The Old Town Orloj is the famous astronomical clock in Prague. Prague Astronomical Clock

The dial is decorated big amount sculptures that are placed around its circumference. Here we will see a lion (the protector of all animals), next to a dog (a symbol of fidelity, vigilance). His neighbor is a snake with a Phrygian cap, where the cap means freedom, and the snake means sinfulness. This sculpture signifies purification and transformation from snake to human. The cat, another decorative element, is the keeper of treasures, and also a symbol of falsehood, a companion of magicians.

The image of masks at the top of the dial was supposed to scare away the natural elements. Gargoyles in gutters protect against excess moisture. Another image of the devil in the form of a beast with big eyes we find it under the astrolabe. The east and west of the dial are decorated with two figures: a shapeless face and a goblin. They are designed to protect against dark forces. On the sides of the dial there are large statues: Miser, Vanity (Pride), Death, Turk.

The Manes dial (pictured on the left, click on the photo to enlarge) has two disks. The gilded disk containing the coat of arms of Prague inside represents the constellations, the copper disk represents the days of the year. The paintings symbolize the calendar cycle: 12 sketches are 12 months (paintings rural life in the Middle Ages).

The copper disk is divided into 365 day segments indicating the name of the saint revered on that day. IN wide circle Christian holidays are included. The red inscription indicates a day off. The dial is decorated with a grape vine - a symbol of joy and eternal life.

On its right side there are sculptures of a phoenix bird and a monkey. The first is a symbol of eternity, the cycle of life. The second is a symbol of sin, greed. The structure is “held” by a master and an apprentice. The sides of the dial are “populated” with the figures of the Chronicler, the Astronomer, the Archangel Michael and the Philosopher.

We watch the progress of the 12 apostles hourly. Some of them are not included in the gospel: St. Barnabas and Paul, which is why the Czechs call them “preachers” and not apostles. Every hour is played big performance. At the top of the structure are the 12 apostles; Christ closes their course.

The skeleton (Death), turning over the hourglass, rings the bell and waves menacingly at the Turk (a hint that his death is approaching). He turns his head in denial. The Miser jingles his wallet. Archangel Michael punishes him. And only the Proud Man cares about his appearance: he admires the reflection in the mirror. The rooster completes the scene with its crow, foreshadowing the chimes that chime every hour of the day.

You will see the progress of the 12 apostles every hour from 9:00 to 21:00. There will be a lot of people in the square during these hours, but the spectacle is worth it. Borrow good places in advance. The photo below is an example of the crowd watching the progress of the apostles, click on the photo to enlarge.

Be careful and vigilant, pickpockets can trade in such a crowd. Pickpocketing from tourists happens often; we wrote about this in the article “”.

You can take photos and videos on the square; you don’t need to pay for it. Don't forget to bring a camera or video camera.

Going down the stairs observation deck, pay attention to the photographs telling the history of the tower and Orloy.

IN evening time On the square you can see performances by street performers.

Not far from the clock is the Staromestska restaurace restaurant, which was recognized as the best in Prague. If you're hungry, don't miss the chance to try the best ones. The prices here are high, but it's worth it.

Sitting in a cafe near the chimes, leisurely spend a few minutes near this ancient and unique Prague landmark. And although the proverb says that " happy hours don’t watch”, let contemplation of the Prague Astronomical Clock make you happier.

We wish you interesting walks around Prague, and read our interesting articles about the Czech Republic ( links below).

Legend has it that at the beginning of the 15th century, the Old Town Magistrate decided to install a clock on the tower, which should represent a real symbol of the privileged position and wealth of Prague, which would arouse the envy and admiration of visitors. To construct the watch, they called in the best watchmaker in the Czech Republic at that time - master Mikulas from Kadania and Charles University astronomer Jan Schindel. The chimes began operating in 1410.

In 1490, the scientist Hanush was called to reconstruct the clock.

Master Hanush created most of the sculptural decorations of the Prague chimes. He was honored not only by scientists, but also by the top officials of the city, who were proud that there were no clocks like those in Prague anywhere. There is a legend about tragic fate master Hanush, who, it seemed, could live comfortably for the rest of his life, relying on the gratitude of the city leaders. According to legend, the head of the city came up with the idea that Master Ganush, known to many for his talent, 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 shake the glory 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!” Master Ganush 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 grew old, 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 long years stood and no one could fix them. So the master finally took revenge on the ungrateful city for his blindness.

