In the course of our daily reporting, we often uncover unusual projects, places, or connections that don't make the final cut. Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we're pleased to share our weekly Architrivia.

Created in 1410 by master clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň and Charles University Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy Jan Šindel, the Prague Astronomical Clock, or Prague Orloj, is mounted at the base of the Old Town Hall clock tower, within the heart of the Prague's Old Town Square.

Prague Astronomical Clock, Old Town Hall, image by Flickr user Tim Adams via Creative Commons

Variously added to and repaired over the intervening centuries, the clock received its now famous Gothic figures in 1490, along with the practical addition of a calendar dial, followed by a series of further repairs and restoration efforts which were carried out during the 1500s. During the early 1600s, wooden statues were added, followed in the late 1700s by the addition of the Apostles, which in turn were joined by the clock's famous crowing gold rooster during yet another round of repairs in the 1880s.

Prague Astronomical Clock, damaged by the Nazis in 1945, public domain archival image

The clock was all but destroyed by the Nazis during the Prague Uprising of May 7-8, 1945, when the Old Town Square was shelled in an attempt to quell the Czech Resistance. The clock suffered severe damage, and many of its decorations and intricate inner workings were thought at the time to be beyond repair. After being taken apart piece by piece, the various mechanical and decorative components of the clock were meticulously repaired or reproduced where necessary, and the complete restoration of the Prague Astronomical Clock was completed in 1948, a full three years after its destruction.

Prague Astronomical Clock, close-up view, image by Flickr user Matthew and Heather via Creative Commons

Today the Prague Astronomical Clock is one of the most well-recognized historical artifacts in the city, with fanciful decorations and mechanical embellishments that spring to life every hour to the delight of tourists and passersby alike. These features in addition to its long history and complex astronomical components make it a must-see attraction. The Prague Orloj is truly a wonder of Medieval Europe, after 600 years and counting.

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