Clock Tower Research Articles

The Revival Architecture of Svishtov

During the epoch of the Bulgarian National Revival Svishtov became a lively commercial and cultural center. Its compact layout, natural attractions and imposing buildings create a sense of synchronicity and symmetry. It is enough to mention the Confectioner’s House and the home of Dimitar Nachovich (the place where the first Bulgarian Community Center was established in the winter of 1856), the House of Peace (the building where in 1791 a peace treaty was signed that ended the Avsto-Turkish war), the clock tower, the stone fountains, the Saint Nicholas School and the masterpiece of the Revival architecture – the cathedral church “St. Trinity”. All these buildings are a national treasure, and their preservation and conservation is entirely up to us. The past, which has come down to us through the incredible creations of famous and unknown masters of the National Revival, is a heritage that we should cherish for the testaments it leaves to all succeeding generations.

Mapping new Ottoman heritage tourism routes in North Macedonia: A supply-side approach

North Macedonia possesses a rich cultural heritage dating back to the Ottoman period (14th–19th century). This heritage is evident in various architectural structures such as bazaars, bridges, hammams, clock towers, and mosques. While some of these sites are actively used for tourism, many remain untapped, each offering unique historical, cultural, and architectural significance. This study explores the potential of developing Ottoman heritage tourism products in North Macedonia. The research aims to identify and establish new tourism routes in the Northeast, East, and Southeast regions, by adopting an experiential approach. Through in-depth interviews with informants experienced in tourism, the study utilizes spatial intuition to map significant sites and designs routes highlighting the richness of Ottoman heritage. The research identifies Kratovo, Shtip, and Strumica as key cities within these regions, serving as pivotal points for the proposed routes. The study reveals that informants strongly believe that Ottoman heritage tourism can attract visitors, foster cultural understanding, and contribute to local economic development. The core appeal of these routes lies in the authenticity, unique aesthetics, architectural significance, and educational value of the Ottoman heritage sites. This study contributes to the existing literature by emphasizing the value of Ottoman heritage and advocating the critical importance of its preservation. From a practical standpoint, the proposed routes, interconnected across three regions, cater to diverse visitor interests and might offer a unique tourism experience.

Temporal and Cultural Significance of the Nablus Clock Tower: An Architectural Analysis

The renowned clock tower of Nablus serves as a prominent testament to the city’s rich historical and cultural legacy. This article presents a structural analysis of the Nablus Clock Tower, examining its temporal and cultural importance within the broader regional context. By investigating its history, evolution, and functional role, the article draws on archival sources, historical documents, and architectural plans, tracing the tower’s journey from its inception to its contemporary state. The discussion not only explores Nablus’s historical background but also outlines the influences and events that culminated in the construction of the Clock Tower. The study further examines the clock tower’s practical role as a timekeeping structure, a communal gathering spot, and a symbol of urban development. Through comparisons with contemporaneous clock towers that share similar architectural characteristics, the research highlights the distinctive features that set the Nablus Clock Tower apart. The fusion of elaborate design elements and unique cultural elements, together with the innovative integration of the tower into its surrounding urban environment, has elevated the tower into both a distinguished object of public landmark and a pivotal point of cultural interaction. This examination ultimately illuminates the historical and architectural significance of the Nablus Clock Tower, emphasizing its profound cultural resonance. By sitting the tower within the broader temporal and cultural framework of the region, this work enriches the understanding of Nablus’s multifaceted heritage, providing new insights that enhance the appreciation of the city’s cultural layers across time.

Structural Analysis of the Historical Sungurlu Clock Tower

Structural Analysis of the Historical Sungurlu Clock Tower

Investigation of the earthquake behavior of the historical Adana great clock tower using FEM updated based on environmental vibration data

In this study, the historical Adana great clock tower's dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies and mode shapes) were determined using the operational modal analysis (OMA) method. The finite element model (FEM) of the Clock Tower was updated based on the experimentally obtained dynamic characteristics. The update process was performed manually using the material properties of the Clock Tower. Linear dynamic analyses of the structures under earthquake loadings were performed using its updated finite element model. The acceleration records of the 1998 Adana-Ceyhan earthquake, scaled according to the horizontal elastic design spectrum defined in TBEC (2018) were used for dynamic input. The displacements, maximum and minimum principal stresses of the Clock Tower were obtained and evaluated. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that there was a potential for damage to the Clock Tower due to exceeding the tensile strength of the walls, but the potential for damage to the Clock Tower due to exceeding the compressive strength of the walls is weak.

