2-368-886 - Samuel Magal/Sites & Photos/Heritage Images

The Tower of the Winds, Roman Agora, Athens, Greece. The Tower of the Winds (Aerides) or the Horologion of Kyrrhestos was built by the astronomer Andronikos from Kyrrhos in Macedonia. It is an octagonal tower of pentelic marble standing on a base with three steps. It has a conical roof, a cylindrical annex at the south side and two propyla at the NE and NW sides. A bronze weather-vane, with the figure of a Triton, indicated the direction of the winds, personifications of which are carved in relief at the top of each of the sides. Beneath each wind, curved rays in various forms consisted a sunclock. During cloudy days and nights a waterclock installation inside the building was used instead.