A long time ago a wise inventor of the dial locked in a circle past, present and future, so that it never escaped and that no one could touch it. And the arrows, slowly moving from one mark to another, move the flow of time. Today's story is about the oldest and largest clock in Kyiv.
The clock of the Holy Trinity (Jonah) monastery. There is a popular legend that this mechanism is somehow linked to Honore de Balzac, who allegedly brought this clock from Paris to give Evelina Hanska. The legend is silent about the need for such bulky gift (the weights are held on ten-meter cables, so under the clock for them it was specially dug a pit). The monks that once a week set the clock going, in their turn assure that the clock was ordered by Reverend Jonah - the founder of the local monastery. Whatever it was, but judging by the brand the clock was really produced in Paris in 1858. So it is more than 150 years old. Historians more inclined to believe that the clock was planned to be placed on the bell tower, the draft of which was developed by architect Nikolaev, and that was to become the tallest building in Kyiv at the time, thirteen meters above the Lavra bell tower. The townspeople were so sure that the bell tower will be built, that even drew it on postcards with images of Jonah monastery. Unfortunately, it was not happened. Until 1917, only the first tier was built. Then it was dismantled, and the brick was used in the building of agriculture academy.
Chimes of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. They do not have the dial, but every 15 minutes on the slopes of Pechersk Kyiv residents spread favorite pop tunes. The first clock mechanism was installed on the fourth tier dzvi¬nitsi in 1744, since then it changed four times. It is said that the master, who made the first Lavra hours during the time of Queen Elizabeth, was as a "fee" twenty pounds of flour, a bag of barley, wheat bag and a few rubles money. More than a hundred years counting time clock, made in the workshop of Ivan Kulibina. Currently in force mechanism weighs 4.5 tons, set in 1903-1904 and is made on the model of the Kremlin chimes.
Chimes of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. They do not have the dial, but every 15 minutes on the slopes of Pechersk Kyiv residents can hear the favorite tunes. The first clock mechanism was installed on the fourth tier of the belfry in 1744, since then it was changed four times. It is said that the master, who made the first Lavra clock during the time of Queen Elizabeth, got as a "fee" twenty pounds of flour, a bag of barley, wheat bag and a few rubles money. More than a hundred years the clock, made in the workshop of Ivan Kulibin, was counting the time. Current mechanism weighs 4.5 tons, was installed in 1903-1904 and was made on the model of the Kremlin chimes.
Bell tower of the monastery of St. Michael (Michael's Square). At the historic Michael’s bell tower, destroyed in 1930, there never was the dials with arrows. Here it was installed chimes as at the Lavra. These chimes were often broke. And in the "Description of Kyiv" M.Zakrevsky (1868) it was noted that these watches "spoiled and were abandoned." During the reconstruction of the bell tower, in March 1998, it was decided not only to revive the clock, but also to equip it with the dial. In the same year it was ordered in Austria the clockwork with an electronic device to perform the bell ringing. Now, the bell tower of St. Michael's chimes sound regularly with national motifs. Thus the list of ringtones and their duration were inspired once the heated debate in the city council. Deputies found worthy, in particular, the "Song of Kyiv", "Red viburnum" and Andrew’s prayer from the opera "Zaporozhets beyond the Danube." And that was approved in September 1998 by the decision "On the melody chimes for Michael’s Monastery" .
There is a pre-revolutionary clock tower on the facade of Besarabsky market opened in 1912. At the time of independence its mechanism was modernized, in particular it was replaced the dial, which depicted the advertising of "Minolta" - four branded white stripes on a blue background.
Sundial. Original reminder of the archaic way of measuring time is a sundial on the territory of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. In 1780 it was created by the teacher of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Pierre Brulon. He came to Kyiv as a private French teacher, but he was also a good mathematician and surveyor. According to his calculations it was also made sundial on the rotunda fountain "Samson" on Kontraktova square.
Unfortunately, even in the Museum of the History of Kyiv almost nothing is known about Pierre Brulon. There was someone - and all. The reference books and encyclopedias also keep silence about the history of these clocks.
Only students joke: "Mr. Brulon created a clock, to eat in time his bouillon."
The House of Trade Unions. According to the original plan of 30 years ago, on the corner tower of the House of Trade Unions it was planned to "install electronic board, which will be broadcast messages about events in Kyiv and the country." But in the end, instead of "running line" it was decided to make a four-sided clock. More precisely, the "electronic informer", which alternately displays the time, date and the current air temperature. The clock tower is not deprived of the attention of the Kyiv wit; it is marked by a number of nicknames, of which the most famous - "Big Ben" and "union member".
Ukrtelecom, street Vladimirska, 10. The house of Ukrtelecom was built in 1910-1911 for one of the banks, and in 1953, when there was Central Telegraph, it was built an another floor. During the reconstruction on its facade there were appeared an unusual clock. It still shows the current time, not only in Kyiv but also in major cities of the world. The analogue of this clock was installed in 1950 on the facade of the main post office.
Puppet Theatre. Today’s Puppet Theatre was opened in December 2005. The building, which became the decoration of the park and a favorite place for kids reminds its facades fairytale castle. And what a castle without a clock tower and a rooster that settled on the steeple?
The main building NTUU "KPI". Historical, as they say, KPI buildings were built at the turn of XIX-XX centuries (architect Jerome Kitner) and decorated in the style of the European Middle Ages. On the facade of the main building is located at first round rosettes. In Soviet times, it was installed inside it a thoroughly modern clock dial. A mechanism for the joy and pride of polytechnics, hourly chimes the melody "March KPI."
The clock with the largest dial (3.5 m), stopped fifteen years ago. It is located on the wall of the Institute of ... on the street ..., almost above the shop "...". The reason - is unclear status of this mechanism. The clock formally owned by the Institute, but it is in no hurry with the repair, and the city government does not want to spend money to restore the object which does not belong them.
Those of the readers who first reported about the clock in the newspaper "Kyiv Polytechnic" (com. 221, Bldg. 1) waits for an interesting gift. Photos of the winner we will publish.