Prague Astronomical Clock or “Orloj”. Old Town Hall and Prague Astronomical Clock Clock in Prague on Old Town Square history

Old Town Square is the same place in the historical district of Prague, which bears the poetic name 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, a second dial was added in 1490, and Gothic sculptures appeared on the facade. 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. Unknown masked people came to the unsuspecting master at night. 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 stood for many years and no one could fix it. 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 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 Josef 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

Prague Astronomical Clock, Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj (Pražský orloj) – medieval astronomical clock located in Prague. Orloj is installed in the southern wall of the Old Town Municipality building on Old Town Square and is a favorite landmark of Prague residents.

Orloy consists of three main components:

1. astronomical disks representing the positions of the Sun and Moon in the sky and showing various astronomical details;
2. "The Progress of the Apostles" with mechanical figures of the apostles and other characters set in motion every hour;
3. calendar dial with medallions representing the months.

Every hour, four figures are set in motion, located on both sides of the clock. Each of them represents four things that are despised. Death (an hourly reminder of the frailty of existence) beats time. There is also Vanity (represented by a figure holding a mirror), Greed (a figure with a purse) and finally, the Turk (symbolizing the ongoing danger that the Ottoman Empire posed to the Habsburg Empire over the centuries). Figures of the apostles are also shown in doorways on top of the clock, all twelve coming out at noon.

Every hour from 9 am to 9 pm there is a performance on the astronomical clock, and each time a crowd of tourists gathers near the town hall 15 minutes before the end of the hour to see it. The skeleton pulls the string and 12 apostles appear in the window. St. Peter clutches a key in his hands, St. Matei threatens the audience with an ax, St. Paul holds a book, St. Jan with a cup, St. Jakub with a spindle, St. Shimon appears in the window with a saw, St. Tomas holds a spear, St. Ondrej and Philip hold a cross in their hands, Saint Bartholomew crumples his skin, Saint Barnabash appears with a scroll, and Saint Tadeas clutches a folder of papers under his arm.

The skeleton looks at the Turk, who never agrees and just shakes his head. The miser shows the audience his fat wallet, and the figure of a vain man admires his reflection in the mirror. After the apostles hide in the windows, a rooster crows, signaling the beginning of a new hour.

The oldest parts of Orloj, the mechanical clock and astronomical discs, date back to 1410 and were made by watchmaker Mikulas from Kadan and Jan Schindel, professor of mathematics and astronomy at Charles University. The Prague Orloj was one of many complex astronomical clocks designed and built in the 14th and 15th centuries, shortly after the invention of mechanical clocks. Other examples were built in Norwich, St Albans, Wells, Lund, Strasbourg and Padua.

Later, probably around 1490, calendar discs were added and the front of the clock was decorated with Gothic figures.

In 1552, the clock was restored by watchmaker Jan Taborsky.

Orloy stopped many times after 1552, and was restored many times. Moving figures were added in the 17th century.

In 1778, the authorities of the city of Prague did not have the money to repair this landmark and it was decided to dismantle them for scrap metal, but watchmaker Jan Landesberger offered to repair the Prague chimes at his own expense, as he sought to preserve the unique mechanism for posterity. But the astronomical calendar was never set in motion. The story of an attempt to dismantle this landmark of Prague was repeated in 1861, and then watchmaker Ludwik Heinz, together with Chenek Danek and Romuald Bozek, organized a fundraiser for reconstruction. At the same time, Romuald Bozek made a chronometer, which to this day controls the clock and lags only half a minute per week, and this is an excellent result! After repairs and modernization of the mechanism in 1866, the astronomical clock began to work again, and in the form as we know it today. From that year to this day, the Heinz company has been repairing the Prague Astronomical Clock.

