Festive lighting of the Letná pendulum
Kinetic sculpture called "The Time Machine" was built as a temporary construction in 1991 for the purpose of the General Czechoslovakian exhibition in Prague according to the design of Prof. V.K. Novák. It is a unique subtle artwork, which is suitably set on the massive base of the former monument in perspective line with Pařížská street, with view from the Old-Town Square and good visibility from the Vltava bank. Visualization of the sculpture with festive lighting contributes in a unique way to presentation of Czech presidency of the EU Council.
Location and illumination of the EU sign under the blue-lighted machine-room pyramid with red swinging pendulum, accentuated by red, white and blue LED diodes (tricolour), creates the symbolic of the Czech Republic and its presidency of the EU, and also follows the historical continuity, when the pendulum was put into operation before the referendum on Czech accession of the EU in 2003.
On December 31, 2008 at midnight, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Alexandr Vondra switched on the festive lighting of the pendulum remotely by means of GSM module. For further operation during the presidency, these technical possibilities are at disposal, which can be used simultaneously or consecutively:
a) Illumination of the EU sign and logo of Czech Presidency of the European Union with sodium lamps
b) Illumination of the machine-room pyramid
c) Illumination of the red pendulum arm
d) Lighting of LED diode tricolour on the pendulum
e) Start of mechanic-electronic bell (every 8 seconds on reversal point of the pendulum arm)
The pendulum and its festive lighting can be switched on remotely, for instance with use of a mobile phone (which was used after finishing of the fireworks on Letná on January 1, 2009) or according to a fixed set program. Its operation is monitored from the central control centre of ELTODO.
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