Montreal Clock Tower

Last updated

Montreal Clock Tower
French: Tour de l'Horloge de Montréal
Montreal Clock Tower and Jacques Cartier Bridge01.JPG
The tower and Jacques Cartier Bridge
Montreal Clock Tower
45°30′44.44″N073°32′44.84″W / 45.5123444°N 73.5457889°W / 45.5123444; -73.5457889
Location Old Port of Montreal
Height45 m (148 ft)
Beginning dateOctober 31, 1919
Completion date1922
Dedicated toCanadian sailors who died in World War I
Audio of the clock mechanism (with the hum of air conditioning in the background)
recorded August 2017

The Montreal Clock Tower (French : Tour de l'Horloge de Montréal), also known as the Sailor's Memorial Clock, is located in the borough of Ville-Marie and is situated in the Old Port of Montreal. [1] [2] The construction of the tower began in 1919, and was finished in 1922. [1] The Clock Tower is 45 m (148 ft) tall with 192 steps from the bottom to the top of the tower. [3] It has three observation stops along the staircase and the outside walls of the Clock Tower are white in colour. [3] The structure consists of the principal tower as well as a smaller tower that is 12 m (39 ft) and architecturally similar to the main tower. [1] The two towers are connected by a white 13 m (42 ft) curtain wall. [1] [2] The tower consists of four translucent clock faces. [3] These are each 3.7 m (12 ft) in diameter and were designed by the English engineering firm Gillett & Johnston. [3]

Contents

The building of the Montreal clock tower was directed by the Montreal Harbor Commission. [3] The commission was formed in the year 1830 to oversea the infrastructural development of the Old Port of Montreal and was replaced by the National Harbours Board in 1936. [4] The tower marks the entrance to the Old Port of Montreal and its erection was dedicated to the seamen who died in the First World War. [4] It is a symbol of the port's economic contribution through grain exportation to the city of Montreal during the era of the Clock Tower's construction. [1]

History

Construction of the Montreal Clock Tower took three years, beginning in 1919 and ending in 1922. [1] In 1919, Edward, who was then Prince of Wales, began the construction by laying the first piece for the foundation of the Clock Tower. [3] The grain sheds previously concealed by the curtain wall connecting the main clock tower and the smaller tower were removed in the 1970s. [1] The actual Clock Tower structure was designed by Montreal engineer, Paul Leclaire. [1] The mechanism in the clock tower was designed by the English engineering firm, Gillett & Johnson, who used a similar design to the Big Ben. [1] Originally called Gillett & Bland, the firm Gillett & Johnson have designed and constructed more than 14,000 clock mechanisms in their Croydon, England factory. [5] The mechanism for the Montreal Clock Tower was one of these. The clock faces are operated by 4 interlocking gears that move each individual clock in unison. [6]

The owner of the tower is the Old Port Society, which was developed to manage tourism within the area. [1] The Old Port Society made the Clock Tower a tourist interpretation centre in 1980. [1] In 1984, the Old Port Society restored the Clock Tower, costing $2.5 million. [3] The restoration included painting the steel surfaces and installing a new ventilation system. [3]

Heritage Value

Southern viewpoint of the Montreal Clock Tower Montreal Clock Tower - Montreal, Canada - DSC07325.jpg
Southern viewpoint of the Montreal Clock Tower

Environmental

The Montreal Clock Tower was announced as a Classified Federal Heritage Building as determined by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO) in 1996, due to its visual aesthetics as well as its historical and environmental values. [1] The custodian for the tower is the Public Works and Government Services Canada. [1] The FHBRO considers the Clock Tower to be environmentally valuable and an important Montreal landmark as it was a central point for the redevelopment of the Old Port of Montreal in 1990. [1] This redevelopment was directed by award-winning architects from the firm, Cardinal Hardy and Associates. [1] The tower is situated opposite Clock Tower Beach ((French : Plage de l'Horloge de Montréal). [7] The beach is swim-free and takes up 1.3 ha (3.2 acres) of land. [8]

