The painstaking restoration of the Victoria Clock Tower Monument began on Sunday morning, launching a coordinated national effort to preserve one of Seychelles’ most recognisable landmarks. The British‑based contractor Gillett & Johnston, specialists in historic clock mechanisms, started dismantling the structure under the watch of Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein and Benjamine Rose, executive director of the Seychelles National Heritage Resource Council.
Rose told media that the delicate dismantling phase is expected to conclude by Tuesday, after which the tower will be transported to a secure warehouse in Mont Fleuri for detailed conservation work. The project, funded through a mix of government appropriation and private heritage grants, aims to address decades of salt‑air corrosion, mechanical wear, and subtle structural shifts that have compromised the tower’s integrity.
Erected in 1903 to commemorate Seychelles’ transition from a dependency of Mauritius to a Crown colony, the clock tower is far more than a timepiece; it is a symbol of colonial history, national identity, and urban continuity. Its chimes have marked everything from royal proclamations to independence celebrations, embedding the structure in the collective memory of generations of Seychellois.
The restoration comes at a moment when Victoria’s urban landscape is rapidly modernising, raising questions about how to balance heritage preservation with development. For the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the clock‑tower project is a flagship demonstration that historic preservation can align with contemporary urban vitality. When the tower returns to its plinth—scheduled for late 2026—it will not only tell the correct time but also tell a story of a nation that values its past while steadily building its future.
