When the Genius of Studio Ghibli Built a Giant Cuckoo Clock

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In Shiodome, Tokyo, a hulking, storybook contraption clings to the side of the Nittele Tower at Nippon Television’s headquarters: the Giant Ghibli Clock. Designed by legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, it’s less a timepiece than a mini mechanical theater—gears, doors, figures, and little surprises that feel like they’ve wandered out of a fantastical workshop and onto a city skyscraper. No need to buy a ticket: commuters can just look up and catch a burst of whimsy in the middle of a very modern district.

According to legend, the creator of this 14th-century astronomical clock in Prague was blinded to prevent him from making another. A nearly identical, and equally apocryphal, tale is told of another gorgeous clock in Poland. The sides of the Zimmer Tower in Belgium show the four stages of life, each featuring a different person or character. And in Paris, a unique mechanized clock displays a man fighting off a dragon, crab, and rooster.

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Before we were able to tell time by glancing at our wrists, reaching into our pockets, or calling out to Siri, the local clock tower was how many people marked their days. Because they were highly visible civic resources, many clock towers saw a remarkable level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. SEE THE FULL LIST

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Carved scenes of sex work and unglamorous labor complicate a heroic statue in Hamburg dedicated to the writer Hans Albers.

An unusual cast-iron bridge in Nantwich, England carries a historic canal across a busy main road.

This family-run collection in Cambodia known as the Vimean Sokha Museum holds tons of antique electronics, cameras, and motorbikes.

Did You Know?

Centuries ago, astronomical clocks were the ultimate statement in horological prowess. During the heyday of grand astronomical clocks, between the 14th and 16th centuries in Europe, these massive constructions were often decorated as ornate pieces of art featuring multiple faces, moving figures, carved ornamentation, and intricately displayed figures.

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