The east front of the Zytglogge at the end of the Kramgasse. The Kramgasse ("Grocers Alley" is one of the principal streets in the Old City of Berne, the medieval city center of Berne, Switzerland.

The Zytglogge tower is a landmark medieval tower in Berne, Switzerland. Originally a landmark literally meant a Geographic Feature used by explorers and Towers are tall human-made Structures that are always taller than they are wide usually by a significant Margin. The city of Berne or Bern (, Berne, Berna, Romansh: Berna, Bernese German: Bärn) is the Bundesstadt ( Federal Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Built at around the turn of the 13th century, it has served the city as guard tower, prison, clock tower, center of urban life and civic memorial. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of A clock tower is a Tower built with one or more (often four Clock faces. A memorial is an object which serves as a memory of something usually a person (who has died or an event

Despite the many redecorations and renovations it has undergone in its 800 years of existence, the Zytglogge is one of Berne's most recognisable symbols and, with its 15th century astronomical clock, a major tourist attraction. An astronomical clock is a Clock with special Mechanisms and Dials to display Astronomical information such as the relative positions of It is a heritage site of national significance,^[1] and part of the Old City of Berne, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance (Schweizerisches Inventar der Kulturgüter von nationaler und regionaler Bedeutung Inventaire suisse | The Old City of Berne is the Medieval City center of Berne, Switzerland. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex

History

Berne in 1638 with its three medieval guard towers, from left to right: Christoffelturm, Käfigturm, Zytglogge. The Christoffelturm was a Tower built between the years 1344 and 1346 (See full map)

When it was built – probably at around 1218–20^[2] – the Zytglogge served as the gate tower of Berne's western fortifications. These were erected after the city's first westward expansion following its political independence from the Empire (see: Golden Charter of Bern). The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The Golden Charter of Bern (also Golden Bull, in German: Goldene Handfeste or Berner Handfeste) is a medieval Charter At that time, the Zytglogge was a squat building of only 16 meters (52 ft) in height. When the rapid growth of the city and the further expansion of the fortifications (up to the Käfigturm) relegated the tower to second-line status at around 1270–75, it was heightened by 7 meters (23 ft) to overlook the surrounding houses. ^[3]

Only after the city's western defences were extended again in 1344–46 up to the now-destroyed Christoffelturm, the Zytglogge was converted to a women's prison, notably housing Pfaffendirnen – "priests' whores", women convicted of sexual relations with clerics. The Christoffelturm was a Tower built between the years 1344 and 1346 ^[4] At this time, the Zytglogge also received its first slanted roof. ^[5]

The Zytglogge as shown on a 1542 glass painting.

In the great fire of 1405, the tower burnt out completely. It suffered severe structural damage that required thorough repairs, which were not complete until after the last restoration in 1983. The prison cells were abandoned^[6] and a clock was first installed above the gate in the early 15th century, probably including a simple astronomical clock and musical mechanism. Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput, or Clock is a gene which encodes proteins regulating Circadian rhythm. ^[7] This clock, together with the great bell cast in 1405, gave the Zytglogge its name, which in Bernese German means "time bell". A bell is a simple Sound -making device The bell is a Percussion instrument and an Idiophone. Bernese German is the Dialect of High Alemannic German spoken in the Swiss plateau (Mittelland part of the Canton of Bern and in some neighbouring ^[8]

In the late 15th century, the Zytglogge and the other Bernese gate towers were extended and decorated after the Burgundian Romantic fashion. Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) The Zytglogge received a new lantern (including the metal bellman visible today), four decorative corner towerlets, heraldic decorations and probably its stair tower. ^[9] The astronomical clock was extended to its current state. In 1527–30, the clockwork was completely rebuilt by Kaspar Brunner, and the gateway was overarched to provide a secure foundation for the heavy machinery. Kaspar Brunner (died 1561 was a Swiss Mechanic best known for his construction of the Clockwork of the Zytglogge, Berne 's medieval ^[10]

The Zytglogge's west façade in 1830, after the 1770 restructuring.

