One of the many destinations I hope to visit someday is the Czech Republic. I would love to explore Prague. It’s a graceful old city full of beautiful architecture. Tyn Church and St. Vitus Cathedral are good examples.
But one of the things that intrigues me most is the city’s esoteric history.
the stories are out there, from the Jewish Quarter’s legend of the Golem - Rabbi Loew’s artificial man brought to life, to tales from the court of Rudolph II, the eccentric Habsburg emperor who entertained dreams of discovering the philosopher’s stone… as well as tales of secret societies like the Knights of the Rose and the Cross, Freemasons and the Templar… Certainly, there is something alluring about the esoteric vision of Prague as a magnetic centre of medieval thought, philosophy, art, and science, imbued with the deeper secret meanings. ~Excerpts from A walking tour of “esoteric” Prague
A splendid symbol of this mystery and magic is the astronomical clock on the southern wall of Old Town City Hall, that was created early in the 15th century.
The Prague Astronomical Clock is one of the oldest European clocks of its kind… and continues to hold its exceptional position. It is unique in being the oldest of those where the original clockwork has been in operation from the beginning to the present time for six centuries. ~Excerpt from Prague Astronomical Clock
The astronomical dial on the clock is a form of mechanical astrolabe, and the background represents the Earth and sky. The zodiac circle to show the plane of the ecliptic, or the path of the sun through the sky. The sun and the moon are represented. The sphere of the moon is half silver and shows the lunar phases. There’s a diagram that details all the functions.
I was very excited to see a clock very like the Orloj featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkiban movie. It provided another layer to the magically charged atmosphere of Hogwarts, in my vivid imagination.
So, when I go to Prague, one of the first places I will seek out is the Orloj. Hopefully I’ll get to do that soon.
