The "V. Anestin Astronomical Observatory" in Bacau is one of the major landmarks of the city and one of the best institutions of it's kind in the country. It was officially opened on Novembet 30th 1976 and in the beginning was hosted inside the previous building of the Ion Borcea Natural Science Museum, the former house of Criste Cristoveanu, demolished sometime later. In April 1978 the curent space on Trotus Street was chosen for the museum and in the autumn of 1979, with the substantial help of Matei Alexescu, one of the most important Romanian astronomers, the observatory was finally reopened.
From it's very beginnings it proved to be one of the most important cultural spots on Bacau's map, and the popularity of the astronomical observatory grew rapidly. In the summer of 1980 the planetarium and several new observation devices were installed, brought over from Germany, and in 1984 the main exhibition of books, photographs, documents and objects was opened. In just a few years thousands of people came to see this fabulous display, learning all they could about space and the fascinating world of astronomy.
In June 1995 the astronomical observatory in Bacau was renamed as "Victor Anestin Astronomical Observatory" and in the next years several conferences and presentations were organised here, mainly with foreign speakers. Due to the enthusiast and hard work of the curators the collection of the observatory grew constantly.
Nowadays the V. Anestin Astronomical Observatory in Bacau is actually a department of the Natural Science Museum and can be found in the unusual Water Tower, also known as the Water House, on Trotus Street, No 10. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, in no small part due to the architecture and charm of the building.
2008-04-07
