Jaipur Observatory, India

Created by Sawai Jai Singh, the Observatory at Jaipur is one of the greatest feats of modern astronomy. Widely considered the founder of the astronomical observatory, Jai Singh began his reign at a young age. As early as 1721, he began the construction of observatories in Delhi, Njjain, Mathura, Benaras, and Jaipur.

The observatory at Jaipur is one of the largest. Though Jaipur is built in the traditional Hindu style it clearly demonstrates both Greek and Islamic influences. It is this injection of European and Islamic scientific method that make the observatory at Jaipur a keystone of astrological and astronomical study. The monumental stone structures within the observatory, called Yantras, are the instruments by which one can measure the celestial plane with the naked eye. The instruments enable us to measure distance, time and space by painstakingly observing the ever-changing interplay of light and shadow.