Tick tock clink and clang sounded all around us as we entered one of the most unusual museums in Jerez. We are in the Palacio del Tiempo, a clock museum in the Museos de la Atalaya museum complex.
The Museo de los Relojes is located in a 19th century palace surrounded by a beautiful park. The foundation stone for the exhibition in the so-called Palacio del Tiempo, which opened in 1973, was the estate of the Countess of Gavia, which consisted of 152 clocks. Through further donations and purchases, the unique collection was expanded to around 300 clocks.
These clocks can be viewed in thematically organised sections. The eight rooms contain clocks of different styles from the 17th to 19th centuries, which were made in England, France, Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Many of them were made by well-known clockmakers of the respective eras.
Something you don’t usually get: all the clocks in the Palacio del Tiempo work!
The watchmaker is coming
We had chosen a rather interesting day for our visit to the Museo de los Relojes. It was Monday and the time change had just taken place. A busy day for the watchmaker! All the clocks had to be changed.
The clockmaker had stopped all the clocks before the time changeover and now had to set them to the correct time. This can be a little tricky with historical movements and requires a lot of dexterity. One by one, he moved from one clock to the next, checked the current time, set the movement correctly and set the clock in motion.
The watchmaker is one of the most important people in a watch museum. Every single watch here has to be wound by hand at least once a week! In addition, the fine gears, screws and springs have to be maintained in order to offer visitors an unforgettable “sound experience” every hour. When 300 clocks strike on the hour, it almost sounds like music!
Tour of the Palace of Time
Our tour began at a clock that has been telling the time in the city for many years. Originally, the English clock from 1867 was located in a lantern on the Plaza Arenal. The four dials were illuminated from the inside with a paraffin lamp. It was the city’s first public clock and was also intended to help the population reach their destinations in the city on time. It is certainly not surprising that the railway company presented this idea to the city council, of course with the ulterior motive of punctual train departures. The city was to bear the costs for the “good idea” and the clock was also connected to a pendulum clock at the railway station so that the clocks ran synchronously. Unfortunately, the clock did not work right from the start, ran too inaccurately and stopped too often. Only after the clockwork had been reworked did it show the correct time.
After getting a first impression of what to expect, we were shown a short film about the museum. A wall then opened and we were able to start our guided tour.
The guided tour of the museum is offered in several languages and is really great. I would probably have walked past the clocks and just thought nice-not nice. The guided tour drew our attention to some of the most interesting clocks, we heard a lot of information and learnt one or two “clock secrets”. We also had enough time to stroll through the rooms on our own.
French watches – English watches
Admittedly, I have seen so many different watches at once. Of course, every watch has its own story, which starts with the watchmaker and ends with the owner. Each watch is individually designed and some watches also have their own little secret.
I am amazed at how differently the watches are designed in different countries. There are playful-looking French clocks, clocks in simple wooden boxes from England, pocket watches, table or mantel clocks, grandfather clocks …..
In the 17th to 19th centuries, French clockmakers mainly produced table or mantel clocks. Many of these clocks feature figurative images and it almost seems that the visual appearance is more important than the clock, which is very much in the background.
In the Palacio del Tiempo there are over 200 different French clocks from 10 different eras. One example is a Boulle clock from the era of Louis XIV. This clock was made by Ebenisten Boulle. The production period can be determined as 1745-1749 on the basis of a control mark for the bronze tax. The clock is beautifully designed. The top, which depicts the god Kronos, is particularly striking.
In contrast to French clockmakers, English clockmakers tended to create clocks where time was of the essence. The appearance of the case was of secondary importance and was therefore kept more simple and functional.
They are particularly proud of the oldest clock in the collection, which comes from England. It dates back to the 17th century. The table clock is an ebony case with a handle moulded from two angel figures. The clock face is square.
Special clocks in the Palacio del Tiempo
In addition to the clocks that “only” show the time, you can also find special clocks in the museum. I was particularly impressed by some of the clocks.
I was very impressed by a clock from the 19th century that weighed around 100 kilograms. Not because of its weight or the mahogany case, but because of its movement. This clock actually has 6 different movements, each of which displays something different. On the one hand, there is the largest dial, on which you can read the time. In addition, the watch has dials that show the day and the weather.
A clock face even shows when the clock is set to “silent” and when it strikes. You can also read the melody that is being played.
Another remarkable clock is a night-light mantel clock. The case of this clock was made at the end of the 17th century. A truly beautiful mahogany case with an ebony base. The movement dates from 1850-1860 and features floral and bird motifs.
I find it particularly exciting that a candle was placed in the clocks of this type to light them up from the inside. This meant that the owner could not only read the time, but also had a lamp in the room. As you can imagine, there are only a few clocks of this type left. Too often they burnt down due to the open flame inside.
An Austrian clock from 1837 also caught my interest. It’s actually not particularly eye-catching, even though it’s made of gilded bronze. For me, its original function is much more interesting. It was a travelling clock! Because of their considerable size, these types of pocket watches were also called “onion clocks”. My first thought was “what huge pockets the owner must have had”. It looks quite large and massive.
By contrast, the smallest watch in the exhibition is really cute. Hats off to the watchmaker who created this filigree structure.
Atalaya Gardens
After the tour, we were able to take a look at the listed gardens around the Palace of Time.
The Atalaya Gardens, which surround the museum, were modelled on 19th century French landscape design. The outdoor area covers 18,000 square metres. Here you can see some very old trees. If you know a bit about plants, you can discover laurel, Canary Island pines, jacaranda, ombú, ginkgo, Arizona cypresses and cedars, for example.
The building, the “Palace of Time”, stands in the centre of the garden. The front area is openly planted, with large areas reserved for the lawn. A large modern work of art stands directly in front of the building.
At the back of the garden are pergolas with roundabouts decorated with fountains and statues. This is also where the oldest plants in the garden are to be found.
When we were there, it was just beginning to turn a little autumnal. The first leaves were turning colour and offered a beautiful sight.
Is the visit worthwhile?
Our opinion: Definitely!
For us, this museum in Jerez is a real insider tip. You don’t have to be an art connoisseur or watch lover. Walking through the exhibition rooms, listening to the clocks ticking and striking, gives you a completely different perspective on time. And it was amazing how quickly time passed there.
We enjoyed the tour and learnt a lot of new things on the well-organised tour.
Address:
Museos de la Atalaya
Calle Cervantes, 3
11403 Jerez de la Frontera
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 9.30 am – 1.30 pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed
Tours of the exhibition are offered every hour (9.30 am, 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm). It is not possible to walk through the exhibition alone.
Admission:
Tickets can be purchased at the entrance to the site. The guided tours (duration 50 minutes) are included in the admission price and are offered in several languages.
Per person: €6
Discounts are offered.
The visit was made possible by the tourist office in Jerez and the museos de la atalaya.
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