CENTErFOLD
BY: Dwayne van der Klugt Photo courtesy of Johan Detollenaere
Old Observatory In 1861 a new observatory for the astronomers in Leiden was build. One of the driving forces behind this build was Frederik Kaiser, who wanted this new observatory so that the astronomers could extend their research. Allegedly that Kaiser waited with the build of the ‘Sterrewacht’ until the prefect of the Hortus Botanicus was away on a two year long trip to Asia. By doing this he was able to build his observatory right were he had planned it, in the middle of the Hortus Botanicus. In 1974 the astronomers of Leiden moved out of the ‘Sterrewacht’ and therefore the building is nowadays known as the ‘Oude Sterrewacht’ or old observatory. In 2009 the building was completely renovated and you can see the stunning result on this centerfold. If you want to visit the ‘Oude Sterrenwacht’, you can find more information on the website of the Hortus Botanicus.
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Origin - Universiteit Leiden