I grew up thinking a sundial was always a round dial laid on the ground, with a pointer to cast a shadow on the correct time.
And then, a few years ago in Basel, I became aware of sundials as early wall clocks set on towers…but I couldn’t quite figure out how they worked and why the two sides were so different.
But this year, in Nürnberg, it finally became clear. The two parts are different because the one on the north-facing side shows the hours from early morning to mid-afternoon—after which it would be in shadow. From that point, though, the west-facing side is in sunlight, and shows the hours from mid-afternoon until evening.
Here’s another building with a morning sundial, but its west side is blocked by another building. After 5, you’ll have to find another building to check the time!
