For many years people have not seen anything remarkable on the gable of the house No. 241 in Nerudova Street in Česká Kamenice. An ordinary passer-by passed by the house without pausing to think about anything. However, the more astute ones might have noticed three moulded holes that seemingly resembled a door.

The doorway was formerly used as a gateway for the apostles who were part of the clockwork. The original clock was set up here after World War I by the owner of the house, Mr. Adolf Eiselt. The reason for establishing the clock was quite simple. Mr. Eiselt ran a jewellery and watch shop on the ground floor of the house and the clock acted as a great advertisement for his business. After the Second World War and the expulsion of the German population, the clock fell into disrepair and was not maintained in any way. Over time it was dismantled and removed. 

In 2023, the town of Česká Kamenice, at the urging of the town architect, started working on the idea of restoring the astronomical clock. The new astronomical clock was officially launched on Easter Sunday, 31 March 2024. It is not a replica of the original clock, but the new form is strongly inspired by the original one. The clock face is more subtle and the statues are made of a more modern material, glass, which is native to the area.  

The design and processing of the sculptures was done by the Střední umělecko-průmyslská škola sklářská from Kamenický Šenov. The sculptures are assembled from two carved sheets of metal, between which is placed a painted sheet of glass. There are twelve statues of the apostles in total and they are complemented by two more figures - the knight Roland, the town patron, and the grim reaper ringing the bell.

Author of the photos is Radek Timoftej.