminia Baldwin

MWNF Working Number: LB 020