This is the largest clock in Efteling
15 May 2025Discover the Magic Clock on the façade of the Efteling Grand Hotel: a spellbinding clock that every visitor to the park will soon pass beneath in wonder.
Designer Karel Willemen: “From this summer onwards, visitors entering the park will pass through the 9-metre-high, 16-metre-wide arcade of the Efteling Grand Hotel. This impressive gateway will be the portal to the World of Wonders, where time and age are left behind, and imagination becomes reality. High above the arcade hangs the Magic Clock. It spans over four metres, making it the largest timepiece in all of Efteling!”
Karel: “Look closely, and you’ll see many Efteling symbols on the face of this gigantic timepiece. The clock ‘reads’ every guest who walks beneath it and creates the perfect Efteling day just for them. The Magic Clock will also play a spellbinding role in the new Aquanura show, Efteling Symphonica.”
The story of the Magic Clock
The largest clock in Efteling wasn’t always so huge. The story goes that the Grand Hotel was once a humble inn. One day, to thank him for his hospitality, a mysterious guest gave the innkeeper a magical clock. When the innkeeper wound up the clock, his little inn began to grow and grow... It kept on growing until it eventually became the Efteling Grand Hotel, and the little clock became the Magic Clock! The complete story of how the Efteling Grand Hotel came to be will soon be published in the book Fairytales from the Efteling Grand Hotel.
Excerpt from the fairytale 'The Clock of Hospitality'
Nathan took the key and put it carefully in the hole in the clock face, between the green circles. He turned and turned. The weights went up and up until they were hanging just a little under the clockwork. The pendulum continued to swing serenely back and forth. The ticking had already become comforting and familiar.
That night, Nathan and Eline were suddenly awakened by a ghostly noise. What was that terrible cracking? It sounded as though a tree trunk was being split in two by invisible lightning.
When they got up in the morning, they almost fell over from amazement. They knew that it was impossible, but yet it seemed that their inn… had suddenly grown bigger. When they looked more closely, they saw that it was true! Right next to the door of the guest room, there was a new door, which led to a second guest room. A room with lovely soft beds, real beds with springy mattresses and freshly washed sheets.
Ready for a grand entrance?
The Efteling Grand Hotel opens on 1 August 2025. Here, young and old alike discover the magical atmosphere of a Grand Hotel. With personal attention, surprising restaurants, and an exceptional hotel team, the Efteling Grand Hotel makes every stay truly grand.