The Holešov palace observatory is a remarkable facility serving to popularize natural sciences. It is situated in a former gazebo in the so-called Rose Garden of the Holešov palace park and its establishment was initiated in 1959 by the local astronomy club. The observatory was closed in 1987, but after almost twenty years it has been restored and is once again used for astronomical purposes.

The popularization of astronomy has been part of Holešov since the 1920s and 1930s in connection with the lecturing activities of the grammar school professor, doctor František Soják. Soják was also the head of the first astronomy club founded in 1949, later Bohumil Nábělek became the head. In 1951-1952, the first idea of establishing an observatory was born and the gazebo in the palace park was chosen as the most suitable building for this purpose. This proposal was developed by the members of the astronomical club in the following years and on 1 July 1957 the construction of the observatory was started, i.e. the gazebo was equipped with a dome and telescopes. On 25 October 1959, the People`s Observatory in Holešov was inaugurated and it operated until 1987, when it ceased to exist after the disintegration of the astronomical circle. However, the gazebo in the park of the Holešov palace, has been used for astronomical purposes again since 2006, and in 2008 the reconstruction of exteriors and interiors of the observatory took place. It is also possible to visit the interior of the observatory as part of the tour of the Holešov Palace.

Keywords: astronomy; popularization of astronomy, People`s observatory, observatory in the Holešov palace park

Observatory at Holešov Palace