Schonach im Schwarzwald, Germany

World's Largest Cuckoo Clock

A Black Forest cuckoo clock theme park features one timepiece big enough to walk inside.

The cuckoo clock in Triberg-Schonach chimes twice an hour. Each time, the call comes from pipes 13 feet long.

This is the world’s largest cuckoo clock, a distinction its held since 1997. It has become the main draw of Germany’s Eble Uhren-Park.

Local clockmakers Ewald and Ralf Eble showcased their mastery of the craft in the creation of this massive cuckoo clock. They followed century-old blueprints to build a clock using traditional Black Forest craftsmanship—but 60 times the size. The dimensions are impressive: The clockwork is 15 feet tall and weights 6 tons. The cuckoo itself weighs 330 pounds, and the swinging pendulum is 26 feet long.

Just like the smaller traditional models, the world’s biggest cuckoo clock has one weight to drive the pendulum and another to drive the cuckoo. Constructing the giant timepiece required a great deal of precision and mastery. Given its unprecedented size, every piece needed to be custom made. Visitors are able to walk inside the clock to see the impressive mechanics in action.

The world’s largest cuckoo clock was completed in 1994 after five years of construction. It earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records three years later and has held the title ever since.

Know Before You Go

Every 30 minutes the clock comes to life and you can enjoy the show, so plan to visit on the hour or half hour.

Tours are offered in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian and Spanish

Opening hours:
Easter to October from Monday to Saturday 9.00 to 18.00 and Sundays from 10.00 to 18.00
November to Easter from Monday to Saturday 9.00 to 17.30 and Sundays 11.00 to 17.00

Entrance fee is 2 Euro, children under 10 years are free

The giant cuckoo clock is part of the Eble Uhren-Park, which displays over 1,000 square meters of original Black Forest clocks from the Eble workshop. Grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and cuckoos, as well as other clock-themed merchandise are available for purchase.