Astronomical Observatory

The Astronomical Observatory was founded in 1753 and it was the fourth observatory in Europe and the oldest in Eastern Europe. The Observatory was established on the initiative of the astronomer and mathematician Tomas Zebrauskas(1714—1758) and support of benefactress E. Oginskaitė–Puzinienė. The Observatory attained its fame under the auspices of its former director Marcin Odlianicki Poczobut(1728—1810), the member of London Royal and Sorbonne Academies, rector of Vilnius University(1780—1799).

The Observatory was closed in 1882 by the tsarist government and many instruments were taken away to various museums, universities and offices of Russian empire.