Ankeruhr

The Anker Clock (Ankeruhr) on Hoher Markt in Vienna's Old Town is an impressive animated clock and one of the city's best-known attractions. It spans the two parts of the Ankerhof like a bridge; the building once housed the insurance company "Der Anker" and is now used by Helvetia Insurance. An outstanding work of Art Nouveau, it was created between 1911 and 1915 by a large number of renowned artists and craftsmen. The painter Franz Matsch was responsible for the artistic design, while the complex clockwork was built by Franz Morawetz, clockmaker to the Imperial and Royal court. Completion was delayed by the outbreak of World War I, so the clock did not have its first trial run until the summer of 1915. Originally conceived as a "Peace Clock" (Friedensuhr), it was put back into operation without much ceremony after the war, with the musical program adapted to the changed political situation.

Architecturally, the structure, ten meters wide and seven meters high, rests on four figural brackets depicting Adam, Eve, an angel, and the devil. A sun disk sits enthroned above the clock face, flanked by symbols of life and death, underscoring the importance of the insurance company housed here. The background is a large mosaic featuring the double-headed eagle and the old Viennese coat of arms, surrounded by shields symbolizing science, art, and other areas of life. The clock works as a linear clock: twelve copper figures, each about two and a half meters tall, glide one after another across a scale to indicate the hours. The figures come from different historical eras and were personally selected by Franz Matsch.

The best time to see the spectacle is on the hour, when a resonant chime sounds. The highlight takes place at noon, when all twelve groups of figures pass by in historical order. Each figure is accompanied by a fitting piece of music, which today is played through a digital sound system, since the original mechanical organ could not be repaired after war damage. The clock underwent a comprehensive restoration in 2005 and is a protected landmark. After dark, the clock is also lit by floodlights, making the detailed copperwork and the mosaic even more impressive.