Description

Essentials about the Royal Greenwich Observatory in brief

For amateur astronomers and geographers, a visit to the Royal Greenwich Observatory is a must. Commissioned by King Charles II in 1675, it is the second oldest observatory in Europe and served as a workplace for the royal British court astronomers. It is located in Greenwich Park in Greenwich near London and, together with the neighboring National Maritime Museum and other buildings in Greenwich, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The zero meridian

The Royal Greenwich Observatory (strictly speaking, the center of the telescope in the observatory) is world-famous as the fixing point of the prime meridian and thus the division of the longitudes. The prime meridian is marked in the courtyard by a brass strip. By the way, since 1999 the meridian is also marked at night by a strong green laser.

Attractions at the Royal Greenwich Observatory

After World War II, the Royal Greenwich Observatory moved several times and finally closed for good in 1998. Today, the observatory houses a museum of astronomical and navigational tools. In addition, the development of time measurement from the Middle Ages to the modern era is presented and the connection between second measurement and global positioning is explained using the sun and the stars. The Peter Harrison Planetarium, London’s only planetarium, is also located on the observatory grounds. From the museum hill, by the way, you can get a great view of west London, especially the Docklands, the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome.

Website

rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory

Opening hours

Admission fees

* Admission to the Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum.

For the online purchase of tickets you get discounts of 15-20%.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

DLR: Stop Cutty Sark or Greenwich

Train: Stop Greenwich or Maze Hill

Ferry: Stop Greenwich Pier

Bus lines 53, 386 and N53: Stop Greenwich Park

Bus lines 177, 180, 199, 386 and N199: Stop Greenwich Town Centre / Nelson Rd.

Bus lines 129, 177, 180, 186, 286 and 386: Stop Greenwich Town Centre / Cutty Sark

Bus lines 129, 177, 180, 188, 286, 386 and N1: Stop National Maritime Museum

By car:

There’s a parking lot at Park Row.