A clock tower is a structure that has a high-mounted clock on the wall of a building, usually in public places such as large city areas, churches, universities, and town halls. They are used as a public amenity for those around to be able to tell time. Some of these clock towers can be free-standing structures, while others are connected to or on top of another building.

The most commonly known clock tower is the Elizabeth Tower, also known as “Big Ben,” and while it is not the tallest tower on our list today, it still provides an example of not only how massive these structures are, but also how important they have been throughout history and time. Let’s take a look at the history and size of some of the largest clock towers that are still standing in the world today!

5. Philadelphia City Hall

Located in Philadelphia, this building was built between 1803 and 1901. This building was created by John McArthur Jr. and Thomas Ustick Walter, who both contributed to the design of other well-known structures. The First National Bank was designed by John McArthur Jr., and the Capital Building’s new and existing dome in Washington, D.C., was designed by Thomas Ustick Walter.

Many have said this building was ahead of its time because of its fascinating, yet traditional design. The highest space of the building sits 9 stories above ground, while the clock tower itself stands hundreds of feet tall after the building’s floors. The clock tower is 548 feet tall and the clock faces are 26 feet, making this the 5th largest clock tower in the world!

4. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower

This skyscraper, often known as the MetLife Tower, takes up an entire block in Manhattan, New York’s Flatiron District. This structure, which is divided into two halves called the north building and the south building was once the main office of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. It was constructed between 1905 and 1909, holding the title of the tallest structure in the world until 1913.

The clock tower, which has four clock faces, four bells, and illuminated beacons at its top, was initially inspired by a historical structure in Venice. The 700-foot-tall clock tower has 26-foot-tall clock faces. In 1989, this structure was designated as a city landmark because it was well-known and adored by the general population.

3. Palace of Culture and Science

A tall structure called the Palace of Culture and Science can be found in Warsaw, Poland. It was constructed in 1955 as a gift to the Polish people from the Soviet Union. When it was first built, it was called Joseph Stalin’s Palace of Culture and Science, but after a number of political changes, the dedication was taken out and the building got a new name. This building is home to many civic and cultural organizations, such as theaters, libraries, sports teams, and university faculties. It is the sixth tallest structure in the European Union and the second tallest structure in Poland.

Prior to Japan building its own tower, which made this one rank as a close second, this tower was the tallest clock tower in the world. The tower is 757 feet tall, and the clock faces, which were erected in 2000, are 21 feet tall. Even though sixteen construction workers died while building this tower, it is still a beautiful landmark that people from all over the world come to see and admire.

2. NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building

In the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan’s capital city, the NTT Docomo Yoyogi building is a skyscraper. It is the fourth-tallest structure in Tokyo at 790 feet. Owned by a Japanese mobile phone operator, this skyscraper was built between 1997 and 2002. In November 2002, to mark the 10th anniversary of the NTT Docomo Group, a 49-foot-wide clock was added. The NTT Docomo Group’s primary headquarters are located on the top floors of the second-largest clock tower in the world.

The majority of the facility is used to keep technical equipment, while some offices are located there as well. This building is amazing just because of its size, but it is even more amazing because it uses solar energy to power some of it. The office has a garbage separation system that reduces waste and raises the recycling rate. Both rainwater and wastewater are recovered for use in the building’s toilets.

1. Makkah Clock Royal Tower

In Mecca, Arabia, the Saudi government owns a group of seven skyscraper hotels with the largest clock tower in the world. The Makkah Clock Royal Tower, the hotel’s centerpiece, is the sixth-tallest freestanding structure in the world and the world’s fourth-tallest building. The top four stories of the tower’s clock tower house the Clock Tower Museum.

This structure is significant not just because it is close to the Great Mosque of Mecca, the holiest site for Muslims and the largest mosque in the world; it is also significant because it is the second most expensive structure ever built, with a construction budget of about $15 billion dollars. The complex’s tallest tower, at 1,972 feet, is the biggest clock tower in the entire world! This complex is well-known for its size and significance, but it also functions as a hugely popular hotel that plenty of visitors to Saudi Arabia go to.

Summary of the Top 5 Tallest Clock Towers in the World