Clock Tower Square

Clock Tower Square Review

The clock tower is the focus of Jaffa's newly renovated central square with restored Old Jaffa to the west and the Jaffa flea market to the east. The centuries-old buildings have been carefully restored, preserving their ornate old facades. With Jaffa a major port in Turkish times, it's not surprising to see the Turkish Cultural Center, sponsored by the Turkish Embassy, in one of the buildings. A fashion outlet, a music store, and other odd counterpoints have also taken up residence in some of the restored houses. The clock tower was completed in 1906, in time to mark the 30th anniversary of the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II; similar clock towers were built for the same occasion in Akko and in Jerusalem. The new stained-glass windows in the old tower depict events in Jaffa's history.