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