Clock tower-Berkovitsa

Overview

The clock tower of Berkovitsa is located in the city center, at one end of Yordan Radichkov Square. It was built in the period 1762-1764. It is one of the oldest clock towers in Bulgaria with an active clock mechanism.

The tower is 21.24 m high and features clean architectural lines. The square body, 11.80 m high, is built of crushed stone from the nearby village of Gintsi, which are welded with mortar solder. There are 9 horizontal wooden belts for connection and reinforcement, and 4 narrow vertical slits (brackets) are left on each of the walls to illuminate the interior. A narrow wooden staircase leads to the octagonal second part of the tower, made of wooden structure and lined with shingles.

Inside are mounted the bell and clock mechanism, which is handmade by Bessarabian Bulgarians in Bucharest and was brought in 1764. The tower is crowned with a pointed hat covered with sheet metal. At the top of the then authorities was placed a metal emblem - a crescent moon and a flag. On December 4, 1877, a Russian soldier tied a bronze cross on it, an expression of victory over Turkey.