V. Ambartsumian Byurakan Observatory

The V. Ambartsumian Observatory is one of the most important scientific institutions in Armenia. It is located in Byurakan, Aragatsotn Province, on the slope of Mount Aragats, at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level, and covers an area of 0.2 sq km. The observatory building is considered an architectural monument.

The observatory was founded in 1946 by Viktor Ambartsumian, President of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia and one of the founders of theoretical astrophysics. The grounds include the main laboratory building, observation pavilions, a radio astronomy observatory, the Ambartsumian house-museum and a botanical garden. The largest telescope was installed in 1976 and is considered one of the largest in the world.

The picture shows a round domed building on slanted columns, with a stair tower beside it connected to the building by a footbridge.