Old Town Square and the famous astronomical clock. The most famous clocks in Prague

Prague is decorated with the ancient tower of the Old Town Hall, which invariably attracts the attention of travelers. Indeed, on the southern wall of the town hall tower there are the most famous clocks in Prague and the old 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 properly 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 hours 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 leads 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, exact date, holidays. A calendar dial that is itself a picturesque masterpiece, are decorated on the left with figures of the philosopher and 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 hourglass, ringing a bell and nodding her head, reminding us of 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.

Old Town Square is the very place in historical district Prague, wearing poetic title Old town, where city residents have traditionally gathered for many centuries to celebrate holidays and memorable dates. The main attraction of this square is the Old Town Hall, which has been decorated with world-famous Astronomical clock Orloj (Pražský orloj).

They saw the light of day in 1410, thanks to the efforts of Mikulas Kadan with the participation of Jan Schindel, an astronomer from Charles University. At that time, the watch, like most other watches, had one dial, but 80 years later, thanks to the famous Prague watchmaker Jan Rouge, who is better known as Master Hanush, in 1490, a second dial was added, and gothic sculptures. And in the 17th century, the composition was supplemented with figures of the apostles and other characters.

These noticeable improvements contributed to the fact that the names of the above-described authors of the Prague Astronomical Clock were forgotten for a distant 450 years. This was facilitated by the legend of Master Hanuš, which was later popularized by the writer Alois Jirasek in one of the stories “Ancient Czech Tales”.

The Legend of the Orloy Astronomical Clock

As we learned earlier, master Hanush greatly improved the watch by adding a second dial and Gothic figures. It seemed that the master had the right to live and make good for the rest of his life, relying on the gratitude of the mayor. According to legend, the mayor came up with the idea that Master Ganush, known throughout the world for his work and the Astronomical Clock, 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 weaken the greatness 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!” The master 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 gave up, 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 for many years stood and no one could fix them. So the master finally took revenge on the ungrateful city for his blindness.

And today the Orloy watch, this truly unique and amazing creation of masters from the distant Middle Ages, has two dials. The upper dial is divided into several sectors. One of them traditionally shows the time - Old Bohemian and Central European. But other sectors are more original: dark brown, blue and light brown indicate the course of the day from have a bright day to dark night, the sun moves through these sectors. Using the Prague chimes you can also find out where the Moon is or what sign of the Zodiac the Sun is currently passing through, as well as determine the days of the equinoxes. And the lower dial, in turn, is a calendar. And how in an ordinary calendar you can use it to find out what month or day it is. This dial was decorated with scenes from village life, thanks to the efforts of the artist Joseph Manes in 1865. But today you won’t be able to see the original work on the watch: it has been replaced by a copy. And in search of the original you will have to go to the Prague Museum.

This clock is also amazing because every hour you can see a small performance in a medieval style. The apostles located in the upper windows begin their movement, and Christ appears behind them. The figures of Death, Merchant, Turk, Proud Man and Angel with a sword located slightly lower on the sides begin to follow. It is curious that the Merchant was originally a Jew, but now the figure has been replaced for reasons of political correctness. The performance is not just a meaningless movement of figures, it has meaning. The apostles from above observe the vices of humanity, Death rings the bell, then the Angel lowers the sword.

Orloy watches are not just one of the oldest watches in the world. They have been working without breaking for six hundred years and are the main clock of the country and one of the most interesting sights of Prague.

Representation of shapes

If you want to attend the show, it takes place every hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Old Town Square in front of the clock.

Be careful - there are pickpockets not only in your city, but also in the capital of the Czech Republic.

600th anniversary of the Prague Astronomical Clock

Old Town Orloj, or Prague Orloj, is a mysterious medieval astronomical clock that is located on the south side of the Old Town Hall in Prague. The first written mention of them dates back to October 9, 1410.

