| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Other |
If you want to experience what Belgium really is like there are a few things you must visit to really feel it. One of these 'objects' is the Atomium in Brussels; a trip into 60's futurism and Belgian absurdism. Another 'object' I would suggest is the Zimmertower in Lier. Why? Well, read the story!
The first thing you will notice is obviously the tower which looks medieval. On one side you'll notice a sort of astronomical clock which reminds of the one in Prague but looks a lot more recent.
There's a sign near it which tells you the opening hours so ofcourse you'll go in because it's not expensive and you are dying to know more about this interesting tower ;-)
Inside you'll pay for your visit and will be let into a room (the pavilion) dominated by a very large clock with 93(!) dials. Luckily there's an info button (in 4 languages!) so you sit on a chair and listen to the story.
It's the story of Louis Zimmer, born on september 8th 1888 in Lier who invented these magnificent clocks. He made all the devices by hand which is quite impressive already!
The big clock you are watching is the Astronomical Wonderclock (I so much love this name!) and it measures time, tides, star-time, months, distance of the earth to the sun, the orbit of planets and meteors, and things I'm not even sure of...
One of these clocks is even measuring the changes in the elliptical orbit of the earth: it changes a little every year, so little that this clock is one of the slowest devices ever made!
This absurdly magical device Zimmer made in the 1930's and it was exhibited in Brussels and New York.
Beneath the 93 dials are three mechanical devices which will start working on each hour. In the far right one a few metal guys chime the time. In the middle ballerinas are twirling on the planets of our solar system, each making a leap and showing how high they would leap on each planet (they are the same weight ofcourse). On the far left a metal footballplayer with 1930's outfit stands on some scales showing his weight on each planet...
Luckily we were there at 17h so we did get to see this magical mechanical show ;-)
In this small pavilion you can also see some other interesting clocks, the medals Louis Zimmer got and an impression of his studio (exactly as it was left the day he died, december 12th 1970).
And now you can visit the tower which got your attention first. Inside this truly medieval (but renovated) tower is an astronomical studio. It features much of the clocks you could see on the Astronomical Wonderclock but bigger. And you can hear an explanation of these in 4 languages again ;-)
All these devices look extremely nice, quite quaint actually and it truly feels as if you are let into some wonderous new world.
In the last room of the tower you can hear the story of the clock you saw outside on the tower. This is the Jubilee-clock Zimmer made in 1930 as a gift to the city of Lier, celebrating 100 years of Belgian independence. It has 13 dials measuring several kinds of things like the earth rotation, the days of the week, the zodiac signs, the months, moonphases,... and ofcourse regular time ;-)
On one side of the tower there are also mechanical man chiming the time and at noon you can see the revolving pictures of Belgian kings and majors of Lier.
And then you descend into the other world again, the one were clocks aren't magical but just measure time...
