Amazing Prague is recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it is impossible to doubt it. Amazing natural landscapes and magnificent architectural heritage deserve admiration of all tourists. Each building keeps a memory of events of past eras and is a real work of art.
Unusual sight
The monumental structure, which will be discussed in this article, is a rather young attraction, exciting the imagination with its size. An unusual monument creaking over the Czech capital is worth getting to know it.
The giant metronome in Prague is located in the Leten Gardens, which are the hallmark of the city. Located just a few minutes drive from the center, on the banks of the Vltava River, they attract the attention of vacationers who wish to be alone with nature. The monument of impressive size appeared in 1991 on the site of another, no less gigantic, monument, blown up by order of the authorities.
Sculpture of the Soviet leader
In early May 1955, a large-scale monument to the Soviet leader, the liberator of Czechoslovakia, grew up over the Chekhov Bridge, behind which stood representatives of the working people, led to a brighter future. The author of the project was the sculptor Otakar Shvets, who received a good fee for the work done. Residents of Prague, whose composition did not cause enthusiasm, responded about it without proper reverence, calling it "turn for meat."
The sculpture, which spent about 200 million kroons, consisted of 32 thousand stone boulders, and the most powerful locomotives carried valuable cargo from different parts of the state to deliver on time. The weight of the huge monument with a height of 15 meters was about 14 thousand tons, and the whole country raised money for its construction. At the opening of the monument came Nikita Khrushchev, who awarded the sculptor the Order of Lenin. However, soon the life of the Swede was tragically interrupted. Some researchers believe that the cause of suicide was the persecution of the master in the media. But in fact, the talented author left behind his wife, who became depressed and poisoned.
Dismantling the monument
The leader’s sculpture stood for only seven years: after debunking the Stalin personality cult, the authorities decided to dismantle it. Leading engineers thought about how to avoid damaging the Chekhov bridge. Experienced pyrotechnicians laid the explosive device three times, since the composition was installed for centuries, and a strong monument to a tyrant could not be destroyed. In 1962, he finally disappeared from the face of the earth, and such a move cost the treasury almost 4.5 million crowns.
Art object counting the running of time
The place that was vacated was empty for quite some time, until 1991. The famous architect Vratislav Karel Novak, who died three years ago, thought about perpetuating the inexorable running of time, and came up with a metronome project in Prague that resembled an instrument created for Beethoven. The great composer had great hearing problems, and a device was invented for him, with the help of the movements of which the composer set the size of the beat of the music. The philosophical implication of the future art object was clear: our life consists of ups and downs, and the oscillations of the pendulum perfectly illustrate this.
Legendary installation
The erection of a new sculptural composition on the old pedestal was timed to coincide with the opening of the General Czechoslovak Exhibition, and it was assumed that the construction would function only during its operation. However, the device was so popular that after the end of the public event, an interesting attraction was not dismantled.
The metronome in Prague, which counts out the specified intervals with even beats, represents both stability and the inevitable changes that are coming in the future. The original installation was immediately overgrown with legends. People came here to just stand next to the building and watch the measured movements. They believed that the burden of everyday worries disappears, and the special aura that exists around the composition helps to find the right solution in difficult situations.
Closed hopper
Under the measuredly swaying metronome in Prague, whose photo is surprising for foreign tourists, there is a spacious bunker. Initially, it was planned to place a museum dedicated to Stalin in it, later there was a rock club, trading warehouses, and in the 90s of the last century the homeless lived in the dungeon.
Now the bunker is in poor condition and is closed to tourists. Overhaul costs are very high, and authorities expect that only private investors can save a unique place from destruction.
Popular among tourists and local youth
A giant metronome in Prague with a height of 24 meters is driven by an electric motor. It equipped a viewing platform, which has become a favorite place for dates. Guests of the Czech capital come here primarily to enjoy the wonderful views that open from the observation deck.
Tourists who visited the Letensky Gardens and enjoyed the natural beauty, think about why in Prague a metronome. According to the logic of its creators, next to this place you need to think about the eternal. But cheerful young people and couples in love coming here hardly think about the transience of being. From a pillar to an unusual monument, stunning the imagination, stretches a long power cable that feeds the mechanism. Entertaining teenagers throw old shoes at him, and every year a garland consisting of several dozen well-worn sneakers only grows.
In addition, this place is very popular among cyclists and skateboarders organizing competitions on the site. Here all year round outdoor enthusiasts gather from all over the city.
Prague metronome: how to get there?
It is very easy to get to the unique art object by public transport: you need to take the tram number 5, 17 or 53 and get to the Čechuv most stop. And then a few minutes have to walk up the stairs.
The exact metronome address in Prague, located in the Letensky Gardens, is: Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše, Praha.
Having visited the charming capital of the Czech Republic, be sure to get acquainted with the device counting the inexorable course of time and think about how valuable each minute is. Sometimes it is necessary to see this in order to feel the transience of our life, because only in this case we can know its fullness.