Legend has it that at the beginning of the 15th century, the Old Town Magistrate decided to install a clock on the tower, which should represent real symbol privileged position and wealth of Prague, which will arouse the envy and admiration of visitors. To construct the watch, they called in the best watchmaker in the Czech Republic at that time - master Mikulas from Kadania and Charles University astronomer Jan Schindel. The chimes began operating in 1410.
In 1490, the scientist Hanush was called to reconstruct the clock.
Master Hanush created most of the sculptural decorations of the Prague chimes. He was honored not only by scientists, but also by the top officials of the city, who were proud that there were no clocks like those in Prague anywhere. There is a legend about tragic fate master Hanush, who, it seemed, could live comfortably for the rest of his life, relying on the gratitude of the city leaders. According to legend, the head of the city came up with the idea that Master Ganush, known to many for his talent, could make a clock in another city, and perhaps it would be even better than the Old Town clock. This could not be allowed under any circumstances, so as not to shake the glory of Prague, a decision was made to blind the master. They came to the unsuspecting master at night unknown people wearing masks. They quietly crept into Ganush’s room, opening the door with their key, grabbed and blinded him, and one of them said, leaving: “Now you won’t make another clock!” Master Ganush survived, but could no longer work. For long hours he sat in the corner of his workshop and thought bitterly about the gratitude that was paid to him for his work. All of Prague discussed the terrible crime with horror, but the villains were never captured. The blinded Ganush quickly grew old, he was no longer recognized on the streets, and the primator and city councilors turned away when they met. When the master felt that he was dying, he asked his student to take him to the town hall, went up into it and, under the pretext that he was going to check the mechanism, managed to ruin the clock and it stopped. Legend has it that Master Hanush stepped into the clockwork, thereby stopping the clock and his life. The clock is still long years stood and no one could fix them. So the master finally took revenge on the ungrateful city for his blindness.
Currently, the “Courant” is the most famous astronomical clock in Europe and represents a whole complex of sculptural elements that, at first glance, are completely incomprehensible. Under the hour dial there is a second one, with symbolic designations of the twelve zodiac constellations. Every day the circle with the constellations turns one tooth and within a year each picture is at the top. Above the clock there are two small doors decorated with stars. On the sides the clock is bordered by pilasters decorated with relief stone ornaments and small statues that depict Death, a Turk, a miser with a purse, saints, etc. The whole thing is crowned by a gracefully curved roof protruding from the wall and resting on the pilasters. Every time the clock strikes, a real performance unfolds, which hundreds of tourists from different parts of the world eagerly await.
The figure of Death in the form of a skeleton in the lower window strikes the bell, striking the time, the doors above the dial open and the figures of the twelve holy apostles slowly emerge from one of them, moving towards the other, describing a semicircle. The figures are followed by Christ himself. The stone apostles do not just pass by, they turn their heads to the people watching them and disappear behind the door again. The figure of Death turns over hourglass and nods to the figure of the Turk, in response he shakes his head negatively. At the same time, the figurine of a man, symbolizing stinginess, shakes his wallet, and the figurine of a spendthrift looks in the mirror.
It is not difficult to imagine what impression the Old Town Clock made in an era that did not know any technical achievements. For ordinary people they were almost a miracle for those who were interested in physics and astronomy - an excellent tool for determining the position of the Sun, Moon and constellations, the time of sunset and sunrise of the current day. It is also necessary to pay attention to the tower itself on which the clock is installed. It is one of the highest in this part of the city - its height reaches 70 m.
Currently, weddings are held at the Old Town Hall, and you can also go in and see the tower from the inside. From above it looks as if the tower is standing a little crooked and is about to fall.
Legend of the Prague Orloj, Astronomical Clock in Prague
Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) is undoubtedly one of the main, most beautiful and fabulous squares in Prague. Old Town Square is located in the historical center of Prague, on the Stare Mesto side. Due to its location, Old Town Square is also called Old Town Square.
