Prague Astronomical Clock
What people say
Lyndsey Kerridge
Available for hire
"At the top of every hour, the Astronomical Clock does a little performance that's worth seeing (once). It is the oldest working astronomical clock in the world and features an intricate mechanism with moving statues and decorative details.
To climb to the top, you will need a ticket which costs 300CZK (at the time of writing). The ticket office is located on the ground floor of the building – entrance through the glass door.
A single ticket to the Old Town Hall entitles you to enter the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, the historical halls, the Romanesque-Gothic underground and the town hall tower.
Alternatively, there are also guided tours.
The opening times for when you go are as follows:
Mon 11.00 – 20.00
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 09.00 – 20.00. "
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Wiktoria Górska-Kijanka
"The Orloj, or astronomical clock, in Old Town Square is the oldest still in use and the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world, first installed in 1410. Attached to the southern wall of Old Town Hall, the clock features three main components: an astronomical dial showing the positions of the Sun and Moon, statues of Catholic saints, and "The Walk of the Apostles," an hourly display of moving Apostle figures and other sculptures, including a skeleton symbolizing Death. It also has a calendar dial with month-specific medallions. Local legend held that a ghost mounted above the clock would nod if the clock's proper functioning was ignored, suggesting that neglecting it could bring misfortune to the city."
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Anna Dušková
Available for hire
"The Prague Astronomical Clock is decorating the facade of the Old Town Hall since 1410. A special stone annex was built for it on the south side of the town hall tower, in which the entire mechanical system was stored. The clock is made up of several parts – in addition to the astronomical and calendar plate, it is equipped with a mechanism of twelve apostles who appear in two small windows every hour (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.).
During the parade of the apostles, other figures on the sides of the clock also come to life with mechanical movement – Death rings the bell, turns the hourglass and indicates to the Turk standing next to him that his time is up. He shakes his head dismissively. "
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