The observatory was built between 1908 and 1910, for Admiral
Vasile Urseanu, president of the
Romanian Astronomical Society "Camille Flammarion". It was equipped with a 150 mm diameter
Zeiss telescope with a focal length of 2.7 meters; the telescope was the third largest in Romania at the time.
Ion D. Berindey was the architect. The observatory founded by Urseanu was frequented by amateur astronomers; professional researchers worked at the
Bucharest Astronomical Observatory, founded by
Nicolae Coculescu and located on
Filaret Hill in
Carol Park. Following the death of Admiral Urseanu in 1926, the telescope was dismantled and stored in the basement of the building. In 1933, Urseanu's widow donated the building to the municipality of Bucharest, which used it as a
pinacotheca. In 1949, the paintings were transferred to other museums. In April 1950, the telescope was relocated to the dome, and the building returned to its original purpose as an astronomical observatory. In 1990, the observatory was dedicated to its founder and took the name
Astronomical Observatory Admiral Vasile Urseanu. The Urseanu House is listed as a
historic monument by Romania's
Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs. ==See also==