Prague Astronomical clock
Astronomical Clock, Czech Republic
Clocks involving mechanical figures often tell a story. In Prague, the astronomical clock set into the Old Town Hall Tower shows the procession of the Twelve Apostles, as the hour strikes from 9am to 11pm.
A tower was added to the hall in the Old Town Square in the 14th Century. In 1410, the clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň devised a mechanism that could be added to it. Prague was a multicultural city and it was intended that this clock could be read by anyone, whichever method they used. A calendar element was added in 1490, which moved forward a day on the strike of midnight.
In 1659, the clock underwent repairs and it is believed that the moving figures were incorporated into the clock at this time. Figures on the clock include a skeleton, a vain man carrying a mirror, philosopher, astronomer and stone angel. A golden rooster was added to the clock in 1882, which makes a crowing sound created by a set of bellows.
The astronomical clock has been through many periods of repair and restoration since the 15th Century. The most serious damage came from an incendiary shell destroying much of the clock's workings at the end of the Second World War. It was back in operation again by 1948 and modifications continued through the second half of the 20th Century, including setting the clock to Central European Time (CET) and replacing and repainting the figurines.
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbnjxg8
Panasonic DMC-TZ100
Aperture ƒ/6.3
Focal length 9.5 mm
Shutter 1/1250
ISO 200
Prague Astronomical clock
Astronomical Clock, Czech Republic
Clocks involving mechanical figures often tell a story. In Prague, the astronomical clock set into the Old Town Hall Tower shows the procession of the Twelve Apostles, as the hour strikes from 9am to 11pm.
A tower was added to the hall in the Old Town Square in the 14th Century. In 1410, the clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň devised a mechanism that could be added to it. Prague was a multicultural city and it was intended that this clock could be read by anyone, whichever method they used. A calendar element was added in 1490, which moved forward a day on the strike of midnight.
In 1659, the clock underwent repairs and it is believed that the moving figures were incorporated into the clock at this time. Figures on the clock include a skeleton, a vain man carrying a mirror, philosopher, astronomer and stone angel. A golden rooster was added to the clock in 1882, which makes a crowing sound created by a set of bellows.
The astronomical clock has been through many periods of repair and restoration since the 15th Century. The most serious damage came from an incendiary shell destroying much of the clock's workings at the end of the Second World War. It was back in operation again by 1948 and modifications continued through the second half of the 20th Century, including setting the clock to Central European Time (CET) and replacing and repainting the figurines.
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbnjxg8
Panasonic DMC-TZ100
Aperture ƒ/6.3
Focal length 9.5 mm
Shutter 1/1250
ISO 200