Foucault pendulum

“The farfetched is the closest thing to a miracle” (Umberto Eco: Il pendolo di Foucault)

A Foucault pendulum is a device used to demonstrate Earth’s rotation. It is named after J. B. L. Foucault, who was the first to experimentally demonstrate that the plane of a pendulum’s swing slowly rotates from East to West with respect to the surface of the Earth.

Thus, he proved that our globe must indeed rotate. A pendulum freely suspended over the Earth’s pole changes the direction of its swing constantly, thus demonstrating Earth’s rotation. At lower latitudes, such as that of the Ryn Castle, the precession is slower than at one of the Earth's geographic poles. J.B.L. Foucault unveiled his first pendulum at the Paris Observatory in February 1851. A more public exhibition followed shortly at the Parisian Panthéon.

Foucault pendulums have since been set up in unique and culturally important places.

This holds true for the specimen installed in the CASTLE RYN Hotel****. The Ryn pendulum indicates the change in the movement of the Earth's plane with the changing colours of indicators (every 1/32 of the period, i.e. about 40 minutes). Observing a Foucault pendulum in action is, in itself, a soothing sight, and serves as a prelude to the relaxation and wondrous experience at the Stress Reduction Centre (part of the newly opened Duchess Anna’s Spa & Wellness).