The Curse of the Prague Astronomical Clock
Every hour, a skeleton rings a bell on Prague's medieval clock. Legend says its maker was blinded so he could never build another, and took revenge.
What was reported
The Prague Orloj, on the Old Town Hall, is the oldest astronomical clock still working, installed in 1410. Every hour, the figure of Death, a skeleton, pulls a bell rope, and the twelve apostles parade past two little windows.
Legend says a master clockmaker called Hanuš built it, and the city councillors had him blinded so he couldn't make one as fine for anyone else. Before he died, he reached into the clock's works and stopped it, and no one could start it again for years. People also say that if the clock is neglected, the city will suffer.
Explanations offered
Records show the clock was built by Mikuláš of Kadaň with the astronomer Jan Šindel. A clockmaker called Hanuš did repair it around 1490, and the blinding story was attached to him later. The clock has been restored many times, most recently in 2018.
- When
- Built in 1410; legend of the 1490s
- Where
- Old Town Square, Prague, Czech Republic
- Witnesses
- Visitors every hour
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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