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Clocking The Time
he Clock Museum of Vienna
was opened in 1921 in one The bohemian clockmaker Franz
of Vienna’s oldest houses Zajicek not only had 24 children,
and can boast an interesting he also found time to work on
collection including early complex astronomical clocks for
chronometers, sundials and the the 1873 exhibition. These showed
“Braters“ or “roaster” clocks, the path of the sun, sunrise and
resembling a spit, of the Middle sunset and precisely calculated
Ages. From the sixteenth century the date of Easter for centuries
clocks gradually made an to come. He developed a special
appearance on public and temperature sensitive pendulum.
municipal buildings. The
collection includes astronomical Kurrentgasse leads south from the
clocks showing phases of the moon east end of Judenplatz; the
and the paths of planets. The beautifully restored 18th-century
famous Viennese lantern clocks of houses on its east side make this
the Biedermeier period are also one of the most unpretentiously
on view. The modern wristwatch appealing streets in the city.
has its place in the museum as And at the far end of the street
well as the Black Forest cuckoo is one of Vienna’s most appealing
clock. The star of the museum is museums-the Uhrenmuseum, or Clock
undoubtedly an astronomical cum Museum. The museum’s three floors
astrological clock created by the of blankly modern rooms display a
Augustinian friar David a Sancto splendid parade of clocks and
Cajetano who in the 1760s made a watches - more than 3,000
world clock with over 30 readings timepieces - dating from the 15th
and dials showing solar and lunar century to the present. The
eclipses, complete with a ruckus of bells and chimes
calendar and calculations up to pealing forth on any hour is
the year 9999. impressive, but for the full
cacophony try to be here at noon. everyone an extra hour sleep. It
also means, in theory, a lot of
A wide-ranging group of work for the staff in the Vienna
timepieces ancient as well as Clock Museum in the historic city
modern are on view here. Housed centre. Here there are around
in what was once the Obizzi town 1,000 precious clocks on view
house, the museum dates from 1917 spanning some six centuries. Many
and attracts clock collectors of the modern clocks are reset
from all over Europe and North automatically by the Physical
America. Technical Federal Office in
Braunschweig, Germany. It sends
The Vienna Clock Museum, under out a signal that adjusts
the expert guidance of Franz electronic watches and clocks on
Sharinger The museum is based on many public buildings, railway
the private collections of Rudolf stations and airports.
Kaftan and writer Marie Ebner von
Eschenbach. It contains approx Visitors are amazed by the
3000 timepieces in a huge variety ingenuity of the picture clocks
of clocks and watches spanning with hidden dials. Table clocks
more than five centuries of on stands with rich figural
horological development. Among ornaments manifest the clock’s
the highlights is the highly function as a social status
complex 18th C astronomical clock symbol. There are exquisite
by Augustine Brother David examples of Viennese Biedermeier
Cajetano containing more than 250 and belle époque models. A visit
parts. to the Clock Museum has the
visitor positively dancing to the
The last weekend in October marks rhythm of time through a
the end of summertime and the kaleidoscopic history of culture
clocks go back an hour giving and technology.
About the Author:
Anil Gupta recommends that you visit http://www.bookings.be/city/at/vienna.html?aid=305255 for more information on Vienna hotels.
Read more articles by: Anil Gupta
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