Prague - Astronomical Clock

In case you’ve been wondering about the tiny picture in the left bar…well that is the Orloj, reputed to be the third oldest clock in the world and the oldest one still working located in Prague.  The mystery about the astronomical clock is that no one knows exactly how old it really is.

Located on the southern wall of the Old Town City Hall in Old Town Square in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, it is truly a wonder to behold.  Not only does it tell time, but symbols of the zodiac tell the course of the heavens.  When the bell tolls, windows fly open andmechanical apostles, skeletons, and "sinners" begin their hourly show (although it can only be seen from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.).  Watch this video to see the whole performance.

History of the Prague Clock

It is believed the original clock tower in Prague was built about 1410 by Mikulas of Kadan in collaboration with Jan Ondrejuv called Sindel, professor of mathematics and astronomy of Prague Charles University.  At that time the clock showed only astronomical data.

Later, in 1490, the tower facade was decorated with flamboyant Gothic sculptures and a golden calendar dial.  1865-66 brought still more additions such as the wooden carvings of the twelve apostles and a calendar disk with astrological signs.

The clock and the entire City Hall suffered much damage during WorldWar II in May 1945. On the last day of the war, the centre of old Prague was the aim of Nazi artillery.  Fortunately, everything could be reconstructed and the figures of the apostles replaced by the creations of the woodcarver Vojtech Sucharda following the war.

Legend of Prague's Clock

Before it was known who actually built the original clock, natives claimed that Hanus the clockmaker was the originator, and town officials had him blinded so that he would never duplicate his masterpiece.

In revenge, the blind man climbed the tower and stopped his creation. The clock remained silent for more than fifty years. Centuries later, during dreary decades of communist domination, the legend of the blinded clockmaker became a metaphor for thwarted creativity.   A children’s fiction book called The Cabinet of Wonders (2008) by MarieRutkoski is a fantasy with roots to this legend.

The Figures on the Clock

In addition to the figures of the 12 apostles there are also eight figures on the left and right side of the clock dial and the calendar.

The four figures at the clock dial are symbols of Prague medieval society. On the left are Vanity admiring himself in a mirror and the Miser/Jewholding his bag of gold. On the right are represented Death ringing his belland a Turk (or The Piper) shaking his head.

Under the clock dial you will see the Calendar painted by Josef Manes in 1805.  Well, the one you will see is actually a replica, the original is kept on the sides of the stairway of the Prague Museum of History.  On the calendar you will see a chronicler, an angel, an astronomer and a philosopher (from left to right).

The Clock Tower is also decorated with exquisite coats of arms and different royal symbols. There is also a rooster that crows after the Apostles have finished their blessing.

Astronomical Dial

The Astronomical Dial shows the medieval perception of the Universe: the Earth is the center. The blue part of the dial represents the sky above the horizon, the brown part the sky below it. There are Latin words ORTVS (east) and OCCASVS (west) written above the horizon, and AVRORA (dawn) and CPEPVSCVLVM (twilight) below. There is a Zodiac ring, which represents the stars in the sky and it moves according to it. The two clock hands bear the signs of the Sun and the Moon. 

There are three circles on the dial, showing different time: the outer circle with Schwabacher numerals shows the Old Czech Time (“Italian Time”), the circle with Roman numerals shows the Central European Time, and the inner circle with Arabic numerals shows the “Babylonian Time”: the length of an hour differs there according to the season – it is longer in the summer, shorter in the winter. The Prague Astronomical Clock is the only one in the world able to measure it. Furthermore, the little star by the zodiac ring shows the sidereal time.

Calendar Dial

The newest part of the clock is the Calendar Dial. The Prague Old Town symbol graces the centre. The rotary outer circle describes every single day of the year, and the current date is indicated at the top. There are also medallions with zodiac signs and with pictures depicting every month.

600th Anniversary

On October 9, 2010, the Clock's 600th anniversary was celebrated with a light show on the face of the clock tower. Two HD projectors were used to project several animated videos on the clock.  This video is absolutely amazing and you must watch it!

The videos showed it being built, torn down, rebuilt, and peeled away to show its internal mechanisms and the famous animated figures, as well as various events in the clock's history.

As much as I tried to “understand” the clock as I read several resources, it still defied my imagination.  I guess we’ll just have to print this (or any other explanation you find) and stand in wonder while we try to piece together the intricacies and beauty of this fabulous feat of engineering.