Astronomische Uhr, Paulusdom, Münster, Astronomical clock in St. Paulus Cathedral, Münster, Germany
The Astronomical Clock in St. Paulus Cathedral is a mechanical instrument with a dial rotating counterclockwise to track the sun's path, featuring seven hands that indicate planetary positions according to the Ptolemaic system. The mechanism operates through gears, rollers, and elaborately painted discs that represent the complete movement of the heavens.
The clock was built between 1540 and 1542 by printer Dietrich Tzwyvel, Franciscan Johann von Aachen, and locksmith Nikolaus Windemaker, replacing an earlier instrument destroyed in 1534. This reconstruction came after a period of destruction and restored the cathedral's astronomical function.
The clock face displays the Three Kings bowing to the Virgin Mary and Christ child at noon, while painted figures of Münster citizens watch from a balcony. This scene merges religious devotion with local identity at the cathedral's heart.
Visitors can view the clock during cathedral opening hours, and it is fully visible from the interior. Special guided tours and workshops provide deeper insight into the technical workings and construction of the mechanism.
The clock contains a calendar disc that can calculate Easter dates through 2071, demonstrating how precise calculations for this moving holiday were possible centuries ago. Additionally, rotating wooden tablets display the planetary rulers for each day of the week, a detail most visitors overlook.
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