Orloj suffered severe damage on May 7, and especially on May 8, 1945, just hours before German troops surrendered in Prague to the approaching Red Army. The Germans directed incendiary fire from several armored personnel carriers and an anti-aircraft gun at the southwest side of Old Town Square to silence radio broadcasts started on 5 May by the National Committee. The hall and neighboring buildings burned along with the wooden figures on Orloj and the calendar dial made by Josef Manes. The mechanism was restored and Orloy started working again in 1948, but only after considerable effort. Wood carver Vojtech Sucharda made copies of the figurines that delight us to this day. The remaining figurines can be seen in the Prague Museum.

In 2010, the watch celebrated its 600th anniversary!

There are many myths about the construction of Orloy. For a long time it was assumed that Orloj was built in 1490 by the watchmaker Jan Ruže (also called Hanusz) and his assistant Jakub Cech. Another mythical story tells that the clockmaker Hanusz was allegedly blinded by order of members of the Prague Council in order to prevent him from building other similar clocks.

Oddly enough, there is another story that says it was not Hanusz who was blinded, but Jan Schindel, and in the Czech cartoon, about the legends of old Prague, it is generally said that Hanusz created the clock, and his student helped him. In general, the meaning is the same - one of the two was blinded and he stopped the clock, namely who, in different sources - it is written differently. The legend itself about the blinding of the Prague watchmaker was thought up by the Czech writer-historian Alois Jirasek, but no one knows what happened in reality, but residents believe in the legend and are happy to tell it to visiting tourists.

Astronomical discs are a form of mechanical astrolabe, a device used in medieval astronomy. It can be considered that Orloy represents a primitive planetarium showing the current state of the universe .

The astronomical disks have four main moving components rotating against the background of the stationary Earth and sky: the zodiacal ring, the outer ring of rotation, the image representing the Sun, and the image representing the Moon.

The background represents the Earth and a local view of the sky. The blue circle directly in the center represents the Earth, and the blue at the top represents the part of the sky that is above the horizon. The red and black areas represent the parts of the sky below the horizon. During the daytime, the sun moves along the blue part of the background, and at night along the black part. During dawn or dusk, a mechanical sun moves across the red portion of the background.

On the eastern (left) side of the horizon is written aurora (dawn in Latin) and ortus (sunrise). On the western (right) side - occasus (sunset), and crepusculum (twilight).

The gold Roman numerals on the outer edge of the blue circle are the time scale of a normal 24-hour day and indicate the time in local Prague time, or Central European time. The curved golden lines dividing the blue part of the disks into 12 parts are markers of unequal hours. These hours are defined as 1/12 of the time between sunrise and sunset, and change as the days get longer or shorter throughout the year.

Within the large black outer circle lies another movable circle marked with the signs of the Zodiac, which indicates the location of the sun on the ecliptic. The signs are arranged in counterclockwise order.

The displacement of the Zodiac circle results from the use of a stereographic projection of the plan of the ecliptic, using the North Pole as the base of the projection. This is usually noted in the astronomical hours of a given period.

A small golden star shows the position of the vernal equinox, and sidereal time can be read on a scale with golden Roman numerals.

On the outer edge of the watch, gold Swabach numerals are set against a black background. These numbers indicate Old Czech Time (or Italian Clock), measured starting from 1 from sunset. This ring moves throughout the year to coincide with the time of sunset.

The Golden Sun moves around the zodiacal circle, showing its position on the ecliptic. The sun is connected to the hand with a golden hand, and together they show time in three different ways:

The position of the golden hand relative to the Roman numerals in the background indicates local Prague time.

The position of the sun relative to the curved golden lines indicates time at unequal hours.

The position of the golden hand on the outer ring indicates how many hours have passed since sunset according to Old Czech Time.

In addition, the distance of the Sun from the center of the disks shows the time of sunrise and sunset.

The movement of the Moon along the ecliptic is shown in the same way as that of the Sun, but the speed is much greater. The semi-silvered lunar sphere also shows the lunar phase.

