A Forgotten Heritage Resurfaces
The Can Batlló neighbourhood has taken a significant step towards preserving its industrial heritage with the recovery of an old clock that marked the rhythm of the long working days in the factory. This clock, from the renowned German brand Lenzkirch, had been forgotten for years, located at 19 Carrer de la Constitució.
Leading the Restoration
Joan Antoni Molina, a retired master watchmaker from La Bordeta, has taken the initiative to restore this iconic clock. Molina has shared that, despite decades of inactivity, the clock mechanism was in surprisingly good condition, thanks to the quality of its manufacture. ‘I have cleaned it, oiled it and repaired the pendulum support,’ he explains, highlighting that no further extensive work was necessary for the clock to start keeping time again.
Restoration details
The restoration is not limited to the mechanism alone. Improvements are being made to the clock face and the surrounding wooden structure, tasks that are being carried out by the Infrastructure and Art committees of the Can Batlló Association. The work is being carried out in the neighbourhood’s self-managed workshops, where the community is coming together to revive this piece of history.
A Watch with History
Research carried out by Molina reveals that the clock was made in a town in the south-west of Germany, in the Black Forest. Through contacts with an association of former Lenzkirch workers, data has been collected that allows the clock to be dated. It is estimated that it arrived at Can Batlló between 1906 and 1921, although its manufacture dates back to 1897, as indicated by the serial number engraved on the mechanism: 958.622.
Celebrating Recovery
The restoration is scheduled to be completed by the end of February, when the clock will be carefully moved to its original location. This process will require the collaboration of a group of volunteers to ensure that the clock, due to its age and weight, is moved without problems. To commemorate this event, the Can Batlló Association is organizing a popular festival that will celebrate the recovery of this working class symbol, which will once again mark time in La Bordeta… as long as someone is responsible for winding it up each week.