In 1743, engineer Joris Prosper drew up a project to expand the Port of Barcelona, which included building the first lighthouse to guide incoming vessels at the end of the western arm of the dock. The design of this lighthouse underwent several proposals —some of which were quite grand— and it was ultimately constructed in 1772, following the completion of the Ponent quay. Besides the lighthouse, the quay also housed the passport office, a health control centre, the Naval Command headquarters, and the port pilot's cottage.
As a result of the port's expansion, the lighthouse became obsolete in 1904 when a new lighthouse was constructed on Montjuïc Mountain. There was even a proposal to demolish the old lighthouse in order to clear the quays for commercial activities. However, some members of the port's Board of Works recognised its historical and cultural significance and decided to preserve the lighthouse for its historical and heritage value, and ultimately, only the buildings surrounding it were destroyed. In 1912, the lighthouse lamp was replaced by a large clock featuring four dials. The original clock was assembled and maintained by the clockmaker Josep Besses. Interestingly, this clock was originally intended for the new Naval Command building, but it was temporarily installed in the tower, where it remains to this day. Once the clock had been installed, the building not only changed its function and physical appearance but also became popularly known as the Torre del Rellotge (the Clock Tower), which the port's workers and pedestrians used to tell the time. Over the years, the Torre del Rellotge has emerged as a well-known symbol of the Barceloneta neighbourhood and the city of Barcelona as a whole. It is also the oldest heritage building in the Port of Barcelona.
In 2022, the tower's 250th anniversary was celebrated with various activities and events, including the restoration of the second clock mechanism made by Manufacturas Blasco, which is now on display in the tower's vestibule.
Thanks to the remodelling of the Moll de Pescadors, visitors can now access and admire this unique tower at close quarters.
