News
Leganés brings its giant carillon back to life after 12 years of silence and amazes Madrid
The largest carillon in Spain is ringing again in Leganés. It has been restored after more than a decade out of action. Its automatons and bells are surprising locals and visitors alike. The show returns to the main square. Discover how tradition and technology come together.
Spain's largest carillon comes back to life in Leganés. After more than 12 years out of operation, this iconic clock of automata and bells returns to the main square on Monday 19 January, marking the hours on the façade of the Casa Consistorial.
The restoration has returned the urban spectacle to the city. The inauguration is scheduled for 12 noon, with the machinery ready to surprise all attendees.
The mechanism, the work of Swiss master Jean-François Junod, combines engineering and art. It uses 19th-century French machinery and bronze bells cast in the Netherlands. The ensemble has 24 bells and six automata almost two metres tall, which travel 15 metres to the rhythm of the music.
Since its inauguration in 2006, the carillon had received hardly any maintenance. Now, the restoration includes an electric motor and GPS antenna to guarantee the spectacle's accuracy and punctuality.
The clock's figures represent symbols of Madrid tradition. Among the automata are an older person, two young people playing football, a horse, a Goya-style woman and a town crier with a trumpet. Each reflects the identity and urban memory of Leganés.
Mayor Miguel Ángel Recuenco stresses that the repair is a commitment to local history. Very soon, the characters will move again to the music, restoring to the city one of its most distinctive heritage assets.