Brno astronomical clock, Modern clock tower at Freedom Square in Brno, Czech Republic
The Brno astronomical clock is a roughly six-metre block of black "granite" (gabbro) from South Africa, standing on the eastern side of Freedom Square in Brno. Time is shown by rotating stone and glass parts: the pointed tip turns once a minute as a second hand, the top glass section once an hour for minutes, and the dial digits once every 12 hours. Four openings near the base receive the glass marbles.
The city unveiled this monument in 2010 to commemorate the end of the Swedish siege in 1645. Citizens had rung the noon bells one hour early, causing the attackers to begin their withdrawal before reaching the agreed deadline to break off the assault.
The name of the clock recalls the defense of the city during the Thirty Years' War, when citizens used a trick to fool the Swedish besiegers. The modern design deliberately breaks with the traditional clock towers found in other historic cities of Central Europe, creating a contemporary meeting point on the central square.
The monument is best visited shortly before 11 in the morning, when visitors gather to catch the marbles. The glass marbles are dispensed through one of the four openings, and many people try to grab them as souvenirs.
The marble is handmade at a glassworks in Karlov, and the machine plays its chime at 10:15, 10:30, 10:45 and 11:00, when balls roll past slits and strike the names of participants in the 1645 siege. The first marble released at the 2010 unveiling was never caught, so a spare had to be used.
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