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National Observatory of Athens
08-06-2013 13:13The National Observatory of Athens is the oldest research institution of Greece and the Balkans. It was established after a donation made by the banker Baron George Sina in 1842. It is located on the top of the hill of the Nymphs at Thissio, borders with Philopapou Hill and is opposite the Acropolis hill and the Athenian Agora with its dome visible from all around.
The Hill of the Nymphs was selected as the place to build the Observatory, a Hill famous from antiquity, where the Nymphs were worshipped and next to one of the famous Observatories of the 5th century, where Meto’s Heliotropion was placed. The Hill of the Nymphs is aligned with one of the most celebrated and best preserved meteorological / astronomical Observatories, the Tower of the Winds, which is also the emblem of the Royal Meteorological Society and a rough copy of which was built at the University of Oxford. The new Observatory on top of the Hill of the Nymphs is a landmark in Athens, facing the Parthenon and has long been used by Greek and foreign Astronomers as the basis for astronomical, meteorological, geoastrophysical measurements and observations in its 160 years history.
The first building, known as Sinas building, was based on a project presented by Eduard Schaubert and designed by the Danish architect Theophil Hansen, it was the first building of the later famous Hansen, the architect who designed also the Neoclassical Trilogy of the National Library, the University and the Academy of Athens. The cross-like neoclassic building has its sides oriented toward the four directions of the horizon and there is a small dome for a telescope in the centre of the construction.
The Observatory of Athens foundation ceremony took place in June 26, 1842, a day of a Solar Eclipse and it was a magnificent official event. Present was the King of Greece Otto, members of the Government and of the Greek Church. Following the panegyric speech by professor Vouris, the foundation stone was set under music sounds and cannonade by a Danish frigate anchored in Piraeus port.
The building was completed in 1846. The first 50 years Astronomer - Director of the Observatory was Vouris G., professor of astronomy at the University of Athens and the German astronomer Julius Schmidt. The work of both scientists and especially Schmidt, who particularly distinguished by studying the Moon, the Observatory became world famous. Unfortunately after his death and until 1891 the Observatory practically closed, resulting in the destruction of much of its equipment, its library and archives.
The National Observatory, Athens is operating today five Research Institutes and provides the facilities for graduate student training in collaboration with Greek and foreign Universities. It hosts the UNESCO Chair for Natural Disasters and operates the National Seismological Network and it is participating in the OPTICON and other international research networks, hosting the Greek Focal Point on the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). It also houses an Astrogeophysics Museum with clocks, telescopes and other instruments and an extensive astrogeophysics library of the 19th century.
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