Templo Expiatorio Clock – Guadalajara, Mexico - Atlas Obscura

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Templo Expiatorio Clock

Expiatory Temple

For decades, the parade of apostles that left the Expiatory Temple of Guadalajara remained hidden inside one of the towers. 

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Every hour, the 12 apostles appear in one of the towers of the huge Neo-gothic Expiatory Temple.

The monumental clock was donated to the temple in 1969 by the German philanthropist Pablo Horn. Inside the tower, a 25-bell chime was installed that played ecclesiastical hymns, but in 1972 it stopped ringing.

The clock was silent for 30 years until it was fixed in 2005. Now, every hour when the bells ring, some doors open and a parade begins where the 12 apostles appear with their liturgical elements. As the last one passes, the doors close, and the bells strike the hour.

The Expiatory Temple of Guadalajara was constructed between 1897 to 1972. It is considered the greatest work of the neo-Gothic style in Mexico.

Currently, the carillon no longer only plays liturgical songs, but among the melodies that play throughout the day are The National Anthem, Guadalajara, México Lindo, and Las mañanitas. The latter song is used to celebrate birthdays in Mexico.  

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April 22, 2021

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