Public clock of Guayaquil starts working

On the occasion of the celebrations Julian festivities, the Moorish Tower of Guayaquil was subjected to a process of reconditioning of its machine so that the bell rang again after spending many years in silence.

Also known as the “Public Clock”, this monument located on the Malecon Simon Bolivar, was restored by the company Watches Olvera III Generation of Zacatlan, Mexico, while work settings and tunings were in charge in Guayaquil by the watch expert Porfirio Santiago Becerra.

The machine clock was brought to the Main Port in 1842 during Vicente Rocafuerte’s adminsitration. It was installed when Guayaquil lived a critical time, because the city was being hit by the yellow fever. It witnessed major events such as the revolution of March 6, 1945, the Liberal Revolution of 1895, the Peruvian invasion of 1858, the fires of 1896 and 1902. In 1907 they decided to move the tower to a market located opposite to the Cabildo, until 1921. It was again moved, when they built the Tower Bardellini, in the same place where it is today, at the height of the street 10 de Agosto. However, this structure had problems, so that the clock had to be dismantled five years later.

The clock machine remained stored until it was reinstated in 1931 and in the Moorish Tower. This work was built and inaugurated with resources from the City Hall and that of the Spanish colony settled in the main port.

Today the access to watch is for all people from 9:30 to 17:00. A guide waits by the entrance door to provide information on the monument. The visit can be done on the first three levels