Mykolaiv observatory will be able to apply for inclusion in the UNESCO list in the near future

Historical and architectural and astronomical complex of RI "Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory" by mid-March of this year, by the court decision was returned to state ownership.

This means that the property issue is fully resolved and now the path from the candidates to full member of UNESCO World Heritage List for the observatory is opened. This was stressed by the head of the State Agency on Science, Innovations and Informatization of Ukraine Volodymyr Semynozhenko.

The head of the State Agency stressed that Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory as an integral historical and cultural protected area was included in the Tentative List of World Heritage List back in 2007.

"It has been six years and Observatory is still a candidate in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This was primarily due to inconsistencies regarding ownership of real estate of the Observatory, which did not allow issuing the required documents. But we have achieved elimination of all obstacles along the way,"Volodymyr Semynozhenko said.

He said that Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory is one of the oldest observatories in Eastern Europethat still operates as intended. It was founded in 1821 on the orders of Aleksey Samuilovich Greig as Naval Observatory to ensure the Black Sea Fleet with nautical maps and to train naval officers.

Adapted from kmu.gov.ua