If you’ve ever wandered into the internal courtyard of the Grand Masters’ Palace in Valletta, you’ve likely noticed the Pinto Clock, an elegant timepiece named after the Grand Master who commissioned it – Manuel Pinto de Fonseca.

Like many historic clock towers, this one is far from simple. Built in 1745, about 150 years after St John’s Co-Cathedral, the tower features four dials displaying the hour, lunar phase, month, and day – all in Italian!

But what truly sets the Pinto Clock apart is its unique bell design. Unlike traditional bell towers, which use a more conventional cup-shaped structure, the bells of the Pinto Clock are hemispherical. This design choice wasn’t just for aesthetics, it was practical one. The Grand Masters ensured that the clock’s chimes wouldn’t compete with the powerful tolls of St John’s Co-Cathedral, a structure of immense religious and cultural significance in the capital, even back then. By making the bells quieter, they struck a balance between function and harmony within Valletta’s soundscape.

This small but fascinating detail shows just how much thought went into the city’s historic landmarks that we might pass by on a regular basis without thinking twice!

Had you ever noticed these particular bells?