Victoria Clock Tower

Victoria Clock Tower

The clock tower was installed in the center of Victoria, the island nation’s capital, on April 1, 1903. The King George V’s Jubilee in 1935 clock tower, which dates from the colonial era, was built in commemoration of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901. During events to mark King George V’s Jubilee in 1935, the clock tower, which was originally black, was painted a dazzling silver.

“The opening of the Victoria clock tower in our modest capital on Wednesday the 1st of April in 1903 was a precursory event that began a new chapter in the history of our islands,” according to Seychellois historian Tony Mathiot.

Gillet & Johnson, a clockmaker and bell foundry headquartered in Croydon, England, created the clock tower out of cast iron for roughly $468 — about $12,300 in today’s currencies. Because of their resemblance to the clock tower of London’s Houses of Parliament, these were dubbed “Little Big Ben.”

The clock tower was an identical copy of one that was built in 1892 to honor Queen Victoria‘s diamond jubilee at the Victoria Station on Vauxhall Bridge Road in London. At the intersection of Francis Rachel Street, State House Avenue, Albert Street, and Independence Avenue, the monument was erected.

On August 13, only four months after it was built, Seychelles was detached from Mauritius and became an independent crown colony. Ernest Bickham Sweet Escott was sworn in as the colony’s first Governor the same year.

FAQ – Victoria Clock Tower

What was the significance of the Victoria clock tower?

The clock tower was installed in the center of Victoria, the island nation’s capital, on April 1, 1903. The clock tower, which dates from the colonial era, was built in commemoration of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901.

Where to find the clock tower in Seychelles?

Little Ben sits in the heart of Victoria, Seychelles’ city. It was created in 1903 to commemorate the British royal family’s official declaration of Seychelles as a colony immediately under their control. The tower is approximately 5 meters tall.

When was the Victoria clock tower built?

The governor of the time, Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott, dedicated the clock tower on April 1, 1903. Seychelles was still a British colony at the time, and Sweet-Escott proposed that a memorial be built after the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.

Does the Victoria Clock Tower chime?

The clock was supposed to chime when it was turned on, but it didn’t.

What motifs does the Clock Tower have?

Corinthian and Victorian heraldic elements adorn the majestic building.

What clockwork does the Victoria clock tower have?

In 1999, a contemporary quartz master clock entirely replaced the ancient clockwork.

Hotels nearby the Hindu Temple

There are no hotels nearby the clock tower, the nearest hotels are the Eden Bleu Hotel at Eden island and the L’Escale Resort Marina & Spa.

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