Speaker
Description
Within the context of the urban transformations promoted by Ferdinand II, ranging from the Naples-Portici railway and gas lighting to road reorganization and telegraphy, the introduction of public electric clocks in Largo Mercatello and Largo di Castello contributed to redefining the image of a capital in dialogue with major European cities. Acquired in London following the Great Exhibition of 1851, these devices were not merely practical tools for regulating daily life but true urban landmarks of precision, modernity, and technological ambition.
Through a preliminary study of archival documents and contemporary chronicles, this talk reconstructs the complex histories of the two installations. The clock in Largo Mercatello, now Piazza Dante, equipped with a rare equation-of-time dial showing the difference between true solar time and mean time, represented a sophisticated example of scientific dissemination integrated into public space. By contrast, the clock in Largo di Castello, today Piazza Municipio, offered a complementary form of innovation, combining electrical transmission, illuminated dials, and high urban visibility, in line with the needs of a city developing modern infrastructure.
Comparing the two systems demonstrates how time measurement became an integral part of the Bourbon state’s effort to modernize its scientific culture and public self-representation, while also revealing how these technological innovations were perceived and experienced by the city’s inhabitants.