The clocktower was erected in Arta because it was a regional commercial hub and the majority of the population was Christian and, thus, receptive to the use of western technology. But the Ottomans were also slowly adopting mechanical clocks, as thousands of timepieces were sold across the empire annually. The clocktower was next to the busy central marketplace, the mosque of Bayezid II, the “Greca” synagogue, and two Christian churches. The city’s commercial, religious, and social life benefited greatly from this expensive investment, whose influence extended far: when Evliya Çelebi visited Arta in 1670, he noted that the bell was audible to a distance of one hour from the city.