Before the planned reconstruction of the Clock Tower in Ulcinj, which also includes the installation of a new, digital clock, which the local government planned at the beginning of this year, it is necessary to examine the possibility of reconstructing the old clock mechanism, and then hire a conservator to oversee the work.
This is written in the response of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property (UZKD), submitted to the Secretary for Investments Miniru Karamanagi.
In the letter, it is reminded that it is the legal obligation of the owner - the holder of the cultural property to inform that Administration about all changes to it.
"We emphasize this all the more, as the planned activities on the clock mechanism should be recorded and become an integral part of the file on the cultural heritage of the Clock Tower, which is managed by this Administration," the letter says.
Previously, Karamanaga wrote to UZKD after the municipal police stopped work on the installation of the digital mechanism in mid-May.
In that document, Karamanaga informed the Administration that the Municipality of Ulcinj had undertaken activities to repair the internal clock mechanism, by installing a digital one, and that there would be no intervention on the exterior of the Clock Tower and the clock on it. He also emphasized that there is no old clock mechanism in the Clock Tower, created at the time of its construction, but that the internal mechanism was acquired in the Czech Republic after the 1979 earthquake.
From the Administration, Karamanagi responded that they appreciate the efforts of the Municipality to improve the condition of this cultural asset.
"The management is aware of this information and in our documentation "Renovation Project of the Clock Tower in Ulcinj" from 1982, in the estimate and estimate of the works, there is an item about the procurement of a new clock... We believe that first of all it is necessary to examine the possibility of reconstructing the old clock mechanism, that is, perform a chronological analysis of the clocks - their mechanisms in the long history of the cultural property, by an expert, who will assess which solution is the most adequate", says the UZKD letter.
It is emphasized that only after that will the conditions for interventions on the mechanism be created.
"Whereas it is necessary to take care to preserve the authenticity and integrity of the cultural property. Therefore, it is necessary to hire an expert - a conservator, who will supervise the interventions and submit a detailed report with photo-documentation to this Administration", says the letter from the Karamanagi Administration.
The clock tower in the municipality of Ulcinj has the status of a cultural asset in accordance with the decision on the declaration of a monument dated March 14, 3.1954. year, so all interventions on it are subject to the provisions of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property.
For all interventions on the Sahat Kula cultural property, it is necessary to contact the UZKD, in order to prescribe conditions and guidelines in accordance with the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property.
The tender in January of this year, worth 16 thousand euros, was won by the company "Digitalpro" from Novi Pazar. That company operates in all countries of the former Yugoslavia, and recently reconstructed and installed a clock on the Clock Tower in Podgorica.
Karamanaga then said that a clock from the renowned French company 'Bodet', one of the largest watch manufacturers in France, will be installed on the clock tower.
As part of the reconstruction, it was planned to repair all dilapidated investments and install four reflectors, which will illuminate the Clock Tower at night.
The clock on the Clock Tower in Ulcinj has not been in operation for a long time, and the reconstruction envisaged the installation of a central master clock that would be synchronized via a GPS antenna, so that it would always show the correct time. It was also planned to install new self-adjusting motor mechanisms with electronic monitoring of the positions of the hands, which would be of the same design as the old ones. An automated electronic sound system would also be installed, which will sound for full and half hours and which can be set to not work at night so as not to disturb the peace of the night.
The clock tower was built back in 1754 with donations from citizens. As written on the website of the Ulcinj Tourist Organization, the position was carefully chosen because it can be seen from almost all parts of the inner city, where you can also hear the ticking of the clock. Its base is square and it is built of beautiful carved stone. For a long time there was also a "muvekit" person in the city, who took care of the accuracy of the clock every day.
Karamanaga: It's in bad shape and rusty, but we will respect the decision
Karamanaga said that the old clock mechanism from Czechoslovakia has no historical value and that its reconstruction is unnecessary.
"It is in a very bad condition, it is rusted, and its maintenance would be expensive. After all, he never worked as he should", said Karamanaga to "Vijesta".
Despite this, he stated, the Secretariat will certainly respect all the guidelines of the Administration.
"We will hire an expert who will assess what is best for the Clock Tower to fulfill its purpose - showing and indicating the exact time. We are committed to bringing this cultural-historical monument to its intended purpose after several decades," said Karamanaga.
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