Go BackThe Ancient Observatory of Beijing is one of the oldest observatories in the world. It is located near the flyover off Jianguo Men Nei Dajie. Its history goes back to 1442, although what survives today was built during the Ming Dynasty following the move of the Chinese capital from Nanjing to Beijing.
During the 17th century, the Jesuit missionaries such as Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) and Adam Schall von Bell had been able to impress the Emperor of China with their knowledge of astronomy, by accurately predicting the time of eclipses.
Ancient Observatory, BeijingSource: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Planetarium_-_view_from_back.JPG
Author: pfctdayelise
The Belgian Jesuit priest, Father Verbiest (1623-88) was even appointed to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. He designed a set of astronomical instruments. These, however, were taken by German soldiers during the Boxer Rebellion, and returned only after the First World War.
The Ancient Observatory today houses reproductions of the astronomical devices, many of which carry Chinese motifs on them, such as dragons. You can go to the roof top to view instruments used to measure the coordinates of the planets and stars.
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Author: pfctdayelise
The Belgian Jesuit priest, Father Verbiest (1623-88) was even appointed to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. He designed a set of astronomical instruments. These, however, were taken by German soldiers during the Boxer Rebellion, and returned only after the First World War.
The Ancient Observatory today houses reproductions of the astronomical devices, many of which carry Chinese motifs on them, such as dragons. You can go to the roof top to view instruments used to measure the coordinates of the planets and stars.
How to reach the Ancient Observatory of Beijing
Take the subway to the Jianguo Men subway station. The Ancient Observatory is open daily from 9:00 am to 11:30 am, and from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
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