The Zytglogge's exterior was repainted by Gotthard Ringgli and Kaspar Haldenstein in 1607–10, who introduced the large clock faces that now dominate the east and west façades of the tower. ^[11] The corner towerlets were removed again some time before 1603. ^[12] In 1770–71, the Zytglogge was renovated by Niklaus Hebler and Ludwig Emanuel Zehnder, who refurbished the structure in order to suit the tastes of the late Baroque, giving the tower its contemporary outline. Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc ^[13]

Both façades were again repainted in the Rococo style by Rudolf von Steiger in 1890. Rococo is a style of 18th century French art and Interior design. The idealising historicism of the design came to be disliked in the 20th century, and a 1929 competition produced the façade designs visible today: on the west façade, Viktor Surbek's fresco "Beginning of Time" and on the east façade, a reconstruction of the 1770 design by Kurt Indermühle. Not to be confused with Historicism. Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans Viktor Surbek (1885–1975 was a Swiss painter from Berne. After studies in Italy Germany ( Kunstgewerbeschule München, Kunstgewerbeschule Karlsruhe ^[14] In 1981–83, the Zytglogge was thoroughly renovated again and generally restored to its 1770 appearance. ^[15] In the advent season and from Easter until the end of October, it is illuminated after dusk. Advent (from the Latin word la ''adventus'' meaning "coming" is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. October events and holidays Children's Book Week ( England) - First Week of October National Day ( China People's Republic Dusk refers to the period of time following Sunset. Although commonly confused with twilight dusk is the time frame that occurs either before or after a twilight - when the ^[16]

Name

The Bernese German Zytglogge translates to Zeitglocke in Standard German and to time bell in English. Bernese German is the Dialect of High Alemannic German spoken in the Swiss plateau (Mittelland part of the Canton of Bern and in some neighbouring Standard German ( German: Hochdeutsch) is the standard varieties of the German language used as a Written language, in formal contexts For other uses see Time (disambiguation Time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events to compare the durations of A bell is a simple Sound -making device The bell is a Percussion instrument and an Idiophone. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A "time bell" was one of the earliest public timekeeping devices, consisting of a clockwork connected to a hammer that rang a small bell at the full hour. A clockwork is the inner workings of either a mechanical Clock or a device that operates in a similar fashion ^[17] Such a device was installed in the Wendelstein in Berne — the tower of the Leutkirche church which the Münster later replaced — in 1383 at the latest; it alerted the bell-ringer to ring the tower bells. The Münster of Berne (German Berner Münster) is the Gothic Cathedral (or minster) in the old city of Berne, Switzerland ^[18]

The name of Zytglogge was first recorded in 1413. ^[19] Previously, the tower was referred to as the kebie ("cage", i. e. , prison) and after its post-1405 reconstruction, the nüwer turm ("new tower"). A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of ^[20]

Exterior

External structure

Detail: wooden Gothic whisker cornice, corner towerlet base and decorative plating.

Detail: Gilded bell-striker and hour bell. Below, the top of the smaller quarter-hour bell.

The eastern clockface.

The western clockface (including some tram cabling). A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train

The Zytglogge has an overall height of 54. 5 meters (179 ft), and a height of 24 meters (79 ft) up to the roof-edge. Its rectangular floor plan measures 11. 2 meters (37 ft) by 10. 75 meters (35 ft). The wall strengths vary widely, ranging from 260 centimeters (102. 4 in) in the west, where the tower formed part of the city walls, to 65 centimeters (25. 6 in) in the east. ^[21]

The outward appearance of the Zytglogge is determined by the 1770 renovation. Only the late Gothic cornice below the roof and the stair tower are visible artifacts of the tower's earlier history. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. The term cornice comes from Italian cornice, meaning “ledge ^[22]

