Castles usually do not have a clock on their tower. In the Castle of Fontanellato the clock is situated on the donjon, restored in 1997. This shows us the strong connection between the civic importance and the political role of the Sanvitale family.
It has two faces and strikes thanks to three bells. On the internal face there is the inscription “Antonio Filipo Pelegrinelli 1739 did it”. As the mechanism of the clock was yet built in the first half of 1600 by order of Count Alessandro Sanvitale, it was due to be restored in the XVIIth century. The twelve hours are represented by Roman numbers.

• the first bell strikes the quarters: one at a quarter past, two at half past, three at a quarter to, and four at 2 minutes to every full hour;
• the second bell strikes the actual hour but only with six touches; will say you have to add six in the morning (from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m.) and in the evening (from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m.);
• the third bell strikes at exactly the full hour for both cycles of the day and of the night.

For the repair of the tower's clock, visit the site: www.gorla-a.it