Standing tall over the Plaza Mayor, this elegant clock tower has been a fixture of Chiclanero public life for centuries.
The Torre de Reloj reflects every sunrise and every sunset over the Old Town of Chiclana de la Frontera. Standing about 100 feet (30 meters) tall over the central square, this charming arched clock tower has long been an icon of the city. Admire its design and understand its storied past.
Approach from Plaza de España in the north, along the winding Calle Huerta Chica leading into the charming Calle Arquillo de Reloj. Literally meaning “Archway of the Clock,” Arquillo de Reloj is the local nickname for the clock tower. As you walk toward it, you will see why this slender structure elegantly arches between the houses on both sides of the street, providing a lovely frame for the entrance to Plaza Mayor.
The Torre de Reloj stands on one of the original entrances to the old walled area of the medieval city. A modern clock tower was built on the site in the 18th century. Walk through the archway and look over to the nearby Church of San Juan Bautista, whose two proposed bell towers were never built. Instead, the Arquillo de Reloj was given this sacred bell-ringing function.
Gaze up at the clock face that has structured this city’s days for centuries. The tower was given national heritage status in 1985, as a crucial part of the cultural wealth of Chiclana de la Frontera.
Admire the tower from a close perspective. It is built with the oyster stone characteristic of the region, artfully carved with well-defined joints. Above the archway stands the main body of the tower, where the clock is housed, and a decorated octagonal space for the bells. A tiled dome with a simple cross caps the whole structure.
The Torre de Reloj is centrally located on the Calle Arquillo de Reloj at the edge of the Plaza Mayor adjacent to the Church of San Juan Bautista. Walk to the Convento de Jesus Nazareno in about 5 minutes.
