The main cupola

The 76-cm refractor at Nice Observatory

The Nice Observatory (Observatoire de Nice) is located in Nice, France on the summit of Mont Gros . The observatory was initiated in 1879 by the banker Raphaël Bischoffsheim . The architect was Charles Garnier, and Gustave Eiffel designed the main cupola.

The 76-cm (30-inch) refractor telescope that became operational in 1888 was at that time the world's largest telescope. It was outperformed one year later by the 36-inch (91-cm) refractor at the Lick Observatory.

As a scientific institution, the Nice Observatory no longer exists. It was merged with CERGA in 1988 to form the Côte d'Azur Observatory.

Related topics

• List of largest optical refracting telescopes
• List of largest optical reflecting telescopes
• List of observatories
• Wikipedia Project: Telescopes & Observatories