The Tower of the Winds is an octagonal marble clock-tower in the Roman Agora (ancient market) section of Athens.  It originally functioned as a combination sundial, water clock and weather (wind) vane and probably was built by Andronicus of Cyrrhus around 50 BC.  It is 42 feet tall with an inside diameter of 26 feet.  Originally it was topped by a weathervane which indicated the wind direction.  Below the top frieze depicting the eight wind deities, there were eight sundials.  In the interior, there was a water clock, driven by water coming down from the Acropolis.  The considerable height of the tower was motivated by the intention to place it at a visible height in the market , effectively making it an early example of a clock-tower.

In early Christian times, the building was used as the bell-tower of a Byzantine Church.  Under Ottoman rule it became a place of spiritual retreat and was used by whirling dervishes.  At that time it was buried up to half its height, which saved it from becoming - just another Athens ruin.  It was fully excavated in the 19th century.

The architectural design of the Tower of the Winds has inspired many other structures in the world - among them, the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford, the 15th century Torre del Marzocco in Italy, the Temple of the Winds in Ireland, and a similar tower in the Ukraine.

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