This archive report was first published on 20 September 2019.
Located in the heart of Mathari in Nyeri County, a 117-year-old tower clock has stood the test of time, still summoning some residents for prayers.
At the Consolata Mission, which hosts a church, nursing school, and hospital, the tower features four clocks showing slightly different times.
Powered by wind, the tower clock displays time in Roman numbers, a unique feature that has fascinated locals and visitors alike.
At the centre of the tower stands a copper bell that rings according to the hour, for example, if it is 12 o'clock, it will ring 12 times.
"It is hard to read the clocks because each reads a different time, but the bell will ring at a specific time of the day," said Father David Mutahi of the Consolata Missionaries.
Brother Luigi Falda, an Italian Consolata missionary, built the tower in 1902, taking a year to complete the work.
The Consolata Missionaries came to Nyeri in search of land to start a farm, demonstrating to Africans how to farm.
Today, the clock is a monument to the Consolata Missionaries' long history in Kenya, particularly their settlement in Nyeri.
Despite its significance, the bell has little importance to residents, who now have watches and clocks at home.
However, nuns and priests at the church still use the clock and bell to tell when to hold prayers.
