The Marina Towers Observatory (also known as the Swansea Observatory and Tower of the Ecliptic) is located in the Maritime Quarter of Swansea, on the coast of southern Wales. It was previously home to Wales's largest optical astronomical telescope.[1] The building was designed by Robin Campbell in 1989 and consists of two towers, it was built with part funding from a European Heritage Grant. From 1993 to Feb 2010 it was loaned to the Swansea Astronomical Society but then passed back into the hands of Swansea City Council. The building was then bought by businessman Noah Redfern and opened as opened as a cafe / bar called The Observatory in 2022.
| Marina Towers Observatory | |
|---|---|
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| Alternative names | Swansea Observatory; Tower of the Ecliptic |
| General information | |
| Location |  Swansea, Wales |
| Address | Maritime Quarter, Swansea SA1 1YB |
| Coordinates | 51°36′50.4″N 3°56′12″W / 51.614000°N 3.93667°W |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Robin Campbell |
The top of the tower has a stained glass feature designed by David Pearl. Observational facilities previously included a 20-inch Shafer-Maksutov telescope - the second largest of its kind in the world. But this has since been removed after Swansea Astronomical Society vacated the site.
References
edit- ^ "Tˆy Agored Abertawe" (PDF). Civic Trust Wales. 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
External links
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