Two residents of the city, Mikulas of Kadan and Jan Sindel, designed the astronomical clock—one of the best-preserved examples of medieval engineering in the world—in 1410. A third craftsman, Master Hanus, made later modifications.
The clock is made up of several intricate parts that do more than tell the time—with dials showing the days of the week, months of the year, signs of the zodiac, and the position of the sun and moon in the sky. Every hour, carved figures of the Apostles parade past two windows that open above the clock face, and the statues on both sides of the clock come to life. Many visitors combine a trip to see the clock with a visit inside the town hall and its viewing tower, or visit as part of a walking or bike tour of the city.