Prague Astronomical Clock,

 

One of the most popular landmarks in Prague is the Astronomical Clock located in the Old Town Square.  It is over 600 years old and it is one of the oldest working astronomical clocks in the world.

The Astronomical Clock tower  in Prague, also known as The Orloj, shows the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, Earth and zodiacal constellations.  It also indicates the time, provides the date, and above all of them its provides theater for its viewers on the hour, every hour

       

   To provide this level of functionality, the watch     is divided into several different parts.

   First and most striking thing is its impressive and beautifully decorated astronomical dial.  This shows us the the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and various other astronomical details

An astronomical dial is a mechanical astronomical instrument widely used in medieval chronology and astronomical studies.

    The main still background of the watch face has a lot of information for anyone who can read it.  The outermost ring in the background has a series of glyphs representing the Old Czech era.

A set of Roman numerals can be seen as you move closer to the center.  Like most traditional clocks, these are used to indicate the time in 24 hours.

  The different colors of blue and brown within the main plane include events such as sunrise, daytime, daytime, nighttime, as well as various geographic information such as the location of the tropics and equator.

  Earth is located in the center of the dial.

  Superimposed on the main astrology is the zodiac.  This shows the various signs of the zodiac and is meant to mark the position of the solar eclipse

Above the main clock are two blue doors that open to reveal the "Journey of the Apostles".  From 9 am to 9 pm, every hour, on the hour, the upper part of the clock face shows the movement of the 12 apostles.  Simultaneously, the sculptures around the device are arranged.  One moving figure, holding an hourglass in his hand, personifies death.  Another moving image is a mirror that represents vanity.  Other characters, such as the astronomer, philosopher or chronicler, seem stationary.  However, several of these figures are duplicates, the originals of which were heavily damaged by the Germans at the end of World War II.

Under the main astrology and clock are the calendar dials.  In its center, it shows the symbol of Old Prague and its outer ring reads the description of each day for the entire year.  The current date is displayed at the top.  Each month is also represented by a zodiac sign located on a medallion.

    The current date is observed around the circumference of the dial, which also indicates annual events such as the feast day of each saint.

The pre-astronomical clock was first established in 1410.  This makes it the third oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation today.

   The lower calendar dial was added around 1490.  At the same time incredible Gothic statues were added.

   In the late 1600s, probably between 1629 and 1659, wooden statues were installed.  During a major remodeling between 1787 and 1791, statues of the apostles were added.

Around 1865, the iconic golden rooster was added to the clock tower.

     For many years, it was believed that the clock was designed and built by Jan Růže, a clock master named Hanush.  This was later shown to be a historical error.

    However, this mistake led to the creation of a local legend that is still told to tourists today.  According to the story, after the construction of this clock, Hanush was approached by many foreign nations, each wanting to have their own town square with an amazing astronomical clock.  Hanush refused to show anyone the plans of his masterpiece, but Prag MPs overheard it.  Fearing that Hanush would build another nation's bigger, better and more beautiful clock, the councilors blinded the master clockmaker, ensuring that their clock would never go up.  The crazed watchmaker ignited the clock's gears and ended his own life with one blow to his extraordinary work of art.  In doing so, he cursed the clock.  All who tried to fix it would either go insane or die.

Of course, this event never happened and Hanush does not appear to be the original artist.  According to a paper discovered in 1961 containing an insightful description of how the clock's astronomical dial worked, its creator was the imperial clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň.

  Mikuláš also appears to have been assisted by Jan Sindel, an astronomer and university teacher.  Sindel, along with Mikulas, gave astronomers insight that the clock actually worked.

In 2018, while the clock was being restored, a secret hidden message was discovered in one of its statues.

  While restoring some of its sculptures, they noticed that St. Thomas the Apostle was lighter than all the other statues.  When they tapped the idol, they found it hollow.  The idol was later removed and X-rayed and a strange metal box was found inside.

  The metal box contained an 18-page letter written by sculptor Vojtěch Sucharda.  He was commissioned to recreate several sculptures after the clock tower was badly damaged in the Prague uprising of World War II.

  The message reveals the sculptor's more extensive plans for the astronomical clock, which was never completed.  He also complained about the conditions prevailing at the time like the beginning of the communist era.

  The restoration work also revealed some other hidden features of the clock tower dating back to the 15th century.  A few stone sculptures were uncovered in the corners under some wooden back calendar dials.  Some of the original details of the clock appear to be before the dial was installed in the late 1400s.

  Every artefacts found during the restoration work are to be subjected to detailed analysis.  The restorers will also give the tower a new message for future generations.