Admiral Vasile Urseanu House, Bucharest

In central Bucharest, Romania, the Admiral Vasile Urseanu Astronomical Observatory occupies an unusual ship-shaped building and remains the city's only observatory open to the public.

About the Admiral Vasile Urseanu Observatory

The building was designed by architect Ion D. Berindey for Admiral Vasile Urseanu, then-president of the Romanian Astronomical Society "Camille Flammarion," and deliberately shaped like an anchored ship, a nod to Urseanu's love of both the sea and the sky. It stands on Lascăr Catargiu Boulevard.

History

Construction ran from 1908 to 1910, and the observatory was originally fitted with a 150 mm Zeiss telescope, at the time the third-largest in Romania. After Urseanu's death in 1926 the telescope was dismantled, and in 1933 his widow donated the building to the city of Bucharest, which used it for years as an art gallery. The telescope returned to the dome in 1950, restoring the building's original purpose, and in 1990 it was formally renamed in honour of its founder.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in the heart of Bucharest at 21 Lascăr Catargiu Boulevard, an easy walk or short taxi ride from the city centre.

Visiting the Admiral Vasile Urseanu Observatory

The observatory is open to the public in the evenings, typically from 17:00 to 21:00, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays; admission is ticketed. Note that the historic building does not have wheelchair access. It's best to call ahead (021/212.96.44) or check the official website to confirm hours before visiting.

See your named star from here

As Bucharest's only public observatory, this is a natural place to look up a star you've named. Anyone who has named a star with us can find its coordinates in our star catalogue and ask staff whether it's visible in the current night sky.