New Times, New Customs: Measuring Time in Ottoman Xanthi

In the Ottoman Empire, time was traditionally measured according to the movement of the sun, primarily serving religious purposes. Consequently, each city within the empire operated on its own time zone. The initial attempt to introduce Western-style public clocks occurred during the reign of Sultan Murat III (1574-1596). It was not until the 18th and 19th centuries, a period marked by commercial and industrial growth, that the construction of clock towers became more systematic. These public clocks played an important role in regulating working hours, aligning with the European timekeeping system.

The Clock Tower of Xanthi was constructed by Haji Emin Agha around 1870, coinciding with the flourishing of tobacco cultivation, processing, and trading industry in the area. Since then, the Clock Tower has become a symbol of Xanthi. The photograph showcases the area of today’s central square with the Clock Tower in the background shortly after the city’s liberation.

Creator: probably Athanasios Volidis (1919)
Source: Manolis Choumas’ private collection