Uraniborg, Astronomical observatory in Ven, Sweden
Uraniborg was a research complex on the Swedish island of Ven that served as a European center for celestial observation. The square main building included a central tower and two round side towers, each housing dedicated measurement rooms.
Danish King Frederick II founded this research site in 1576 and granted it to Tycho Brahe for his work. After the king's death, the compound lost its funding and was abandoned around 1597, later being dismantled.
The original design combined residence, printing press, and library beneath a single roof, creating an integrated center for knowledge. Visitors today can see how scholarly work and daily living shared the same walls in this self-contained compound.
The remains sit on Ven island, reachable by ferry from Landskrona. A museum building on site displays replicas of the instruments and explains how the compound worked.
All measurements relied on the naked eye, as the telescope was invented only years later. Brahe used large mechanical instruments made from brass instead, achieving precision never seen before.
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