Old Town Square: Hall Tower & Astronomical Clock

This posting does not contain many pictures as it is difficult to capture the essence of this clock, if I dare to call it a clock. No trip to Prague is complete without seeing the Astronomical Clock which dates back to the 1400s.

The middle section is the oldest part, the astronomical dial, which remains exactly as it was in 1410. It is quite precise with the position of the stars, planets, and sun in relation to the earth and showing the time of the day, months, seasons of the year, the signs of the zodiac and the course of the sun and moon. At the time it was created, it was believed that the heavens revolved around the earth - were they so far off?

The lowest section of the clock is the calendar dial, which was added in 1870. It consists of 12 medallions representing the months of the year and the 12 medallions of the zodiac.

Unfortunately, this clock suffered some serious damage in the May 1945, and required reparations in 1948, which is when the new apostle statues were added - the ones that appear in the tiny windows.