Prague is decorated with the ancient tower of the Old Town Hall, which invariably attracts the attention of travelers. After all, on the southern wall of the town hall tower there is the most famous clock in Prague and the oldest 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, Ganush 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 to the watch 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 is leading 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, the exact date, and holidays. The calendar dial, which is a picturesque masterpiece in itself, is decorated on the left with the figures of the philosopher and the Archangel Michael, and on the right with the astronomer and chronicler.

The astronomical clock in Prague is famous not only for its amazing history and unique appearance, but also for the 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 an hourglass, ringing a bell and nodding its head, recalling 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.

The astronomical clock in Prague (other names, which are no less common: Prague Astronomical Clock, Old Town Orloj) is one of the symbols of the Czech capital. The tower clock from the medieval period is located in the city center, on Old Town Square. The clock crowns the ancient Old Town Hall.

The Orloj clock in Prague is the oldest such mechanism in the world, which continues to work and accurately display astronomical data today. The oldest part of the clock mechanism and dial was created in 1410.

The outer part of the Prague Orloj chimes includes 3 main components (arranged vertically). The central dial has an astronomical purpose. It shows sidereal time, sunrise and sunset times, lunar phases, as well as time (not only the current time in Central Europe, but also Old Bohemian and Babylonian). The arrangement of the Earth, Sun and Moon on the face of the dial represents the ancient Greek system of the world (according to Ptolemy), according to which the Earth is at the center of the Universe (in this case in the center of the dial), and the Sun and Moon revolve around it. On both sides of the dial there are figures moving at a certain time. The precision of all elements gave the watch the nickname “Prague Planetarium”.

Above the central dial there are 2 windows - also for showing moving figures. The lower dial functions as a calendar, which gives an idea not only of the current date, but also of Christian holidays. The calendar dial of the watch is decorated with 12 medallions (by month), which depict scenes of medieval rural life. The external disk is divided into 365 sectors by day.

Story

The first clock on the Old Town Tower was installed, judging by the references, in 1402. But as a result of improper care or poor quality design, they failed and could not be restored. In 1410, watchmaker Mikulas from the village of Kadine made the oldest parts of the famous clock - the astronomical part and the internal mechanism. The most precise mechanism was developed by the scientist Jan Schindel, who was famous for his achievements in the field of astronomy. The sculptural compositions were performed by the eminent Czech sculptor Petr Parler. According to historical documents, the watchmaker received not only a house and money for his work, but also an annual allowance for life.

The next mention of Prague clocks dates back to 1490. Then the famous Prague watchmaker Jan Rouge repaired the mechanism and also added a new dial (lower) and the famous figure - Death. She became the first moving figure in the composition of the watch. For 400 years, it was Jan Ruget who was considered the author of the clock in Prague on the Old Town Square. The error was corrected only in the middle of the 20th century.

In 1659, the figure of Death was supplemented by other moving sculptures. In the 18th century, the mechanism stopped being repaired - the main clock of Prague stood motionless for several decades. In 1787, the clock tower in Prague was rebuilt and the entire mechanism was almost thrown into scrap iron. But some townspeople, led by the observatory professor, secured funding to repair the clock mechanism. It was possible to partially repair the clock mechanism; in the same years, wooden figurines in the form of apostles were installed. Major repairs took place in 1865-1866.

In the last days of the war with the Nazis (May 8), the Prague Astronomical Clock was badly damaged. The clock was equipped with a rebel radio, which broadcast motivating appeals to the people against the Nazis. The German detachment decided to destroy the radio and fired at the tower with anti-aircraft guns. The wooden figures and the calendar dial were burned out, and the central dial fell from the tower. The completely restored clock was reinstalled in 1948. Today, ¾ of the Prague Astronomical Clock consists of original ancient elements.

When does the astronomical clock strike in Prague?

