Antique clock of the cathedral in Belarusian Grodno, which is already more than 400 years old

Many European cities are associated with medieval cathedrals, towers and clocks, which can be seen in many squares. But it turns out that the oldest mechanical tower clocks in Europe, which are still working properly, are not in Vienna or Paris, but in the Belarusian city of Grodno. This mechanical watch, which is installed on the cathedral building, is over 400 years old.

The city of Grodno is located in the west of Belarus and has a rich history rich in interesting events. Since its foundation in 1128, the city has been part of various state entities: the Principality of Lithuania, the Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, the Republic of Lithuania, Poland, the USSR, and the Republic of Belarus. Due to its rich history, the city has many architectural monuments: the Old Castle of the XI century, the New Castle of the XVIII century, the Nativity of the Virgin Monastery of the XVII century, the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier of the XVII century and others.

Old mechanical pendulum clocks are on the roof of the Grodno Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier. According to experts from the Hermitage, the anchor mechanism of this watch was made at the beginning of the 16th century, that is, they are older than the cathedral itself and, probably, were located elsewhere before being installed on the tower in Grodno. A similar clock with a pendulum mechanism is in one of the museums in London. Many levers, cables and other parts of the mechanism require careful daily care. In addition, the clock needs to be wound up regularly, so there is such a unique profession in the city of Grodno - the “watchtower of city tower clocks”.

The interesting history of the city and many architectural monuments attract more and more tourists to Grodno. A tour of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier is included in almost all city tours; travelers can look at the unique tower clock from the inside. True, the difficult path to the roof of the cathedral requires some physical effort, but this does not stop those who want to see the mechanism of the oldest tower clock in Europe.