Jaffa Clock Tower
Encyclopedia
The Jaffa
Clock Tower is one of seven clock towers built in Israel
during the Ottoman period
. The others are located in Safed
, Acre, Nazareth
, Haifa
, Nablus (West Bank)
and Jerusalem, the last being the only one that has not survived until today.
The Jaffa Clock Tower stands in the middle of Yefet street at the northern entrance of Jaffa
, the ancient city that is now a part of the greater Tel Aviv
. The tower, which is made of limestone
, incorporates two clocks and a plaque commemorating the Israel
is killed in the battle for the town in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
of the reign of the Ottoman
Sultan
Abd al-Hamid II. The tower was built with contributions of the residents of the city, Arabs and Jews, headed by Joseph Bey
Moyal.
The first stone of the tower was laid in September 1900. Within a year two floors were built and the construction of a third floor had begun. In 1903 the clock tower had been erected. It is similar to the clock tower of Khan al-Umdan
in Acre that is dedicated to the same purpose. More than a hundred similar clock towers were built throughout the Ottoman empire due to this occasion.
In 1965 the Jaffa Clock Tower was renovated, new clocks were installed and colorful mosaic windows designed by Arie Koren to describe the history of Jaffa were added.
In 2004 the clock tower appeared on an Israeli stamp
worth 1.3 Sheqels
. It was together with the clock towers in Safed, Acre, Haifa and Jerusalem featured in a series of Ottoman Clock Towers In Israel.
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
Clock Tower is one of seven clock towers built in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
during the Ottoman period
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The others are located in Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, Acre, Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Nablus (West Bank)
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
and Jerusalem, the last being the only one that has not survived until today.
The Jaffa Clock Tower stands in the middle of Yefet street at the northern entrance of Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
, the ancient city that is now a part of the greater Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. The tower, which is made of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, incorporates two clocks and a plaque commemorating the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is killed in the battle for the town in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
History
The tower was built to commemorate the silver jubileeSilver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
of the reign of the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Abd al-Hamid II. The tower was built with contributions of the residents of the city, Arabs and Jews, headed by Joseph Bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
Moyal.
The first stone of the tower was laid in September 1900. Within a year two floors were built and the construction of a third floor had begun. In 1903 the clock tower had been erected. It is similar to the clock tower of Khan al-Umdan
Khan al-Umdan
Khan al-Umdan is the largest and best preserved khan in Israel. Located in the Old City of Acre, it is one of the prominent projects constructed during the rule of Ahmed Jezzar Pasha in Ottoman era Palestine.-Ottoman period:...
in Acre that is dedicated to the same purpose. More than a hundred similar clock towers were built throughout the Ottoman empire due to this occasion.
In 1965 the Jaffa Clock Tower was renovated, new clocks were installed and colorful mosaic windows designed by Arie Koren to describe the history of Jaffa were added.
In 2004 the clock tower appeared on an Israeli stamp
Postage stamps and postal history of Israel
The postage stamps and postal history of Israel is a survey of the postage stamps issued by the state of Israel, and its postal history, since independence was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. The first postage stamps were issued two days later on May 16, 1948...
worth 1.3 Sheqels
Israeli new sheqel
The Israeli New Shekel is the currency of the State of Israel. The shekel is divided into 100 agorot...
. It was together with the clock towers in Safed, Acre, Haifa and Jerusalem featured in a series of Ottoman Clock Towers In Israel.