The Astronomical Clock

The Astronomical Clock, a Renaissance jewel, is the result of an exceptional collaboration between artists, mathematicians, and technicians. Swiss clockmakers, sculptors, painters, and automaton designers combined their talents to create this major work. Although the current mechanism dates from 1842, its charm lies mainly in the spectacle of its automatons, which come to life every day at 12:30 PM. At that precise moment, the different stages of life, represented by a child, a teenager, an adult, and an old man, pass before Death. Higher up, the apostles parade before Christ, while the flapping of wings and the crowing of a rooster punctuate this mechanical choreography. Facing the Clock, the Pillar of Angels, of original design, depicts a Last Judgment, adding a symbolic dimension to this masterpiece.