In my road warrior trails of my dear Spain, I have covered quite a bit of territory but still much to do, I was glad stop on my runs in the City of Jaca , Updating this older post and pictures from my vault let me bring back memorable family moments in my dear Spain. I like to tell you about the Torre del Reloj or clock tower of the wonderful Jaca, near the Pyrenees ! Hope you enjoy the post as I, And do see my many posts on the City in my blog,
Jaca is in the province of Huesca in the autonomous community of Aragon, Kingdom of Spain, On the axe Pau-Zaragoza passing by the Somport tunnel (way back when I started coming here just pushing 2nd gear over the mountain trails!). It is in the heart of the Pyrénées in the valley of Aragon, parallel valley to the axis of the Pyrenees, at the foot of Mount Oroel. The city is on a depression of the Canal of Berdùn 818 meters below sea level. It is part of the metro area of the north of Aragon in the Jacetania. By road as we do, we take it from France under Somport tunnel (see post) with the N134 France and then come out with the N330 Spain to direction Huesca, Zaragoza taken the panels for Jaca. ( the newer autovia de los Pirineos expressway or A21 linking all the major towns in Aragon, Navarra, and Catalunia.
You can see the quaint Torre del Reloj or clock tower, also popularly known as the Prison Tower, is a Gothic civil building whose popular name is due to the fact that it received both uses since the Council of Jaca bought it in 1599 to place the clock-bell tower that would mark urban life. It was built in 1445 in Gothic style ,and was built after the fire that devastated the city around 1440 as a provisional solution to the destruction of the Cathedral and its ecclesiastical prison facilities. .It is a rectangular tower, built with irregular stones and great slenderness. It is divided internally into four floors, illuminated by Gothic windows, some with tracery or geminates. The entrance gate is located on the north face at ground level and consists of a semicircular arch, The King Ramiro I has his own monument at the door of the Clock Tower, it is the effigy of the first King of Aragon, who reigned between 1035 and 1069 and who established his capital in Jaca, dressed in chain mail and his own clothes of a warrior of the time. On his head is girded the distinctive crown of his kingdom. The sculpture was finished in 1973.
Once the Cathedral jail was rebuilt, the Gothic tower lost its functions and soon became the Torre del Merino after passing through the hands of several Jacetana noble families. The merino, representative of the king in charge of collecting taxes and managing his income in the city, used it as a residence for which it began to be known as the Torre or Palacio del Merino. Finally, in 1599, the Council acquired it to turn it into a jail and install the municipal clock there, thus ceasing to depend on the schedule dictated by the Cathedral clock. To adapt the tower and support the new bells, the height was raised with a spire in 1601. The clock installed in the tower was moved from the Cathedral, although it needed to be fixed previously.
After centuries functioning as a prison, it was necessary to undertake a reform that was carried out between 1853 and 1863 and financed by all the towns of the judicial district. The last interventions carried out in the 20C involved the construction of a new iron spire between 1900 and 1903, the installation of a new clock in 1932, the closure of the prison in 1955 and the replacement of the new spire with the current four-sided roof. slopes in 1968. In the eighties it underwent a complete rehabilitation , and in 1986 it became the first headquarters of the Working Community of the Pyrenees, a body dependent on the Council of Europe. The bells that made up the old clock in the tower were three: the clock bell, the largest, decorated with the arms of Jaca, as well as two smaller ones to mark the half and quarter hours. All of them are currently exhibited in the courtyard of the City/Town Hall. It can be seen Inside too by Calle(street) Sancho Ramirez.
It is in a nice walkable area of many things to see which I have written in my blog before and great places to eat , take a look. The clock tower is imposing as you turn the corner on the street and it is worth a detour to see it me think.
The City of Jaca on the Torre del Reloj :https://www.jaca.es/turismo/monumentosymuseos/torre-del-reloj.html
The Jaca tourist office on the Clock Tower :https://www.turismojacetania.com/lugares.php?idio=en&Id=140
There you go folks , a nice monument me think on wonderfully beautiful old Jaca, One City off the beaten path that must be visited, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Clock Tower as I.
And remember, happy travel, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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