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ICOMOS–IAU Thematic Study now available

The ICOMOS-IAU Thematic Study on “The Heritage Sites of Astronomy and Archaeoastronomy in the context of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention” is now available for download. See here.

Two key astronomical heritage sites inscribed on World Heritage List Two important astronomical heritage sites have been inscribed on to UNESCO’s World Heritage List at the 2010 World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia. The first is the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, India, an early-18th-century astronomical observatory comprising 19 large instruments for naked-eye observation. This represents one of the most complete and impressive collections in the world of telescopic masonry instruments in functioning condition. The second is the 13th-century Dengfeng Observatory in China, inscribed as part of “Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in ‘The Centre of Heaven and Earth’”. This extraordinary horizontal gnomon and 31m-long measuring scale was used for accurately measuring the length of the sun's noontime shadow, and hence for determining the length of the tropical year and the curvature of the earth. For more information see whc.unesco.org/en/newproperties/.

Kazan resolution and recommendations

The Resolution and Recommendations are available from the international conference on “Astronomy and World Heritage: Across Time and Continents” held in Kazan, Russian Federation, in August 2009. These are contained in a preliminary version of the final report from the meeting. Click here to download a PDF version.

Venice recommendations

At the international conference on “Astronomy and its Instruments before and after Galileo”, held in Venice in September-October 2009, there was a round-table discussion on links between the different categories of astronomical heritage—fixed and moveable, tangible and intangible. This meeting also produced a set of recommendations. Click here to download a short version or the full version.