Changgyeonggung Gwancheondae

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.851

Category

Craft

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1985

Location

종로구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 종로구 창경궁로 185 (와룡동, 창경궁)

Coordinates

37.577492, 126.994938

In Seoul are two astronomical observatories at present, made during the Joseon Dynasty. The first one, produced in the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, is located inside Changgyeonggung Palace; the other one, although the year of its production is unknown, stands on the former school premises of Whimoon High School, the former place of the northern Gwansanggam (Bureau of Astronomy) in the olden times. The two astronomical observatories have almost the same structures, sizes, and production forms. According to Seoungwanji (Record of the Office of Astronomy and Geomancy), the Gwancheondae Observatory of Changgyeonggung Palace was made in 1688 (14th year of King Sukjong’s reign). Installed on top of a granite axis of rotation 3 m high and 2.9 m × 2.3 m wide is a ganui or the astronomical gauge, one of the basic astronomical observation machineries of the Joseon Dynasty and used to observe the astronomical positions. Today, the ganui is gone, and only the axis of rotation remains. At the time, the observatory was called Soganuidae or Cheomseongdae. Government officials at the Bureau of Astronomy ceaselessly observed all phenomena occurring in the sky from this observatory platform. It is deemed valuable since it remains in relatively complete state for a 17th-century astronomical observation platform. Together with yet another astronomical observatory dating back to the early days of the Joseon Dynasty and which was built at the Bureau of Astronomy, it is a representative relic showing the form of astronomical observatory of the Joseon Dynasty.

Location