Historical

The FHBRO determined the Montreal Clock Tower to be historically valuable due to its association with the role of the Old Port of Montreal in maritime transportation and grain exportation. [1] The role of the Old Port in relation to grain exportation and cargo was classified as second in North America during the Clock Tower's construction. [1] The Port's exportation made it a large contributor to the economic growth of Montreal as a city. [1] New trees now grow where the grain sheds used for the storage of exporting goods once were. [1] In relation to maritime transportation, the Old Port of Montreal was used as an exit and entry point for seamen during the First World War. [1] The construction of the Clock Tower was dedicated to lost seamen during the First World War. [1]

Architectural

The FHBRO considers the Montreal Clock Tower to be architecturally aesthetic due to its Beaux-Arts style. [1] This style of architecture is defined as an expression of nature's beauty through a method of fine art and detail. [9] The FHBRO notes that the Clock Tower's shape and decorative features adhere to the Beaux-Arts style and are also practical. [1] The Clock Tower was constructed through a method of light masonry, by which the entire infrastructure is constructed as individual sections, and then joined at the end. [1] This included separated building of the main clock tower, the smaller tower and the conjoining curtain wall. This building process made the Clock Tower light in weight and high in the quality of material used, allowing it to be supported by the wharf that it was built on without fault. [1]

The Clock Tower is made of concrete and is built on a square base, with each supporting corner at a different height on the ground. [1] The stem of the tower consists of the entrance on the east facing side and signs of an old entrance on the south side, which was formally hidden by the grain sheds. [1] The north facing side has a memorial plaque to the sailors who died during the First World War. [1] The western facing side of the Clock Tower has rectangular columns reaching from the base. [1] The FHBRO considers the sailor's memorial plaque, the granite placed by the Prince of Wales and the cannons featured at the entrance of the Clock Tower to be key architectural elements to be maintained. [1]

The upper portion of the tower features four clock faces, with columns and rectangular openings below the northern, eastern and western facing clocks. [1] The southern face features rectangular openings in no particular pattern. [1] Further below these, the Clock Tower has smooth concrete walls that extend to the base. [1] Each corner of the concrete walls features a rectangular pillar with an eagle on top. Central to the upper portion of the Clock Tower is an observation deck. The smaller tower features corner pilasters and is linked to the main tower by the concrete curtain wall. [1]

Maintenance

Sailors' tribute at the northern base of the Clock Tower. Montreal Clock Tower Sailor's Tribute.jpg
Sailors' tribute at the northern base of the Clock Tower.

The Montreal Clock Tower has a strict maintenance and repair schedule in order to preserve the life of the clock mechanism and ensure that the time displayed is accurate. [1] Currently, professional clockmaker, Daniel Pelletier is responsible for the maintenance of the Clock Tower's mechanism, as well as the continuous adjustment of the time displayed on each of the four clock faces. [6] Pelletier began working on the Clock Tower in 1986, when the mechanism broke down. [6] In the spring and autumn of each year, Pelletier manually adjusts the time displayed the Clock Towers by moving the gears that move the hands on each clock in order to align with daylight saving time. [6] The pendulum that motions the clock mechanism  requires constant maintenance as it breaks more than five times a year. [6]

The mechanism and gears within the Montreal Clock Tower structure require ongoing maintenance due to the high temperatures in Montreal during summer and well as the cold climate during the winter months. [6] Due to the high amount of human contact with the Clock Tower and its mechanism, tourism creates a buildup of dust and particles, creating a larger need for ongoing maintenance. [6] The Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office concludes that constant and technical observation of the clock mechanism, as well as the inspection of the lights behind each clock face is essential to preserve the heritage of the landmark. [1]  

