Code 513 Established 1878 Phone +33 4 78 86 83 83 | Location Lyon, France Altitude 266 m | |
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Website observatoire.univ-lyon1.fr Address 9 Avenue Charles André, 69230 Saint-Genis-Laval, France Similar Faculty Of Medicine Lyon Sud, MAIRIE, ENS Lyon ‑ Descartes Site, Axeo Lyon, Renault Christine Saint Gen Profiles | ||
Lyon Observatory is located in Saint-Genis-Laval, a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France, near Lyon.
Founded in 1878, it is part of the Lyon Astrophysics Research Center (CRAL). The entire facility was listed as a historical site on May 9, 2007.
The site was established in 1701 and called the Trinity College Observatory. This was destroyed in 1793 during the Siege of Lyon and was reestablished in 1817.
In 1867, Paris astronomer Charles André requested of the prefect of Rhone, that a new observatory be created. In 1873, a commission offered to establish a facility in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon. André sought to have the site built in Saint-Genis-Laval. On March 11, 1878, Patrice de MacMahon approved the creation of the Lyon Observatory. André was appointed its first director.