Welcome to the webpages dedicated to the 200th Anniversary of the Royal Observatory of Belgium.
On the 8th of June 1826, King William I signed the founding charter of the Observatory of Brussels and provided the necessary funds for the construction of the observatory and the acquisition of scientific instruments. The Observatory later became the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB) and moved in 1890 to the site where it is now, the plateau in Uccle. Over the past two centuries, ROB has grown into an internationally renowned institute with over 200 employees.
During 2026 and 2027, the Observatory is celebrating its bi-centennial anniversary with a wide range of events and activities. On these webpages you will find information on these, a description of the Observatory and its history and much more.
We keep on adding new material so please make sure to come back!
News
8 June 2026 marks the 200th anniversary of the Royal Observatory of Belgium. To mark the occasion, the institute organises a wide range of activities, with events scheduled right through to 2027. These are regularly updated on the Observatory’s 200th anniversary website: 200year.observatory.be.
Have you always wanted to learn more about the Sun and its eruptions? Now’s your chance! The Solar Physics and Space Weather Department is opening its doors! From hand-drawn sketches of sunspots to the most detailed images ever taken of the solar corona: you’ll be taken on a journey through 200 years of history.
On 14 April, we are organising guided tours in Dutch and French. Everyone is welcome.
You can find all information to register here.
The Palace of Academies is the headquarters of the Académie royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique (Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium) and its Flemish counterpart, the Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten (KVAB).