The Prague Metronome () is a functioning

metronome A metronome () is a device that produces an audible click or other sound at a uniform interval that can be set by the user, typically in beats per minute (BPM). Metronomes may also include synchronized visual motion, such as a swinging pendulum ...

in Letná Park, overlooking the Vltava River and the city center of

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. The

kinetic sculpture Kinetic art is art from any medium that contains movement perceivable by the viewer or that depends on motion for its effects. Canvas paintings that extend the viewer's perspective of the artwork and incorporate multidimensional movement are ...

was erected in 1991, on the plinth left vacant by the late-1962 demolition of an enormous monument to former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The silent red metronome was designed by international artist Vratislav Novák, and officially named "Time Machine". It may be the largest metronome in the world, although

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

(since 1972) and

Gdańsk Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...

(since 2016) each have a larger

pendulum clock A pendulum clock is a clock that uses a pendulum, a swinging weight, as its timekeeping element. The advantage of a pendulum for timekeeping is that it is an approximate harmonic oscillator: It swings back and forth in a precise time interval dep ...

. The Prague Metronome is functional, but it is not always in operation. A plaque at the base reads "In time, all things pass..." The inverted pendulum of the motorized metronome has swung at 4 and at 6

beats per minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...

. The site offers a scenic view of the city and now is mostly used as a meeting place for skateboarders and others.

References

External links

Official websiteOrbitian Media – 360° Video
– Prague Metronome in motion (drag the display or click the horizontal/vertical arrows to adjust the viewing direction)
Article showing former Stalin monument
1991 establishments in Czechoslovakia 20th-century architecture in the Czech Republic Buildings and structures completed in 1991 Buildings and structures in Prague Pendulums Prague 7 Tourist attractions in Prague {{CzechRepublic-struct-stub