The clock on Old Town Square strikes every hour from 09:00 to 23:00. When the Prague chimes strike, a unique show with figures takes place. The figures located to the left and right of the central dial begin to move. They are represented by rather creepy characters: Death (a figurine of a skeleton), the Turk (a figurine in a turban), Greed (a sculpture with a wallet) and Vanity (a figurine with a mirror). In addition, 12 apostles come out. A procession of wooden figures passes from one window to another above the central dial every minute while the clock strikes.

The show always attracts crowds of spectators, especially during the daytime hours.

Hello, friends! The Orloj clock in Prague deserves to be described in detail. The famous chimes of the Czech Republic have outlasted all similar clock mechanisms in the world in terms of duration of their existence. Created at the beginning of the 15th century, they still function and show Central European time, as well as Old Bohemian and Babylonian.

But spectators rush to the Prague Orloj not at all in order to find their bearings in time. The astronomical clock is unique. They are simultaneously a work of art, a scientific-historical object and entertainment for visitors where they are located.

It would be more logical, before going into detailed descriptions, to provide the opportunity to look directly at the chimes, their action, and the numerous ones among which they are located. A short video will allow you to quickly plunge into the thick of things:

And now we can dwell on some details - who is involved in the astronomical clock, what symbols surround them, and why they are famous:

1. How the Prague Orloj came to be
2. Astronomical disk and time determination
3. Symbolic images of chimes

Who and when created Pražský orloj

The first chimes appeared at the end of the 14th century, when Wenceslas IV ordered the installation of a striking mechanism on a Gothic tower that would emit signals after an hour had passed.

A little more time passed, and in 1410 the town hall tower was equipped with an amazing astronomical clock.

Orloj was created by watchmaker Mikulas from Kadan, guided by the calculations and drawings of mathematician and astronomer Jan Schindel.

Master Hanush was called the Prague watchmaker Jan Ruže, who was directly related to the chimes of the town hall, but somewhat later. Master Ganush had not yet been born by the time Orloy not only regularly beat time intervals, but also gained European fame.

New facts regarding the author of the Prague Orloj have been discovered recently - after 1980. This is how history can lead us by the nose... For centuries, Prague residents believed that Hanush created the chimes, and passed on from mouth to mouth legends about how cruel city councilors ordered the master to be blinded so that he could not repeat his invention. Fortunately, this sophisticated medieval cruelty turned out to be only a legend.

But a document was found that recorded a generous reward to the inventor of the Prague Astronomical Clock, Mikulas from Kadan. The master was given a house at the Havel Gate and 3,000 Prague groschen, which at that time was an unusually large sum. Moreover, an annual salary of 600 groschen was assigned and guarantees were provided for property - in fact, copyright was protected.

The astronomical disk and how to determine ordinary time

For a long time, Orloy consisted of only one disk – the astronomical one. Actually, the mechanism was created for the needs of astrology, and not to tell residents the time. An astronomical disk is a special moving map of the sky, with which you can determine the position of the Sun, Moon, as well as their location relative to the zodiac constellations.

Imagine, this whole colossus is moving, displaying a lot of information, and we, modern residents, look at this disk and don’t even know how to figure out what time it is))) But now we’ll figure it out.

The Earth is depicted exactly in the center. The upper part of the disk corresponds to daytime - it is bluish in color. And the dark circle at the bottom is night. Between day and night, twilight is indicated in orange. Superimposed on this entire picture is a ring on which the signs of the zodiac are depicted, but the ring has nothing to do with determining time.

The present time is indicated by an arrow with the symbol of the Sun and a golden Hand. The only catch is that this hand simultaneously points to three numerical scales. And where is the one we need? Along the edge of the disk there are numbers in the form of some “squiggles” - this is Old Czech time. It is interesting that in this coordinate system the day ended with the onset of twilight.

The following digital symbols in Roman notation, also placed in a circle, are European time. Now you can easily determine what time I captured the astronomical disk in the photo.

There are also Arabic numerals - they are lower than the Roman ones and are depicted weaker. Arabic numerals make it possible to determine Babylonian time. It also includes that grid of golden curved lines diverging from the center of the disk. Fortunately, it is of no use to us, and there is no need to delve into these medieval indicators.

