The clock-tower clock strikes the hour one minute before time (privilege of first stroke). There are two explanations for this privilege. When a second public clock was installed in Lucerne the older of the two was allowed to chime before all other clocks. In the late Middle Ages and the early modern times the towns and their governments struggled for more independence from the church and the emperor. The privilege of first stroke of the public clock was a political message: It was a demonstration of power of the council of the City and Republic of Lucerne by having the public clock measuring the time and striking the hour before the church bells.