Astronomical Observatory, Strasbourg

Astronomical Observatory in Strasbourg is actually the third one in the city's history. The first was constructed in 1673 on one of the city's towers, with the help of astronomer Julius Reichelt. Then, in 1828, the second observatory was built on the rooftops of the Academy buildings.

After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, Strasbourg became part of the German Empire. In 1872, they reestablished the University of Strasbourg, and in 1875, they started building a new observatory in the Neustadt district. They had a significant telescope, a 50 centimeter Repsold refractor, which began observations in 1880. At the time, this telescope was the biggest in the German Empire.

The location of the observatory was chosen mainly for educational purposes and political symbolism, rather than ideal observation conditions. It was situated in a lower area prone to mist. Before 1914, the observatory had a small staff, making it difficult to conduct significant academic research before World War I. They mostly focused on observing comets, variable stars, and, after 1909, binary stars and nebulae through their instruments.

Today, the observatory serves as the Strasbourg Astronomical Data Center, a database that gathers and distributes astronomical information. There's also a modern addition to the building that used to host the Planétarium de Strasbourg until 2023. The observatory is surrounded by the Botanical Garden of the University of Strasbourg. Beneath the observatory, in a vaulted basement, there's a university-run museum called the Star Crypt (Crypte aux étoiles), which showcases old telescopes, antique astronomical tools like clocks and theodolites.