January 04, 2018, Gijón, Asturias |

SICE maintains the 152-years clock striking the midnight sound for New Year’s Eve in Gijón

The Town Hall presiding the Main Square of Gijón was built 152 years ago. Its facade is crowned by an element of half a sphere where a large clock was placed, just below a turret with the shield of the city is present. For more than a century and a half, this watch has been "loaded" with the responsibility of setting the "official" time for the whole city, and especially the turn of year.

In this line, SICE has gladly accepted the responsibility for keeping the clock, applying its experience and know-how for the City Council in this area.

To ensure perfect synchronization of the consistorial clock, the device has a radio signal reception system containing the exact minute, time, day, date and timing information. In this way, summer/winter time changes are automatically received and absolute accuracy is guaranteed. It is not necessary to continuously pick up this signal: a few minutes a day reception through an antenna installed inside or outside is enough to ensure synchronization of the clock.

This signal comes from radio stations in France (FI 162), Germany (DCF) and the United Kingdom (MSF), capable of reaching across Europe and into North Africa. Although the system receives this signal automatically, a SICE’s expert must intervene to periodically check that the hand system visible from the outside is correctly synchronized with the radio system.

Although during the rest of the year at 12 noon on the Town Hall’s clock plays "Asturias patria querida", the day 01/01 “Ode to Joy” was played to wish everyone a Happy New Year. 

Watch the video with the news at Radio Televisión del Principado de Asturias (RTPA)