Old Town Square is perhaps the most large area old Prague. This place is quite piquant, and all thanks to the fact that the square contains a large number of attractions that, like a magnet, attract tourists from all over the world.
In addition to the mass of the main city attractions, the square itself is surrounded by city houses with facades, some more beautiful than others, intertwining several architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo. All this together forms fabulous view And festive atmosphere the entire area.
The history of Old Town Square or Staromak, as it was also called, began in the 10th century. Then it was the central market square, surrounded by taverns and inns. Gradually, the city began to grow around the square. During its existence, the area has been gifted rich history, even in ancient times, coronation processions took place on the square, as well as clashes of classes and executions. After the abolition of public executions, various fairs, holidays and festivities began to take place on the square.
To this day, an atmosphere of celebration and general fun reigns on the square. There are tents along the perimeter, from which there is a lively trade in souvenirs and. The street food tents give off a simply amazing smell of sweet trdeliki and smoked pork knee. It’s simply impossible to pass by and not try the delicacy.
A stage is set up in the center of the square and concerts are held.
You can take a horseback ride through the square and the old town. And street performers entertain honest people. All this together looks very interesting and exciting.
The main attraction of the square is the City Hall, towering and visible from many points of the old city, it is also called Old Town Hall/Staromestska radnice.
The Old Town Hall was built on the square in 1338 as the seat of city government and was initially called the City Hall; it was the first grandiose building on the square at that time. Afterwards, in 1410, they were installed on the town hall astronomical clock, those same famous Prague Orloj. During its long existence, the town hall was restored and expanded many times. Nowadays you can still enjoy the oldest part of the town hall complex, this is a Gothic tower with a bay window chapel and a unique astronomical clock.
It is on this town hall, the clock tower, that one of the most famous clocks in the world is located - Orloy astronomical clock/ Prazsky Orloj. Perhaps the Old Town Hall, together with the Orloj clock, is not only the main attraction of the square, but of the whole of Prague, if not the Czech Republic.
The Prague Astronomical Clock Orloj is a very complex mechanism, the creation of which was once worked on by best master watchmaker - Mikulas from Copenhagen. When creating the watch, Mikulas consulted best mathematics and the astronomer of his time Jan Schindel. The most interesting thing is that the main legend surrounding this clock is not connected with its ancestor, but with a completely different master - Ganush, who subsequently modified the chimes. After his work, Hanusha was blinded by the city authorities so that he could never create the same clock for another city again.
The mechanism of the Orloy watch is considered very complex to this day, since on the watch you can see not only the time of day and the current date, but also the time of sunset and sunrise of the Moon and Sun, as well as the locations of all 12 zodiac signs and the position of the Earth relative to the Sun. These outstanding and beautiful-looking watches were made by masters of the 14th century.
For the entertainment of ordinary citizens, clocks were invented and installed characters, which moved to the sound of the clock striking, each playing their role. So the clock also turned into a medieval theater. To this day, every hour (from 9.00 to 23.00), when the chimes strike, the figures on the clock come to life. In two windows above the clock dial you can see 12 apostles moving alternately.
In addition to the apostles, there are nine more figures on the clock, each playing their own role: the Skeleton (Czech Smertyushka) turns the clock over and rings an invitation to follow him, the Arrogant Man looking at himself in the mirror, the Miser has a bag of money in his hands, the Turk (a symbol of pleasure and vice) negatively shakes the skeleton head, because he really doesn’t want to leave at the sign of Death. The whole performance is completed by a trumpeter who goes out onto the platform under the arches of the town hall and solemnly celebrates the onset of a new hour.
Thanks to this concert, every hour hundreds of tourists gather on Old Town Square under the Orloj clock, everyone eager to photograph or film such a breathtaking performance. All this, of course, must be seen with your own eyes. The video doesn’t convey all the charm of the figures’ concert, but general atmosphere delight and “holiday” is clearly visible:
At the very top of the Old Town Hall there is an observation deck; you can climb up to the platform and admire the beautiful panorama of the old town of Prague. Adult ticket 130 CZK, child, student and pensioner ticket - 80 KC.
