Official Museum Page: http://galileo.imss.firenze.it/index.html

At the center of the important horological holdings of the Science Museum in Florence is the new (made in 1995) replica of the astronomical clock, which was calculated, designed and first made in 1510 by Lorenzo della Volpaia (1442 -1512). The replica was built based on contemporary 16th century illustrations and detailed notes and calculations in a notebook from that time.

This astronomical clock, about eight feet high, is (together with the world famous Dondi clock of which there are replicas in a) the Smithsonian, b) at the Rockford Time Museum, and at c) Musee l'Homme et le Temps in La Chauux de Fonds, Switzerland), one of the most outstanding mechanical representation of the Ptolomean, i.e. the pre-Copernican earth centric view of the universe, held at that time. To achieve the "apparent motion" of the planets around the earth some difficult, highly complex elliptical gearing is necessary. As the clock is displayed without a case the mechanics are clearly visible and can be appreciated.

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