Torre do Relógio, Horta

The Clock Tower is currently a monument and what remains of a Portuguese Christian religious temple located in the parish of Matriz, municipality of Horta, on the island of Faial, in the Azores archipelago.

This tower is located next to the Florêncio Terra Garden and has a construction date that goes back to the 18th century. It was built to belong to the old Mother Church of Horta, a church that dated back to 1500, as well as to function as the city clock.

This first Parish Church of Horta, was in 1597, like practically all the churches and convents in the city of Horta, set on fire by English privateers under the command of Walter Raleigh Ensign of the Earl of Wessex.

Some time later, it was rebuilt, and the work took place between 1607 and 1615, when it was again ready for worship.

Over the centuries it has suffered the effects of the numerous earthquakes that have shaken the island, and by the end of the 18th century it was no longer safe to use without major maintenance work.

As Portugal was in a period of revolution, its restoration was not even considered, so in 1825 this old church was simply demolished.

From this date on, the Church of São Salvador, annexed to the Jesuit Convent in Horta, became the city's Mother Church, where the respective image was transported.

The space previously occupied by the temple, the Largo de D. Luís, now gives way to a multi-use space for sports purposes, as well as a pedestrian circuit and a playground.

When this bell tower was built in the 18th century, a clockwork mechanism bought in England was originally installed and lasted for a few centuries. It was recently deactivated and replaced by an electric one, but restoration of the original mechanism is still planned for the near future.

The strong earthquake that hit the island of Faial on July 9, 1998 did major damage to the tower, which had to be restored and maintained.