Kaesong Chomsongdae | |
Chosŏn'gŭl | 개성첨성대 |
---|---|
Hancha | 開城瞻星臺 |
Revised Romanization | Gaeseong Cheomseongdae |
McCune–Reischauer | Kaesŏng Ch'ŏmsŏngdae |
The Kaesong Chomsongdae Observatory is located in Songak-dong,Kaesong,North Korea. It was an astronomical observatory during the Koryo period. Now only a granite platform remains,the sides of which coincide with the main cardinal points. [1]
Dating from the early 10th century,it is regarded as the oldest structure for astronomical surveys in the world (together with its counterpart in Kyongju). The Goryeosa describes the structure:“Chomsongdae is west of the Manwoldae. It looks like a squared watchtower made of stone columns,seven chok (210cm) on each side and eight chok high (240cm). In the old days there was an apparatus for surveying the heavens,but now it is covered heavily with ivy and is antique-looking.” [2] In 1936,the structure was described as follows:"The present status of the observatory consists of a stone platform about ten feet square supported by five upright stones ten feet high. On the top of the platform at the corners are holes in the stones about six inches in diameter that appear like footings for pillars to support another story." [3]
The structure is made of over 360 granite stones,indicative of the passage of one year. It was used for astronomical and meteorological observation,with equipment at the top used in the observation of changing weather and the movement of celestial bodies. [4]
It is listed as one of the National Treasures of North Korea. A one-third scale model of the Observatory is on display at the Korean Central History Museum. [5] A larger model is also in front of the National Science Museum in South Korea,featured as an outdoor exhibit. [6]
The Royal Observatory,Greenwich is an observatory situated on a hill in Greenwich Park in south east London,overlooking the River Thames to the north. It played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation,and because the Prime Meridian passed through it,it gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time,the precursor to today's Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The ROG has the IAU observatory code of 000,the first in the list. ROG,the National Maritime Museum,the Queen's House and the clipper ship Cutty Sark are collectively designated Royal Museums Greenwich.
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial,marine,or celestial events. Astronomy,climatology/meteorology,geophysics,oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Historically,observatories were as simple as containing an astronomical sextant or Stonehenge.
Uraniborg was an astronomical observatory and alchemy laboratory established and operated by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. It was the first custom-built observatory in modern Europe,and the last to be built without a telescope as its primary instrument.
Kaesong is a special city in the southern part of North Korea,and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close to the border with South Korea and contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. Called Songdo while it was the ancient capital of Goryeo,the city prospered as a trade centre that produced Korean ginseng. Kaesong now functions as North Korea's light industry centre.
Cheomseongdae is an astronomical observatory in Gyeongju,South Korea. Cheomseongdae is the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in Asia,and possibly even the world. It was constructed in the 7th century in the kingdom of Silla,whose capital was Seorabeol,or present-day Gyeongju (경주). Cheomseongdae was designated as the country's 31st national treasure on December 20,1962. It forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other Gyeongju Historic Areas.
Korean architecture refers to an architectural style that developed over centuries in Korea. Throughout the history of Korea,various kingdoms and royal dynasties have developed a unique style of architecture with influences from Buddhism and Korean Confucianism.
The Jantar Mantar,Jaipur is a collection of 19 astronomical instruments built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh,the founder of Jaipur,Rajasthan. The monument was completed in 1734. It features the world's largest stone sundial,and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is near City Palace and Hawa Mahal. The instruments allow the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. The observatory is an example of the Ptolemaic positional astronomy which was shared by many civilizations.
The Mayan architecture of the Maya civilization spans across several thousands of years,several eras of political change,and architectural innovation before the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Often,the buildings most dramatic and easily recognizable as creations of the Maya peoples are the step pyramids of the Terminal Preclassic Maya period and beyond. Based in general Mesoamerican architectural traditions,the Maya utilized geometric proportions and intricate carving to build everything from simple houses to ornate temples. This article focuses on the more well-known pre-classic and classic examples of Maya architecture. The temples like the ones at Palenque,Tikal,and Uxmal represent a zenith of Maya art and architecture. Through the observation of numerous elements and stylistic distinctions,remnants of Maya architecture have become an important key to understanding their religious beliefs and culture as a whole.
Hwangudan (Korean: 환구단) was a shrine complex that still partially stands in Jung District,Seoul,South Korea. The complex consisted of two main buildings:a coronation site and Hwanggungu. The coronation site was built in late 1897 and destroyed in 1913. Hwanggungu was built in 1899 and still stands today.
