Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Viseu > Tabuaço > Tabuaço
The extraordinary Clock, known as "Rijomax", is currently exhibited in Tabuaço's Interactive Tourism Shop. Its central position in the locality, in the heart of the village, makes it easily accessible for those exploring Tabuaço, inviting a stop to contemplate this unique artifact. The Tourism Shop, a welcoming space, offers the ideal setting to appreciate the dimension and detail of this singular invention.
The "Rijomax" is the masterpiece of Amândio José Ribeiro, a watchmaker and goldsmith from Tabuaço, considered a true self-taught genius. The construction of this remarkable piece consumed more than twenty-eight years of his life, between 1945 and 1973, dedicating over sixteen thousand hours of meticulous work to it. This dedication and the complexity of the result led to the "Rijomax" being internationally recognized, even featuring in the Guinness Book of Records, irrefutable proof of its singularity and its creator's talent.
The "Rijomax" was designed to be the most complete clock in the world, surpassing the mere indication of hours and minutes. Composed of four distinct modules, it had forty-five dials and could execute thirty-four functions simultaneously. In addition to marking seconds, minutes, 24 hours, and universal and lunar hours, it indicated the movements of the Sun and Moon, sunrise and sunset, and the duration of day and night. It signaled equinoxes, solstices, Moon phases with its own light, and even automatically corrected leap years. It went even further, providing information on weeks, months, years, seasons, zodiac signs, semesters and quarters, weather changes, holidays and Saints' days, integrating even a barometer, thermometer, and a cardinal points display. Its sophistication extended to functions such as an alarm clock with music and the ability to "speak", announcing the time and uttering greetings.
After the death of its inventor in 2002, the "Rijomax" stopped, and its intrinsic complexity has prevented it from functioning again. However, even inactive, this clock, standing over two meters tall and weighing one hundred and fifty kilograms, with over sixteen thousand numerals and letters, continues to be a source of great fascination. Acquired by the Tabuaço City Council, it is now an integral part of the municipality's heritage, remaining a lasting testament to the perseverance and ingenuity of Amândio José Ribeiro. Its presence in the Tourism Shop invites reflection on the vastness of time and the human capacity to measure and interpret it in surprising ways.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.1171961,-7.5669804
Coordinates DMS: 41°07'1.9"N 07°34'1.1"W
Weather Tabuaço
On-duty Pharmacy Tabuaço