The main body of the tower is divided into the two-story plinth, whose exterior is made of alpine limestone, and the three-story tower shaft sheathed in sandstone. A plinth is the base of a cabinet in Cabinet making. In Architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a Column, Pedestal Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. The shaft's seemingly massive corner blocks are decorative fixtures held in place by visible iron hooks. ^[23] Below the roof, the cornice spans around the still-visible bases of the former corner towerlets. The two-story attic is covered by the sweeping, red-tiled, late Gothic spire, in which two spire lights are set to the West and East. An attic is a space found directly below the pitched Roof of a house or other building (also called garret, Loft or A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building particularly a church Tower. Spire light ( Fr lucarne) the term given to the windows in a Spire which are found in all periods of English Gothic architecture, and in French They are crowned by ornamental urns with pinecone knobs reconstructed in 1983 from 18th century drawings. An urn is a Vase, ordinarily covered and without handles that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed Pedestal. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. ^[24]

From atop the spire, the wooden pinnacle, copper-sheathed since 1930, rises an additional 15 meters (49 ft) into the skies, crowned with a gilded knob and a weather vane displaying a cut-out coat of arms of Bern. A pinnacle (from Latin pinnaculum, a little feather pinna compare Panache) is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Gilding is the art of applying a thin layer of gold simulated gold or other metal to a surface A weather vane, also called a wind vane, is a movable device attached to an elevated object such as a roof for showing the direction of the wind The coat of arms of Berne, which is used by the City, the canton and the district of Berne is on a red field a yellow diagonal band charged ^[25]

Bells and bell-striker

The tower's two namesake bronze bells hang in the cupola at its very top. Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus A bell is a simple Sound -making device The bell is a Percussion instrument and an Idiophone. In Architecture, a cupola or lantern is a radially symmetrical ornamental structure (often dome-shaped or quadrilateral located on top of a larger

The great hour bell, cast by Johann Reber, has remained unchanged since the tower's reconstruction in 1405. It has a diameter of 127 centimeters (50 in), a weight of 1,400 kilograms (3,086 lb) and rings with a nominal tone of e'. ^[26] The inscription on the bell reads, in Latin: In the October month of the year 1405 I was cast by Master John called Reber of Aarau. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Aarau is the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau. I am vessel and wax, and to all I tell the hours of the day. ^[27]

When the great bell rings out every full hour, struck by a large clockwork-operated hammer, passersby see a gilded figure in full harness moving its arm to strike it. The larger-than-life figure of bearded Chronos, the Greek personification of time, is traditionally nicknamed Hans von Thann by the Bernese. In Greek mythology, Chronos ( Ancient Greek:) in pre-Socratic philosophical works is said to be the personification of Time. For other uses see Time (disambiguation Time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events to compare the durations of Thann is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Haut-Rhin département, in France. ^[28] The wooden bell-striker, which has been replaced several times, has been a fixture of the Zytglogge since the renewal of the astronomical clock in 1530, whose clockwork also controls the figure's motions. The original wooden Chronos might have been created by master craftsman Albrecht von Nürnberg,^[29] while the current and most recent Hans is a 1930 reconstruction of a Baroque original. Albrecht von Nürnberg was a medieval Bernese master sculptor originally from Nürnberg. The bell-striker has been gilded, just like the bells, since 1770. ^[30]

Below the hour bell hangs the smaller quarter-hour bell, also rung by a clockwork hammer. It was cast in 1887 to replace the cracked 1486 original. ^[31]

Clock faces and façade decorations

Both principal façades, East and West, are dominated by massive clockfaces. A clock face is the part of an Analog clock that displays the time through the use of a fixed numbered dial or dials and moving hands The Zytglogge's first clockface was likely located on the plinth, but was moved up to the center of the shaft during the tower's 15th century reconfiguration. ^[32]

The eastern clock face features an outer ring of large golden Roman numerals, on which the larger hand indicates the hour, and an inner ring on which the smaller hand indicates the minutes. Roman numerals are a Numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. The golden sun on the hour hand is pivot-mounted so that it always faces up. ^[33] Below the clock face one sees an idealised profile of city founder Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen. Zähringen is the name of an old and influential German noble family taken from the castle and village of that name While the exact decoration of the clockface has varied from renovation to renovation, the current (post-1983) layout is generally that of 1770.

