Castel Gandolfo: Vatican Observatory Experience

For the first time in almost ninety years, the astronomical domes of Castel Gandolfo’s Papal Palace are open to visitors.

These include two functional observatories of the Vatican: the major dome with an 8.5-meter diameter, equipped with a Visual Telescope for observing stars and planets; and the minor dome, with an 8-meter diameter, featuring the Double Astrograph used for photographic surveys of the sky and the position of stars.

Access the observatories via a spiral staircase to the third-floor terrace, which provides views of Lake Albano.