The Old Town Hall clock, known as the Astronomical Clock is one of the most prominent and famous parts of the hall. It has been tagged as the most detailed and elaborate clock that has ever been built. Dating back to 1410, Astronomical Clock has seen histories. It was built in 1410 but was reconstructed in 1490 by Master Hanus.
The clock has three basic elements; the astronomical dial, The Walk of the Apostles and a calendar dial. It is certainly one of the most beautifully detailed clocks to date, with each of its elements being of equal importance. The first component, that is the astronomical dial, represents the sun and moon in the sky. The second component, The Walk of the Apostles showcases the figures of the Apostles. It also shows other moving sculptures, adding glory to the clock over all. The calendar dial represents the current month along with the date also.
People gather in front of the Astronomical Clock daily, in advance to see the clock performance. Starting from 9 am to 9 pm, the clock performs at every hour. Thus, if you want to see it, then you can go at any hour. Every hour, the figure of death rings a bell and 12 Apostles appear above. This is a huge show for all the people and this is why they gather around the astronomical clock. A cock also crows when the clock strikes each hour.
The edges of the Astronomical Dial, have the ring of Roman Numerals which show the modern 24 hour clock. Majority of people are used to seeing time through this style, thus this is also included in the clock. The Golden Hand shows the current time on the standard 24 hour style. The clock also shows the ancient Bohemian style time. Furthermore, the moon along the Zodiac Ring, spins around the entire clock, showing the orbits of the clock around the Earth. It also shows the current cycle of the moon in one corner. There is also a golden star which represents the position of the vernal equinox. It also measures sidereal time which is completely dependent on the outer ring which has the Roman numerals.
The Astronomical Clock is highly detailed and this is why it is a must watch for all tourists. It is extremely hyped and there isn’t a single tourist in Prague who does not visit the clock!