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Statues and figures of the Old Town Astronomical Clock
Before the Old Town Astronomical Clock reaches full hour, a great amount of people start to gather in front of it. The reasons why the astronomical clock had become such a popular tour
ist target are very simple. On the stroke of every full hour a mechanism is activated which sets all the figures of the astronomical clock into motion.
Statues of the apostles
The both little windows open in the upper part above the dial and in them the apostles who have nothing to do with the time determination gradually are coming up. There are twelve apostles in total and they come up in couples from the left to the right window in this sequence: Saint James and Saint Peter, Saint Andrew and Saint Matthias, Saint Thaddaeus and Saint Philip, Saint Thomas and Saint Paul, Saint John and Saint Simon and finally Saint Barnabas and Saint Bartholomew.
However, the statues of the saints are not quite original. Those were destroyed during the fire of the Old Town Hall in 1945. The current apostles were made in 1945 by the sculptor and puppeteer Vojtěch Sucharda. Each apostle is holding an object in his hand. For instance, St. Peter is holding a key, St. Paul a book, St.Thomas a spear and St. John is carrying a chalice.
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Other figures of the astronomical clock
Besides the movable apostles in the windows above the dial the Old Town Astronomical Clock also contains some more figures. You will find a gilded statue of the rooster in the upper part of the tower which starts to crow after all the apostles exchange in the windows. There are more statues located in the left part. You can view the Vanity with a mirror moving his head admiring his face. The neighbouring statue represents the Greed shaking his purse and waving his stick.
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There is a statue of the Death placed on the opposite side of the dial tolling the funeral bell and turning the hourglass of life. Next to the Death the Turk, the symbol of vice and pleasure, is standing. In the lower part of the astronomical clock you will find the immobile statues – the statues of the Philosopher and Archangel Michael on the left and on the opposite side the statues of the Astronomer and Chronicler.
More information about the Prague Astronomical Clock – click here
How to get to Old Town Square:
Address:
Staroměstská radnice (Old Town Hall)
Staroměstské náměstí 3, 4/1,
Praha 1 – Staré Město, 110 00
GPS: 50°5’13.571″N, 14°25’14.397″E
Connection:
Tram: 17, 18, 53 Staroměstská (then walk along Kaprova street)
Bus: 133 Staroměstská (then walk along Kaprova street)
Metro: A – Staroměstská (then walk along Kaprova street)
Transport connection:
Search for connections: click here
Information on Prague transport: click here
Information on Prague public transport: click here
More links here:
All about: Prague 1 Monuments
All about: Prague 2 Monuments
All about: Prague 3 Monuments
All about: Prague Castle
All about: Royal route and the coronation of King
All about: Jewish Prague
All about: Old Town Square
All about: Petrin Hill
All about: Prague gardens and Parks
Photogallery of
Old Town Astronomical Clock (Orloj)
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