The Astronomical Clock of Strasbourg Cathedral
N 48° 34.898 E 007° 45.031
32U E 407847 N 5381703
A clock perfect for those who love them! The Notre-Dame cathedral of Strasbourg is one of the great tourist attractions of the Alsace region of France. Inside there is an extra delight waiting the horologist: the famous astronomical clock.
Waymark Code: WM1TMQ
Location: Grand-Est, France
Date Posted: 07/08/2007
Views: 241
In French, "L'Horloge Astronomique", this is one of the largest astronomical clocks in Europe.
The Strasbourg cathedral clock has a long history. The first clock was built in around 1352. This stayed in place for about 150 years until it finally failed.
Work on a replacement began in 1547 but due to the religious turmoil of the time was not completed until some thirty years later. Major modifications / rebuilding work took place again in the 19th century.
The clock is on four main levels and provides a variety of astronomical information. It's magnificent in itself, but what makes it such a tourist attraction for visitors to Strasbourg is the collection of automata that perform on the various levels. These include a cherub turning an hour glass, another hitting a gong and a figurative representation of the four ages of man.
The main "show" takes place an 12:30 daily. On the top level, figures of the twelve apostles parade in front of Christ and bow before him whilst a cock spreads its wings and crows.
You will find the remains of the previous clock at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs.
If you have high speed internet and Windows Media Player, you can watch the video I made of the clock at Strasbourg Astronomical Clock Video