The main dominant feature of the Old Town Square, after the Old Town Hall, naturally, is the two-tower Tynsky Temple. The true name of the Tyn Temple sounds like the Temple of the Virgin Mary before Tyn/Chram Matky Bozi pred Tynem. Tyn is a courtyard or Tyn courtyard located just behind the Old Town Square. Hence the name of the Temple of the Virgin Mary, which eventually became known as the Temple before Tyn or the Tyn Temple.
Two buildings of the Old Town Square - the City Hall and the Tyn Church, once emphasized the importance of the square, which, from just a market square, turned into a historically significant one, and in the 60s of the 20th century it became completely pedestrian.
Construction of the Tyn Temple began in 1365. The two asymmetrical towers of the temple, which became so after a strong fire, reach a height of 80 meters and are one of the main symbols of Prague. It is these two towers, as often as the Orloj clock, that can be seen on many postcards and magnets sold in the Czech Republic as souvenirs.
The entrance to the Temple was closed and photography was prohibited.
In the center, Old Town Square is decorated with a striking, huge bronze monument in Art Nouveau style, dedicated to the national hero of the Czech Republic Jana Husa/Pomnik mistra Jana Husa.
The statue of Jan Hus is depicted standing in the center of the sculptural group. On both sides of Jan there are sculptures symbolizing the Hussites and emigrants. The statue of Jan Hus faces the Tyn Church.
To the right of the monument you can see beautiful building Rococo style, pastel pink tones. This is one of the most memorable buildings on the square - Kinsky Palace/Palac Kinskych. The palace was built in 1765 for Count Jan Armost Göltz. Currently, the Kinski Palace operates as Art Gallery. On some holidays, entry to the gallery is free.
On the opposite side of the monument and the palace is the famous and visited by tourists Cathedral of St. Nicholas. This is one of the most famous Prague baroque churches and belongs to the most valuable buildings of this style north of the Alps. The dome of the temple with a diameter of 20 meters and an internal height of 49 meters is the highest in Prague.
Church of St. Nicholas (translated from Czech Temple of St. Nicholas/Chram sv. Mikulase), a majestic structure that no tourist passes by. By the way, the only temple, and in general a place in Prague, to which during our visit to the Czech Republic there was free entry; all other places have a paid entrance.
The temple displays luxurious decoration in the high baroque style. And the temple is decorated with one of the largest sculptures of St. Nicholas in Europe.
In the Church of St. Nicholas there is a unique organ from the 18th century, decorated with figures of angels. Concerts are held in the temple with the participation of this organ.
And the tall and beautiful vault of the Church of St. Nicholas is decorated with a unique crystal chandelier in the form of an imperial crown. The chandelier was donated to the Cathedral by Emperor Alexander II.
Opposite the main entrance to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas there is a green area with benches for relaxation, around which several cafes with open terraces are concentrated.
P.S. Old Town Square is beautiful in itself, and its attractions, so conveniently located in one place, are also the main ones in the city and are simply mesmerizing. We came to the square almost every day, but how could it be otherwise, because all paths lead through it, and we constantly admired it, as if for the first time, discovering something new for ourselves. We recommend everyone to visit this world-famous square.
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Hello friends! For modern man A watch is a completely ordinary mechanism that we have to interact with every day and many times. We are accustomed to watches, and many of us have been using gadgets for a long time, with additional convenient applications. Today we will talk about a huge gadget from the Middle Ages. The astronomical clock in Prague shows more than just the time. And what else? What “applications” to clocks were important to people of past centuries, so much so that they “put” additional “programs” into the main clock of the city?
Attention! On January 9, 2018, the renovation of Orloj began in Prague. Now it will be possible to see them only in July 2018 (as the restorers plan).
Let's look at the unique mechanism of the famous Prague clock modern look. From the perspective of a user who is difficult to surprise with technical innovations. Moreover, a new product that has worked for 6 hundred years.
