Where is the Prague Astronomical Clock located?

The clock is attached to the Old Town Hall on Old Town Square in Prague.

Who created the original astronomical clock mechanism?

The astronomical dial and mechanical clock were created by horologist Mikuláš of Kadaň and professor Jan Šindel.

What figures appear on the clock facade?

The facade features animated figures of the Apostles, a golden rooster, and various gothic sculptures.

Did the clock sustain damage during wartime?

The Old Town Hall and clock were heavily damaged during the Prague uprising, requiring post-war reconstruction of the machinery and wooden sculptures.

Prague · Czech Republic

Prague Astronomical Clock: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents learn to route daily errands away from the hourly square gatherings, treating the surrounding Old Town alleys as the only workable pedestrian corridors.

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Now in the cityPrague Astronomical Clocklocal time on site Around here42

Exchange rateKč 21.71per 1 $CZK — the local currencyas of Nov 2, 2026

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About the place

The medieval astronomical dial on the Old Town Hall remains an active public timepiece and mechanical display.

The clockwork mechanism on the Old Town Hall was designed by horologist Mikuláš of Kadaň alongside astronomy professor Jan Šindel. The structure combines an astronomical dial with gothic sculptures, a calendar face, and moving figures of the Apostles. Local folklore long attributed the work to clockmaster Hanuš, claiming councillors blinded him to prevent duplicates before he sabotaged the internal gears.

Read on

Artillery fire during the Prague uprising inflicted severe burns on the tower, destroying the exterior calendar artwork and wooden carvings. Sculptor Vojtěch Sucharda carved replacement figures to restart the hourly procession. Later conservation efforts removed modern electrical drives in favour of mechanical gears, installed netting to deter pigeons, and addressed disputes regarding altered facial tones on replicated dial panels.

Associations

Old Town HallThe clock mechanism is mounted directly onto the southern facade of the hall.
Apostle figuresWooden figures rotate during the hourly chiming cycle above the dial.
Square congestionDense crowds assemble on the cobblestones before every hourly chime.
Hanuš legendTales claimed the maker was blinded to stop copies from being built.

Facts

The mechanical clock and astronomical dial were built by Mikuláš of Kadaň and Jan Šindel.
The Old Town Hall suffered heavy fire damage during the Prague uprising.
Restoration replaced the electric drive with a historical mechanical gear movement.
Sculptor Vojtěch Sucharda created replacement wooden Apostle figures after wartime destruction.

Updated September 21, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Prague Astronomical Clock: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around42

The medieval astronomical dial on the Old Town Hall remains an active public timepiece and mechanical display.

Getting there and staying

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