Big Ben

Where: Tower of St. Stephen's Westminster Palace, London, UK.

Year: 1859.

Dimensions: Diameter of each of the dials, shared 312 panels of frosted glass and located on all four sides of the tower is seven meters. Length-clockwise, cast metal, 2 m 70 cm, and the minute, made of copper sheet, - 4 m 30 cm height of each figure - only 61 cm.

Fact: There are two theories on behalf of the hours. The first is that Big Ben (Big Ben) was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who presided over the casting of the bell. According to another version, the heaviest at the time the bell - 13,7 tons - got its name in honor of Benjamin's County, is extremely popular at the time boxer in the heavyweight division. Accuracy of the five-ton Big Ben mechanism is achieved by using coins, weighing 1.5 grams: when the clock starts to lag, the pendulum putting an old English penny, which accelerates its move to 2.5 seconds per day.

Kremlin chimes

Where: The Kremlin's Spassky Tower, Moscow, Russia.

Year: 1851.

Dimensions: Watch out for 4 of the tower, the diameter of each dial 6 m 12 cm, height of digits: 72 cm, length-clockwise 2 m 97 cm, min - 3 m 27 cm five-foot pendulum weighs 32 kg. 9 bells beat out every quarter of an hour, and a bell - every hour.

Fact: The name of the main clock of the country comes from the French word courant - current, running. And the chimes for a long time in Russia called all the towers or large room clock with a musical mechanism. Kremlin chimes occupy the last two floors (8 -
10-th) Spassky tower. Before the revolution hours 12 hours chanter "Glorious our Lord in Zion", and in 24 hours - "Transfiguration of the march. November 2, 1917 during the shelling in the hours hit by a shell, and almost a year, they did not work. During the repairs at the same time decided to remake a music mechanism, and in September 1918 at 12 o'clock chimes began to play the "Internationale" and in 24 hours - "You fell." However, in 1935 from music in general and decided to get rid of an appropriate mechanism was dismantled.

Clock Puppet Theater

Where: Front Obraztsov Puppet Theatre, Moscow, Russia.

Year: 1970.

Dimensions: Opening with "windows" in the height of about 4 meters in width - about three.
Fact: Every hour on the facade of the theater cock crows and the melody sounds "In the garden there in the garden, and one of the twelve windows looks fabulous beast (donkey, cat, owl, etc.). However, all animals appear only twice a day - at 12 pm and midnight. With this clock you get this concept as "Hour of the Wolf." The shop opposite the theater, as well as throughout the country, alcohol began to trade strictly with 11.00. It was at this time on the facade of the Puppet Theatre from his window to watch the wolf appeared.

Astronomical clock Astronomical Clock "

Where: Old Town Hall, Prague, Czech Republic.

Year: 1410.

Dimensions: Diameter of each of the two dials approximately 2,5 meters.

Fact: In the translation from the Czech "orloj" - the clock tower. At the beginning of the XV century to the Old Town Square was a brisk trade, and city authorities decided to put the clock on the town hall to the citizens do not be late to mass. Erected hours not only reminded (as is done up to now) about the time, but also raises questions about his soul. Every hour, a skeleton, symbolizing death, pulling the bell rings Miserly coins, proud man admires himself in the mirror, and begin their procession of 12 apostles. According to legend, renovated in 1490 by master clock Hanus gouged out his eyes, that he was unable to reproduce something like that.

Hours MSU

Where: The building of Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

Year: 1953.

Dimensions: Diameter of the dial - 9 m, the length of the minute hand 4 m 20 cm, it weighs 39 kg. Length-clockwise - 3 m 70 cm, weight 50 kg.

Fact: Before the flower clock at Poklonnaya Hill these watches were considered one of the largest in Europe. Until 1957 they will run through the mechanism with a pendulum-sized six-storey building. To plant a colossus needed a huge staff, and was replaced by an electric motor.

Hours Goals

Where: Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, Poland.

Year: 2001.

Dimensions: Diameter hours, nestled on the hill in Warsaw, 6 m 30 cm

Fact: Warsaw Opening Goals listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest clock tower in the world. They are located on the 42 th floor of the palace, that is, at an altitude of 165 meters.

Clock "World Time"

Where: Alexanderplatz, Berlin, Germany.

Year: 1969.

Dimensions: Height of the whole structure - 10 meters, and the clock - a rotating cylinder covered with aluminum plates and showing time in major cities around the world - 2 meters 70 centimeters.

Fact: The clock was built during the socialist transformation of the Alexanderplatz, which was then located in the eastern part of Berlin. Therefore, in 24 segments of the cylinder are written primarily capital in socialist countries, from Beijing to Havana. The floor under the clock paved with mosaics depicting the rose of winds. A rise above the cylinder metal ring with balls, symbolizing an orbit of the planets. True, many of them associated with the symbol of the atom.

Flower Clock

Where: Poklonnaya Gora, Moscow, Russia.

Year: 2001.

Dimensions: Diameter of dial 10 meters, the minute hand length of 4.5 m, time - 3.5 hours to create hours required almost 8,000 colors.

Fact: Running clock mechanism completely hidden under the ground surface is derived only axis around which strengthened the hands. To the clock could navigate at night to illuminate specifically on all sides. Unfortunately, the clock is only in the warm season - from May to October. But every year they look for new ways. In this season until June dial decorate pansy yellow, blue and white colors, and then replace them begonias in purple and pink palette.

Flower Clock

Where: The English Garden, Geneva, Switzerland.

Year: 1955.

Dimensions: Diameter of the Geneva flower clock just five meters, but they have the biggest second hand in the world - 2,5 meters. Each year the appearance of hours varies, but the number of colors - 6500 pieces - always the same.

Fact: Flower clock was installed in honor of excellence of Swiss watchmakers, which is why their fragrant dial was equipped with a second hand. In 2003, the Mayor of Geneva gave the clock to St. Petersburg in honor of its 300-year anniversary. However, St. Petersburg Geneva analog clock began to lag behind and has already been vandalized: Last winter hooligans broken off the clock hands.

Watches Greenwich

Where: The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, UK.

Year: 1852.

Size: Diameter of hours, made of metal and glass, only 92 centimeters.

Fact: The 24-hour clock Greenwich, which also bear the names of Major-driven clock, clock Shepherd (named after their creator, Charles Shepherd) and Clock Royal Observatory, became the first hours, to demonstrate the time at which the conduct count throughout the world. They are located at the gates of the observatory.