Jens Olsen
Encyclopedia
Jens Olsen was a clockmaker
, locksmith and astromechanic who built the famous world clock
located in the city hall of Copenhagen
, the Rådhus
. He was born in Ribe
, Denmark
. Ever since he was a small child, Olsen was interested in clocks and other mechanical devices. After hearing of the broken clock in Carsten Hauch's "A Polish Family", he dreamed of fixing that clock. Later, he envisioned a clock that would show every conceivable type of time, from sidereal time
to the rotation of the planets.
Olsen's father was a weaver but apprenticed Olsen to a locksmith. However, he remained interested in clocks and read as much as he could about them and later astronomy
. Even after ending his apprenticeship and becoming a locksmith Olsen continued to pursue these interests.
In 1897, Olsen became a journeyman
and eventually ended up in Strasbourg
where he saw the famous clock built by Baptiste Schwilgue in the cathedral. He would hide in a corner near the clock, so that he could see and examine it past the viewing hours.
After Strasbourg, Olsen moved to Switzerland
where he switched to clockmaking entirely. After eighteen months in Paris
and a five months stay in London
, he returned to Denmark to work as a superintendent at Cornelius Knudsen's establishment. At the same time he had his own business as a clockmaker. In 1905, he married Anna Sofie Kröldrup, and established his shop at her home.
When he was about fifty, Olsen completed his calculations for the world clock he envisioned. He showed them to Professor Elis Strömgren
who approved them. However, it took another twenty years to acquire the funds necessary to build the clock.
The clock was started December 15, 1955 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Unfortunately, Olsen had died ten years earlier in 1945 of thrombosis
. His clock continues to work, and is one of the most accurate mechanical devices in the world.
Clockmaker
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches...
, locksmith and astromechanic who built the famous world clock
Jens Olsen's World Clock
Jens Olsen's World Clock or Verdensur is an advanced astronomical clock which is displayed in Copenhagen City Hall.The clock was designed and calculated by Jens Olsen who was a skilled locksmith, but later learned the trade of clockmaking...
located in the city hall of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, the Rådhus
Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall is the headquarters of the Municipal Council as well as the Lord mayor of the City of Copenhagen, Denmark. The building is situated on The City Hall Square in central Copenhagen....
. He was born in Ribe
Ribe
Ribe , the oldest extant Danish town, is in southwest Jutland and has a population of 8,192 . Until 1 January 2007, it was the seat of both the surrounding municipality, and county...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Ever since he was a small child, Olsen was interested in clocks and other mechanical devices. After hearing of the broken clock in Carsten Hauch's "A Polish Family", he dreamed of fixing that clock. Later, he envisioned a clock that would show every conceivable type of time, from sidereal time
Sidereal time
Sidereal time is a time-keeping system astronomers use to keep track of the direction to point their telescopes to view a given star in the night sky...
to the rotation of the planets.
Olsen's father was a weaver but apprenticed Olsen to a locksmith. However, he remained interested in clocks and read as much as he could about them and later astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. Even after ending his apprenticeship and becoming a locksmith Olsen continued to pursue these interests.
In 1897, Olsen became a journeyman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
and eventually ended up in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
where he saw the famous clock built by Baptiste Schwilgue in the cathedral. He would hide in a corner near the clock, so that he could see and examine it past the viewing hours.
After Strasbourg, Olsen moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
where he switched to clockmaking entirely. After eighteen months in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and a five months stay in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he returned to Denmark to work as a superintendent at Cornelius Knudsen's establishment. At the same time he had his own business as a clockmaker. In 1905, he married Anna Sofie Kröldrup, and established his shop at her home.
When he was about fifty, Olsen completed his calculations for the world clock he envisioned. He showed them to Professor Elis Strömgren
Elis Strömgren
Svante Elis Strömgren was a Swedish-Danish astronomer.Strömgren was born in 1870 in Helsingborg, Scania. He received his doctorate at Lund University in 1898, becoming docent there the same year. He worked at the University of Kiel from 1901, and assisted in the publication of Astronomische...
who approved them. However, it took another twenty years to acquire the funds necessary to build the clock.
The clock was started December 15, 1955 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Unfortunately, Olsen had died ten years earlier in 1945 of thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
. His clock continues to work, and is one of the most accurate mechanical devices in the world.