Rising adjacent to the Mirahori Mosque, just south of the city’s Old Bazaar, its construction was inspired by the original 18th century clock tower that was destroyed by the earthquake of 1960.

In his encyclopedia, Sami Frashëri describes it as "a city with 757 shops and warehouses, 23 hans, two hammams, a flour mill and a clock tower".

Contemporary newspaper articles quoted snippets of the plan to modernize the tower, which was to add reinforced concrete to its upper sections and raise its height by two meters.

Photographs from this period show significant changes to the structure, including the closure of its original windows, plastering over the stonemasonry and the addition of new elements such as iron railings.

Completed in 2016, the new structure was built using modern construction materials and methods while incorporating stone cladding to reflect the tower’s original appearance.