Access to the correct time of day is something that has become so easy in our society that it is taken for granted. Yet this was not always the case. When it was installed in 1913, the Lund Observatory’s clock gave residents the most accurate reporting of the time in the area. For years, many locals set their own clocks to the timer that ticked away at the astronomy center’s front gate. 

Though once a crucial part of daily life in Lund, the clock no longer holds the same significance today. It broke years ago and has never been repaired. After 134 years, the observatory also ceased its operations in 2001, as astronomers moved into a new facility. 

But visitors can still stop by the clock and admire the beauty of the observatory’s striking tower. Meanwhile, the city is talking about restorations of both the building and the clock. So it’s possible that the clock might give the citizens of Lund the time of day again soon. Until then, it will only do so twice a day.