Jam Gadang clock tower - Bukittinggi, Sumatra, Indonesia - Town Clocks on Waymarking.com

From wikipedia:

Jam Gadang (Minangkabau for "Big Clock") is a clock tower and major landmark and tourist attraction in the city of Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located in the centre of the city, near the main market, Pasar Ateh. It has large clocks on each face.

Jam Gadang is located in central Bukittinggi, a city in the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra. It sits in the middle of the Sabai Nan Aluih Park, near the Ateh Market and palace of Mohammad Hatta. The structure was built in 1926, during the Dutch colonial era, as a gift from Queen Wilhelmina to the city's controleur. It was designed by architects Yazid Abidin and Sutan Gigi Ameh, reportedly at a cost of 3,000 guilder.

Originally a rooster figure was placed on the apex, but it was changed into a Shinto shrine-like ornament during the Japanese occupation (1942–1945). Following Indonesian independence, the tower's top was reshaped to its present form, which resembles traditional Minang roofs (see Rumah Gadang). Local oral tradition holds that the internal mechanisms of the clock are twin to those in the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) in London.

On March 6, 2007, the Jam Gadang tower was damaged by two earthquakes that struck western Sumatra. Over the following years it was refurbished by the Indonesia Heritage Trust (Badan Pelestarian Pusaka Indonesia). Funding for the 600 million rupiah (approximately 55 thousand euros) restoration came from the Netherlands. The refurbished tower was inaugurated on December 22, 2010, as part of Bukittinggi's 262nd anniversary celebrations.

The Jam Gadang tower has been used as an observation post during fires, such as one that affected the Ateh Market. During Ramadhan, the call to prayer that marks the breaking of the fast is sounded from the tower.

About the clock:
The tower has four clocks made in Recklinghausen, Germany by Bernard Vortmann and shipped via Rotterdam. Each clock face has a diameter of 80 centimetres (31 in). The tower's base is 13 by 4 metres (43 ft × 13 ft) and it stands 26 metres (85 ft) tall. The clocks use "IIII" for the number 4 instead of the traditional Roman numeral "IV". According to one local story, the four vertical lines represents the four workers who died while constructing the building. Another story suggests that the clocks used "IIII" to avoid rumors that "IV" stood for a Dutch victory.

Status: Working Display: Mounted Year built: 01/01/1926 Web link to additional info: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
Photo of clock.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   07/14/2017 Becktracker visited it