Urban and Architectural Alterations in Elbasan from Ottoman Period to Modernity

This research paper examines the transition of urban spaces and architectural changes in Elbasan, Albania, from Ottoman influence to modernity. By analyzing urban development and architectural styles from both the Ottoman and contemporary periods, the paper aims to provide a comparative perspective on the architectural language between these two periods. The study explores the alterations in characteristics of city urbanism and architecture in Ottoman and post-Ottoman times, spanning from the early 19th century to the present day. It also examines the implications of these changes for urban spaces and cultural identity. Through case studies and comparative analysis, the paper highlights the dynamic evolution of Elbasan’s architectural landscape and provides insights into its future development. The data was collected using a multi-faceted methodology, including archival drawings, scholarly works, maps, field visits, and observations. The results reveal significant variability in the urban and architectural patterns of the city. The differences between 18th- 19th- century Elbasan and that of the 20th and 21st centuries are profound and distinct. However, the central area of the city, which remains the most historic part due to the survival of structures such as the castle, the clock tower, old bathhouses, and the king’s mosque, still retains traces of the Ottoman city.

Progress versus tradition – traditional craftsmanship and attempts at industrial tower clock production in the Czech lands in the 19th century

Progress versus tradition – traditional craftsmanship and attempts at industrial tower clock production in the Czech lands in the 19th century

Redevelopment of the Urban Area of the Former Canossian Oratory within the City Walls of Feltre

This paper concerns the redevelopment of an urban space within the historic walls of Feltre, an ancient city located inthe province of Belluno, not far from Venice. It is particularly focused on the disused Oratory of the Canossian Friars,at the top of the medieval city. The site is now abandoned and degraded, devoid of function and unresolved in form.It is located close to the city's main square and is bordered by pre-existing buildings of relevant historical importance,including the Castle, the Napoleonic Stables, the Clock Tower, the Civic Museum and the Church of San Rocco. In another respect, the former Oratory of the Canossian Friars, which was investigated by our research group at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering of the University of Padova, is proposed as a case study regarding the relationship between new and old.

Non-linear seismic behavior of historic Adana Great Clock Tower

In this study, the non-linear seismic behavior of the historic Adana Great Clock Tower was investigated. The dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies and mode shapes) of the Clock Tower were determined by operational vibration tests. The finite element model of the Clock Tower was manually updated in the light of the experimentally obtained dynamic characteristics. For the updated finite element model, pushover analyses and non-linear time history analyses were performed. Incremental pushover analyses were performed in the x and y directions proportional to the first lateral displacement modes of the Clock Tower in the x and y directions. The time history analyses took into account the Adana-Ceyhan (1998) earthquake acceleration records. Each of the two horizontal components of the earthquake acceleration records was separately scaled according to the design spectrum defined in TBEC-2018 for earthquake levels with a 10 % and 50 % probability of exceedance in 50 years. These scaled earthquake acceleration records were applied to the structure. The two scaled horizontal components for the same earthquake level were rotated 90° and reapplied to the structure. As the response quantities, displacement, base shear force and plastic strains were evaluated.

Integrating Architectural Heritage with Environmental Concerns: A Case Study of Clock Tower, Faisalabad

Faisalabad is experiencing a surge in industrial development alongside its established agricultural base. This economic growth, however, presents a challenge of balancing progress with environmental protection. Industrial activity can often lead to environmental degradation, impacting the city's physical landscape and the health of its residents. To address this concern, the current research focused on the restoration of the Faisalabad Clock Tower, a historical structure from the British Era. The Clock Tower holds a significant importance due to its role in the city's early urban planning and its status as a prominent landmark. The research methodology employed a comprehensive literature review, examining local and international examples of heritage building projects. Air pollution levels were measured around the Clock Tower by using HORIBA APMA 360. According to the findings, NO2 was found above the limit which confirmed that the presence of pollutants is the major deterioration factor. Furthermore, a detailed physical survey of the Clock Tower was conducted to identify the deteriorated areas within the building. The research culminates in a proposal outlining the necessary restoration work for the Clock Tower, informed by a thorough analysis that caters to architectural and environmental concerns to ensure a sustainable and historically sensitive restoration of this iconic structure.

