ST. MARK'S, Clock Tower

The Clock Tower, on the left side of St. Mark's Square if you're facing the cathedral, is one of the most famous symbols of Venice, and you can't avoid being fascinated by the ingenious mechanical system that moves the famous Mori, the two statues which strike the hour.

The Tower, which as you can see interrupts the long Procuratie building, is right at the entrance of the Mercerie that lead to the Rialto Bridge. It was built at the end of the 1400s by the Senate specifically to house the new clock, which was made by a craftsman from Reggio Emilia.

The two bronze statues that strike the hours are nicknamed "Mori" for their dark metal color, and stand on the terrace at the top of the building. The gigantic automatons have a body that's jointed at the waist so that they can twist their torso and move. The statues have been made with an exaggerated size and deliberately overloaded design so that you can distinguish their shapes even at great distances. The bell is topped by a golden sphere and a cross and was built by a certain Simeone, of which you can still make out the signature on the bronze....