The FHBRO notes that the exterior of the Clock Tower also requires constant maintenance in order to preserve the architecturally aesthetic qualities of the landmark. [1] The FHBRO concludes that this process should include up keeping the trees behind the curtain wall, painting the exterior walls and the preservation of the memorial plaque on the northern facing side. [1] In 2002, the Old Port of Montreal undertook major maintenance to the Clock Tower and installed a ventilation system and painted exposed steel surfaces. [3] Major restoration on the Clock Tower also took place in 1984. [3]

Tourism

In 1984, the Montreal Clock Tower was converted into a tourist interpretation centre following a restoration of the landmark. [3] The Old Port Corporation manages tourism for the Old Port of Montreal. [10]

National and international tourism awards won by the Old Port Corporation: [10]
YearAwardDescription
2006Zagat-SurveyFirst Prize most popular tourist destination in Montreal
2005Grand Prix du Tourisme QuebecoisTourism worker of the year, Montreal region Chantale Moisan
2000Provincial WinnerAttraction Canada Old Port of Montreal

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auguste Perret</span> French architect

Auguste Perret was a French architect and a pioneer of the architectural use of reinforced concrete. His major works include the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the first Art Deco building in Paris; the Church of Notre-Dame du Raincy (1922–23); the Mobilier National in Paris (1937); and the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council building in Paris (1937–39). After World War II he designed a group of buildings in the centre of the port city of Le Havre, including St. Joseph's Church, Le Havre, to replace buildings destroyed by bombing during World War II. His reconstruction of the city is now a World Heritage Site for its exceptional urban planning and architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Liver Building</span> Commercial offices in England

The Royal Liver Building is a Grade I listed building in Liverpool, England. It is located at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront. It was also part of Liverpool's formerly UNESCO-designated World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastgate, Chester</span> Grade I listed gate in Chester, England

Eastgate is a permanently open gate through the Chester city walls, on the site of the original entrance to the Roman fortress of Deva Victrix in Chester, Cheshire, England. It is a prominent landmark in the city of Chester and the Eastgate clock on top of it is said to be the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Town Hall</span> City hall in Sydney, Australia

The Sydney Town Hall is a late 19th-century heritage-listed town hall building in the city of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, Australia, housing the chambers of the Lord Mayor of Sydney, council offices, and venues for meetings and functions. It is located at 483 George Street, in the Sydney central business district opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew's Cathedral. Sited above the Town Hall station and between the city shopping and entertainment precincts, the steps of the Town Hall are a popular meeting place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillett & Johnston</span> English clockmaker and bell foundry

Gillett & Johnston was a clockmaker and bell foundry based in Croydon, England from 1844 until 1957. Between 1844 and 1950, over 14,000 tower clocks were made at the works. The company's most successful and prominent period of activity as a bellfounder was in the 1920s and 1930s, when it was responsible for supplying many important bells and carillons for sites across Britain and around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richards Medical Research Laboratories</span> United States historic place

The Richards Medical Research Laboratories, located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, were designed by architect Louis Kahn and are considered to have been a breakthrough in his career. The building is configured as a group of laboratory towers with a central service tower. Brick shafts on the periphery hold stairwells and air ducts, producing an effect reminiscent of the ancient Italian towers that Kahn had painted several years earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland City Hall</span> Government offices in Oakland, California

Oakland City Hall is the seat of government for the city of Oakland, California. The current building was completed in 1914, and replaced a prior building that stood on what is now Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. Standing at the height of 320 feet (98 m), it was the first high-rise government building in the United States. At the time it was built, it was also the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. The City Hall is depicted on the city seal of Oakland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pyramids (Indianapolis)</span> Office complex in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

The Pyramids are three 11-story, pyramid-shaped office buildings that are part of a 200-acre (810,000 m2) commercial development in the College Park neighborhood area of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The structures occupy 40 acres of land situated next to a 25-acre (10-hectare) lake. They were constructed between 1967 and 1972 by the College Life Insurance Company using a design by architect Kevin Roche. They are noted for the abstract quality of the opacity of the concrete walls that face the nearby highway and the reflectivity of the glass curtain walls that face the landscaped grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortified tower</span> Defensive structure used in fortifications

