Deciphering Malta’s Church Bells

The bells first indicate the minutes (in quarters), followed by a pause and finally the hour.

Minutes:

• 🔔 = :15
• 🔔🔔 = :30
• 🔔🔔🔔 = :45
• 🔔🔔🔔🔔 = :00

Hours - up to 6 bongs (reset every 6 hours):

• 🔔 = 1 or 7 am/pm
• 🔔🔔 = 2 or 8 am/pm
• 🔔🔔🔔 = 3 or 9 am/pm
• 🔔🔔🔔🔔 = 4 or 10 am/pm
• 🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔 = 5 or 11 am/pm
• 🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔 = 6 or 12 am/pm

So for example 3:30 pm is 2 bongs (:30) followed by 3 bongs (3 pm), and noon is 4 bongs (:00) followed by 6 bongs (12 pm).