Alexander-Frantz-Sternwarte

In the Blasewitz district of Dresden, Germany, the Alexander-Frantz-Sternwarte has quietly watched the sky since 1922, making it one of the city's oldest private observatories.

About Alexander-Frantz-Sternwarte

The observatory stands at Hofmannstraße 11 in the Neu-Gruna area of Blasewitz, on land once owned by Alexander Frantz, who ran a central heating factory on the same property. It is recognised locally as one of Dresden's oldest private observatories, valued for its historical and technical heritage.

History

Alexander-Frantz-Sternwarte opened on 11 June 1922. More than a century later, it remains a rare surviving example of an early twentieth-century private observatory in Saxony.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Blasewitz, a leafy district on the eastern side of Dresden, Saxony, Germany, close to the Neu-Gruna neighbourhood.

Visiting Alexander-Frantz-Sternwarte

As a privately held observatory, Alexander-Frantz-Sternwarte is not a standard walk-in attraction. If you'd like to see it, check with Dresden's local astronomy societies or search online for any scheduled open days before travelling.

See your named star from here

Dresden's amateur astronomy community keeps this kind of century-old observatory alive, and it's exactly the kind of place where a named star can be found in the night sky. Look up your star's coordinates in the star catalogue first, then ask a local astronomer to help you spot it.