Sundials

Schreyers Hoek, Emden (Germany)

Sundials near the old port (August 2000)

These two sundials, a polar and an equatorial dial, are set in a small public garden at the old port, not far from the City Hall.
The dial faces not only tell the time, but also hold a concise encyclopedia of astronomy. Which, contrary to the dials, makes for interesting reading even on a cloudy day!
The dials are designed and made by Werner Kuhlmann from Emden. In addition to the two dials here, a vertical one is almost ready for placement and a horizontal dial is being planned.



Equatorial dial

Equatorial dial + solar info

The equatorial dial reads daylight saving time, from VIII to XIX o'clock. That makes sense, as the dial face does not receive sunlight during the winter. Only during a few days between the spring equinox (March 20-21) and the start of DST (March 25-31) the dial is one hour early. The scale is incorrectly labeled "MEZ" (Mitteleuropäische Zeit, Central European Time) at the bottom, between XIV and XIII.
This dial face relates the origin and development of stars in general and our solar system in particular, explains sunspots, etc.

Local time and time zones The sign at the back depicts the relationship between local apparent time (WOZ, wahre Ortszeit) and West and Central European time.
Görlitz (15° East) is the easternmost city in Germany, close to the point where Germany, Poland and Czechia meet.


Code DGC: 3196
Location: 53.4° N, 7.2° E
Design: Werner Kuhlmann, Emden
Inauguration: July 1986



Polar dial

Polar south dial + planet info

The polar south dial shows local time from 7 to 17 hr, with half-hour divisions from 8 to 16 hr. In addition, it provides lots of information about the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars: physical data, orbital data, internal structure, etc. In the lower left corner (planet Earth) for instance, solar and lunar eclipses are explained, as well as how the seasons arise.

Construction of hour lines according to Dürer

The lead inlay on the back of the dial stand presents the construction of the hour lines after Albrecht Dürer (1525). It requires only ruler and compass, following the ancient Greek.

Code DGC: 3196
Location: 53.4° N, 7.2° E
Design: Werner Kuhlmann, Emden
Inauguration: April 1986



Vertical dial

The third dial is expected to be erected here soon. It will also read local time. The dial face will be devoted to the 'giants', Jupiter and Saturn.



Horizontal dial

The last dial will be a meridian dial, provided with an analemma. It will also indicate when it is local noon in other places around the world (a so-called Weltzeituhr). The astronomical information will refer to the three outer planets: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.



The construction

The first dial has one stand, the second one has two. The subsequent dials will each have an additional 'leg'.

The dial faces make a story of their own. The equatorial one is made of copper, the polar one of brass, and the vertical dial face of bronze. They were polished to shine. The inscriptions were etched and stood out in black. Gradually, the metal weathered and became dark, so that the inscriptions became illegible. Kuhlmann then redid them with gold foil, as he wrote me. The pictures below show a detail on Mercury from the original version (left) and the present (right).



The "Astronomy" relief

"Astronomy" The relief on the concrete column in the top picture is entitled "Astronomy". It is a collage of over 40 cosmological concepts, facts, equations, drawings, symbols, famous names, etc. A brochure providing extensive explanatory notes, written by by Werner Kuhlmann, is available at the Tourist Office (in the former City Hall). The design by Kurt Weber (Wetzlar) was executed by sculptor Karl Franke (Meerbusch).



Schreyers Hoek

Former Emden seafront The name of this spot literally means "Weeping Corner". It reminds one of the weeping women who waved their men farewell when they sailed off to the high sea. It is now located in the heart of the city, some 3 km (2 mi) from the Ems-Dollard estuary. In the 16th and 17th century the city was right at the waterside, as the painting shows. Schreyers Hoek has been marked by the red asterisk.


The City Hall

Wrapped City Hall tower

How lucky we were: the tower of the former City Hall (now a regional museum) was just being renovated. One more wrapped monument for my collection! The tower had to be restored, but at the same time a carillon was being installed, as Werner Kuhlmann told me. The latter was planned already when the original City Hall was constructed in the 16th century, but lack of funds prevented its realization.


The old City Hall looked even prettier than the present one, with decorations around the windows, etc. The restoration after World War II apparently had to economize on these, although it followed the general layout. And no, that's NOT an armillary sphere on top of the tower!

City Hall from 1576, destroyed in 1944 Restored City Hall from 1962

Emden is located at the Ems estuary, in the very north-west corner of Germany. Quite a distant corner. It's nevertheless worth the detour, taking the new Art Museum into account. Not to mention the other tourist attractions !