Guide to the National Observatory: Things to Do, Admission, History

As the oldest research institution in the Balkans, the National Observatory takes you into the world of astronomy and into the more than 175-year history of today's research center.

In this complete guide to the National Observatory in Athens, you'll learn all about the exhibition, history, and helpful information about how to get there, tickets, and tours.

What Can I Do at the National Observatory?

The National Observatory, which now functions as a research facility, deals with areas such as astronomy, astrophysics, the environment, energy and much more. The headquarters of the National Observatory is located on Nymph Hill in central Athens.

The National Observatory will educate you on a variety of astronomical topics, as well as the history of the site. A number of scientific instruments dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as the observatory's former furnishings can be admired. Special exhibits include the Doridis telescope and some of the first telescopes set up in Greece.

You can also tour the Museum of Geoastrophysics and the Observatory's Historical Library, which houses many historical books, documents, scientific papers and some important books from the 18th century.

Also interesting are the nightly tours of the observatory, where you can, among other things, admire the starry sky of Athens through the Doridis telescope.

Thanks to its location on the hill of the nymphs, the observatory's location offers a fantastic all-round view of the rooftops of Athens, stretching far into the distance.

Admission, Tickets and Guided Tours

How Do I Get to the National Observatory?

The main building of the National Observatory is on Nymph Hill in Thissio, opposite the Acropolis and Agora.

The easiest way to reach it is by metro line 1 (to "Thissio") and then a 10-minute walk.

Cruise passengers arriving from Piraeus Port can go to the nearby Piraeus Metro Station and board the M1 line. A single ticket is sufficient for the 14-minute journey to Thissio station.

The entrances are on Pnikos and Otrineon streets.

History of the National Observatory

The National Observatory of Athens was founded in 1842, thanks in large part to funding from Greek entrepreneur Georg Sina. The neoclassical building with a dome was built according to the design of the Danish architect Theophil Hansen on Nymph Hill, opposite the Acropolis.

The first astronomical observations began 5 years after the observatory was founded. However, after Sina's donation was used up, the observatory became the property of the Greek state. It has served as a state research center since 1890. Further departments for seismology, meteorology and most recently an institute for ionospheric research were added.

Today, the National Observatory plays an important role in research in fields such as astronomy, meteorology, astrophysics, environment, energy, seismology and geodynamics. Even if it is among the lesser known museums in Athens, it is definitely worth seeing.