Observatorio Astronómico Nacional de Colombia, National astronomical observatory in Bogotá, Colombia.

The Observatorio Astronómico Nacional de Colombia is a white, octagonal building with a low dome, located in the Casa de Nariño grounds in Bogotá. Its smooth masonry walls have gray horizontal moldings, tall arched windows with dark glass, and recessed rectangular panels on the upper level. A small dark metal finial sits below the dome, and a black wrought-iron fence with scrollwork runs across the front.

José Celestino Mutis proposed the observatory, and architect Domingo de Petrés directed its construction in the botanical expedition's garden from 24 May 1802 to 20 August 1803. Mutis put Francisco José de Caldas in charge; he began astronomical and meteorological observations in December 1805. After Caldas was executed in 1816 the building stood idle until the Boussingault mission arrived in 1823. It was declared a National Monument in 1975.

The building's name recalls the 1801-1816 Royal Botanical Expedition, whose garden hosted its construction. Francisco José de Caldas, a self-taught scientist and lawyer, ran the observatory from 1805 and met there with independence conspirators such as Antonio Nariño and Camilo Torres. In 1867 the deposed president Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera was held prisoner inside.

The observatory stands inside the grounds of the Casa de Nariño, at the corner of Carrera 8 and Calle 8 in La Candelaria, so access is through the presidential compound and visits run on the first Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour covers the gardens, the 1803 building and the laboratory, and ends at a gift shop.

The site served as a meeting place where young intellectuals gathered to discuss independence from Spanish rule while pursuing their scientific interests. This hidden role demonstrates how astronomy and political change were intertwined in early Colombian history.