What else I would like to add regarding the installation of the astronomical clock is to mention the merit of the architect Petr Parler, who created a stone extension to the town hall where the chimes were placed. The stone decoration around the astronomical disk is also his work.

I repeat, determining time is almost a side function of Orloy. The main thing is to track the movement of celestial bodies. And on the astronomical disk, the symbols of the Sun and Moon move not only in a circle, but also along the arrow. The disk with the zodiac also moves... From all this, experts read information. But in the Middle Ages they did not try to determine minutes. Residents of that time were not interested in such trifles.

In 1490, Orla was supplemented with another disc. The disk contained a calendar, including all 365 days in the form of divisions along the rim of the disk. The appearance of the calendar is precisely correlated with the activities of the master Ganush.

Each evening the calendar disk was turned by hand by one division, a practice that continued until 1566. Since then, the movement of the calendar board has been mechanized.

The attractive calendar disk that we see now appeared much later. In the mid-19th century, the clock needed major repairs. A collection of money among the population of the Czech Republic was announced for this worthy cause. 4,265 gold were collected. And the best Prague artist of that time, Josef Manes, took on the design of the calendar disk for a modest remuneration. And although we see today only a recreated copy, it is close to the original:

Manes depicted the coat of arms of Prague in the center of the disk, and around it the original signs of the zodiac. 12 golden disks with images, which are arranged in a circle, make up the series of paintings “Twelve Months”. Each painting represents features of medieval rural life during a specific month. The day designation, as in earlier versions, is located on the outer ring of the disk. Where can I see what day it is? Look at the mark with a golden line at the top of the calendar. Both the date and the day of the week are indicated there.

Symbolic images of chimes

Of great interest are the figures installed on both sides of the astronomical and calendar disk. The sculptures near the top disk, as you noticed while watching the video, are set in motion during the chiming clock. It is believed that these images represent 4 vices, although this opinion raises questions.

On the right are the Skeleton and the Turk. The skeleton symbolizes death and reminds of its inevitability. Can this allegory be attributed to vices? This image was the first to appear on the chimes, back in the 16th century.

The placement of the turbaned figure next to the Skeleton is even more mysterious. The Czech Republic in the Middle Ages often used the image of the Turk in a negative context. So, for example, the plot “a raven pecks out a Turk’s eye” appeared on the coat of arms of the Schwarzenberg family. Perhaps, in this case, the image of the Turk denotes vicious characteristics.

To the left of the astronomical disk are more understandable images. Allegories of stinginess and vanity are established here:

Vanity peers into the mirror, Stinginess shakes a bag of money. However, there are disagreements in the interpretation of these images. It is assumed that the one on the far left is the Magician, who studies the invisible worlds, which is associated with knowledge, not vice.

Below, near the calendar disk, the Philosopher and Archangel Michael are located on the left, and the Astronomer and Chronicler on the right.

These images of Pražský orloj are always in sight. But if you watched the video, you noticed the procession of the apostles, which takes place during the mini-presentation of the chimes. The windows above the astronomical disk on both sides of the sculpture of the Angel open and 12 disciples of Christ pass in front of us. And the whole action ends with the cry of the golden Rooster.

The appearance of the figurines of the apostles is associated with the reconstruction of the chimes in 1659. The figures are made of wood, so they had to be restored several times. The current company of apostles was created by the sculptor Vojtech Sucharda.

The last of the images to be installed in its place was the Rooster. Prague residents heard it for the first time on December 31, 1882.

In conclusion, I would like to say that Prague Orloj is a mystery object. However, this is not surprising. Astronomical clocks were created with the purpose of displaying information that is not understandable to everyone. And they have had such a long life that they are not without mysteries and legends. I assume, friends, that many of you have heard something interesting about the Prague Astronomical Clock. If so, tell us too.

Your euro guide Tatyana