W hile not an example of great architecture, itself, the Old Town Hall shows how much the people of Prague love great architecture, especially their own. It is yet another building with an observation point from which visitors can marvel at the spires, domes, and clocks of the city. Though the Old Town Hall bears a large clock face near the top of its shaft, it is the clock at its base that attracts the most attention. The Astronomical Clock shows the movement of the constellations in its top half, and is a calendar at the bottom. Also worth noting is the Oriel Chapel at the front of the building. Its stained glass windows were blown out during the second World War, but were replaced in 1987. The town hall was established by King John of Luxemburg in 1338. The fledgling town council quickly ran out of space, and annexed the building next door. When that was filled, another building, and another were annexed until today when the town hall starts with the great tower, but then extends back through a number of formerly individual buildings.
