Prague Metronome, Functional metronome in Letná Park, Prague, Czech Republic
The Prague Metronome, titled Stroj času ("Time Machine"), is a steel kinetic sculpture by Vratislav Karel Novák, nearly 25 metres tall and weighing 7 tonnes. Its pendulum swings 60 degrees, balanced by a two-tonne counterweight, while the drive mechanism sits inside a three-sided pyramid frame. It stands on the stone pedestal of the demolished Stalin Monument above the Vltava.
The structure was built in 1991 to replace an enormous Stalin monument that was destroyed by explosives in 1962. The site marks a turning point in Czech history, from the Soviet era toward independence.
The sculpture is titled Stroj času ("Time Machine"), a name its author Vratislav Karel Novák chose to mark the relentless passage of time and warn against the past. Its pendulum once swung between signs reading NE and ANO for the 2003 EU referendum, and in 2009 it was lit in EU colours.
The best way to reach it is by walking through Letná Park, where paths gradually lead uphill with multiple entrances available from the river. The site is freely accessible and offers good spots to sit and observe from different angles, especially near the sculpture itself.
The sculpture was lifted into place by a large helicopter on 15 May 1991, when it was first set in motion, because the blasted Stalin pedestal could not bear a crane. It was meant to be temporary for the 1991 exhibition but stayed.
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