The Sion astronomical clock stands in the old town and is one of the more unusual timepieces in Switzerland. Astronomical clocks were the high technology of the medieval world, tracking not just hours but the positions of the sun and moon, the calendar, and sometimes the planets. This one, installed on the town hall tower, continues to mark time in the old town in a way that connects the prosaic (telling time) to something more expansive.
The clock is a good excuse to linger in the Place du Midi and the surrounding pedestrian streets, which are lined with arcaded facades and make for a pleasant late afternoon wander before the wine bars open.