Beijing Old Observatory - An astronomer's heaven

If you want to avoid the suffocating crowds and hectic traffic in the Chinese capital, a good tip is to tour the city's small temples -- but Beijing also offers other beautiful and serene sites for tourists seeking some peace and quiet. One of these havens of tranquility is the Old Observatory -- one of the world's oldest astronomical sites -- which is situated in the Dongsheng district right next to the Jianguomen metro station.

The Old Observatory was built in the 1400s and was a significant research base for astronomers during both the Ming and the Qing Dynasties. Since the 1950s, it has been open to the public.

Nowadays, the observatory is the site of many exhibitions highlighting the history of astronomical research and the evolution of people's understanding of heavenly phenomena. The showcase includes, for example, copies of celestial globes and quadrants originally made by Jesuites -- and the beauty of which can be appreciated even by those who missed out on the Astronomy 101 course.

The most prominent building at the observatory is the 14-meter high Ziwei Palace. A huge collection of instruments serving to track the motions of planets and stars -- which a novice may misconstrue to be objects of art -- is exhibited on its roof. The gigantic ellipses made from copper and iron are decorated with engravings of fierce dragons and other figures from Chinese mythology. When admiring these ancient objects, the accidental tourist cannot help but develop a deeper sense of his or her humble existence as a mere grain of sand in this vast desert that is the universe.

A small, peaceful park is located behind the spectacular Ziwei Palace (Image: Radio86) Once you have experienced the stunning view from the roof of the Ziwei Palace, it is worth while to take a closer look at the inner courtyard of the Old Observatory. There, in the shade of the trees, one can find numerous small exhibitions which give a more detailed account of the history of astronomy. A definite thumbs up has to be given for the fact that most of the texts explaining the background of the maps and objects on display are available in English. The oldest artifacts are over 5,000-year-old pots decorated with astronomical patterns.

Through the exhibitions, the visitor embarks on an educational journey to the stars, which introduces one to the intricacies of primitive star maps and modern telescopes alike. In the last room of the exhibition the visitor is greeted by images of modern day Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, having first completed a journey through the centuries in the company of ancient astronomers depicted in paintings from the era of the first dynasties.

The enormous astronomical instruments at the Old Observatory get one thinking about the mysteries of the universe (Image: Radio86)At the end of the tour of the Milky Way the visitor may find that he or she has retained a lot of useful, and even detailed, information about astronomy, including the fact that the first records of meteor showers came from China and that the lunar calendar was used in ancient times to predict the weather. The first discoveries of sunspots date from 288 BCE, and the phenomenon was poetically described as "birds landing on the surface of the sun."

For fans of astronomy the Old Observatory offers a wide range of interesting activities and sights. If your co-traveler gets tired of staring at old sun dials, he or she can retreat to the pleasant garden tucked away in the backyard. There one can admire the work of skilled gardeners who have trimmed the trees and bushes into geometric shapes -- although a few wild chilis have managed to cause disarray by breaking out of the lineup.

This instrument was used to calculate distances between celestial objects in 1673 (Image: Radio86)Nowadays the Old Observatory also boasts a boutique. The intricate miniature replicas of celestial globes and quadrants would be a welcome addition to anyone's collection of souvenirs, but the prices are literally astronomical. On the other hand, you are not likely to find similar memorabilia perched on top of your neighbor's TV set. The Old Observatory closes its doors to the public relatively early. The hours are from 9 to 11 am and from 1 to 5 pm. The site is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The admission fee is about one euro (10 yuan), but for three euros (30 yuan) you will also get a practical guide to keep as a souvenir.