Torre del Reloj the clock tower of Bullas

The tower was built to regulate irrigation times in the farmland around Bullas

Visitors viewing the town of Bullas in the north-west of the Region of Murcia will see two distinct towers in the skyline, and although at first sight this may appear to indicate two churches, one of these is in fact a clock tower, the Torre del Reloj.

The imposing clock tower which stands at one of the highest points of the town of Bullas was built in 1900, after Mayor Joaquín Carreño Góngora decided that rather than repair the clock in the church tower it was preferable to build a separate structure.

The new tower was placed at the most visible location available in the town, and the loud chimes of the bells were used to regulate the all-important irrigation times allotted to farmers in the surrounding countryside. For this reason, the clock-face points towards the farmland outside the town.

Although the tower was officially named the “Torre de Santiago", locals soon referred to it almost exclusively as the Torre del Reloj, and it quickly became one of the most iconic features of Bullas as seen both from the town centre and from afar: the “twin towers” of the clock and the church symbolized the equal importance of the everyday business of farming and the spiritual and religious life of the town.

The clock tower, which is 16 metres high and is crowned with a metal campanile at the top, was restored in the 1990s, when the small Plaza del Reloj in which it is located was also remodeled.

The clock itself was made in Switzerland and was officially inaugurated on 25th July 1900 to coincide with the feast day of Santiago Apóstol, who is the patron saint of Spain. Nowadays the celebrations of this date in Bullas include the burning of mannequins which are known as “tarascas” in the Plaza del Reloj.

The Plaza del Reloj is a short stroll from the central Plaza de España and is best reached by heading south along the Calle de la Tercia and then veering right on Avenida de Cehegín. After passing the chemist’s head left up Calle Carretas, which leads to the Torre del Reloj.

For more local news, events and tourist information go to the Bullas town section of Murcia Today.