You may have already seen the Prague Astronomical Clock, but do you know the Slovak one?

The astronomical clock in Stará Bystrica is the first in Slovakia and is also the largest wooden statue in our country. It strikes every full hour from eight in the morning to ten in the evening, and at that time visitors can watch the procession of seven Slovak saints. It is the only astronomical clock in the world that shows the so-called true solar time, and although it is the youngest, it is among the most accurate astronomical clocks in the world.

It has its indescribable charm during the day and in the dark. Then it lights up and you can admire its sophisticated technique even late in the evening. The composition represents a seated Madonna – Our Lady of Sorrows, the patron saint of Slovakia. In individual niches there are bronze sculptures of important Slovak personalities: Prince Pribina, King Svätopluk, Anton Bernolák, Ľudovít Štúr, Milan Rastislav Štefánik and Andrej Hlinka.

Other figures appear when the hour strikes. At that time, figures of other saints from Slovak history – St. Cyril and Methodius, Svorad, Benedict, Bystrík, Vojtech and Gorazd, carved from poplar wood by folk carver Peter Kuník from Tvrdošín – parade along the clock.

And what would an astronomical clock be without a clock? The heart of the astronomical clock is the so-called astrolabe, from which you can read the date, solar time, the position of the Sun in the zodiac sign, or the position and phases of the Moon. The astrolabe was made in Prague, it is controlled by a computer, and its astronomical data was designed specifically for the geographical location of Stará Bystrica; it is not a copy of another astronomical clock. There are two bells in its tower. One is responsible for striking the hours and half-hours, the other accompanies the presentation of the saints with sound.

As usual, the astronomical clock is the center of Stará Bystrica. It was built in 2009. The design comes from the workshop of academic sculptor Viliam Lovišek and architect Ivan Jarina. It is located on St. Michael the Archangel Square, which has been renovated and surrounded by buildings in a uniform style, which looks very harmonious.

The astronomical clock is easy to reach. You can park your car directly in the village or come by public transport – you can buy a ticket conveniently in the IDS PLUS application. In the summer, you can enjoy a pleasant stay in the cafes on the square and a little extra experience every hour.

If you visit Stará Bystrica, it is worth visiting other attractions in the area. You can reach the Bobovec lookout tower on foot from the center of the village following the yellow sign in about an hour and a half. In nearby Vychylovka there is an open-air museum with a historical train, and towards it lies the Nová Bystrica Reservoir. A few kilometers further on are the Vychylovské Prahy – a natural phenomenon created by the Vychylovka River, up to one meter high, which was created by water erosion. Go and see it, you will definitely not regret it.