Currently, "Chimes" are the most famous astronomical clock in Europe and represent a whole complex of sculptural elements, at first glance completely incomprehensible. Under the hour dial there is a second one, with symbolic designations of the twelve zodiac constellations. Every day the circle with the constellations turns one tooth and within a year each picture is at the top. Above the clock there are two small doors decorated with stars. On the sides the clock is bordered by pilasters decorated with relief stone ornaments and small statues that depict Death, a Turk, a miser with a purse, saints, etc. The whole thing is crowned by a gracefully curved roof protruding from the wall and resting on the pilasters. Every time the clock strikes, a real performance unfolds, which hundreds of tourists from different parts of the world eagerly await.

The figure of Death in the form of a skeleton in the lower window strikes the bell, striking the time, the doors above the dial open and the figures of the twelve holy apostles slowly emerge from one of them, moving towards the other, describing a semicircle. The figures are followed by Christ himself. The stone apostles do not just pass by, they turn their heads to the people watching them and disappear behind the door again. The figure of Death turns over the hourglass and nods to the figure of the Turk, in response he shakes his head negatively. At the same time, the figurine of a man, symbolizing stinginess, shakes his wallet, and the figurine of a spendthrift looks in the mirror.

It is not difficult to imagine what impression the Old Town Clock made in an era that did not know any technical achievements. For ordinary people they were almost a miracle for those who were interested in physics and astronomy - an excellent tool for determining the position of the Sun, Moon and constellations, the time of sunset and sunrise of the current day. It is also necessary to pay attention to the tower itself on which the clock is installed. It is one of the highest in this part of the city - its height reaches 70 m.

IN current time Weddings are held at the Old Town Hall, and you can also go in and see the tower from the inside. From above it looks as if the tower is standing a little crooked and is about to fall.

Legend Prague Orloy, Astronomical clock in Prague

Old Town Square is the very place in the historical district of Prague, bearing the poetic name Old Town, where residents of the city 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 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

The Czech Republic, like Russia, has its own most famous chimes. They have double name– Orloy or Old Town Clock. The first name is more common in the world. They say that everyone who comes to Prague remembers this word first. “Orloj” translated from Czech means nothing more than “clock”. Apparently, this is why the Prague chimes also have a second name - Old Town Clock, so that the Czechs understand exactly what kind of clock they are talking about.

The Old Town clock is much older than its Moscow “brothers”. The clock was first mentioned in 1410; it was installed on the Old Town Hall. Their authors were two people - Mikulas Kadan and Jan Schindel. Moreover, the latter was not just a watchmaker, but a famous mathematician and astronomer of his time. For my long history The watch has been modified and redesigned many times. They say that this is why their mechanisms are so complex and intricate that even an experienced specialist in this field is quite difficult to figure out how and what works there.

There is also a legend that says that a watchmaker named Ganush finished creating the clock in 1490 (he added a calendar dial). After he completed the construction, the city authorities were so amazed by the beauty of the clock that they decided to blind the master so that he could not repeat his masterpiece anywhere else. To avenge such “gratitude,” Ganush committed suicide by throwing himself into a clock mechanism, which, due to damage, stopped for many years. But this is nothing more than a legend. In fact, such a person did exist, his name was Jan Rouge (Ganoush was his nickname), and he modified the clock, adding a dial and some figures, but there was no blinding or suicide.

The Orloy chimes display quite a lot of information. In addition to the time itself, you can see the current date, the time of sunset and sunrise of the Moon and Sun, the current location of the Zodiac signs, even the position of the Earth relative to the Sun. But the most important thing is the performance that is shown every hour. It is for this puppet show that a huge number of tourists constantly gather on the square in front of the town hall, as once in Moscow during the changing of the guard at the Mausoleum.

The performance is performed in the style of a medieval theater. There is a skeleton in the image of death, reminiscent of punishment for earthly sins, and ten apostles, symbolizing righteousness and a proper way of life, and an angel lowering the punishing sword of justice. Even today puppet show Tourists watch with enthusiasm, but what can we say about the power of influence on a medieval person who was not spoiled by such spectacles. This is what watches were once created for.

The Old Town clock stopped only a few times. And each time it was a harbinger of some serious cataclysms. Last time this was when the Czech Republic was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War, which, by the way, actually ended near the Old Town Hall, when Soviet troops destroyed the last large German group in Prague on May 8.

Today, the Old Town Clock is called one of the most important attractions of Prague.

It is formed from little things, and watching these famous watches is a pleasure. The appearing figures of the holy apostles symbolize basic human vices, and the legend associated with the clock makes travelers plunge into the amazing past.

When the chimes strike and the sound of camera shutters is heard, an amazing sight appears before your eyes. In the windows of the tower, figures of the twelve apostles begin to be seen, appearing one after another. At the same time, the figure of Death makes a revolution hourglass and the bell rings. In addition, viewers see the Miser jingling coins in the windows, admiring his mirror image A proud man and an angel with a sword. At the end of this performance, a rooster crows.

