THE CLOCK TOWER OF BERN, SWITZERLAND, WHERE TIME NEVER STOPS

MOSAIC ART

BERN CLOCK TOWER

It was May 1981. Ron and I were walking under the covered arcades and peering into the old shops and restaurants of old Bern, Switzerland. We noticed an art gallery that was adorned with beautiful mosaics and decided to wander in. Here, we were attracted to a colorful mosaic of the Bern ClockTower (Zytglogge). The art piece was a replica of the tower as it appeared in the 16th century and as it still looks today. It was artistically constructed with hundreds of small glass tiles and stones in shades of brown, orange, gray, cream, and gold that glimmered in the light.

Ron and I are not art collectors, and it was a little unusual for us to think about purchasing a piece of art, especially when it was three feet tall and weighed at least 30 pounds. However, there was something special about this mosaic that made us decide to return to Bern on our way back home to see if it was still available.

When we returned to Bern by train, a couple of weeks later, the gallery was closed. Fortunately, a nearby shop was still open and the friendly proprietor, who also spoke English, helped us. He called the owner of the art gallery to let him know we were there. The owner arrived and let us in. We made our purchase.

The proprietor wrapped it well for us, and we carefully carried it on to the train to Frankfurt and then on to the airport the next day. There was little airport security at that time, we just lugged the heavy package on to the plane as a carry-on without any problems.

For the people of Bern there is a saying: Time is always marching on, so enjoy the next hour of your life. I will try to remember that. However, as for the mosaic of this old clock, time has never changed. 

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BERN CLOCK TOWER (ZYTGLOGGE)

More than six hundred years ago the city of Bern, with its old wooden buildings, was ravaged by the great fire of 1405. The city was then rebuilt in a similar medieval style, but this time in stone. The original guard tower was rebuilt, but with the addition of a clock--it  became known as the Clock Tower. The mechanisms were completely updated in 1530 by Kaspar Bruner and are still keeping the city on time. 

The famous clock doesn't just count the minutes, it also powers an hourly performance by a dancing jester, bears, and a gilded figure name Chronos who flips an hourglass and opens his mouth with each strike of the bell. On the east side of the tower is an astrological clock and calendar.

For the past 40 years, Markus Mari has been presiding over the maintenance of this

mechanical wonder. He is also known as the Timekeeper of Bern. If time permits, it would be interesting to attend one of his three weekly tours of  the tower to see and hear the pulleys, gears, wheels. and cogs in operation.

MECHANISMS INSIDE THE CLOCK TOWER OF BERN

*Photo courtesy of Bern Tourism