“Servare Intaminatum” echoes through the halls. It’s the motto of the National Observatory of Athens. Today we explore this historic research institute. Founded in 1842, the National Observatory of Athens is Greece’s oldest research foundation. Imagine Athens in 1829. Greece had just gained independence. The observatory was the first scientific institute built in this new nation. It stands as one of Southern Europe’s oldest research centers.
Georgios Konstantinos Vouris dreamed of this observatory. He was a Greek-Austrian astronomer. He convinced Georgios Sinas, a wealthy banker, to fund the project. King Otto of Greece recognized Sinas’s generosity. He awarded Sinas’s son the Order of the Redeemer. The King chose Eduard Schaubert and Theophil Hansen as architects. They worked under Vouris’s guidance.
The National Observatory of Athens quickly became a hub for astronomical research. Vouris created a catalog of 1,000 stars. Ioannis Papadakis studied Jupiter’s moons here. Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt mapped the lunar surface. Later, Demetrios Kokkidis expanded the weather stations network. In the early 1900s, Demetrios Eginitis observed Halley’s Comet. Stavros Plakidis dedicated his life to studying variable stars.
Jean Focas started at the observatory without formal training. He later earned a Ph.D. and had craters on the Moon and Mars named after him.
The main building is called the Sinas building. It was designed by Theophil Hansen. The building’s sides face the four directions. A dome in the center houses a telescope. The foundation ceremony occurred on June 26, 1842. It was the day of a solar eclipse. King Otto and government members attended. A Danish frigate fired cannons in celebration.
Vouris selected the initial instruments. These included a Plössl dialyte refracting telescope. There was also a Starke meridian telescope. These were advanced for their time. Vouris studied astrophysics, astronomy, and geodesy. He researched the movements of Sirius, Neptune, and Mars.
Schmidt made over 70,000 observations of variable stars. He discovered several periodic variables and two Novae stars. His lunar map was the most accurate until the 19th century. Schmidt also reorganized the meteorological service. He recorded over 3,000 earthquakes.
Demetrios Eginitis revitalized the observatory. He secured government funding. He expanded the Thiseio site. New buildings were constructed. New instruments were installed. Eginitis also introduced the Eastern European Time Zone to Greece.
Stavros Plakidis moved observations away from the city. He founded the Penteli Astronomical Station. In 1955, the Newall refractor was donated to the National Observatory of Athens. It was moved to Penteli.
Until the mid-1960s, the National Observatory of Athens set the official time in Greece. The Syngrou telescope was used for this purpose. The time was signaled by church bells at noon. A large ball dropped from the observatory’s flagpole.
Today, the National Observatory of Athens operates in four locations. The main branch is in Thiseio. Other stations are in Penteli, Kryoneri, and Chelmos. The central premises are on the Hill of the Nymphs. It’s opposite the Acropolis. It houses the central administration and the Institute of Geodynamics.
The National Observatory of Athens continues to inspire. It links ancient curiosity with modern science. As we leave, remember its motto. “Servare Intaminatum” Keep it untainted.