8TMT 1220/9 Town Hall Alsfeld
VdS-certified original – authentic Black Forest clockmaking.
CARE & MAINTENANCE
Black Forest cuckoo clocks are robust, long-lasting timepieces. Occasionally wipe the case with a dry, soft cloth. The movement should be cleaned and oiled by a specialist every 5 years. Keep the clock away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature fluctuations to protect the natural wood.
SHIPPING & RETURNS
We ship every clock carefully packaged and insured with DHL, usually within 3–5 working days. Delivery is free within Germany and throughout the EU; for all other countries the shipping cost is shown during checkout. If you are not completely satisfied with your clock, you may return it within 14 days. Simply contact us at info@schneider-clocks.com.
Technical Data
| Movement Type | 8-day movement |
| Drive | Mechanical |
| Night Shut-Off | Automatic |
| Height (cm) | 54.0 |
| Pinecone Weights (g) | 1260 |
| With Music | true |
| Music Pieces | Edelweiss; The Happy Wanderer |
| Melodies | 2 |
| Notes | 36 |
| Moving Elements | Night watchman, dancers |
| With Dancers | true |
German Half-Timbering, Rebuilt in the Black Forest
The Rathaus Alsfeld – one of Germany's most beautiful half-timbered buildings – now stands as a cuckoo clock on your wall. For over 500 years, the original has defined the marketplace of this Hessian half-timbered town; this clock translates it beam by beam in handwork: the steep shingle roof with its pointed corner turrets, the white infill panels with dark red timber framing, the blue-backed lattice windows.
Below, people stroll across the marketplace, above, the figures dance on the balcony, and the cuckoo calls, just as the tower clock once did. A piece of German cultural heritage, handcrafted and built to last.
Closing Time on the Marketplace
Life plays out in front of the ground floor's Gothic arched windows: at the standing table, a merchant offers his wares, his counterpart skeptically strokes his chin as he inspects them, a dachshund watches patiently. Two children stroll past hand in hand – and from the archway steps the night watchman with lantern and floppy hat, beginning his round. As soon as the clock strikes, he sets off, as if making his way through the lanes at dusk.
At the edge, a small wooden signpost points to Frankfurt, Heidelberg and Freiburg, chained bollards line the sand-strewn square. The longer you look, the more you discover – just like a real marketplace shortly before nightfall.
A Coat of Arms From the Black Forest
On its pendulum, the Rathaus Alsfeld carries its origin like a seal: the faceted, carved pendulum disc bears a raised fir tree – the emblem of the Black Forest, where this clock comes from. It swings back and forth beneath the case in a steady rhythm, flanked by the three pinecone weights on their chains.
So in this clock, two traditions meet: the Hessian half-timbering in the case, and the Black Forest clockmaking craft that brings it to life.
The Mechanical 8-Day Movement
Inside works a mechanical 8-day movement – the top class among cuckoo clock movements. Wound once, the clock runs for a full week, driving everything at once: the pendulum, the cuckoo's call, the music box, and the wandering night watchman. Three pinecone weights of 1,260 grams each supply the energy.
This design with pendulum and pinecone weights has its roots in the 18th-century Black Forest, where farmhouse clockmaking grew into a world-famous craft tradition. To this day, this principle continues almost unchanged: the descending weights drive the movement, the pendulum sets the tempo. It's wound once a week by pulling the weights back up via their chains – a small ritual that has been part of living with a genuine Black Forest clock for generations.