Kavajë Clock Tower

Kavajë Clock Tower
Kulla e Sahatit të Kavajës
Clock Tower of Kavajë
Type	Clock tower
Location	Kavajë, Albania
Coordinates	41°11′02″N 19°33′45″E / 41.18383°N 19.56260°E / 41.18383; 19.56260
Height	23.3 m (76 ft)
Founder	Ibrahim bey Alltuni
Built	1817–1818
Restored	2018
Architectural style(s)	Ottoman style
Owner	Municipality of Kavajë
Cultural Monument of Albania
Type	Cultural
Criteria	Cat. I
Designated	16 October 1948 15 January 1963 10 June 1973
Reference no.	1866

The Clock Tower of Kavajë (Albanian: Kulla e Sahatit të Kavajës) is a monument of cultural heritage located in Kavajë, Albania. It was first recognized as a cultural heritage site by the Institute of Sciences through decision no. 95 on October 16, 1948. Subsequent designations were made by the rectorate of the State University of Tirana under decision no. 6 on January 15, 1963 and by the Ministry of Education and Culture via reference no. 1886 on June 10, 1973.^[1]

The precise date and history of the clock tower's construction are detailed in a chronogram found on its western side. The Ottoman text, translated into Albanian by orientalist Vexhi Buharaja, reads:

“Praise be to God, the time has come to build the (tower) of the clock. The reconstruction is a blessing to Mir Ibrahim. Oh God, protect the builder and safeguard him from dangers! (To find the year) count the word tarikh, add two (letters), and then he (to whom such a thing happens) remains an orphan.”

Although the descriptive language may seem somewhat unintelligible today, it likely held a meaning of significance at the time.

Above the inscription is the word barakallah (used to express gratitude), while mashallah (an expression of awe or beauty) appears on the southern side. A fourth inscription, located on the tower’s bell, reads:

OPUS CANCIAN. DALLA VENEZIA – VENETUS ~ (it is the work of the Cancani from Venice)

The clock tower is attributed to local ruler Ibrahim bey Alltuni and was designed to measure time with a sound mechanism. Local traders, who maintained commercial ties with European cities, brought a clock mechanism to the tower, which initially lacked a face and functioned primarily as an auditory timekeeper.

The walling of the three arched windows as well as the installation of the sundial (if we were to call it so) on the west face of the tower, are thought to have been added at a later time (before October 12, 1848, as depicted in Edward Lear's drawing).

The sundial served an essential role in daily life. At noon, sunlight would pass through the central pit of the circular white stone on the west face, signaling shop closures, lunch breaks, or the afternoon prayer (Albanian: namazi i ylesë).

An alternate theory shows that the white stone was not a sundial but a tool for clock calibration. Sunlight entering the 12 cm (4.7 in) hole remained static for twelve minutes, enabling the clockkeeper to adjust the clock. These corrections were made biannually, on March 21 and September 23, coinciding with the spring and autumn equinoxes, when day and night are of equal length.^[2]

The clock tower stands 3.5 meters (11 ft) above ground, overlooking Kubelie Mosque and the nearby shops. Its square floor plan measures 4.37 by 4.37 meters (14.3 ft × 14.3 ft), with walls 0.85 meters (2 ft 9 in) thick. The foundation rests on a gently sloping rocky terrain. The exact height of the clock tower is 23.3 m (76 ft).

The structure is built of stonemasonry with lime mortar and visible wooden bands in its interior. On the exterior, alternating rows of gray stones and carefully cut white limestone provide both a visual aesthetic and structural integrity. The corners are crafted with hewn stones and the outer walls are finished with a specialized “khorasan mortar” mixture which creates a 2 cm (1 in) gap between the stones, effectively preventing rainwater from penetrating the structure.

Damage to the southeast corner, likely caused by the earthquake of December 17, 1926, was repaired during a restoration marked by the deliberate use of white stone, making the intervention distinct. Before 1848, three arched windows were sealed, one of which, on the side facing the bazaar, was later fitted with a sundial that remains intact today.

A significant change occurred in the late 1930s when the tower’s timekeeping mechanism was upgraded to include a clock face alongside its original chime-based system. This alteration modified the upper facade’s appearance.

In 2018, the clock tower underwent a major restoration led by experts from the Institute of Monuments of Culture and funded by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).^[3]