Clock tower Sat-Kula (Sahat–Kula)

Tower Sahat-Kul is located in Herceg Novi at the entrance to the old town between the squares of Dzhurkovicha and Duke Stefan. By order of Turkish sultan Mahmud Clock Tower Sahat Kula was built in 1667. During the Turkish period there was a mosque on the square near the tower. Sahat Kul has on several sides mechanical clocks, which showed that it was time for daily Muslim prayers. In addition, the tower has served as the main gate of the town. The tower is not only a monument of architecture of Herceg Novi and its historical sights, but also the main heraldic symbol of the town. Its image is used on the flag of the town and all kinds of tourist trappings. The tower, which has become the most recognizable feature of Herceg Novi, has some other names: Tora, Sahat Kula or simply Clock Tower.

In 1753, the Russian Empress Catherine II made a gift to the citizens of Herceg Novi, bell-alarm appeared in the tower, which is preserved to this day.

There is a unique relief inside the Clock Tower that deserves special attention. This is an image of Our Lady under the title "Black Madonna", made of old smoked wood. The author of this work is the sculptor Afran Hozich from Sarajevo. And the relief itself was established in memory of the founder of Herceg Novi Bosnian king Tvrtko I.

The old mechanical clock, which worked correctly all the time, were replaced with new electronic one in 1995. It was a gift to the people of Herceg Novi from the Serbian municipality of Zemun. In Sahat- Kula tower is still preserved an ancient archive of the town, where the oldest historical document dated by 1685 year.
 

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