The famed Zytglogge clock that is the symbol of Swiss capital Bern and one of the country’s best-known symbols will be out of sight for the next few months, its place taken by an image of itself, mounted on its tower.
The 800-year-old clock, which features Chronos, the god of time, along with seven bears, lions, a knave and a chicken, was disassembled a week ago; each of the features will be meticulously restored, a process that will take until June, when the giant photo will give way to the original.
Also under repair, along with the 14th-century clock, is an early 15th-century astrolabe that works with the clock. The Zytglogge is part of the city’s UNESCO-Heritage old town.
On our visit to Bern, I recall how imposing this clock was. It just draws you closer to observe all the detail that went into this device. Of course the Swiss are known as the expert timepiece engineers.