Vizitatorii muzeului Sighișoara Veche în perioada de început 1899−1917

The oldest cultural institution in Sighișoara is the History Museum housed in the Clock Tower, the symbol of the town. It opened its doors to the public on 25 June 1899 and it remains open to this day. An important source related to the beginnings of the Sighișoara museum is its first Visitors Signing Book. It was used in the first decades of the institution’s existence. According to the dating of the signatures, it would fit into the chronological horizon between 1899 and 1918. Unfortunately, due to its unrestricted exhibition in the 1940s and 1970s, there are also signatures of visitors from this period.

Factors Influencing Intention and Decision to Visit Gadang Clock Tower Tourist Object in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra

Objectives: The objective of this study is to contribute to the existing body of literature regarding the decision-making process of visiting the Gadang Clock Tower tourist attraction. This will be achieved by examining aspects like travel motivation, electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM), eco-destination image, and intention to visit. There exists a dearth of scholarly research on Gadang clocks, particularly about their significance within eco-destinations. Consequently, there is a pressing need for further investigation in this area.Methodology: The data utilized in this study was obtained via a survey of tourists who were visiting the Clock Tower in Bukittinggi. The SEM is utilized in the assessment of validity, reliability, cross-loading, and t-statistics.Finding: The study found that the influence of electronic word-of-mouth and eco-destination images on tourists' intentions and visiting decisions at the Gadang Clock Tower was positive and significant. Therefore, it can be inferred that these elements play a crucial role in enhancing visitors' intentions and decisions.Conclusion: If the Clock Tower possesses a favorable eco-destination image, it is likely to attract a higher influx of tourists. Electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) has a substantial impact in influencing individuals' levels to encounter the clock tower. The number of visitors expressing an intention to revisit the Gadang Clock is expected to increase if they have a remarkable and memorable experience on their initial visit. Furthermore, the act of visiting the Clock Tower exerted a substantial impact on their subsequent inclination to revisit it.

The Phenomenon of Elderly Street Vendors in the Jam Gadang Tourism Area Bukittinggi City

This thesis is entitled "The Phenomenon of Elderly Street Vendors in the Clock Tower Tourist Area of Bukittinggi City". The aim of this research is to describe the views of the public and tourists towards elderly street vendors, the factors behind elderly street vendors continuing to choose to trade in the Jam Gadang tourist area of Bukittinggi City. The theory used in this thesis is the phenomenological theory of Edmund Husserl. The method used by the author is a qualitative method, with data collection techniques namely observation, interviews and documentation. The findings from this research are that the factors behind the elderly continuing to choose to trade in the Jam Gadang tourist area are economic factors, social factors and health factors. The views of the public and tourists towards these elderly street vendors do not have a problem with the existence of the traders and some tourists also feel respect for the existence of these elderly street vendors.

Evaluation of the seismic performance pre- and post-restoration of a masonry clock tower's FE model updated via experimental and optimization methods

