Malakoff Tower

Rising above Recife Antigo in northeastern Brazil, Malakoff Tower is a striking 19th-century landmark that has spent much of its second life as a public astronomical observatory. Built long before Brazil's republic, it survived demolition threats to become one of Recife's most distinctive cultural sites.

About Malakoff Tower

Malakoff Tower (Torre Malakoff) takes its name from a defensive monument on Crimea's Sevastopol peninsula, memorializing the Crimean War. Today the tower functions as both a cultural venue — hosting photography and comics exhibitions and community events — and as one of two astronomical observatories run by Recife's space science museum, the other located across the river in Olinda.

History

The tower was built between 1835 and 1855 to serve as the main entrance and gateway to the Arsenal da Marinha, Recife's naval arsenal square. When the Brazilian Republic dismantled the navy arsenals, the tower passed to the ownership of Recife's port authority and fell into disrepair, threatened with demolition. A local movement of residents and cultural institutions, invoking the tower's namesake stronghold at Sevastopol, campaigned to save it. It has since been registered as a Historical Patrimony and was restored in 1999, preserving its Tunisian-style architectural details.

Location & getting there

Malakoff Tower stands in Recife Antigo, the historic old-town district of Recife on Brazil's northeastern coast, within easy reach of the city's other colonial-era landmarks. It is operated by the Município do Recife.

Visiting Malakoff Tower

The tower is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00. For current exhibition details or to confirm astronomical observation sessions, call the tower directly at +55 81 3184-3182 or check with the municipality before travelling.

See your named star from here

Because Malakoff Tower operates as a working observatory, its staff can, in principle, point a telescope toward the right ascension and declination of any named star. If you've named a star with Star Register, its coordinates are yours to bring along — or browse our full star catalogue to see what others have named.