Plizio Visual Lab
Sarajevo Clock Tower
The historic Clock Tower (Sahat-kula) of Sarajevo, situated in the heart of the Baščaršija old town right next to the magnificent Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, is a unique 17th-century Ottoman structure. Standing 30 meters tall, it towers over the surrounding rooftops and holds the distinction of being the only public clock in the world that displays lunar time, where midnight strikes precisely at sunset to mark the traditional start of the Islamic day. The venerable stone building was meticulously reconstructed by Mustafa Pasha Dženetić following the devastating city fires of the 18th century, and in the 1870s, it received a new clock face imported from London. The timepiece was specially modified for its lunar mechanisms by the Bosnian clockmaker and astronomer Salih Sidki Hadžihuseinović. To this day, the delicate mechanism is manually calibrated every week by a dedicated official timekeeper (known as a muvekit) to ensure that the exact time is displayed for Islamic prayers as the sun sets.
- Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Top sights: Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque · Sarajevo Clock Tower · Gazi Husrev Bey's (Kuršumli) Madrasa
- Nearby: East Sarajevo (6 km)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | -2 | -1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 4 | -1 |
| Rain mm | 63 | 64 | 69 | 69 | 99 | 103 | 75 | 61 | 77 | 71 | 74 | 73 |
📋 Practical info
Geography
Facts
- Constructed during the first half of the 17th century
- Severely damaged during Prince Eugene of Savoy's 1697 attack
- Rebuilt by Mustafa Pasha after the catastrophic fires of 1762
- The clock mechanism was crafted by London's Gillett & Johnston
- The only public clock worldwide operating strictly on lunar time
- A designated timekeeper (muvekit) calibrates it manually every week
- Designated as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2006
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Sights in the town Sarajevo Clock Tower (10)
Gazi Khusrev-beg's Khanqa
Former dervish monastery in Sarajevo, part of the 16th-century Islamic complex.
Museum of the Jews of Bosnia and Herzegovina🏛 museum
Synagogue and museum in Sarajevo, documents Jewish life and history in Bosnia.
Galerija Novi Hram
Art museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina, displays contemporary art in a former synagogue.
Tašlihan
Archaeological site in Sarajevo, ruins of a 16th-century Ottoman caravanserai.
Old Orthodox Church
Orthodox church in Sarajevo, oldest surviving church in the city, with iconostasis.
The Brusa Bezistan🏛 museum
Former market hall in Sarajevo, now a museum of textiles and handicrafts.
Museum of the Old Serbian Orthodox Church Sarajevo🏛 museum
Museum in Sarajevo's old town, displays Serbian Orthodox religious art and icons.
Sights nearby
Frequently asked questions
What is special about the tower's clock?
Where exactly is the clock tower located?
Can you climb the tower?
When does the clock show 12:00?
Who maintains the clock?
Sarajevo Clock Tower: where is it located?
Sarajevo Clock Tower: what is there to see?
Sarajevo Clock Tower: when is the best time to visit?
Sarajevo Clock Tower: why is it worth visiting?
Nearby cities