The western clock face has similar hands, but is an integral part of Viktor Surbek's 1929 fresco "Beginning of Time". Viktor Surbek (1885–1975 was a Swiss painter from Berne. After studies in Italy Germany ( Kunstgewerbeschule München, Kunstgewerbeschule Karlsruhe Fresco (plural either frescos or frescoes) is any of several related Painting types done on Plaster on walls or The painting depicts Chronos swooping down with cape fluttering, and, below the clockface, Adam and Eve's eviction from Paradise by an angel. In Greek mythology, Chronos ( Ancient Greek:) in pre-Socratic philosophical works is said to be the personification of Time. Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living The Fall of Man, or simply the Fall, in Christian doctrine refers to the transition of the first humans from a state of innocent obedience to God, An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition ^[34]

Astronomical clock

Photograph with labeled parts (click to enlarge - see image without labels).

The frieze with Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury.

The Zytglogge's astronomical clock is built in the form of an astrolabe. An astronomical clock is a Clock with special Mechanisms and Dials to display Astronomical information such as the relative positions of The astrolabe is a historical Astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, Navigators It is backed by a stereographically projected planisphere divided into three zones: the black night sky, the deep blue zone of dawn and the light blue day sky. In Geometry, the stereographic projection is a particular mapping ( function) that projects a Sphere onto a plane Dawn refers to the Twilight before Sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight while the sun itself is still below the horizon The skies are crisscrossed with the golden lines of the horizon, dawn, the tropics and the temporal hours, which divide the time of daylight into twelve hours whose length varies with the time of year. The horizon ( Ancient Greek ὁ ὁρίζων, /ho horídzôn/ from ὁρίζειν, "to limit" is the apparent line that separates A circle of latitude, on the Earth, is an imaginary East - West circle connecting all locations (not taking into account elevation that share a given ^[35]

Around the planisphere moves the rete, a web-like metal cutout representing the zodiac, which also features a Julian calendar dial. Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic The Julian calendar, a reform of the Roman calendar, was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and came into force in 45 BC (709 Ab urbe condita Above the rete, a display indicates the day of the week. Because leap days are not supported by the clockwork, the calendar hand has to be reset manually each leap year on 29 February. Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours A leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing one or more extra days (or in the case of Lunisolar calendars an extra month in order to keep the Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours ^[16] A moon dial circles the inner ring of the zodiac, displaying the moon phase. Lunar phase (or Moon phase refers to the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer usually on Earth The principal hand of the clock indicates the time of day on the outer ring of 24 golden Roman numerals, which run twice from I to XII. Roman numerals are a Numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. I is the ninth letter of the Latin alphabet. Its English name is i (aɪ It features two suns, the smaller one indicating the date on the rete's calendar dial. The larger one circles the zodiac at one revolution per year and also rotates across the planisphere once per day. Its crossing of the horizon and dawn lines twice per day allows the timing of sunrise, dawn, dusk and sunset. ^[36]

The clock has been dated to either the building phases of 1405 or 1467/83,^[37] or to the installation of the Brunner clockwork in 1527-30. ^[38] Ueli Bellwald notes that the planisphere uses a southern projection, as was characteristic for 15th century astronomical clocks; all later such clocks use a northern projection. This would seem to confirm the dating of the clock to the 1405 or 1467/83 renovations. ^[39]

