THE STRASBURG CLOCK

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18068, 16 March 1923, Page 9

THE STRASBURG CLOCK

ON YIEW IN TIMARU,

A great many town and country ' people -visited tno Lyceum building j yesterday opposite the Theatre Royal, j and inspected Avitli much interest tlio j iamous tttraiburg elocit, Avhichi was first | exhibited in Tiiuaru 35 years ago. I For over 560 years the great clock of Stmsburg (Alsace-Lorraine) has excited 1 the minds of readers and travellers. It is one of tho wonders of. the -world. This magnificent and elaborate time-' j piece, Avhich Avas made 560 years ago, ' by a French monk, has created intense ; AAonder and admiration throughout the : civilised Avorld. Apart from the dial j Avhich marks the hours and minutes,. : other dials shoAv various astronomical ' and scientific details. 'The outstanding ■ features of the clock aro the procession . of tho Tavclvo. Apostles, the appearance of tli9 Saviouib the visitation of Satan, and many other automatic Avorkings", j All the astronomical, chronological and ! scientific dials are shoAvn, each doing its work as in the great original. The clock iioav being shewn in 'Timaru is an exact- model of the original, the inven- ; tor of which had his eyes put out in - order that he might not he able to construct a similar cue for the- Notre Dame, Paris. The model is a iiftii of the size of the original, and is 12 feet high and 6 feet Avide. Near the top of the clock is a Gothic portico, Avit-hin : Avhich are figures representing tho Angels of Death and Life, Christ, tho Tavclvo Apostles and Satan. Every quarter of an hour these ligures are set m motion. The Apostles come cutthrough a side door, and as they pass before Christ;- (avlio- comes through a. central door) they b<nv before Him, Avith the exception of Peter, avlio in tho presence of Satan above, turns his back. As an acknowledgment cl Peter's denial a cock at the side of the clock croAVS once. Judas, the last of the Twelve, lioavs lowest of all, and his every moA r ement is apparently followed iwith intense interest by Satan. Immediately beneath, this is a little portico in AA-hicli is Time (ivith his scythe). Ho it is aa'lio strikes the- hours and the quarters. At each quarter a cherub turns doAA'ii a sand-glass and a iicaal figure takes its place before Father Time. There are four figures representing the ages of man. To young and old the clock is of great interest. • It avi 11 he on vieAV again this afternoon and to-night.