Montreal Clock Tower facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Montreal Clock Tower

The tower and Jacques Cartier Bridge
Coordinates	45°30′44.44″N 073°32′44.84″W / 45.5123444°N 73.5457889°W / 45.5123444; -73.5457889
Location	Old Port of Montreal
Height	45 m (148 ft)
Beginning date	October 31, 1919
Completion date	1922
Dedicated to	Canadian sailors who died in World War I

The Montreal Clock Tower is a famous landmark in Montreal, Canada. It's also known as the Sailor's Memorial Clock. You can find it in the Old Port of Montreal, which is a historic area by the water. Building the tower started in 1919 and was finished in 1922.

This impressive tower stands about 45 meters (148 feet) tall. It has 192 steps that lead all the way to the top! As you climb, there are three spots where you can stop and look out. The outside of the Clock Tower is white. It has a main tall tower and a smaller tower next to it, which is about 12 meters (39 feet) tall. A white wall, about 13 meters (42 feet) long, connects the two towers. The main tower has four clock faces that let light shine through. Each clock face is 3.6 meters (12 feet) wide and was designed by a British company called Gillett & Johnston.

The Montreal Harbor Commission, a group that managed the port's development, oversaw the tower's construction. The tower was built to honor the sailors who lost their lives in World War I. It also shows how important the port was for Montreal's economy, especially for shipping grain, when the tower was built.

History of the Clock Tower

Building the Montreal Clock Tower took three years, from 1919 to 1922. In 1919, Edward, who was then the Prince of Wales (and later became King), helped start the construction. He laid the very first piece for the tower's foundation.

The Clock Tower's design was created by a Montreal engineer named Paul Leclaire. The special clock parts inside were made by the English company Gillett & Johnson. This company also designed the clock for Big Ben in London! Gillett & Johnson has made over 14,000 clock mechanisms in their factory in England. The Montreal Clock Tower's mechanism was one of them. The four clock faces are all connected by gears, so they always show the same time together.

The Old Port Society now owns the tower. This group helps manage tourism in the Old Port area. In 1980, they turned the Clock Tower into a place where visitors can learn about its history. The Old Port Society also spent $2.5 million to fix up the tower in 1984. They painted its steel parts and put in a new air system.

Why the Clock Tower is Special

A view of the Montreal Clock Tower from the south side.

The Montreal Clock Tower is considered a very important building. In 1996, it was named a Classified Federal Heritage Building. This means it's special because of its looks, its history, and its connection to the environment around it.

Its Place in the Environment

The Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO) believes the Clock Tower is an important landmark in Montreal. It was a key part of making the Old Port of Montreal a better place in the 1990s. Famous architects helped redesign the area around it. The tower is also right across from Clock Tower Beach, a popular spot that covers about 1.3 hectares (3.2 acres) of land.

Its Historical Importance

The FHBRO also says the Clock Tower is historically valuable. It reminds us of the Old Port of Montreal's big role in shipping goods and moving people by sea. During the time the tower was built, the Port was the second busiest in North America for exporting grain. This made it a huge help to Montreal's economy. The tower was built to remember the sailors who died during the First World War, many of whom passed through the Old Port.

Its Amazing Architecture

The Montreal Clock Tower is admired for its beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture style. This style focuses on showing nature's beauty through fine art and detailed designs. The FHBRO notes that the tower's shape and decorations fit this style perfectly.

The Clock Tower was built using a method called light masonry. This means each part, like the main tower, the smaller tower, and the connecting wall, was built separately. Then, all the pieces were joined together. This made the tower light but strong, so it could stand safely on the wharf (the dock) where it was built.

The tower is made of concrete and sits on a square base. The main entrance is on the east side. On the north side, there's a special plaque that honors the sailors who died in World War I. The FHBRO says that this memorial plaque, the granite stone placed by the Prince of Wales, and the cannons at the entrance are important parts of the tower's design that should be kept safe.

The top part of the tower has the four clock faces. Below them, there are columns and rectangular openings. In the middle of the upper part, there's a deck where people can go to look out. The smaller tower also has special pillars and is connected to the main tower by the concrete wall.

Keeping the Clock Tower in Shape

A tribute to sailors at the northern base of the Clock Tower.

The Montreal Clock Tower needs regular care to make sure its clock works well and shows the right time. A professional clockmaker named Daniel Pelletier is in charge of looking after the clock's parts. He also makes sure the time on all four clock faces is correct. Daniel started working on the tower in 1986 when the clock stopped working.

Every spring and autumn, Daniel manually adjusts the clock for daylight saving time. He moves the gears to change the hands on each clock. The pendulum, which helps the clock mechanism move, needs a lot of attention because it can break more than five times a year!

The clock's parts and gears need ongoing care because of Montreal's hot summers and cold winters. Also, because many tourists visit the tower, dust and tiny particles can build up. This means the clock needs even more regular cleaning and maintenance. The Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office says it's very important to keep checking the clock mechanism and the lights behind each clock face to protect this historic landmark.

The FHBRO also notes that the outside of the Clock Tower needs constant care to keep it looking beautiful. This includes taking care of the trees behind the connecting wall, painting the outer walls, and protecting the memorial plaque. In 2002, the Old Port of Montreal did a lot of work on the Clock Tower. They put in a new air system and painted the parts made of steel. A big restoration of the tower also happened in 1984.

Visiting the Clock Tower

In 1984, after being restored, the Montreal Clock Tower became a tourist information center. The Old Port Corporation manages all the tourism activities in the Old Port of Montreal. This group has even won awards for its work in tourism:

See also

In Spanish: Torre del Reloj de Montreal para niños