It might seem that in the era of digital gadgets, a stopped clock on the main city landmark — the dominant feature — is just an aesthetic defect. But for the historic city center and its residents, it is a real loss of the usual rhythm.
The famous clock faces on the tower of the largest temple in Slovakia — Dóm svätej Alžbety — stood still for almost ten years. Despite being the main tourist gem of the region, no one could repair the mechanism for a simpler reason than expected: there were almost no masters left in the whole country who specialized in complex architectural mechanics of this scale.
What prevented the mechanism from starting
The problem remained unsolved for a long time due to a shortage of specialized experts and the specifics of the construction. As historians and temple curators note, in past centuries the condition of the mechanisms was carefully monitored — for example, the head kostolník (temple guard) personally climbed up weekly to manually wind the system and check the parts.
When more modern constructions broke down, standard service departments shrugged their shoulders. The situation moved forward thanks to local enthusiasm. The diagnosis was taken on by a Košice umelecký kováč (artistic blacksmith).
How the malfunction was found
During a detailed inspection of the tower, it was found that the cause of the stoppage was small but critical damages. Due to the lack of regular lubrication and the influence of moisture, the main axis inside the case completely rusted and jammed the mechanism.
