EV7 - Day 9 - What Time is it Really?

We cycled from Peschiera della Garda to Mantova, 35 miles of flat land, mostly on dedicated bike path, mostly along the River Mincio, and totally without rain (yippee). There wasn’t much bike traffic on this mid-week day, so overall a peaceful, pleasant ride. Mantova is a medieval town surrounded on three sides by man-made lakes. It has an interesting history and several museums but is definitely off the beaten track. There are tourists, but much, much less than Verona and even Lucca! Today’s blip is the 15th century town clock tower with an astrological clock. It originally had 8 functions that allowed people to know: 1. The hour from X to XII. 2. The Sun Sign and degree. 3. The Lunar Phase and degree. 4. The Ascendant & Descendants. 5. Which planet dominates the daily & nocturnal hours. 6. The hour of the Mantuans. 7. The hour of the astrologers. 8. Day and night length during the year. Over the centuries, the clock lost its astronomical and astrological functions, until it simply showed the time like any ordinary clock. Extras is closeup of clock face and fountain face at base of clock.