About a decade ago, a group of individuals set out to bring down the stars and the sun onto the slopes of Troodos. Today, that vision has finally come to life.
Text: Andreas Katshis
The first purpose built, state-of-the-art observatory in Cyprus, seamlessly connected to a network of European observatories dedicated to information, education, and astronomy, opened its doors in Agridia of Troodos. The new observatory will draw astronomers, scholars, researchers, and astronomy enthusiasts –amateur and professional– from around the globe. It provides opportunities for daytime observations of the sun and detailed observations of the nighttime sky.
The facility, designed by Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects, features a planetarium, a solar telescope room with a sliding roof, an astro marina area accommodating eight private telescopes, a viewing balcony, and a 5.5-metre rotating dome housing the night observation telescope. Besides serving an educational role, the observatory’s infrastructure holds promise for facilitating crucial scientific research with global significance. The presence of qualified scientific personnel at the observatory will enable scientific investigations through cross-border collaborations within European programmes in astronomy, astrophysics, education, and broader research on astronomical and meteorological phenomena.
This initiative seeks to ignite public curiosity and fascination in astronomy, space, and science while also striving to enrich the knowledge of individuals of all ages in these domains. Concurrently, the establishment of the observatory in the region serves as a unique landmark, attracting increased traffic to the wider Troodos area and showcasing a distinctive offering not commonly found in other Mediterranean island destinations.
