Tour books tell us that the best view of Prague comes from a 200-foot tower in the city’s Old Town. The tower has served many roles besides tourist attraction, though: weather station, clock, and astronomical observatory. Klementinum tower was built in 1722. It’s part of a complex built beginning in the 1550s by Jesuit monks. They established a major university there. And while the university has moved on, the site is still home to the Czech Republic’s national library – considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The tower became an observatory in 1751. It was founded by Joseph Stepling, a priest, mathematician, and astronomer. Three years earlier, he’d used a pair of eclipses to calculate the exact latitude and longitude of Prague. He acquired state-of-the art instruments for the observatory — many of which are on display today. A few years later, observers began recording weather conditions — a practice that continues today. It’s one of the longest records of weather observat
