Armagh Observatory

Counties Down & Armagh


The Armagh Observatory was founded by Archbishop Robinson in 1789 and is still Ireland's leading astronomical-research institute. The observatory building is closed to the public but the attractive grounds (open during daylight hours) contain sundials, a scale model of the solar system and a human orrery showing the positions and orbits of the earth.

A path connects the observatory with the Armagh Planetarium.