Friday, October 10, 2014

Prague Again


 
Approaching the Old Town Square from the west side

 
View across the Square

 
Twin Towers of the Church of Our Lady before Tyn

 
General view of the base of the Clock Tower

 
A closer view, including two windows where figures of the Apostles appear
 
 
Both Dials


 
The Astronomical Dial
 
 
The Monthly Calendar Dial 

I’ve had time to reflect on my short visit to Prague. Three to four days was not long enough to see all the main attractions and to savour the delights of the city, but I was able to take in a general picture of what was worth looking at and learning about. The ‘taster’ was sweet enough to entice me there again for a more in-depth study. However, I have to be realistic about financing such a trip and finding time to accomplish it. Bearing in mind these considerations, the probability of a longer sojourn there is remote, which brings me to the conclusion that if want to learn more about Prague, I’ll have to do so by using resources available such as my photos, guide books and maps, and by consulting websites.

As a starter, the Old Town Hall with its Astronomical Clock is a worthy subject. The clock is situated in the Town Hall Tower, and it is said to be one of the oldest and most elaborate of its kind in the world. This fantastic kinetic ‘art’ dates back to 1410 when it was built.

The display comprises three features: The astronomical dial, portraying the position of the sun, moon and other astronomical phenomena; ‘The Walk of the Apostles’, which are animated sculptures that move on the hour and a calendar dial with medallions representing months of the year. For a better understanding of their functions, visit the first link below.

The main attraction of Prague for me is the wonderful array of architectural examples: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau and Cubist buildings. What better architecture could you see than the Church of Our Lady before Týn with its Gothic twin towers and Renaissance and Baroque interior?

Links

Prague Astronomical Clock (Wikipedia)


Webcam of the Astronomical Clock


Astronomical Clock Movement Speeded Up


The Medieval Astronomical Clock in Prague


The Old Town Hall Tower and Astronomical Clock


Prague Portal


The Top Ten Reasons to Visit Prague

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hello Bill, I'm really enjoying your blog about Prague. From your photographs, there was certainly no shortage of sight see'rs, and the astronomical clock certainly looks interesting.