Le Meridiane di Monteombraro
Due antiche meridiane per misurare il tempo a Monteombraro
In the Casa Ronchi area of Monteombraro there are two Sundials recorded in the international sundial catalogue “Catalogo Internazionale Meridiane” with the codes IT014778 and IT014779.
The sundial, invented as a real sun clock to measure time, despite no longer having its practical validity, has acquired an undeniable charm. This is due above all to its somewhat mysterious functioning and its unusual appearance halfway between artistic and cabala. Nowadays, the sundial has become a rare and particular piece of furniture of the urban landscape.
In Casa Ronchi, the south-east sundial seems to be the result of a restoration of the ancient inner courtyard (from the 16th century), where the solar clock was used to indicate the hours of the morning to those who worked there. The second, to the south-west, thanks to the light that shines through the hole of its star, indicates the hours of noon and evening. The latter is decorated with a rustic motif, with hour lines in copper and the auspicious motto “may time rest lightly on you”.