Izmir Clock Tower: 125 Years of an Ottoman Landmark
Konak's Ottoman-era tower opened on 1 September 1901 with a clock gifted by Wilhelm II.
The Izmir Clock Tower in Konak Square marks 125 years since it opened on 1 September 1901. It remains one of the best-known symbols of the Aegean city and a regular first stop for visitors. Its mechanical clock was a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II to Sultan Abdülhamid II.
The tower stands 25 metres tall and has four storeys. According to a SonDakika report published on 18 October 2026, it is still among the first places local and foreign tourists see in Izmir.
Why the Izmir Clock Tower was built
The tower was part of a wider Ottoman effort to mark the 25th anniversary of Abdülhamid II’s accession to the throne. Across the empire, permanent public works were planned for the occasion, and Izmir answered with a clock tower.
The project was led by the provincial governor of the time, Kıbrıslı Kamil Pasha. Construction began in 1900, and an opening ceremony took place on 1 September 1901. Sources differ slightly on the exact groundbreaking day and on who first proposed the idea, so this article does not give a single date for either.
Design and the German emperor’s clock
The architect was Raymond Charles Péré, a French architect of Levantine background who lived in Izmir. He gave the tower an Orientalist style, which blends Ottoman and North African motifs. The stonework is often praised as some of the finest of its period.
The clock is the tower’s most unusual feature. Wilhelm II presented it to Abdülhamid II, and the gift reflected the close diplomatic ties between the two empires at the time. The sources reviewed give no further detail on how the gift was arranged.
The 1974 earthquake and restoration
The tower has stood through many chapters of the city’s history. The SonDakika report says a strong earthquake in 1974 damaged it and that the clock stopped at 02:04, the moment of the tremor. After restoration, the clock was made to run again.
For readers of Turkish historical drama, the tower belongs to the world of Abdülhamid II’s reign, a period that series such as Payitaht: Abdülhamid bring to the screen. A television drama is not a record of events, though. The tower itself, with its dated opening and documented architect, offers visitors a physical link to that era.
Visiting Konak Square
Konak Square is a central meeting point in Izmir, and the tower sits at its heart. Visitors can see the building’s decoration and its clock face from the open square.
Source: SonDakika
Featured image: Mors et Vita / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