The painted frieze above the astronomical clock shows five deities from classical antiquity, each representing both a day of the week and a planet in their order according to Ptolemaic cosmology. In Architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an Entablature and may be plain or &ndash in the Ionic or Corinthian order &ndash Almagest is the Latin form of the Arabic name ( الكتاب المجسطي, al-kitabu-l-mijisti, i From left to right, they are: Saturn with sickle and club for Saturday, Jupiter with thunderbolts for Thursday, Mars with sword and shield for Tuesday, Venus with Cupid for Friday and Mercury with staff and bag for Wednesday. Saturn ( Latin: Saturnus) was a major Roman God of agriculture and harvest In Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of the gods and the god of Sky and Thunder. Mars was the Roman Warrior god, the son of Juno and Jupiter, husband of Bellona, and the lover of Venus. Venus was a major Roman Goddess principally associated with Love, Beauty and fertility, the equivalent of the Greek goddess In Roman mythology, Cupid (Latin cupido) is the god of Erotic Love and Beauty. "Alipes" redirects here For the Centipede Genus, see Alipes (centipede. ^[40] The painting of the entire clock area was refurbished in 1983. Only the matte areas on the clock face are from the earlier coat of paint.

Interior

The Zytglogge's internal layout has changed over time to reflect the tower's change of purpose from guard tower to city prison to clock tower. The thirteenth century guard tower was not much more than a hollow shell of walls that was open towards the city in the east. ^[41] Only in the fourteenth century was a layer of four storeys inserted. ^[42]

The rooms above the clockwork mechanism were used by the city administration for various purposes up until the late 20th century, including as archives, storerooms, as a firehose magazine and even as an air raid shelter. For the general article about fortified structures see Bunker. ^[43] The interior was frequently remodeled in a careless, even vandalistic fashion; for instance, all but three of the original wooden beams supporting the intermediate floors were destroyed. ^[44] Since 1979, the tower's interior is empty again. ^[45] It is only accessed for maintenance and in the course of regular guided tours.

East/West cross section of the Zytglogge after each of its principal building phases and in 1979. In Geometry, a cross section is the intersection of a body in 2-dimensional space with a line or of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane etc ^[46]

Bibliography

• Bellwald, Ueli (1983). Der Zytglogge in Bern (in German). Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte. The Society for Art History in Switzerland (Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte (GSK Société d'histoire de l'art en Suisse (SHAS Società di storia dell' arte in Svizzera ISBN 3-85872-341-0.  
• Hofer, Paul (1952). Die Kunstdenkmäler des Kantons Bern, Band 1: Die Stadt Bern (in German). Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte. ISBN 3-90613-113-0.  
• Marti, Markus (2005). 600 Jahre Zytglogge Bern. Eine kleine Chronik der Zeitmessung (in German). ISBN 3-7272-1180-6.  
• Messerli, Jakob (1999), “Der Zytgloggenturm – öffentliche Räderuhren in Bern im 15. Jahrhundert”, in Beer, Ellen J. ; Gramaccini, Norberto & Gutscher-Schmid, Charlotte et al. , Berns grosse Zeit (2nd ed. ), Berner Zeiten, Berne: Schulverlag bmv and Stämpfli Verlag, pp. 579–588, ISBN 3-906721-28-0 
• Bellwald, Ulrich & Suter+Partner Architekten (1979), 400 – Sanierungsprojekt Zytglogge Bern: Analysen, Konzepte, Kosten, Bern: Hochbauamt der Stadt Bern 

References

Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, Rector of Burgundy, Founder of the City, had this tower and this gate built in 1191; it was renovated 1770. This plaque hangs above the western archway of the Zytglogge.

External links

• Website dedicated to the Zytglogge by a web design company located nearby
• Tourist information by Bern Tourism
• Source texts relating to the Zytglogge on www. g26. ch (German)
• Maja Kaeser. Der Zeitglockenturm und sein astronomisches Werk. Uhrmacherschule Solothurn. Retrieved on April 2007. April 2007 is the fourth month of that year It began on a Sunday and 30 days later ended on a Monday. (German)