Hi to all!
Did you know that there is only on e vertical museum? It is located in the town of Chioggia. Today I was very pleased to visit Kyoji and visit this museum. The museum is located in the thirty-meter bell tower of the Church of St. Andrew.
The church was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century on the foundation of the 15th century church. Although there are documents indicating that a church was built on this site as early as the 8th century. Very beautiful on the outside and just as beautiful on the inside. A bell tower rises nearby. It has a thousand-year history. The bell tower is protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site of culture and civilization.
The bell tower is the most visited object in Kyoji. It was visited by tourists from more than 76 countries.
The bell tower houses the oldest clock mechanism in the world. By the way, this clock works to this day. The clock mechanism was made in 1315 in the workshop of Giovanni Dondi. The age of this watch is still debated to this day. Because the clock mechanism from the British city of Salisbury, which was made in 1386, claims the first place. But the evidence of scientists is still given to the clock from Kyoji. For example, the famous poet Dante Alighieri mentions this clock in his poem.
The face of the clock is made of Istrian stone with a blue background, where the Roman numerals from 1 to 12 and again from 1 to 12 are located. That is, the clock determined the hours during the day. In the center, the master placed the sun with a ray, one of which was longer than the others. It was this ray that indicated the hour of the day.
The clock mechanism was originally housed in the municipality building until 1870. After the fire, the building had to be dismantled, and the clock was donated to the bell tower of St. Andrew. From that time on, the clock told the townspeople the hour.
The watch had a very simplified mechanism, separated by its functions. The front part was responsible for the hour on the dial, and the rear part of the gears reflected the hour on the bells. Heavy stones on strong laces serve as burdens. Now this watch is purely demonstrative during excursions.
A clock in those ancient times was a real discovery! After all, before that, people determined the time with the help of the position of the sun and the tides of the sea.
There are many other interesting exhibits on the six floors of the tower. The guide told us that the city of Chioja is almost 3 thousand years old according to the research of archaeologists and scientists. The first settlements were established here by the Etruscans. I heard a lot about the history of religion and the church in this city. On one of the floors there is a so-called Way of the Cross consisting of 13 paintings depicting the difficult journey of the Cross to Golgotha and his resurrection.
On one of the floors of the bell tower, I got acquainted with a collection of wonderful shells found in Italy and other countries of the world. The guide told us the story of the creation of the first submarine, the prototype of which was the nautilus, an inhabitant of the sea. Some shells could be held in the hands. It turns out that in some African countries, small shells served as a means of payment, that is, as money. A large shell with a truncated cone was for antimony. I was interested to learn such interesting details.
My ascent to the upper floor was crowned with complete admiration for what I saw. From the height of the clock tower, the entire district was visible for all 360°. The wind ruffled my clothes and hair, while I looked into the distance and recognized the streets and buildings I had visited. The sky merged with the blue surface of the sea. All this created an idyllic picture. Buildings covered with red tiles created a wonderful ornament of the city.
And on the upper floor there are four huge copper bells that strike the hour. Now these bells are controlled by an electronic clock mechanism. It simplifies the work. It was before the bell that he had to climb up the steep stairs to announce the hour to the city.
I am extremely lucky that I live very close to Kyoji and was able to come to this city.
Not everyone can boast of having visited the world's only vertical museum and seen the world's oldest clock mechanism with their own eyes. And I was there and saw what I am happy to tell you about.
Climb the 190 steps up the stairs, which have been renovated. But the premises of the tower have preserved the intoxicating spirit of antiquity and medieval style.
I recommend to everyone who visits Kioju not to miss this object! You will get interesting knowledge and real pleasure that you will never forget!