There are many legends associated with this watch. The most famous legend tells about sad story masters Ganush, who created the eagle. To prevent him from building the same wonderful clock for another city, a group of people hired by town hall workers broke into his house at night. The bandits blinded him with hot iron pins. Master Ganush guessed whose hands it was. So he ordered his assistant to bring him to inner part hours. As revenge, the master stopped the clock. For the next hundred years, no one could start this unique and very complex mechanism again.

What does the Prague Eagle consist of?

The most striking elements of the watch are astronomical dial And calendar board underneath it. On the dial you can calculate time, astronomical cycles, the position of the Sun and the constellation through which it passes, the position of the Moon in the sky, its phases and position relative to the Sun. The calendar board shows the current month, day, and immutable holidays of the Christian calendar. Above the dial there are two windows in which the clock moves every hour. figurines of the apostles. In addition, the eagle is decorated with figures on the sides, a bust of an angel between the windows of the apostles and a crowing rooster at the very top.

The operation of the clock, astronomical and calendar boards, the movement of the apostles and figures is ensured by a clock mechanism, which over time has been repaired and improved several times.

Brief History astronomical clock in Prague

Already in 1402, an astronomical clock was installed on the tower. In 1410, when he was a watchmaker Mikulas from Kadani, most likely in collaboration with the astronomer Jan Ondřeev, nicknamed Schindel, he established the modern eagle. Around 1470, the architectural and sculptural design of the clock was supplemented, and in 1490, the eagle was improved by a talented watchmaker, master Ganush. At that time, craftsmen were called craftsmen in the Old Czech language.

In the second half of the 16th century, the clock was modified Jan Taborsky. The following additions were made during the 17th to 19th centuries. During major repairs in 1865 - 1866. a new pictorial calendar board from famous artist. It depicts the symbols of the zodiacs, the moon and the coat of arms of the Old Town of Prague. On May 8, 1945, at the end of World War II, the eagle was seriously damaged during the Prague Uprising. Its renewal required a complete reconstruction.

Despite the damage, the Old Town Eagle is the best preserved medieval clock in the world. It has rightfully become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Prague. The clock is part of the listed historic city center cultural heritage UNESCO in the Czech Republic.

What do the figures on the Prague astronomical clock mean?

12 apostles

Every hour on daytime appear in two windows above the watch dial 12 apostles. Each of them has its own distinctive attributes. Their appearance has nothing to do with time. The meaning of these figures is rather religious. They also serve to entertain passersby.

12 apostles (orloj.eu)

The modern statues of the 12 Apostles were created after 1945 by a Czech sculptor and puppeteer Vojtech Sucharda. The previous figurines of the apostles burned down in the fire of the town hall in May 1945. It is not known exactly when the moving apostles appeared on Orloye for the first time, because the entire city archive also burned down. The windows were created in 1790, and the figures were most likely made in the early 19th century. Initially, they were hollow and moved along the windows, three figures raised their hands, twirled and nodded their heads.

Wooden statues

In addition to the apostles, on Orloy you can also see 9 interesting wooden sculptures , which also begin to move every hour.

So, above the windows with the apostles you can see golden cockerel (kohout), who ends the performance by singing. The figurine is actually gilded. The Cockerel was the last of the figures to be installed in Orloy in the 19th century.

IN top left row located figurine of a vain man (marnivec) who, while moving, examines his face in the mirror, and miser statue (lakomec) shaking a bag of money and a stick.

IN top right row you will see skeleton figure (smrtka), personifying death. When moving, the skeleton turns over the hourglass (measures life time) and rings the funeral bell, which is located in the turret above the eagle, by the cord. Close to death is Turk statue- a symbol of luxury.

IN bottom left row located statue of a philosopher (filosof) studying the world, and figurine of the Archangel Michael (anděl), which points to the hand at the top of the dial.

Clock on Old Town Square in Prague, Prague Orloj - the astronomical clock installed on the southern wall of the Old Town Hall building is a popular and world-famous landmark of the capital of the Czech Republic.

