Press Release Regarding the Handing Over Ceremony of the Nablus Clock Tower Which Was Renovated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency

Kudüs Başkonsolosluğu 19.12.2012

Nablus (Manara) Clock Tower renovated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and handed over to the Municipality of Nablus The handing over ceremony of the Nablus Clock Tower which was renovated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency was held today with the participation of H.E. Ambassador Şakir Özkan Torunlar, Consul General of Türkiye in Jerusalem, Mr. Ghassan Al Shak’a, Mayor of Nablus and Mr. Jibril Al-Bakri,Governor of Nablus. Restoration and rehabilitation project of Nablus Clock Tower was conducted by TİKA and the supervision of the project concluded by the technical team of Nablus Municipality. All the works are completed according to contemporary conservation and restoration principles within three months. During the opening ceremony Ambassador Torunlar emphasized that this renovation is a reflection of Türkiye’s commitment to common historical and cultural heritage oftwo brotherly peoples. Ambassador Torunlar also stressed that the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and Turkish people will uninterruptedly continue to give utmost support to the State of Palestine as well as to the Palestinian people in the framework of the existing fraternal relations. Nablus Clock Tower was built in 1901 to commemorate the 25th year of enthronement of Sultan Abdulhamid II who ruled the Ottoman Empire for 33 years (1876-1909). More than hundred clock towers were built throughout the towns of the Empire during the rule of Sultan Abdulhamid II. Seven of them were constructed in Jerusalem, Safed, Acre, Haifa, Jaffa, Nazareth and Nablus. The one in Nablus is identical to the one in Haifa. Five years after the Turkish rule ended, in 1922, the clock tower in Jerusalem was demolished. The Clock Tower in Nablus which is also the symbol of Nablus Municipality is located in the middle of the central square in the Old City, next to the Nasr Mosque.It consists of five floors. The entrance of the tower is located on the first floor. There are two windows on the each facade of the second floor. The third floor consists of stone balconies. There is one clock on each facade of the fourth floor.The fifth floor which also has windows balances the weights of clocks. It is possible to reach the top of the tower by using the internal stairs and have a view of the city.

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