The Clock Tower of Piraeus

Construction of the building known later as the Clock Tower of Piraeus began in 1869, originally intended to house the Piraeus Stock Exchange. The tower itself was adorned with the city’s clock, “The City’s Timepiece”, funded personally by then-mayor Dimitrios Moutsopoulos. The building was designed by the city engineer, Lieutenant Colonel G. Metaxas, and the construction was overseen by contractor Panagiotis Kyprios. By June 1873, artist Prinopoulos was commissioned to decorate the interior spaces. The Post Office was installed on the ground floor, and in 1874, the Mavrokordatos Library was moved into one of the rooms. That same year, the first floor was rented to the Commercial Club, which used it for dances and charity events. On February 9th, 1875, the Stock Exchange was officially inaugurated but operated for only a short period. In 1885, the building became the seat of the Piraeus City Hall, which remained there, except during the Occupation, when it housed military services, until the structure’s demolition. For nearly a century, the Clock Tower stood as a symbol of Piraeus, a remarkable architectural landmark that greeted dignitaries arriving in Greece via the royal dock. Sadly, after a long and storied existence, the tower was demolished in 1968 by order of mayor Aristeidis Skylitsis. Pictured: Postcard showing the Clock Tower in Piraeus Town Hall Square. ©Municipal Photography Museum of Kalamaria ‘Christos Kalemkeris’.