Hourglass of life - Prague, Czech Republic
Posted by: ToRo61
N 50° 05.219 E 014° 25.243
33U E 458559 N 5548463
A statue of the Death and the hourglass of life on Old Town Astronomical Clock
Waymark Code: WMVB1Q
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/26/2017
Views: 76
The Prague astronomical clock, or Prague orloj, is a medieval astronomical clock located in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.
The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still operating.
"The Orloj is mounted on the southern wall of Old Town Hall in the Old Town Square. The clock mechanism itself has three main components: the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; "The Walk of the Apostles", a clockwork hourly show of figures of the Apostles and other moving sculptures—notably a figure of Death (represented by a skeleton) striking the time; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months.
Statues of the apostles Prague, Old Town Astronomical Clock
The both little windows open in the upper part above the dial and in them the apostles who have nothing to do with the time determination gradually are coming up. There are twelve apostles in total and they come up in couples from the left to the right window in this sequence: Saint James and Saint Peter, Saint Andrew and Saint Matthias, Saint Thaddaeus and Saint Philip, Saint Thomas and Saint Paul, Saint John and Saint Simon and finally Saint Barnabas and Saint Bartholomew.
Besides the movable apostles in the windows above the dial the Old Town Astronomical Clock also contains some more figures.
There is also a statue of the Death placed on the opposite side of the dial tolling the funeral bell and turning the hourglass of life. Next to the Death the Turk, the symbol of vice and pleasure, is standing. In the lower part of the astronomical clock you will find the immobile statues – the statues of the Philosopher and Archangel Michael on the left and on the opposite side the statues of the Astronomer and Chronicler."
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