Back to photostream

Tower of the Winds & the Acropolis

The oldest meteorological station in the world

The Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes , 50 BC

The 12-meter-tall structure has a diameter of about 8 metres and was topped in antiquity by a weathervane-like Triton that indicated the wind direction. Below the frieze depicting the eight wind deities — Boreas (N), Kaikias (NE), Eurus (E), Apeliotes (SE), Notus (S), Lips (SW), Zephyrus (W), and Skiron (NW) — there are eight sundials.

In its interior, there was a water clock (or clepsydra), driven by water coming down from the Acropolis.

Recent research has shown that the considerable height of the tower was motivated by the intention to place the sundials and the wind-vane at a visible height on the Agora, effectively making it an early example of a clocktower

1,379 views
34 faves
2 comments
Uploaded on January 28, 2017
Taken on August 14, 2016