Klementinum by Karel Stolar - Prague, Czech Republic
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ToRo61
N 50° 05.176 E 014° 25.008
33U E 458279 N 5548386
Klementinum by Karel Stolar
Waymark Code: WMV2PH
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 02/13/2017
Views: 28
Large complex of Klementinum (
visit link) is situated next to the Charles Bridge, right in the historical centre of Prague. Klementinum, built on area of 2 hectares, is one of the largest building complexes in Europe.
Astronomical Tower was built in 1722 to a height of 68 meters. At the top stands lead statue of Atlas carrying the celestial sphere by Matthias Bernard Braun. Construction of the tower was related to the development of astronomical studies in the country. At the time of the construction of Klementinum, such astronomers as Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, or Thadeus Hájek worked in Prague. Astronomy was part of the university curriculum since its inception, but the observatory was founded in Klementinum at the instigation of Joseph Stepling, its first director, in the years 1751-1752. Astronomical instruments were installed in the tower and it became the main spot for astronomical measurements.
The observatory was from the foundation under state control, after the First World War it became part of the newly founded State observatory of Czechoslovakia and the Klementinum tower was until 1928 its only observatory in Bohemia. The observatory in Klementinum worked until World War II.
The author of this painting is Karel Stolar. Karel Stolar is the book illustrator who is dedicated to creating drawings sights. You can find this painting in book 'Pražské domy vyprávejí III.'
This book is one of a twelve-part series of books describing structural changes and the development of cultural-historical monuments of Prague (houses, villas and palaces, library, banks, school, museum, hospital, farm, etc.).