Astronomical Clock
A technical masterpiece
As often as you hear the bell ringing,
do not forget
your God,
who reigns over all the stars,
to praise and thank him.
(Translated Inscription of the clock)
In this Section
A technique in itself
The Astronomical Clock
The astronomical clock was built between 1955 and 1967 by Paul Behrens. Its façade is a simplified replica of the old clock from the 16th century, which was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1942.
Every day at 12 noon, the figures in the upper part of the astronomical clock move around.
In 2013/2014, the Astronomical Clock underwent renovation work over a period of eight months. The total cost amounted to €125,000.
The project was financed by numerous donations from Lübeck citizens, visitors and businesspeople, as well as funding from the Possehl Foundation and the Gemeinnützige Sparkassenstiftung.
For the first time ever, the astronomical clock was dismantled into its individual parts after its construction. The clockwork had malfunctions and the entire clock had to be cleaned. A large tarpaulin with a picture of the clock concealed the construction site. The Lübeck-based architectural firm Justus Deecke was in charge of project management, while Otto Buer Glocken- und Uhrentechnik from Neustadt carried out the work.
Since winter 2024, the astronomical clock has once again been in need of repair, meaning that the figures do not rotate and the date display is not entirely accurate. A team of volunteer specialists is currently working on deciphering the construction plans and will soon have the astronomical clock up and running again.
A fascinating technique
However, I would be happy to explain it during one of our tours of the church. Shall we meet there?
Manfred
Volunteer
