(26 Sep 2018) LEADIN:
Time has stood still for Prague's magnificent 600 year old medieval clock this year while it undergoes major repairs.
It's the clock's first substantial overhaul since World War II. It's expected to begin operating again by the end of this week.
STORYLINE:
In January this year Prague's famed astronomical clock was completely removed from its place on the tower of Old Town City Hall.
It's been a major draw for tourists who gather to catch a glimpse of the rotating 12 apostles that appear with the turning of every hour.
City Hall was badly damaged at the end of World War II.
As a centre of the uprising against the Nazi occupying forces in the last days of the war, City Hall saw many fierce battles.
Some of its parts were irreparably destroyed, while exposure to a devastating fire, combined with the collapse of wooden floors in the tower, damaged the clock, threatening its very existence.
It took more than three years to make it function again, but some of the repairs then were not done properly. The current restoration effort made it possible to fix that , as well some other poorly done repairs mostly from the 20th century, according to clock master Petr Skala.
"It's the first time in 70 years that we have disassembled the clockworks entirely, even with its frame, and you can see the parts of the Gothic frame here," he says.
Because the clock has undergone numerous changes since it was installed in 1410 Skala says the restoration is not aiming to give the clock its original, 15th century look.
His main task is to ensure the clock's mechanism remains as reliable as possible in the future.
As part of the process, his wife Melanie cleans every single part of it, removing old paint and rust, washing them all in citric acid five times.
"For instance, this clockwork if it can run for 600 years and it's not damaged, look at the teeth they are untouched, this could run for another 1,000 years, the question is whether Prague would still be here at that time," says Skala.
L.Hainz, a company that has been involved in various repairs of the clock since the middle of the 1860s, has been involved in the works, ensuring continuity.
Among the more visible changes, a copy of the clock's calendar board was made to replace the original one from the 19th century, the astrolabe received new paints and the two tin windows that replaced the ones made from stained glass at the early 20th century were removed.
Also, drums with hemp ropes in the clock's drive - an original feature of the clock - have replaced the metal chains that were installed after the war.
"It really is a beautiful machine and the rope drums are part of it and go well with it. So, we have returned them. This way it has a much more authentic look," explains Skala.
The clock is believed to have been installed in the City Hall tower in 1410 as a local version of the many big clocks that had started to measure time across Europe. It is unique in that unlike others, it still has its original mechanism. Some of its parts belonged to a clock that was in the tower before.
The introduction of the apostles came in the 18th century. It is believed they were in place by 1723 during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, who was also the king of Bohemia as the Czech lands were known.
The latest version of the round calendar board includes all 365 days of the year, the zodiac signs, symbols for all 12 months and Prague's coat of arms. It was created by Czech artist Josef Manes in 1866.
The clock is expected to be working fully once more on Friday 30 September.
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