Model description
The Czechs call the Prague chimes Pražský orloj - Prague Orloj and also the Old Town Orloj, since the clock is located on the town hall building. Accordingly, an orloy is an unusual clock mechanism with additional programs.
In addition to the time, this medieval clock shows:
- calendar data (current year, month, day)
- time of sunrise and sunset of the luminaries (Sun and Moon)
- position of zodiac signs
- Moon phases
- The chimes interface includes a demonstration of time in three popular notation systems: Old Prague, Babylonian and Latin
- the model is an organizer. It includes important holidays and events of the year. The clock will remind you of them.
Additional features:
- ability to check time in 24 and 12 hour mode
- The watch includes 6 important “video clips” for people of the Middle Ages, warning against the main sins, reminding us of what awaits us all Last Judgment and you need to prepare for it every day of your life.
Note:
The watch was made in the 15th century.
Number of copies 1 (one).
Even now, in the age of advanced technology, the structure of the Prague Astronomical Clock is amazing. You can imagine how it impressed the residents of medieval Prague.
Here are some reasons why the Prague Astronomical Clock is always mentioned among the city's most important attractions.
- The clock has been working for 6 centuries.
To make this fact easier to understand, let’s compare:
America was discovered in 1492. The astronomical clock began working in 1410. Those. 80 years before the discovery of America. Russia at this time was emerging from under the Tatar-Mongol yoke.
- Some of the mechanism parts are still original, medieval, so the Prague Clock is a historical monument.
- If you wanted to know what an ancient astrolabe device looks like, take a look. The Prague Astronomical Clock is just that - an astrolabe.
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Instructions for users
Describing the Prague chimes is not an easy task. Firstly, they are beautiful and it makes one wonder what to look at first and what to talk about. Secondly, all this beauty is attached to a mechanism consisting of many parts.
- Let's start with a large disk, in the center of which our planet Earth is depicted (11)
- On the same disk along the edge there are signs in Gothic script, which indicated the Old Bohemian time (1)
- Then there are Roman numerals. This is a familiar dial. Shows German time (2)
- Then they go Arabic numerals- 1, 2, 3, etc. They show Babylonian time (3)
- The dial of a modern watch has 12 digits. On Prague clock 24 (12+12 hours)
- Noon Above - XII (8)
- Midnight Below – XII (13)
- The left side of the dial shows the time from 12 midnight to 12 noon.
- The right half shows the time from 12 noon to 12 midnight.
- The blue color of the dial indicates daylight hours.
- Orange - dawn.
- Arcs labeled ORTUS and OCCASUS indicate sunrise (5) and sunset (10)
- Brown (dark) - night time, when the sun is hidden below the horizon (7)
- Upper (small disk) - shows the Zodiac (9)
- Zodiac signs move in a circle and along their own axis, completing a full phase.
- The arrow with the image of the Sun shows the time and what sign the Sun is in now (diurnal movement of the Zodiac) (4)
- Arrow with the Moon - shows what sign the Moon is in now (6)
- The photo shows 9 o'clock in the morning. The Sun is in Libra, the Moon is on the border of Capricorn and Aquarius.
- The Moon Ball has a separate rotating mechanism that shows the phases of the Moon.
- The arrow with an asterisk indicates the day of the vernal equinox. (12)
The entire disk and arrows rotate, corresponding to the real movement of celestial bodies across the sky. The clock indicates the position of the Sun, Moon, month and Zodiac sign. Those. Orloy is not only a clock, but also a calendar.
It is this mechanism that is of unique value, because he is the only one in the world.
Watching “video clips”
From 9 am to 9 pm, every 60 minutes, tourists and residents of Prague witness a real performance.
Four figures located on the side of the clock begin to move.
- The first of them, Death, symbolizes the frailty of everything that exists.
- A figurine holding a mirror is Vanity.
- Greed squeezes your wallet.
- And finally, the last figure is a Turk - a symbol of the danger that emanated from the Ottoman Empire for many years.
The little performance begins with Death pulling the string and the ringing of a bell. Death looks at the Turk, who just shakes his head. Greed clutches his wallet tightly with his hands, and Vanity admires himself in the mirror.
