For the first time in 100 years, Guayaquils town clock chimed today. 

At 7 a.m. the mayor and a group of Guayaquileñeans were there to hear the clocks seven chimes. 

The clock , in the Torre Moresca on the Malecon 200, was fixed to mark the July festivities celebrating Guayaquil’s 478th anniversary. 

Another first for many is that visitors can now enter the clocktower and climb as high as the third story. To protect the clockwork, visitors will not be allowed to the top.

The Olvera House of Clocks carried out the repairs, which took about a month.

The public clock face was first installed in the City Council building in 1842. In 1907, it moved to the Waterfront Market (now known as the Cristal Palace). In 1930 it was built into its final location: the Torre Morisca, or Moorish Tower, on the Guayaquil river waterfront.

Of course, the clocktower now has an unofficial Twitter account:

BONG BONG BONG BONG buenos días #guayaquil #100años y ya di mis primeras campanadas @GuayaCaliente #RT

— Reloj Publico GYE (@RelojPublicoGYE) July 1, 2013

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