The Ottoman Sultan, who ruled from 1876 to 1909, had erected four more of these imposing clock towers in Safed, Haifa, Acre and Nablus.

The plaque of his seal, which was placed 40 feet (12 meters) high on the tallest and most impressive tower in Jaffa, was a stark reminder to those entering the city of the Sultan’s autocratic rule over the Land of Israel and his pan-Islamic opposition to Western intervention in Ottoman affairs, a policy which ultimately led to World War I.

THE SEAL IS RESTORED

The Clock Tower in Jaffa

The sultan’s seal is a monogram representing the Ottoman Empire that incorporates the sultan’s name, his titles, his father’s name and blessings, along with symbolic characteristics of the kingdom. It served as the sultan’s official seal on documents, public buildings and coins.