At the same time, the four figures on each side of the lower clock begin to move. These watches are also interesting, because they reflect the holidays fixed in the calendar and record important dates and information about days.
Above the astronomical clock, windows open, in which we see the apostles. The apostles have objects in their hands. The figures move, each of the apostles performs his action. St. Matthew threatens with an ax, Peter clutches the key.
And the performance ends with the crow of a rooster. The rooster sits at the very top of the composition.
History of the creation of Orloy
The first question that comes to the mind of any tourist who sees the Prague astronomical clock is: “who and when created such a complex mechanism?” To answer this question, let's go back to the Middle Ages. It was then, in 1410, that the oldest details of the chimes appeared. Their creators and manufacturers were Makulash and Jan Schindel.
By 1490, a calendar dial appeared on the device, the creation of which was responsible for Joseph Manes. Around the same time, the first sculptures appeared next to the mechanism - examples of the Gothic style.
Of course, during its long history, Orloy stopped many times completely various reasons, was also put to work many times.
There were also tragic moments in the history of the clock, after which one of the most famous landmarks of the city had to be restored.
- The clock was first restored in 1552 by Jan Taborsky.
- The first moving statues became a decoration of the chimes in the 17th century.
- The figures of the Apostles were added later, in 1865-1866.
The chimes had to endure a difficult time during the hostilities of World War II. In the spring of 1945, it was severely damaged, and with it the unique mechanism. The greatest damage was caused to the sculptures of the apostles. Then they almost completely burned out.
In 1948, woodcarving master Vojtěch Sucharda began restoring the clock. At the same time, the clock mechanism also underwent a major overhaul.
Fact or Fiction
The history of the Prague chimes is connected with a legend about a master who created a complex clock mechanism. But the name of his century was not preserved. Perhaps it was Master Jan Rouge or Master Hanush. To ensure that Hanush would never be able to create something like this again, the city council (wow the topic of the meeting) decided to blind him. The ingratitude of the citizens became the reason for Hanush's revenge. What could he do without eyes? Destroy your mechanism. He walked up the steps of the town hall and threw himself into the complex mechanism of the chimes. This caused the clock to stop.
The legend cannot be considered one hundred percent fiction. The mechanism actually stopped many times. But, unfortunately, the Prague authorities could not always find the money to repair it. This happened in 1778 and it was decided to simply dismantle the chimes. Jan Landesberger, a Prague watchmaker, did not let this happen. He did the renovations with his own money.
This happened again in 1861. Then the clock was saved by the residents of the city. They raised funds to repair the mechanism and again the pride of the city was preserved for posterity.
From the end XIX century The chimes are repaired by the Heinz company.
You can hear and see the clock strike from 9 am to 9 pm every day, every 60 minutes.
You can see the figures of the Apostles up close and see part of the clock mechanism by taking a tour of the town hall. There, take the elevator to the top floor and lean against the glass door.
Video about the Prague Orloj. In this video you can see the clock mechanism and figures up close. In Czech.
How to get there
- Metro. To the Old Town Square station
- by tram. Nos. 17, 18, 53 to the Staroměstská stop. Once you get there, look for the Old Town municipality.
Sightseeing tour of Prague
To get a holistic impression of Prague, you can use the services of a professional Russian-speaking guide. This will save time, and a specialist will tell you more than a regular guidebook.
Prague Astronomical Clock on the map
Address: Staroměstská radnice, Staroměstské náměstí 1/3, 110 00 Prague 1
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They rank third in the world. By the way, they are the oldest, but they are still active.
Oh, how beautiful the Prague Astronomical Clock is! Orloy consists of three basic elements, placed vertically on the tower. The masters equipped its central part with an astronomical dial, which shows Babylonian, Old Bohemian, modern (Central Europe) and sidereal time, the moment of sunset and sunrise, phases of the Moon, the position of celestial bodies among the constellations in the zodiacal circle.