A fortified tower is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with defensive walls such as curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and fulfil different functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Clock Tower</span> Historic site in Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City

The Victoria Clock Tower, also known as the Diamond Jubilee Clock Tower, is a heritage-registered clock tower located in Christchurch, New Zealand. Designed by Benjamin Mountfort, it is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atkinson Clock Tower</span> Clock tower in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

The Atkinson Clock Tower is the oldest standing structure in Kota Kinabalu. It was originally known as the Atkinson Memorial Clock Tower and sits in solitary on the bluff along Signal Hill Road overlooking this seaside city and capital of Sabah, Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockhampton Post Office</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Rockhampton Post Office is a heritage-listed former post office at 80 East Street, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by George St Paul Connolly and built from 1892 to 1896 by Dennis Kelleher. It is also known as Rockhampton Post and Telegraph Offices. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 January 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns Wharf Complex</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Cairns Wharf Complex is a heritage-listed wharf at Wharf Street, Cairns City, Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1910 to 1948. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 17 December 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forbes Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Forbes Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 118 Lachlan Street, Forbes, Forbes Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and built from 1879 to 1881 by P. M. Vaughan. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamworth Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

The Tamworth Post Office is a State heritage-listed post office located on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Peel Street, Tamworth in the Tamworth Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and built by W. C. Cains. The property is owned by Australia Post and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryborough Post Office (Queensland)</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Maryborough Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 227 Bazaar Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Charles Tiffin and built in 1865–1866. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traralgon Post Office and Court House</span> Historic site in Victoria, Australia

Traralgon Post Office and Court House is a heritage-listed post office and former court house complex at 161-169 Franklin Street, Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. It was designed by John Thomas Kelleher and J. R. Brown of the colonial Department of Public Works and built in 1886. The entire building was added to the Victorian Heritage Register on 20 August 1982, with the federally-owned post office wing also being listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyneton Post Office</span> Historic site in Victoria, Australia

Kyneton Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 113 Mollison Street, Kyneton, Victoria, Australia. It was designed by Peter Kerr of the colonial Public Works Department and built in 1870–71. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queenstown Post Office</span> Historic site in Tasmania, Australia

Queenstown Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 32-34 Orr Street, Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia. It was designed by the Tasmanian government's Public Works Office and built in 1902, with the tower added in 1909. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jubilee Clock Tower, Churchill</span> Jubilee Clock Tower, Churchill, North Somerset

The Jubilee Clock Tower, striking clock, and drinking fountain, is a Grade II listed building in the village of Churchill, North Somerset, built to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. It stands on a plot between Dinghurst Road and Front Street, and is a prominent landmark at the entrance to the village. Designed by Joseph Foster Wood of Foster & Wood, Bristol, the tower is made of local stone and is of perpendicular Gothic style.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 "Clock Tower". Parks Canada Directory of Federal Heritage Designations. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Tour de l'Horloge". A View on Cities. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Leonard Panaggio, “Montreal Clock Tower,” Sea Classics 44 no. 8 (2011): 5
  4. 1 2 "Timeline and Detailed History". Port of Montreal . Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  5. ↑ "The History of Gillett & Johnston". Gillett & Johnston . Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "No time to lose: Custodian of the clocks has a busy schedule". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  7. ↑ Nancy Dunton and Helen Malkin, “Old Montreal/Old Port/Faubourg Quebec” in A Guidebook to Contemporary Architecture in Montreal. (Douglas and McIntyre, 2016), 119.
  8. ↑ "Discover Montreal's Beaches The Clock Tower Beach". TripSavvy . Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  9. ↑ Kant, les beaux-arts et leurs moyens d’expression (Kant, the fine arts and their means of expression), , Danielle Lories, “ Art and Medium 1: the medium of art 17 (2016): 6.
  10. 1 2 Awards and Distinctions, Old Port of Montreal, accessed May 29, 2020
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.