History of construction and improvements

The clock in Prague on Old Town Square, whose history goes back more than 600 years, was first mentioned in chronicles in 1402, but already in 1410 it was replaced with a new mechanical one with an astrolabe, made by the Kadan master Mikulas. They were made according to the design of the astronomer J. Schindel.

In 1490, during repairs, the clock was improved: the calendar disks were completed, and Gothic figures were installed on the facade. The work was carried out by master Ganush.

IN next years restorations were carried out many more times, because due to the inexperience of the caretakers serving them, the chimes sometimes stopped on their own.

In 1552, the restoration of the clock mechanism was carried out by master J. Taborsky.

Further improvements were made in the 17th century, when the time-telling mechanism was moved, some figures were installed, as well as moon phase indicators.

History of watch restoration

In 1778, the Prague authorities decided to dismantle the mechanism for scrap metal due to lack of funds for its repair. The savior of the chimes was the local watchmaker J. Landesberger, who in 1791 repaired them free of charge in order to preserve this landmark for subsequent generations. However, due to poor care, the astrolabe began to work poorly, and they could not repair it. More figures of the apostles were added to the mechanism.

IN mid-19th centuries, the chimes again wanted to be dismantled. The next saviors were watchmakers L. Heinz, C. Danek and R. Bozek, who raised funds for the reconstruction of the clock. During the restoration, R. Bozek made a chronometer, which still controls the mechanism (the watch is only 0.5 minutes behind per week, which is good result). Since then, as now, repair work on Orloy’s mechanisms has been carried out by Heinz.

Since then, the clock in Prague on Old Town Square (photo below) has become a famous landmark of the capital of the Czech Republic. The craftsmen were able to restore almost 75% of the original parts of the clock mechanism.

Clock in Prague on Old Town Square: description

An astronomical clock consists of several parts, the main ones being:

astronomical disks, which determine the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky, showing some details of astronomy, have a zodiac ring;
“The Move of the Apostles” is a mechanism that every hour sets in motion moving mechanical figures of the apostles and characters;
a dial with medallions that works like a calendar and shows the months.

The astrolabe, using a clock mechanism, indicates the time according to several systems at once:

Babylonian, in which different times There are different hour lengths throughout the year;
Old Czech (Schwabacher numerals are used);
Central European - shows Roman numerals;
sidereal time (Arabic numerals).

Unlike other Prague chimes, the famous clock on Old Town Square in Prague does not translate into summer time, so for half of the year they show inaccurate time (they are an hour behind European time).

The calendar dial is decorated with 12 medallions, each of which represents scenes from rural life in the Middle Ages.

What does the astronomical clock show?

The clock on Old Town Square in Prague can be called a small planetarium that shows the state of the Universe. With the help of a mechanical astrolabe, although it was built in the Middle Ages, you can see the position of the Sun and Moon.

An image of the Earth (blue circle) and some part of the sky (top) represent the background. There are 4 moving parts rotating on the disks: the ring of zodiac signs and the outer ring, images of the Sun and Moon.

During the day the Sun moves on a blue background, and at night on a black background. At dawn and evening twilight - along the red background area. To the left of the horizon is written avrora (dawn) and ortus (sunrise), to the right - occasus (sunset) and crepusculum (twilight).

The Golden Sun moves around the circle of zodiac signs and shows with the help of an arrow and a gilded hand for a certain time:

when pointing to Roman numerals, local Prague time is visible;
the position of the luminary on the curved golden lines determines the Babylonian time;
on the outer ring the hand shows the hours that have passed since sunset according to the Old Bohemian reckoning;
The Moon moves along the ecliptic from higher speed, and the silver sphere shows the lunar phase.

Upper dial of Orloy

The clock on Old Town Square in Prague attracts the attention of tourists every hour (the performance takes place from 9.00 to 21.00).

