Sundial, Medieval timekeeping instruments in Prague, Czech Republic

The Sundial in Prachatice is a monumental geometric sculpture by Zdeněk Šimek, made in 1969–1970 and standing near Malé náměstí at the start of Zahradní street, below the Dolní brána, at 556 m above sea level. The dial blocks are cut from Zbuzany marble and the pointer from Vračany limestone. Morning hours six to eleven share one column, afternoon hours twelve to eighteen stand on separate columns, which also carry zodiac curves.

Sculptor Zdeněk Šimek (1927–1970) designed this monumental marble sundial in 1969–1970, inspired by the Samrat Yantra observatory of 1728 in Jaipur, India. He worked with astronomer Pavel Příhoda of Prague's observatory, who calculated and drew the lines. The work was built on site only after Šimek's death, and the town of Prachatice acquired it on 6 December 1971. It was repaired in 2001, when the gilding of the marks and numerals was renewed.

The sculptor Zdeněk Šimek, an amateur astronomer, modelled the Prachatice sundial on the Samrat Yantra observatory built in 1728 in Jaipur, India. The zodiac curves carved on its columns are the detail to look for; the gilded marks and numerals were renewed during the 2001 repair.

The sundial stands at 556 m above sea level by Malé náměstí, at the start of Zahradní street below the Dolní brána. Morning hours 6 to 11 are marked on one shared column, afternoon hours 12 to 18 on separate columns. The city had an urban study drawn up in 2015 to make the sundial's position more prominent.

The markings on this sundial are specifically adjusted for Prague's geographical position to enable accurate time readings at this latitude. These localized calculations show how craftspeople of the era applied knowledge of geography and celestial mechanics.