This article presents comprehensive numerical and partial experimental studies to determine the seismic performance of the recently restored masonry clock tower in Bayburt before and after restoration. The numerical dynamic characteristics of the structure are obtained by free vibration analysis conducted on the preliminary finite element model, while the experimental ones are determined through ambient vibration testing. The ultimate finite element models reflecting the actual state of the structure pre- and post-restoration are created through a model updating process based on the principle of minimizing the differences between numerical and experimental dynamic properties via the Tabu Search Algorithm. Dynamic analyses of the models are carried out by the mode superposition method in the time domain, using eleven earthquake ground motion records selected considering the tectonic structure of the region and scaled to the design spectrum explicitly established to the site. Seismic responses are evaluated based on displacement, maximum-minimum principal stress, and maximum-minimum principal strain. The maximum principal stress value, the most critical parameter jeopardizing the safety of masonry structures, is 2.069 MPa before the restoration reaches 2.489 MPa, with an increase of approximately 20.3 % after the restoration. Since this value is less than the tensile strength of the masonry material, 3.120 MPa, it is not at a level that poses any risk to the structure. Other structural reactions also remain below the limit values. Therefore, according to today's seismic hazard analysis criteria, it can be said that the clock tower is safe. However, the North Anatolian Fault Zone, with high tectonic activity passing just south of the city, has the potential to produce severe earthquakes that may affect the region in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically monitor the seismic behaviors of the historical masonry structures in Bayburt and take essential precautions based on the results.

Finite element analysis of a 108-year-old unreinforced brick masonry tower following the 2015 Nepal earthquakes

After a visual inspection following the 2015 Nepal earthquakes, a finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted on a 108-year-old unreinforced brick masonry tower. The focus of study was on the brick masonry clock tower standing at a height of 30.48 m on the Senate Hall (SH) building of Allahabad University in India. This tower, which spans five storeys and features a rectangular cross-sectional shape, exhibits substantial cracks and material degradation across its connections and binding points. The process involved creating geometric plans and a 3D finite-element model through visual inspection and implementing ANSYS Workbench. The study utilised the mechanical properties of the aged materials, sourced from various studies encompassing surveys of old monumental structures, codes, and historical records. The clock tower’s behaviour was assessed through static, modal, and site-specific simulated time history analyses. The static analysis results revealed a maximum deflection of 3.76 mm at the top and a maximum equivalent (von-Mises) stress of 1.81 MPa at the joint of the first-floor level. Modal frequencies for the first three modes were determined to understand the tower’s free vibration behaviour. The time history analyses presented the acceleration, velocity, and displacement response under a peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 1.29 m/s2 simulated for the site. The dynamic analysis highlighted stress responses in critical locations, exposing severe cracks and damages across various points.

An Experimental Plan: Teaching of Astronomical Clock Tower under View of New Liberal Arts Perspective

At the end of the 11th century, the “Astronomical Clock Tower” developed by Su Song’s team involved many scientific knowledge, advanced and complex technologies, and created many world firsts. It played an important role in the history of science and technology in China and even the world. It was the best test sample for exploring the teaching method of the history of science and technology content in the teaching reform of the undergraduate history (normal) major “Ancient Chinese History” course under the guidance of the new liberal arts and science concept. The experimental plan focuses on the common characteristics of this type of content, closely adheres to teaching objectives, fits the actual learning situation, and is based on general teaching conditions. Within the limit of class hours, it introduces the background, structure, and function, explains the principle and process of key components, analyzes ideas and methods, highlights the key points and difficulties, and strives to be interesting, easy to understand, and memorable, so that students can feel the outstanding wisdom and innovation of the sages, clarify its position and influence in the history of science and technology in China and the world, and accumulate knowledge and methods for future teaching of this type of historical content.

Anchoring the Past in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse

As a modernist writer, Virginia Woolf was influenced by Marcel Proust in terms of structuring her writing around the concept of time and memories. Unlike Proust, who questions the validity and fluidity of past remembrances and tries to make a confession by writing his memories, Woolf tries to find a balance between the past and present through the use of memories. In her article A Sketch of the Past, she mentions that writing about the past helped her face and settle accounts with it. She calls small remembrances of the past when she could realize herself as “moments of being” and they help her anchor and stabilize her past with the present. In her writing, places like a clock tower or a lighthouse turn into sites of memory where she could see the looming presence of the past over the present and navigate around it to form the present. As sites of memory, these colossal structures let her navigate through the nebulous presence of time where exterior events lose their hegemony and help her to understand herself her location in space and time. To the Lighthouse is an important source for understanding Woolf’s concept of memory. In this novel, she fuses the past and the present; the objects and people in order to find a harmonious balance of life. This paper aims to investigate the impact of sites of memory and the relationship of the past and the present on the formation of identities of individuals in To the Lighthouse.