Like most other regions in the world,science and technology in Korea has experienced periods of intense growth as well as long periods of stagnation.
The Fairbanks Museum &Planetarium is a combination natural science museum,history museum,and planetarium located in St. Johnsbury,Vermont. It was founded in 1890 by businessman,politician,naturalist,and collector Franklin Fairbanks. The museum and its buildings are on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
The Sphinx Observatory is an astronomical observatory located above the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland. It is named after the Sphinx,a rocky summit on which it is located. At 3,571 m (11,716 ft) above mean sea level,it is one of the highest observatories in the world. Accessible to the public,it is also the second highest observation deck in Switzerland. The mountain top has been tunneled to fit an elevator which ascends to the observatory from the Jungfraujoch railway station,the highest such train station in Europe. The building is located on the Valais side of the border,only a few metres from the canton of Bern,although it is accessed via the Jungfrau Railway from the Bernese Oberland.
Manwoldae,or Mangwoldae,was the main palace of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. It did not have an official name,such as "Gyeongbokgung",because it was an imperial palace like the imperial palaces of China. Located in the Goryeo capital of Kaesong,the palace was burned in 1011,1126,1171,1225,and 1362. The name "Manwoldae" was given to the ruins of the palace during the 14th or 15th century of the Joseon period.
Sŏnjuk Bridge is a Koryo-dynasty stone bridge located in Kaesong,North Korea. Built in 1290,it is famous as the place where famed Confucian scholar and statesman Jeong Mong-ju was assassinated,allegedly on the orders of the Yi Bang-won,son of the first king of the Joseon Dynasty,Yi Seong-gye. It is also the bridge on which the forces of Yi Bang-won confronted the forces of Yi Bang-gan during the Second Princes' Rebellion.
The Mausoleum of King Kongmin,more correctly known as the Hyonjongnung Royal Tomb,is a 14th-century mausoleum located in Haeson Village,in the city of Kaesong,North Korea. It is one of the Royal Tombs of the Goryeo Dynasty.
The Cherŭng Royal Tomb,also known as Jeneung Royal Tomb,is a 15th-century mausoleum located in Chi-dong,Panmun-guyok Kaesong,North Korea. The site contains the body of Queen Sinui,first wife of Yi Song-gye,the founder of the Joseon dynasty. Construction on the tomb began after her death in 1392;as she died before her husband overthrew the Goryeo dynasty to become king,she was buried in the Goryeo-era capital of Gaegyeong. After Yi took the throne,she was posthumously awarded the title of "queen". The burial mound is ringed with a carved granite base,while the "spirit road" leading to the tomb is lined with statues of military officers and Confucian officials.
The Royal Tombs of the Goryeo Dynasty are a group of tombs of members of the Korean Goryeo Dynasty.
An astronomical complex or commemorative astronomical complex is a series of man-made structures with an astronomical purpose. It has been used when referring to a group of Megalithic structures that it is claimed show high precision astronomical alignments. For the study of Archaeoastronomy,such complexes of similar structures are required for adequate measurement and calculation to ensure that similar celestial sightlines were intended by the designers. These arrangements have also been known as observational,ceremonial or ritual complexes with importance for the study of prehistoric cultures.
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kaesong,North Korea. The site consists of 12 separate components,which together testify to the history and culture of the Koryo Dynasty from the 10th to 14th centuries. The geomantic layout of the former capital city of Kaesong,its palaces,institutions and tomb complex,defensive walls and gates embody the political,cultural,philosophical and spiritual values of a crucial era in the region's history. The monuments inscribed also include an astronomical and meteorological observatory,two schools and commemorative steles. The site testifies to the transition from Buddhism to neo-Confucianism in East Asia and to the assimilation of the cultural,spiritual,and political values of the states that existed prior to Korea's unification under the Koryo Dynasty. The integration of Buddhist,Confucian,Taoist and geomantic concepts is manifest in the planning of the site and the architecture of its monuments. The World Heritage Site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2013 under criteria (ii) and (iii). The site has an area of 494.2 ha with a buffer zone of 5,222.1 ha.
Chok: Measuring unit used in the old East. One chok corresponds to 30 cm today.
A replica of Goryeo Cheomseongdae built at Manwoeldae of Gaeseong, installed with a HonCheonUi (a celestial globe) and sundial, is on display. Goryeo Cheomseongdae is estimated to date back to the Goryeo era when the kingdom had a separate agency responsible for astronomic and meteorological observation.