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.

Those who have gathered to look at this marvel clap and gradually leave. However, an hour later this performance is repeated: the “old actors” remain, and new spectators gather below. The magnificent Prague Astronomical Clock is a huge tourist magnet for the Czech capital. This year became an anniversary: ​​in May, holiday events on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the chimes.

The guests saw a large number of various concerts, drama productions and street operas. According to legend, the creator of the magic Prague clock was Master Hanush, to whom one of the operas was dedicated. Everyone was treated to dishes that were popular during the reign of Emperor Joseph II. A commemorative coin was issued in honor of the Prague chimes, or the so-called “orloj”. Its front side contains images of the four apostles and a rooster. The reverse of the coin depicts a human skull and a clock chiming device.

There are a great variety of tower clocks in the world. Many of them are very famous and original. Let's remember, for example, the Kremlin chimes and London's Big Ben. However, compared to them, Orloy has one significant advantage. Nowadays, foreign watches do not work using the original mechanism or it is used only according to holidays. In the Czech capital they remain true to their traditions: most of The gears that “run” in the Prague chimes were made by masters of the Middle Ages. The impeccable operation of the chimes is ensured by the activity of the “eagle operator,” who lubricates and cleans them daily. He performs adjustments regularly once a week, because during this time the clock begins to lag by half a minute. The chimes work smoothly, but the figures move on a wire rod, which sometimes breaks. Therefore, the responsibilities of the “eagle keeper” include repairing these watches.

Orloy was seriously damaged on May 8, 1945, just a few hours before the Nazis surrendered. The Germans directed fire at Old Town Square to silence the radio. The buildings burned along with the wooden figures and the dial of Orloy. The clock started working again only in 1948.

A guest who spends too long in a pub and comes to the “orloi” after 10 pm will not see an amazing performance. Of course, the apostles are also “people” and also “want to sleep.” As soon as 10 a.m. the next day arrives, the performance begins again. During the “rest” of the chimes, the watchmaker and his assistant are engaged in preventive maintenance of the clock mechanism.

If you stand in the crowd in front of the tower, you can hear the sad story told by the guides about Master Hanush. Legend has it that after creating this beautiful clock, the evil inhabitants of Prague blinded the master. They wanted Hanush to be unable to build such magnificent chimes anywhere else. IN in this case you can’t help but wonder about the reality of Ganoush’s existence.

Every hour, four figures move, located on both sides of the clock. Death (skeleton) beats time. In addition to her, on the clock are Vanity (a figure holding a mirror), Greed (a figure with a wallet) and a Turk in a turban, symbolizing the Ottoman Empire.

This legend became known thanks to Alois Jirasek, who was a popularizer of the ancient history of the Czech Republic. Perhaps the creation of this touching story is connected with the legend about the sad fate of the authors of the Venetian clocks. In reality, the Prague chimes are the creation of master Mikulas. This version is supported by a surviving document, the date of which indicates that the 600th anniversary of the Prague clock should be celebrated in September, not in May.

However, Mikulisi, who comes from the city of Kadany, located in the north of the Czech Republic, did not work on the chimes alone. The creation of this complex device became possible thanks to the calculations of Jan Schindler, who was one of the best mathematicians of that time. Known fact is that Schindler was the personal doctor of Wenceslas IV and had a friendship with Jan Hus. In the year the Orloy was built, the great mathematician received the position of rector at the University of Prague.

On Orloj, Apostle Paul holds a book in his hands, Apostle Peter holds a key, Matthew holds an axe, Jan holds a cup, Saints Ondrej and Philip hold crosses, Jakub holds a spindle, Saint Tadeas holds a folder with notes, Saint Shimon holds a saw, Tomas a spear, a saint Bartholomew crumples his skin, Saint Barnabash holds a mysterious scroll in his hands.

It is well known that the Hussite Wars did not pass by the first version of the watch, and it suffered from a fire. The second half of the 15th century was marked by the improvement of the clock mechanism and the creation of appearance chimes, which today delights all visiting tourists. The most interesting thing is that new life The watch was given by Jan Hanusz, about whom a legend was created. Therefore, the mention of his name in relation to the Prague chimes is not unfounded.

The Prague Orloj has long been considered the most beautiful architectural monument of this type. The Czech Republic is trying to maintain this title. The country expects to increase the tourist flow from China, so the “Orloy” was presented at the world exhibition organized in Shanghai, thanks to which more than two million people have already had the opportunity to see this miracle. Wait and see…