The Kassen Clock Tower is the oldest of its kind in Meron. While the clockwork technology was initially invented by the Etanans, it was rendered useful by the Meron, who saw it not only as a form of art but also as a measure for telling time. The earliest Meron clock was constructed in the year 359 BM. It was nearly as large as the tower, but not elegant or beautiful, and clocks weren't commonly used until nearly 500, when Torede Famane, an artist from Anwall, copied an early large model into something small enough to sit on a shelf. Clocks almost immediately caught on among the nobility, although they remain too expensive for those with less cash on hand.
The Tower was commissioned by King Dazhan Myrelyris in the year 582 BM, so it's fairly new in comparison with other iconic pieces of archetecture. Designed by Foran Zara, a renowned archetect from the south, the tower was built over a four-year period in the market square of Kassen, across from the University. It quickly became one of the most popular sites in Kassen. Similar towers have since been built in Anwall and Bell, but neither is as beautiful or intricate as the Zara model.
The numbers around the clock are surrounded by ironwork, first outlined by Zara in the sketch (left). The largest hand points to the hour, the middle to the minute, and the smallest to the second (see Meron time).
The top of Kassen Clock Tower is cast in iron and bronze. Though the original plan, as seen on the diagram (written in Meroned) was to make it only of iron, the king ultimately overrode Zara, saying he aesthetically preferred the weathered green color the bronze would one day achieve.
The lower part of the tower is carved from stone. There are many stories about the "tower man", the face evident in the carvings (see picture).
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