Cheomseongdae observatory
Observatorio Cheomseongdae
- Date
- c. 632-647 · confidence medium
- Place
- Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, South Korea
- Credited to
- Silla kingdom, Queen Seondeok
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A 9-metre stone tower of 362 blocks built in the capital of Silla, considered the oldest standing astronomical observation structure in East Asia. Its number of stones and courses has been linked to the calendar.
Its exact function is debated: some historians see it as more of a symbolic or religious monument than an observatory in daily use.
What it led to
- official Korean astronomy
- records of eclipses and comets from Silla
- the tradition of the royal observatory of Joseon