Beijing Attractions: Ancient Observatory
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Built during the reign of Kublai Khan from 1437-1446, Beijing's Ancient Observatory was first used by astrologers to predict the omens for Kublai Khan's land and sea campaigns.
In the early 1600s Jesuit missionaries became the Chinese court's official scientific advisers and a collection of the Catholic order's bronze, Western-influenced, scientific instruments is on display on the roof of the building. The instruments include: an armillary sphere, an azimuth theodolite, a celestial globe, a quadrant, a sextant and a theodolite.
The astrological devices were built under the supervision of various Jesuit missionary scholars to impress the Chinese rulers and are a fascinating design mix of East and West. The Jesuits hoped to persuade the Chinese of the superiority of the Christian tradition that had produced their star-gazing equipment. The Jesuits also passed on the techniques of cannon-making! Special viewing events are held at the observatory on the occasion of special celestial happenings, such as comets and eclipses. Celestial phenomena were believed by the ancients to portend change and were closely followed by the Chinese emperors.
Ancient Observatory Ancient Observatory AccessBeijing's Ancient Observatory is just a stone's throw from Jianguomen Subway Station. The observatory is 15 minute walk north from the South East Corner Watchtower.
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Access - Getting to the Ancient Observatory