| Royal Observatory | |
|---|---|
| Native name Real Observatorio de Madrid (Spanish) | |
 | |
| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Governing body | Instituto Geográfico Nacional (Spain) |
| Official name | Real Observatorio de Madrid |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1995 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0009078 |
  Location of Royal Observatory in Spain | |
The Royal Observatory of Madrid is a historic observatory situated on a small hill next to the Buen Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain. It was founded in 1790 and has been engaged in continuous scientific activity since then. It is currently the seat of the Spanish National Observatory and an active research group in geophysics, both belonging to the National Geographic Institute.[1]
In addition to its architectural value, the Observatory treasures an important collection of historical instruments, as well as bibliographic and documentary collections. Since 2002, Rafael Bachiller is the director of the Royal Observatory of Madrid. In 2021, the Observatory entered the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the so-called Paisaje de la Luz.
- ^ "IGN official webpage" [IGN official webpage]. Instituto Geográfico Nacional (www.ign.es) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2016.