In Elazığ’s Maden district, a 125-year-old clock tower, built in 1899 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdulhamid II’s accession to the throne, continues to attract attention. This clock tower, restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2018, is the only surviving structure of its kind in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Region in Türkiye.

Originally constructed with 25 rows of cut stone and 25 rows of slag stone, the tower serves as an important piece of district tourism. Süleyman Deniz Seyrek, President of Culture, Tourism, Development, and Solidarity Association in the region, highlighted the tower’s unique features: “The Maden clock tower is one of approximately 30 towers built across Türkiye during Sultan Abdulhamid II’s reign. Its distinctive construction using local materials gives it a special appearance.”

This historic landmark, once on the verge of collapse, now stands as a testament to the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Kamil Can Kılıç – Rıdvan Yeşilırmak