The House · Chapter 07
The Water Clock
A rare 19th-century water clock in the inner courtyard — one of only two in Rome.
The central courtyard fountain feeds a rare 19th-century water clock, installed in 1870 by Father Giovanni Battista Embriaco of the nearby Convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It is one of only two water clocks in Rome.
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— How it works —
A small hydraulic mechanism converts the fall of water from the courtyard fountain into the movement of the clock's hands — no electricity, no batteries, only water.
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— Where to see it —
Cross the historic courtyard from the Piazza della Pigna 6 entrance; the water clock stands against the far wall, next to the grand staircase leading up to the Winter Garden Level.