{"id":6649,"date":"2018-06-11T09:35:45","date_gmt":"2018-06-11T09:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.headout.com\/?p=6649"},"modified":"2023-06-12T11:59:55","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T07:59:55","slug":"prague-astronomical-clock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/prague-astronomical-clock\/","title":{"rendered":"All about the Prague Astronomical Clock"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic, is swathed with art and history that has been in the making for a millennium. The origin of this ancient city dates to the Romanesque period and it progressed through the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque eras. Prague was an indispensable part of the Habsburg Monarchy and the Astro-Hungarian Empire, and it also played an important role in Bohemian and Protestant Reformation.<\/p>\n

The culmination of the historic events through the many ages gave this city magnificent structures and art collections that form the enigma that is Prague. Located on the banks of River Vltava, the city is loved by tourists from all parts of the world. The many museums, art galleries, and historic structures, like the Prague Castle<\/a> and St. Vitus Cathedral, are among the most visited sites in the city. But the one thing that is unique to the city is the 650-year old Prague Astronomical Clock (AKA Pra\u017esk\u00fd orloj), that dominates the Old Town Square.<\/p>\n

Prague Astronomical Clock – In a Nutshell<\/h2>\n

Prague Astronomical Clock – Things to know <\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udccd Location:<\/td>\nPrague<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u23f0 Suggested Duration:<\/td>\n Less than an hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2600\ufe0f Best Time to Visit:<\/td>\nMarch to May\/ September to October<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\ud83c\udf9f\ufe0f Prague Astronomical Clock Tickets:<\/td>\n\u20ac17<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\ud83d\ude87 Closest Subway:<\/td>\n Starom\u011bstsk\u00e1 station<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Prague Astronomical Clock Opening Hours<\/h4>\n

\u2022 Tuesday to Sunday: 9 AM- 9 PM\u2022 Monday: 11 PM – 9 PM\u2022 Check below for detailed timings<\/p>\n

Prague Astronomical Clock Address<\/h4>\n

Starom\u011bstsk\u00e9 n\u00e1m. 1, 110 00 Josefov, CzechiaGet Directions<\/a><\/p>\n

What is the Prague Astronomical Clock?<\/h2>\n

Pra\u017esk\u00fd orloj is a complex feat of craftsmanship with the mechanical clock and astronomical dial being its oldest components, followed by the calendar dial. The mechanical astrolabe that is the astronomical dial, has the stationery earth and sky as the background and the four moving components that surround them are icons representing the sun and the moon, zodiacal ring, and the outer rotating ring. It also has representations of the 12 apostles. <\/p>\n

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Which Prague Astronomical Clock tickets should you buy?<\/h2>\n

When planning a trip to a place like Prague Astronomical Clock where visitors flock in every year, it is important to plan ahead, skip the lines and book the best experience.<\/p>\n

You may choose to book one of Headout’s skip the line combo tickets <\/a>, crafted combining the best experiences including the Prague Astronomical Clock in a package or book your Prague Astronomical Clock tickets <\/a> individually on the Headout app for just \u20ac17!<\/p>\n

History of the Prague Astronomical Clock<\/h2>\n

It was thought that Prague\u2019s famous astronomical clock was created by the veteran clock master, hanu\u0161, at the behest of the city councillors. It was also believed that upon the creation of the clock, Hanu\u0161\u2019s eyes were injured with a piece of iron to prevent him from making a copy of the clock. This commonly believed legend was busted in 1961, when a paper was discovered that detailed the clock\u2019s functioning, and attributed its creation to the Imperial clock-producer Mikul\u00e1\u0161 of Kada\u0148 and astronomer Sindel in the year 1410. The Prague Astronomical Clock is the world\u2019s oldest functional clock.<\/p>\n

The statues of the Catholic Saints that flank the clock on either side represent vanity, greed, death, and lust. The clock chimes in every hour and the statues are set in motion in a 45-second show. The outer edge of the clock has inscriptions of golden Schwabacher numerals that are set in a black background and represent the Old Czech time (Italian time). The ring moves back and forth throughout the year to indicate the varying time of sunset. The clock also displays time in the 24-hour format that we are used to. But the most striking of all is the clock\u2019s function of showing Babylonian Time<\/a> through the sun hand.<\/p>\n

The Calendar dial has medallions with zodiac signs representing months and at its centre is a depiction of the old town of Prague. The outer dial of this component shows the current day on top and reads each day\u2019s description around the year. The four statues at the bottom represent the things seen positive during 1600s- a philosopher with a scroll, an astronomer with a telescope, a historian with a book, and archangel Michael with a sword.<\/p>\n

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What to See Inside Prague Astronomical Clock<\/h2>\n

1<\/span>Astronomical Dial <\/h3>\n

The astronomical dial is a 24-hour analog dial with a double-sided sundial. It shows the local sidereal time, as well as the time in Prague mean time. The calendar dial is a 12-hour clock that shows the positions of the Sun and Moon in the zodiac, as well as other astronomical phenomena such as eclipses. Lastly, the hourly clock face is a traditional clock face with Roman numerals and two hands, one for the hours and one for the minutes.<\/p>\n

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2<\/span>Mechanical Animations<\/h3>\n

The Prague Astronomical Clock is notable for its mechanical animations, which are displayed on the clock face every hour. The most popular of these is the \u201cWalk of the Apostles\u201d<\/b>, in which 12 figures representing the apostles emerge from doors around the edge of the clock face and circle the astrolabe. The left and right windows above the astronomical clock slide aside to reveal the Apostle’s (figures) as viewed from the square. This occurs in the following order: James the Less and Peter, Andrew and Matthias, Thaddeus and Philip, Thomas and Paul, John and Simon, Barnabas and Bartholomew<\/b>.The four figures on the sides of the clock represent things that were despised at the time of the clock’s making. From left to right, they are Vanity, Greed, Death, and Lust<\/b>. Each figure is set in motion on the hour, shaking their heads side to side to signify their unreadiness to let go.<\/p>\n

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3<\/span>Calendar<\/h3>\n

The original calender disk was made by Josef M\u00e1nes, was replaced by a copy in 1880 and is now stored in the Prague City Museum. The edge of the circle features a church calendar with the names of 365 saints and fixed holidays. The board displays allegories of the months and zodiacal signs. Archangel Michael stands there and points to the top of the dial with a philosopher, astronomer and chronicler.<\/p>\n

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Best Ways to See the Prague Astronomical Clock<\/h2>\n

Witnessing the chime of the Pra\u017esk\u00fd orloj would be at the top of your things to do list, and the best way to catch it in time from the perfect location would be to go as part of the guided city tour. This way, you can be rest assured that your guide will take you to the Old Town Square at just the right time and tell you all about Prague, the clock\u2019s historic significance, and the legends that surround the astronomical clock. What\u2019s more is that you won\u2019t need to hold in your questions because your guide will be more than happy to answer them!<\/p>\n

Plan Your Visit<\/h2>\n

Opening Hours<\/h3>\n

Daily 9 AM to 9 PM except on Monday the timings are 11 AM to 9 PM<\/p>\n

Opening hours of the Historical halls, chapel and Romanesque-Gothic basement<\/b> <\/p>\n