A Pendulum Over Prague
With its breath-taking view of Prague and its magnificent bridges, Letenské sady was decorated with an installation called the Time Machine as part of the General Czechoslovak Exhibition in 1991. The kinetic sculptural work by Vratislav Karel Novák is commonly known as the Prague Metronome – a reminder of the warning the past provides, while being a symbol of a new time and era. The pendulum on Letná stands on the site of the infamous monument to J. V. Stalin with extensive underground spaces. The monument remained here for 7 years, until which it was shot up three times in 1962. The damaged structural stability of the pedestal later complicated the installation of the pendulum.
About the author
Vrastislav Karel Novák came from a Prague family stemming from a long artistic and literary tradition that strongly motivated him. He studied at the Jablonec Jewellery Industrial School and then in the metal and jewellery studio of Jan Nušla at the Academy of Arts and Crafts. His oeuvre unfolded in multiple directions. His domain was interior and exterior metal sculptures, small mobiles, but he also create distinctive jewelry. Novák's work is a distinctive contribution to the development of constructivist tendencies, kinetic art and tech-art of the second half of the 20th century.
For more information, visit Vratislav Karel Novák.
Unstoppable time
The Metronome on Letná, which has been part of the PSN portfolio since 1996, is a symbol of the unstoppable passage of time. However, unstoppable time has taken its toll on the 25-metre-high machine weighing 7 tons. This is also because it was originally supposed to be a temporary construction. However, it swings from side to side over Čechův most and Edvard Beneš's embankment to this day, like Mälzel’s famous metronome with a reverse pendulum. The pendulum on Letná needs regular maintenance, provided and paid for by PSN as the proud owner and patron of this iconic work. It is performed every three weeks and costs PSN hundreds of thousands of Crowns a year. In 2020, it was overhauled for CZK 1.5 million. Thanks to this loving care, the Metronome is able to celebrate its thirtieth birthday in 2021, together with PSN. The company entered the real estate market as the Prague Real Estate Administration in 1991, the year when the Metronom’s pendulum first swung into action on Letná.
