She cuts through the street, marking the days with a chime heard every half hour and is part of the Amboisien decor to the point of becoming almost invisible. However, the Clock Tower, located in Michel-Debré Square in Amboise (Indre-et-Loire), was not built to impress tourists. Originally, it wasn’t even a tower, but a fortified gate. “The lower part, the arcade on the street, is the old gate,” summarized Guillaume Mëtayer, heritage manager of the City of Amboise. In the 13th century, the Amasse River flowed at its feet, forming a kind of natural moat. “You can still see the traces of the drawbridge that allowed the passage to be closed. That’s how you entered the city,” he adds.
But Amboise expanded. In the 14th and 15th centuries, a new district developed towards the Saint-Denis church and a new enclosure was created. The gate then lost its defensive function. It was no longer on the city limits, but already inside. The aldermen decided to give it a new purpose: it would become a bell tower.
Une “grosse horloge” pour marquer le pouvoir de la ville
The project is well known thanks to the municipal archives. “In 1494, the city intended to install a large clock,” recalls Guillaume Mëtayer. The steps arrived from a quarry in Beaulieu-lès-Loches in 1495, the framework was installed in 1496, the bell was cast in 1501, and the clock was installed in 1503.
Context: The Clock Tower in Amboise has a rich history that dates back to the medieval period. It transitioned from being a fortified gate to becoming a symbol of the city’s power through the installation of a large clock.
Fact Check: The article prompts readers to subscribe to read the complete version on their website.
