Uraniborg

The Uraniborg ('Urania Castle', in Swedish) was an astronomical observatory and alchemy laboratory built in the form of a palace between 1576 and 1580, whose construction was ordered by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe and financed by King Frederick II of Denmark. It was located on the Danish island of Ven (also known as Hven or Hveen). The island is situated in the Öresund Strait between Zealand and Scania. Uraniborg Palace is named after Urania, the Greek muse of astronomy. The gardens were carefully designed with geometric patterns of plants and herbs. Following the ideas of the time, Tycho tried to link the study of the stars with that of metals under his influence.

In the palace, incredible luxury was mixed with rooms decorated with paintings and statues and all the instruments and workshops necessary for the construction of the measuring instruments designed by Tycho. Soon the lavish Uraniborg became a full-fledged research institute, even possessing its own printing press with which to publish its research papers. Its fame was such that it attracted students and astronomers from many regions, with up to 40 scholars working simultaneously in its facilities. The best known of his students was Longomontan (Christen Sørensen Longberg, 1562–1647).

Tycho later had the observatory Stjerneborg ('Castle of Stars') built when he discovered that the Uraniborg's location was not stable enough for his precision instruments. Most of the instruments were located underground. In 1597 Tycho fell out of favor with the young King Christian IV and left the island of Ven. The Uraniborg and Stjerneborg observatories were looted and looted by fishermen, rapidly falling into ruin. It was finally destroyed in 1601, after Brahe's death. After the loss of the island of Ven in the hands of Sweden, the "Round Tower" Rundetårn, replacing the astronomical functions of the Uraniborg.

In 1671 the French Academy of Sciences sent Jean Picard to locate the latitude of the Tycho observatory and verify some of his observations. The astronomer claimed that there was no trace of the castle and that they had to dig up the ground to find the foundations.

• Gallery
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  View of the main building of the Uraniborg.

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  View of the Stjerneborg.

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  Catch it with the palace and gardens of the Uraniborg.

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  Uraniborg

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  Uraniborg from the air