New Russian object - astronomical observatories of Kazan University – entered the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List

Employees of the Centre for Regional Programmes of Social and Cultural Development Pavel Shulgin and Olga Shtele participated in the preparation of this nomination

The 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which concluded its work on September 25 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), accepted a number of new cultural and natural heritage sites into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among them are astronomical observatories of Kazan University.

Pavel Shulgin and Olga Shtele, employees of the Centre for Regional Programmes of Social and Cultural Development, participated in joint work with Kazan specialists on the preparation of this nomination – they conducted consulting work on drawing up a management plan for a cultural heritage object and formed a scientific review of similar objects in the World Heritage List.

The historical building of the Kazan University Observatory was erected in 1833–1837 as part of the university campus in the center of Kazan. One of the first scientific astronomical observations in Russia began to be carried out here. The Engelhardt Observatory was built near Kazan and opened in 1901. These observatories not only played an important role in the development of astronomical knowledge in Russia, preserved many historical architectural forms and historical optical instruments, but also continue their work on the study of celestial phenomena in our time.