The municipality of Bar has finished the work on the reconstruction of the Clock Tower, a monumental oriental monument which, due to its appearance, authenticity and historical significance, is one of the buildings by which Old Bar is most recognizable, announced the press service of the Municipality of Bar.
The press release states that it is an investment worth almost 100.000 euros, which is fully financed with funds from the capital budget of the local government.
"The restored building was visited by the President of the Municipality of Bar Dušan Raičević and his associates, the director of the Cultural Center Bar Aleksandra Grabež with his associates, as well as representatives of the consortium "KOTO-KOTO DSD" which was entrusted with the execution of the works," the announcement states.
Raičević pointed out that the implementation of this project once again confirms the success of the mission that the local administration started in 2018, which concerns the revitalization of the Old Town of Bar.
"To the satisfaction of all of us, the reconstruction of the Clock tower has been completed, and tonight we had the opportunity to make sure that the works were carried out in a high-quality manner. This is the first thorough reconstruction of the tower since 1986, while some minor rehabilitation works were carried out ten years ago "The clock mechanism that adorns the Clock Tower after 12 years has been put back into operation thanks to the hard work and dedication of enthusiasts Aleksandar Mijović and Bojan Krivokapić, who made an immeasurable contribution to making the bell from the Clock Tower ring again," Raičević said.
He affirmed the intention of the local administration to be equally dedicated to Stara Bar and the revitalization of all buildings in the coming period, which will further confirm the fact that this locality is the most valuable cultural and historical heritage of Bar, but also of Montenegro.
"So far, we have implemented one investment cycle thanks to which we reconstructed the church of St. Catherine, opened the first Creative Hub in Palace 85, reconstructed the summer scene and the Customs House, and arranged the Archbishop's Palace as a future archeology museum. We will try to provide additional funds, as in the budget of the Municipality , as well as through participation in various European projects with the aim of reconstructing all the buildings in Stari Bar in a valid way and making them suitable for adequate presentation and tourist promotion," Raičević concluded.
The importance of the revitalization of crucial historical buildings in the Old Town was also confirmed by Anastazija Miranović, manager of the Local Museum of Bar. "This is just one of a number of buildings that we renovated and breathed new life into, and we will continue in that direction," said Miranović.
Aleksandar Mijović, in charge of repairing the clock mechanism, expressed his satisfaction with the work done and the fact that the clock is ticking again and showing the correct time on all three sides of the tower.
"It was a great honor to participate in the repair of this clock mechanism, which is almost forty years old and as such is a real rarity in our city. My colleague from Podgorica, Bojano Krivokapić, and I did a great thing together by returning the mechanism to its original condition, but and extended life expectancy," said Mijović.
The clock tower is an object that dates back to the medieval or Venetian era. The tower is a waqf (endowment) of Jahja-age Ibrahim Osmanov, who restored it in 1753 and had a clock placed on it. It was significantly damaged during weeks of constant cannon fire during the Montenegrin occupation in 1877. The building was also destroyed in the explosion in 1881, and was additionally damaged in three catastrophic earthquakes that affected the Bar region - in 1905, 1968 and, at most, in 1979. It was thoroughly renovated and restored in 1984. Today, the tower represents a special tourist attraction in Bar and shows the culture and history of the people who lived under its walls.
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