Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope
Main building of the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope | |
| Organization | South African Astronomical Observatory |
|---|---|
| Observatory code | 051 |
| Location | Observatory, Cape Town |
| Coordinates | 33°56′05″S 18°28′39″E / 33.9347°S 18.4776°E |
| Altitude | 15m |
| Established | 20 October 1820 |
| Closed | 31 December 1971 |
| Telescopes | |
| Related media on Commons | |
The Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, is a former scientific institution in South Africa. Founded by the British Board of Longitude in 1820, its main building is now the headquarters building of the South African Astronomical Observatory.
The institution was located on a small hill 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south-east from the centre of Cape Town. During the succeeding century a suburb of the city formed in the area; the suburb was named Observatory after the pre-existing Royal Observatory. It was declared a National Heritage Site in December 2018 and has also been the subject of an ICOMOS/IAU Case Study as a World Heritage Site.