The clock in short: 1410, with many changes since
The Orloj (Staroměstský orloj) on the south side of the Old Town Hall tower dates back to 1410. The clockmaker Mikuláš z Kadaně built it, and Jan Šindel supplied the astronomical and mathematical calculations. That is the origin of the clock. It does not mean that every part you see today is 600 years old.
Over the centuries the mechanism was repaired, extended and rebuilt. The apostle figures burned in 1945, the calendar dial on the facade is a copy, and a full restoration took place in 2017 and 2018. If you want to see the clock in person, the apostle show times and the guide to the dials are the next steps.
Timeline of the Prague Astronomical Clock
The building came first. The clock was added to a town hall that already had its tower and chapel.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1338 | The Old Town Hall is founded |
| 1364 | The tower is built |
| 1381 | The oriel chapel is added |
| 1410 | The astronomical clock is made by Mikuláš z Kadaně, with calculations by Jan Šindel |
| Later | Master Hanuš (Jan Růže) is linked with the care and improvement of the clock |
| 1865 to 1866 | Josef Mánes works on the new calendar plate, unveiled on 18 August 1866 |
| May 1945 | The town hall is badly damaged in the Prague Uprising and the apostle figures burn |
| 1948 | The clock runs again, with new apostles by Vojtěch Sucharda |
| 2017 to 2018 | The clock is dismantled and restored |
The town hall dates of 1338, 1364 and 1381 are often mixed up with the age of the clock. They belong to the building. For the clock itself, 1410 is the date to use.
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Our take: this history walk puts the clock's era in context.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Old Town tours and tickets near the clock
Guided walks, underground tours and town hall tickets, with live prices and availability.
The Master Hanuš legend
The best-known story about the clock is a legend. It says that the town councillors blinded the clockmaker Hanuš so that he could never build a second clock, and that he took revenge by wrecking the mechanism. It is a tale, not a recorded event.
What is documented is more modest. Jan Růže, known as Master Hanuš, was connected with the maintenance and improvement of the clock at a later time. He was not its original builder. The original makers are Mikuláš z Kadaně and Jan Šindel. Guides in the Old Town still tell the Hanuš story, and it is fine to enjoy it as long as it is told as a legend.
1945: fire, loss and restart
The clock did not run without a break from the Middle Ages to today.
The damage in May 1945
At the end of the war the town hall came under fire and burned during the Prague Uprising. The apostle figures were lost in the fire. The destruction took place on 7 or 8 May, so remember it simply as May 1945.
The restart in 1948
The clock was working again in 1948. New apostles by Vojtěch Sucharda replaced the burned figures. The apostles you see in the windows today are from this postwar work.
The calendar dial
The lower dial carries the calendar with month pictures, zodiac signs and saints' days. It goes back to Josef Mánes, who began work in 1865. The dial on the facade is a copy, and the original is kept in a Prague museum.
The restoration of 2017 to 2018
The clock was taken apart and restored. Mechanical parts were returned to their form of the 19th century, and windows and surfaces were renewed. So "completely original since 1410" is not correct.
Work on the figures in 2026
A restoration of eight outer figures has been announced for 2026. Work of this kind is normal for a historic clock. The apostle show runs hourly from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., but individual figures may be away for conservation. Check the current state before you visit.
You can see the clock for free from the square. To go inside, read the Old Town Hall and tower tickets page first. A knights' hall in the building also has an interactive digital model of the clock, included in the basic ticket. It does not replace seeing the real mechanism on the facade.
More on the clock and the square
Where to go next.
Astronomical Clock facts
Age, dials, figures and tower heights in one place.
How the clock works
Time systems, zodiac ring, moon and the moving figures.
Old Town Square
Týn Church, Jan Hus monument and the Marian Column.
The square around the clock has its own history of markets, executions and monuments. For a second view of the same square, see the Old Town Square guide on charlesbridge.org.
Prague Astronomical Clock history: frequently asked questions
When was the Prague Astronomical Clock built?
The clock is dated to 1410. Mikuláš z Kadaně made it, and Jan Šindel worked out the astronomical and mathematical design. In 2026 that makes it about 616 years old, counted from its origin.
Who built the Prague Astronomical Clock?
Mikuláš z Kadaně was the clockmaker, with calculations by Jan Šindel. Master Hanuš is often named as the builder, but he was linked with the clock only later, as someone who maintained and improved it.
Is the story of Master Hanuš true?
No. The blinding of Hanuš by the councillors and his revenge on the mechanism is a legend. Treat it as a story that goes with the clock.
Did the clock survive World War II?
Not undamaged. The town hall was shot at and burned in May 1945, and the apostle figures were lost. The clock ran again in 1948 with new apostles by Vojtěch Sucharda.
Is the clock original?
Parts of it are old, but it has been rebuilt, repaired and restored several times. The 2017 to 2018 restoration returned mechanical parts to their 19th-century form, and the calendar dial on the facade is a copy.
Is this the official website of the clock?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by the City of Prague, Prague City Tourism or the Old Town Hall, and it is not connected to any tour operator.