On both sides of the astronomical clock there are figures that move every hour. Among them, the figurine of Death, made in the form of a human skeleton, stands out most of all. Upstairs, on the right and left side The central stone stone contains two windows, in which every hour, when the chimes are heard, statues of the 12 apostles appear one by one. Above the stone statue of a cherub is a golden rooster, which crows as the apostles complete their procession.
Under the astronomical dial there is a calendar dial, with which you can determine the month of the year, weekends, day of the week, as well as constant Christian holidays. Sculptural statues are also located to the right and left of it.
Privilege
The Prague Astronomical Clock is located on the tower of the Old Town building. In 1338, Emperor Jan of Luxembourg granted the population of the Old Town the privilege of having a personal town hall. After this, it was purchased for urban needs a private house from the merchant Volfin from Kamene. First, the building was rebuilt in accordance with the needs of the city council, and then in 1364 it was equipped with a tower. A clock was installed on it, which was first mentioned in 1402. However, due to careless maintenance, they soon had to be replaced, as a result of which Orloy was created.
So, we continue to further study the Prague Astronomical Clock. The dial is astronomical and mechanical watches are the oldest parts of Orloy, made in 1410. These elements were created by watchmaker Mikulas from Kadan based on a design by astronomer and mathematician Jan Schindel. The astronomical dial has a sculptural design, which was made by the workshop of the famous Czech sculptor and architect Petr Parler. Orloy was first mentioned in a document dated October 9, 1410. In it, Mikulas from Kadani is characterized as an eminent and recognized watchmaker who created chimes with an astrolabe for ancient place Prague.
It is interesting that in this paper the City Council and the mayor reproach the craftsman Albert (the former keeper) for careless care of the previous clock and praise Mikolash for his outstanding work. The document also states that as a reward for his work, the professional received a house at the city Havel Gate, 3,000 Prague groschen one-time and an annual allowance of 600 groschen.
Historical mistake
The next documentary information about Orloy appeared in 1490. It was then that watchmaker Jan Rouge from Prague, known as Master Hanush, repaired the device, added the first moving statue of Death and a lower dial with a calendar. These impressive improvements and 80 years of oblivion of the first creators influenced the fact that it was Master Ganush who was considered the creator of Orloy for the next 450 years. The historical error was even reflected in the legend, according to which a member of the Prague Council ordered specialist Hanush to be blinded so that he could not repeat his work anywhere else. This information is especially widespread among intellectuals thanks to the writer Jirasek Alois, who added it to his “Czech Old Tales” (1894).
Jan Rouget probably had a son who helped him for many years. It was he who followed Orloy until 1530. This watchmaker has been compared to Jakub Cech, creator of the first portable Czech watch. Yakub did not have a student, and Orloy was left without decent care.
In 1552, Jan Taborsky was appointed to serve the Prague Astronomical Clock. He repaired and modernized the product and compiled a comprehensive technical manual for it. It is in this document that Jan Taborsky first incorrectly names Jan Ruže as the creator of the chimes. The error occurred due to incorrect interpretation of the records of that time. In 1962, it was corrected by the Czech astronomer and historian Zdenek Gorski, who studies the history of science.
Rescue of Orloy
In subsequent centuries, the Prague Astronomical Clock was stopped many times due to the lack of professional caretakers and was repaired a couple of times. In 1629 and 1659, the clock underwent repairs, during which its striking mechanism was moved from the tower downwards, and the figure of Death received wooden “companions”. During this renovation, a hidden, exclusive system for moving the Moon was created, showing its phases.
For decades, the Prague Astronomical Clock stood motionless. Prague in the 18th century did not pay attention to their critical condition. When craftsmen rebuilt the town hall in 1787, Orloy even wanted to be scrapped. The clock was saved from destruction by employees from the Prague Clementinum: the head of the observatory, Professor Strnad Antonin, secured subsidies for repairs and, together with watchmaker Simon Landsperger, repaired it a little by 1791. In fact, he only managed to launch the clock device, but the astrolabe remained damaged.