Mapping of stones and their deterioration forms: the Clock Tower, Venice (Italy)

The HYPERION EU project aims to develop a Decision Support System to improve resilience and sustainable reconstruction of historic areas faced with climate change and extreme events. In this context, Venice presents an outstanding example of urban and architectural complexity and richness. The mapping of the ornamental stones of the façade of the Venice Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio) and their deterioration patterns acts as a milestone on which to build the knowledge-acquisition process of the system as regards stone artefacts and their decay products. The Clock Tower is an early Renaissance building (1499) in Lombardesque style and stands over the entrance to the Mercerie on the northern side of St. Mark’s Square. Detailed surveys and mapping of both building materials (mainly stones) and deterioration patterns were carried out, the latter following the glossary of weathering forms, coupled with an easy-to-use scale of evaluation of their intensity. The data output consists of several monothematic maps which can be handled separately, each one focusing on precise lithological or specific deterioration aspects. This study also proposes a simple approach to summarizing the total state of deterioration of the building in the form of a Total Deterioration Rank (TDR) and its representation. The stones used in the façade are regional (Ammonitico Rosso and Scaglia Rossa) and extra-regional limestones (Istrian Stone), as well as Mediterranean white and coloured marbles and stones already used in antiquity (i.e., Fior di Pesco or marmor chalcidicum, lapis porphyrites, a volcanic rock from the Egyptian Eastern Desert, Proconnesian marble from the Island of Marmara, Pavonazzetto toscano and white Carrara marble from the Italian Apuan Alps). The most frequent forms of deterioration detected are black crusts, patinas, discoloration and patterns linked to erosion processes. The interrelation of different mappings led to a number of useful considerations concerning differences in the effectiveness of maintenance procedures between public and private management of the monument.

Effects of temperature variations on the modal properties of masonry structures: An experimental-based numerical modelling approach

Long–term ambient vibration monitoring campaigns show that environmental parameters (such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction) can influence the structures' static and dynamic behaviour. In particular, thermal variations can affect the modal characteristics of ancient masonry constructions. This work presents a procedure combining experimental and numerical steps to monitor, assess and model the dynamic behaviour of masonry structures subjected to thermal loads. The procedure is tested and validated through two numerical examples and the simulation of a full-scale masonry structure, the Mogadouro clock tower in Portugal, monitored with accelerometers and temperature and humidity sensors.

Images of Chopin in, and through, Japanese Video Games

This article examines the use of Chopin’s music in video games created by Japanese developers. While, as William Gibbons and others have documented, classical music has been used throughout the history of video games, a surprising number of Japanese games have used Chopin’s music. Sometimes this music is presented as a straightforward performance of a piece by Chopin, while others remix, vary or interpolate Chopin’s musical materials in new compositions. Chopin’s music here stages many of the tensions and possibilities found in the video game medium. In that sense, it ‘thematises’ video games. The article focuses on three aspects of Chopin in games. The first is sentimentalism (both in association with death, the supernatural and the morbid, and in association with sexual romance and romanticism more broadly). Secondly, Chopin’s music is associated with virtuosity, intertwining emotion and physicality. Finally, Chopin’s music is used as an agent for postmodern juxtaposition, in the process problematising a divide between art and mass culture. These three trends are interlinked and draw upon longstanding historical images and connotative values in relation to Chopin. The discussion builds on antecedent research concerning Chopin’s reception by Lawrence Kramer, Jim Samson, Charles Rosen and Stephen Downes, critical perspectives on games and/as musical interfaces by David Sudnow and Roger Moseley, and discussions of classical music in popular culture by Andreas Huyssen and Mina Yang. Key case studies include Space Adventure Cobra, Clock Tower 3, Eternal Sonata, Gran Turismo, Pop’n Music, Catherine and a selection of visual novels. Chopin’s music in Japanese games serves as a way to understand the meanings of that music in a modern pop-culture context. Besides that, however, such a study uncovers how the issues central to the discourse of Chopin are manifest and (re)configured in a medium and context of production very far removed from the music’s origins.