THE WHITE TOWER

Program / info of the White tower Programme Opening hours Basic & contact information Abstract from the trade registry	Current news Month´s and year´s plan of events Introductory page Art agency	TICKET BOOKING Cultural and sports monthly „G“ Program of the cinema Širák Program / Šrámek's farm Piletice

On June 7, 1574 during the reign of Primate Martin Cejp from Peclinovec, the construction of the White Tower started in the middle of the western side of the Great Square in Hradec Králové. The construction was funded by charity gifts of the citizens of the city. In the course of the next six years a tower 72 meters tall has been built on the foundations with the dimensions of 10 x 10 meters out of Hořice sand stone.
The White Tower is the highest dominating feature of the city of Hradec Králové and most likely the highest building in Eastern Bohemia. In May 1581 an impressive bell Augustin, 169 centimetres high and 206 centimetres wide has been hanged in the fourth floor of the tower during a festive celebration. The bell was cast already in 1509 by famous Hradec bell founder Ondřej Žáček at the expense of the city and the commons. There is only one bell in Bohemia that is bigger. It is the famous Zikmund bell that can be found in St. Vitus cathedral at Prague Castle.
The entrance to the tower is decorated with an inscription of emperor’s Maximilian II. motto „Deus providebit, vigilandum tamen“ (God is to be provident though we ought to be waken).
From 1858 the citizens of Hradec Králové relied upon the astronomical clock installed in the White Tower. The clock was made by watchmaker Vavřinec from the New Prague City. A new astronomical clock was commissioned on October 1, 1829. The new hand-made clock was produced by Josef Božek, engineer and horologist of professional Prague Polytechnic Institute. However, the clock on the White Tower always caused trouble. The clock had a complete or so-called Czech dial divided into 24 hours for 238 years until 1829. The very first hour came together with the sunset. In 1923 the clock got stopped by lighting. Only six year later the clock suffered serious damage in a wind storm.
The tower was subject to major reconstruction in the period of 1987 – 1998. The out dated clockwork by Josef Brožek was replaced by state-of-the-art electric movement, but the clock still shows time in an unusual way – the minute hand shows hours while the hours hand shows minutes.



NEW THIS SEASON

Dominant feature of the city, the White Tower has changed into a Student creative lounge as of April 27, 2007. Students from Department of creative culture of University of Hradec Králové decorated the historical premises of the tower with their works. More works of art depicting mainly the White Tower will be introduced in the tower throughout the year. The set of exhibitions is called “The White Tower – Genius Loci”.

A new automatic binocular were installed on the gallery of the tower. The visitors of Hradec Králové will get a chance to see not only our beautiful city, but also the surroundings of the metropolis of Eastern Bohemia as well as the mountain tops of Eagle Mountains and Giant Mountains.


-
OPENING HOURS:
Daily from April 1 to September 30
9am – 12am and 1pm – 5pm
July & August – opening hours: 10am – 2pm, 3pm – 7pm
October 2009, 9am – 12am , 1pm - 5pm

NIGHT TOURS – every first Saturday in the month (throughout the season)
3.4. , 1.5. 5.6. , 3.7. , 7.8. , 3.9 - (Fri) 2010, 8pm – 12pm

CHRISTMAS ALL-DAY TOUR
25. – 26.12. 2010 - the White Tower is open on both of the days in times: 9am - 12am and 1pm - 5pm




-