During the same period, moving figurines of the apostles were added. A major overhaul of Orloy was carried out in 1865-1866: all parts of its mechanism were corrected, including the astrolabe, and a rooster figurine was added. It is known that then the artist Manes Joseph painted the lower calendar disk. And to control the accuracy of the movement, experts installed the Bozek Romuald chronometer.
Damage
Many craftsmen created the Prague Astronomical Clock. The Czech Republic is proud of this work of art. It is known that at the end of the Second World War, the clock suffered significant damage. In Prague in 1945, on May 5, an anti-Nazi riot broke out. There were fights everywhere in the city, and barricades were erected. Particularly stubborn clashes were observed in the center, near the Czech Radio building, which was captured by the rebels. The rebels, using a radio transmitter located on the tower of the Old Town Hall, transmitted appeals to the Czech people.
Units of the German Group of Forces "Center" were located in Prague. It was they who tried to suppress the uprising and interrupt radio broadcasting. German army shot at the Old Town Hall building from anti-aircraft guns with incendiary shells, as a result of which it caught fire on May 8, 1945. Then Orloy was badly damaged by fire: the astronomical disk fell down, and the calendar dial and wooden statues of the apostles burned down.
Recovery
It is known that by July 1, 1948, the chimes were reconstructed in full: the brothers Jindřich and Rudolf Vesecki repaired the broken and bent parts of the clock mechanism and reassembled it, and a wood specialist carved new figurines of the apostles. The last minor renovation of Orloy was carried out in 2005. Today, 3/4 of this creation consists of old parts.
Astronomical dial
Why do many people want to see the Prague Clock? The astronomical signs depicted on this masterpiece impress everyone. The Orloy dial is an astrolabe, powered by a clock system. Orloy reproduces the Ptolemaic geocentric structure of the world: the Earth is located in the center, around which the Moon and Sun revolve.
The following elements move along the stationary colored background of the astronomical disk depicting the sky and the Earth: the outer and zodiac rings, pointers with symbols of the Moon and the Sun and a pair of hour hands with a golden hand and an asterisk at the end. Unlike a simple clock, there is no hour hand.
Calendar dial
What else is Prague Astronomical Clock famous for? The Orloj calendar clock was first designed by Jan Rouge (Master Hanush) in 1490. It is known that the chimes initially consisted only of an astronomical dial. The first calendar disk, unfortunately, has not survived. Its current version was created by archivist K. J. Erben from Prague during the restoration of 1865-1866, based on a surviving copy of 1659, which was based on ancient engravings. In 1865-1866, the calendar disk was painted by the artist Manes Joseph. That is why it is often called the Manes dial.
Sculptural design of the chimes
We already know what the Prague Astronomical Clock is called. Orloy is their middle name. The sculptures decorating it were created over several centuries. That is why they do not have a single creative concept. It is believed that the stone carvings decorating the astronomical disk and the sculpture of an angel in the upper part of Orloy were made by the workshop of Peter Parlerz. The rest of the scenery appeared later.
From time to time, the clock sculptures were reconstructed, sometimes they were made anew, which erased their primary meaning. As a result, today it is very difficult to explain the meaning architectural design chimes.
Supernatural powers
People with medieval thinking believed that any structure could be detrimentally influenced. Therefore, they decorated it at home with a variety of security details. Since Orloy is located on the facade of a secular building (it was not protected by temple space), the need for amulets increased. Thus, the upper part of the Prague masterpiece is protected by a rooster, basilisks and an angel.
On the sloping roof are mythical creatures- two basilisks that can turn all living things into stone with one glance. Each of them has two wings, a bird's beak, an arrow-shaped tail and a snake-like body. It is known that the basilisk gained fame thanks to the title of the snake king. Gilded rooster - ancient symbol vigilance and courage, welcoming the Sun and a new day, is located under the very roof of the chimes. Beliefs say that it is with the first cry of this bird that the evil spirit that dominates the night disappears.
