Astronomical clock

Orloy, or the Astronomical Clock, is one of the most famous attractions of Prague! Millions of tourists come here just to watch the performance on this clock. The performance takes place every hour from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and lasts only half a minute. Well, it’s definitely worth seeing! Moreover, it is better to choose a place in advance so that the two blue windows above the dial are clearly visible. It is they who will open at exactly the same hour and the 12 apostles will take turns looking out of them. In their hands they carry attributes - the objects with which they were killed. Therefore some one is walking with ax, some one with sword, some one with saw. Only St.Paul has the key of paradise in his hand - it is his attribute.

At the same time the sculptures on a sides of dial start to move. The sceleton is symbol of Death, will start ringing the bell - this is symbol of short life. According Cristian faith, after our life - the next one life is waiting for us. In the heaven or in the hell - depends on our sins. That’s why is better don’t do any.

Next to Sceleton there is image of Laziness with a musical instrument in his hand. On the left of them there are symbol of Pride in a blue dress, looking in the mirror. Next to him Greed shakes a bad with money. These are 3 of 7 human’s sins.

On the central dial there are 3 options of time definition. Time from sunset, sunrise and time of midnight. The external black ring with gold numbers from 1 to 24 shows old Bohemian time - time of sunset. In whole Europe and Old Bohemia too, previously the day began from sunset. At the moment when sunset happened - the currently day ended and new day started.

Under the black circle, on a blue background, you can see the golden roman numerals, twice in 12. They are showing civil time - just a normal our time - the time from midnight. The same time you can see on your watch.

Under these roman numerals you can see the last one option of time - time from sunrise, used in old Babylon.

To understand what time is now - it’s necessary to connect the numerals from a brim to the center, focusing on a golden hand. I will help you with it. Just find a golden sun, look up the arrow - you will find a golden hand. The fingers of golden hand touch some number on a brim with black background. It means such many hours had passed from yesterday’s sunset.

This hand cover some roman number. This is civil time, as much you see on your dial.

Below the hand a black numbers on a blue background - time from the sunrise. Means how many hours had passed from today’s sunrise.

It’s very simple and easy!

The blue background symbolizes the day, black one - the night, red colour - sunset and sunrise.

There is the moon calendar also. Can you see a small black ring nearby sun? It’s a moon. It’s visible here in which zodiac sign the moon now. For zodiac sign the moon tske 2 - 3 days.

The yellow dial below central dial symbolizes 12 months. In each circle you can see characteristic type of work in particular month. On the brim there are a names of church holidays.

4 sculptures on a sides don’t move. One of them - archangel Michael with a wings. Others - three tipes of science: rhetoric, philosophy and astronomy. This dial from 19 th century. I would say, it’s new. But other parts are much older.

The clock was first installed here in year 1410. It’s the oldest clock, which is still operating from that time! The design of dial has changed over time. But the mechanism has been preserved from year 1410.

Photo: Alesia - guide in Prague