The upper dial is astronomical; there are 4 figures on its side, which are located on both sides of the clock. These figures symbolize the despised vices of man:

death, reminiscent of the frailty of existence;
vanity, depicted by a figure with a mirror;
greed (Jew with a wallet);
Turk, symbolizing the centuries-old danger to the Habsburg Empire emanating from the Ottoman Empire.

At the top above the dial there are windows with doors in which figures alternately move. According to the movement of the Skeleton (Death), who pulls the rope, the apostles begin to appear in the window: St. Peter holds the key, St. Matthias threatens with an ax, St. Paul holds a book in his hands , St. John is a cup, St. Jakub is a spindle, St. Shimon is a saw, St. Tomas is a spear, St. Ondrej and Philip are holding crosses, St. Bartholomew is kneading leather with his hands, St. Barnabash is holding a scroll, and St. Tadeusz holds papers in a folder under his arm.

Lower dial of Orloy

The clock on Old Town Square in Prague also has a second dial - the zodiac (added in 1490), which is also decorated on both sides with figures: a chronicler, an angel, an astronomer and a philosopher.

In the outer black circle there is a movable round part with zodiac signs indicating the position of the Sun in the ecliptic. The signs are arranged and run counterclockwise in order. A small golden star indicates the spring equinox.

Using the zodiac dial, you can determine your zodiac sign, name day, day and month of birth. However, a copy of it hangs on the town hall, and the original (written by J. Manes in the 19th century) is exhibited in the Prague History Museum.

During the performance, all the figures and the 12 apostles move. At the same time, the Turk keeps shaking his head, and the miser shows his wallet. The finale of the entire performance is the crow of a cock, signaling the beginning of a new hour.

Legends about Orloy

One of the legends is associated with those times when the clock on Old Town Square (Prague, Czech Republic) was just being built. Master Ganush, who added a calendar dial to the chimes, so impressed the city authorities with his skill and beauty of work that they decided to deprive him of his sight so that in the future he would not be able to build a similar clock anywhere or for anyone. The outraged master decided to commit suicide by throwing himself from a height into the Orloy mechanism, after which the chimes stopped for several years due to damage. However, history refutes this legend; master Ganush (his real name was Jan Rouge) really refined the clock mechanism, and everything else is fiction.

Another legend says that when the clock stops, cataclysms must occur in the city. Such a stop occurred during the occupation of the Czech Republic by the Nazis, which ended directly on Old Town Square when Soviet troops destroyed the last German group in Prague on May 8, 1945.

One of Orloj's last stops occurred in 2001, after which a large-scale flood occurred that flooded the Czech capital (August 2002).

Prague Orloj: reviews and impressions

The chimes on Starometskaya Square is one of them, attracting thousands of tourists who come in droves every hour to watch the show with moving figures.

There are no performances at night, and Orloy employees are busy restoring and updating the mechanisms and figurines in the tower. Watches require daily care (lubrication of mechanisms, etc.), which is what these people take care of.

Many tourists who come to admire the clock on Old Town Square in Prague express their reviews with delight and inspiration. Orloj is located in the very center of Prague, on the square where Christmas and other holiday festivities and fairs are held. There are also numerous restaurants and cafes with delicious pastries and national dishes.

Conclusion

In 2010, Prague Orloj celebrated its 600th anniversary. Happened in the city holiday events dedicated to this event. Over the past several hundred years, the famous chimes have attracted many tourists to Prague, and they will remain popular for many more centuries.

This place is especially beautiful in new year holidays: the largest Christmas tree in the city is installed in the center of the square, and people are arranged around holiday shows, which, surrounded by medieval spiers and castles, resemble a fabulous and beautiful theatrical action.

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 used 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. 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.

These medieval clock In addition to the time, they show:

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 design 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 that denoted Old Bohemian times (1)
Then there are Roman numerals. This is a familiar dial. Shows German time (2)
Then come the Arabic numbers - 1, 2, 3, etc. They show Babylonian time (3)
On the dial modern watches 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.

Over 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, the device had a calendar dial, the creation of which was the responsibility of 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

by 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 Praha 1

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