The Astronomical Clock in Prague is a fascinating piece of medieval engineering. It is a clock tower located in the Old Town Square of Prague, Czech Republic. This clock is one of the oldest and most famous astronomical clocks in the world, and it dates back to the early 15th century.
The History of the Astronomical Clock
The construction of the Astronomical Clock started in 1410 by clockmaker Mikulas of Kadan and Jan Sindel, who was an astronomer. The clock has undergone several modifications and restorations over the centuries, but its basic design has remained intact.
The clock has three main components: the astronomical dial, which shows the position of the sun and moon in relation to the Earth; an hourly procession of figures representing various vices; and a calendar dial that displays the months and days of the year.
How Does It Work?
The most striking part of this clock is its astronomical dial, which displays several pieces of information simultaneously. The dial shows not only hours but also astronomical details such as sunrise and sunset times, phases of the moon, equinoxes, and solstices.
There are four main moving parts on this dial: The outer ring represents time in a 24-hour format with Roman numerals. The golden hand points to this ring to show current time.
The next ring displays symbols for each month with zodiac signs; figures representing various vices (vanity, greediness), death (skeleton), and pleasure (Turk); along with an apostle appearing every hour through a small door at top.
The third part shows earth at center surrounded by golden sun ring moving around it once per day; blue rim represents sky above horizon while black below represents night sky below horizon along with stars’ positions.
Finally, there’s a tiny painted sun attached to symbolic red half-circle on top right corner which represents Sun’s position in ecliptic (path of the Sun through the sky).
The Hourly Procession
The hourly procession of figures is another interesting part of this clock. Every hour, a small door above the astronomical dial opens, and twelve apostles appear, one at a time.
These figures are not life-size; they are only about 20 centimeters tall. After each apostle appears, he moves across a small platform above the astronomical dial before disappearing behind another door.
The Calendar Dial
The calendar dial is located below the astronomical dial. It shows a circular calendar with the months of the year displayed around its perimeter. The outer rim displays signs of zodiac and other symbols.
Above this circle, there are four small windows that show which saint’s day or holiday it is on that particular day.
Below these windows, there is a rotating disk with medallions representing different occupations for each month.
- January – A man warming himself by fire
- February – Butcher with pig
- March – A man pruning trees
- April – A man holding flowers
- May – A couple in love sitting under tree
- June – A man harvesting wheat with a sickle
- July – A man reaping wheat with scythe
- August – Man threshing wheat by hitting it against a rock
- September – Man sowing seeds in ploughed field
- October – Man making wine from grapes in barrel
- November – Butcher with slaughtered pig hanging upside down
- December – Man feeding pigs from trough while others butcher pig
Conclusion
The Astronomical Clock in Prague is a masterpiece of engineering and astronomy. Its intricate design and functionality have fascinated people for centuries. The clock is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting Prague, not just for its historical significance but also for its beauty and complexity.