Prague has regained its rhythm. After more than two years of repairs, the giant metronome – a 25-meter-high pendulum by sculptor Vratislav Karel Novák – is once again in motion at Letná. Originally intended as a temporary installation, it has become one of the city’s most striking symbols for over three decades.
The nearly CZK 2 million renovation included a complete replacement of the gearing, ultrasonic weld inspections, as well as new lighting and a camera system. The metronome also received a fresh surface treatment. “Every intervention is a technical challenge – the mechanism is a complex machine,” explains Pavel Gorda, whose company maintains the structure.
PSN has owned the metronome since 1996. “The pendulum is an important symbol of Prague. Since its unveiling, it has kept time and reminds us of the moment our country gained freedom. It is an honor for us to keep it running and to show every day how precious freedom is,” says PSN Executive Director Max Skala.
But the Letná metronome is more than a technical curiosity. It is also a symbol of the city’s changing history. Where the world’s largest statue of Stalin once stood, today a machine ticks that blends art with engineering precision. When it was lifted by helicopter from the ČKD hall to Letná in 1991, it was expected to be temporary. Instead, it has set Prague’s rhythm for more than 30 years.
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