The central sculpture of the upper part of the clock is with wings. God's messenger holds a fluttering ribbon with a message that today is no longer readable. The angel is considered the most ancient statue of rarity and is a stubborn fighter against dark forces. It rests on a cornice, under which there is a completely unidentifiable stone band. Some say it's snakes, others say it's a scroll with an unknown text. On both sides of the angel figure there are two windows in which figurines of the 12 apostles appear hourly.
We hope you liked our article about the Prague Astronomical Clock, and you have a desire to see this masterpiece with your own eyes.
Prague is decorated with the ancient tower of the Old Town Hall, which invariably attracts the attention of travelers. After all, on the southern wall of the town hall tower there is the most famous clock in Prague and the oldest working astronomical clock in the world. This stunning mechanical miracle is called the Prague Astronomical Clock, or Orloj. Astronomical clock is one of the.
The first mention of a clock on the town hall tower dates back to 1402. But these were not the Prague Astronomical Clock that we know today. The predecessor of the famous Astronomical Clock of Prague managed to work for only a short time. The clock was so poorly maintained that it had to be replaced already in 1410. Then the oldest part of the Prague Astronomical Clock appeared on the wall: an astronomical dial with a mechanical clock. They were made by master Mikulas from Kadan.
For a long time, it was generally accepted that the author of the Prague Astronomical Clock was the watchmaker Jan Ruže. There was even a legend that Hanusha, as Jan Rouge is also known, was blinded so that he could not surpass himself in subsequent works. In fact, Hanush made significant repairs to the clock mechanism, installed a calendar dial below and created a moving figure of Death. This happened in 1490.
In the 17th century, the Astronomical Clock in Prague underwent another significant reconstruction. The beating mechanism was lowered directly to the chimes, new wooden figures were added and a mechanism was developed to show the phases of the moon.
During the existence of the Prague Astronomical Clock, it was not always possible to adequately maintain the clock mechanism. As a result, Orloy often stopped, and in the 18th century the clock did not work for decades. During the reconstruction of the town hall in 1787, they even wanted to throw them out, but enthusiasts opposed this and achieved repairs.
The most serious damage to the watch occurred in 1945. A German shell hit the town hall tower, causing a fire. The calendar dial and wooden figures were destroyed, and the astronomical dial fell down. Of course, the residents of Prague did not want to remain without Orloy and already in 1948 the clock was completely restored. Now their device contains almost three-quarters of the antique parts.
The upper, astronomical dial of the Prague Astronomical Clock shows four types of time with amazing accuracy: ancient Babylonian, Old Bohemian, modern Central European, and also sidereal, used only in astronomy. Using this dial you can observe the movement of the sun and moon among the constellations of the zodiac circle, monitor the phases of the moon, the time of sunset and dawn. On the sides of the dial there are interesting figures. On the left you will see allegories of human vices: Vanity and Pride. On the right stands Death, telling people what the passage of life is leading to, and the Turk, whose image is considered the embodiment of sinful earthly pleasures and a reminder of the Turkish threat.
The lower calendar dial shows the days of the week, the exact date, holidays. The calendar dial, which is a picturesque masterpiece in itself, is decorated on the left with the figures of the philosopher and the Archangel Michael, and on the right with the astronomer and chronicler.
The astronomical clock in Prague is famous not only for its amazing story and a unique appearance, but also an extraordinary performance that takes place here every hour from 8 am to 8 pm.
At the top of the chimes, next to the stone figure of an angel, you can notice two windows. At the beginning of each hour they open, the figures of the apostles appear from them and their amazing procession begins. Each of the apostles holds in his hands a certain attribute, a symbol. For example, this is the key to Paradise from St. Peter, and the spear from the Apostle Thomas.
When the procession of the apostles takes place, the figures next to the astronomical dial also move: A vain man looks in the mirror, a Miser shakes a bag of money... What attracts the most attention is Death, turning over an hourglass, ringing a bell and nodding its head, recalling the transience of life. The figure of a rooster located on top signals the end of the performance: when the Rooster crows, the figures freeze until the next hour, when the mini-performance will be repeated again.
