VICTORIA CLOCKTOWER

VICTORIA CLOCKTOWER




Interesting facts about the VICTORIA CLOCKTOWER:

The Clock Tower in Victoria, Seychelles (or Lorloz in Creole) is the most famous landmark of the small capital of the Seychelles and has been the centre of the city for almost 100 years. While massive changes have taken place throughout the city centre, creating modern buildings made of glass and concrete, the Clocktower has remained virtually unchanged. - Lorloz - is an elegant replica of the Clock that was first built in London in 1897 at the intersection of Victoria Street and Vauxhall Bridge Road near Victoria Station. Governor, Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott, admired this clock during a visit to London and ordered a similar one in memory of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901 after 63 years of rule.

The clock was created by Messrs Gillett of Croydon (now known as: Gillett & Johnston), funded by public donations and finally erected in 1903. In that year the Seychelles also its new status as a crown colony, which was now administered directly by a governor sent from London, instead of from Mauritius as before. Originally, the clock was intended to chime as well, but this failed. Unfortunately, it no longer chimes every hour after its mechanism was completely replaced by a modern quartz movement in 1999. The work was carried out by its former manufacturer Gillet and Johnston and again partly funded by public donations. The Clocktower in Victoria is one of the national monuments of the Seychelles.

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