Prague (Part 3)

A great favourite of mine in Prague was the Astronomical Clock. It was built in 1410 and though there are two clocks older, it is the oldest working Astronomical Clock. It is a huge clock, spanning three stories of a building. It has a dial representing the positions of the sun and the moon in the sky along with other astronomical features, another that represents the months of the year and, a mechanism called the Walk of the Apostles. Hourly as the clock strikes the time, depictions of the twelve Apostles cycle through a window at the top, while Death (represented by a skeleton) strikes the time and shakes his head.  Our guide, Ana, told us a legend. It is said that the clockmaker (whose name I can’t recall) was blinded on the order of the councilors of Prague so that he could not repeat his work for another town. In revenge the clockmaker broke down the clock and no one else was able to repair it for the next 100 years.

We waited with others in front of the clock and as the top of the hour grew close, the crowd grew quiet. The shutters opened, the Apostles started their march, the clock pealed its hours, and the skeleton shook his bony head at us – reminding us all that time and its end is inevitable for all. As the procession finished and the shutters snapped shut, the crowd applauded; and then retired to the several cafes for cappacinos.

While waiting for others of our group to finish buying cappacinos  or using the washroom after having to scare up small change euros or koronas (you pay for public washrooms in Europe, an added panic for any traveler with an unreliable bladder!), we noticed a portion of the cobblestones that were patterned in the shape of 21 white crosses. In the 1600’s, during the frequent dust-ups between Protestants and Catholics, 21 priests were tossed out of windows, falling to their deaths. A rather gruesome practice called defenestration. The cross pattern in the cobblestones are a memorial to these priests, one cross for each priest. I am starting to think it is also a reminder in this city to stay away from open windows – and bridges!