Dengfeng Observatory, located in Gaocheng Village, Henan Province. [Lin Liyao/China.org.cn]

Dengfeng Observatory, the oldest astronomical platform in China, is located in Gaocheng Village of Dengfeng township, Henan Province. It was built between 1267 to 1269 during the Yuan Dynasty. It was publically acknowledged for Cultural Heritage Protection by the State Council in 1961 and is purported to be one of the most ancient observatories in the world.

The stone-brick observatory features a dome-shaped platform and a 31-meter stone gnomon and has over 10 types of replicated astronomical instruments in its courtyard.

The observatory displays ancient China's astronomical curiosity and innovation. On August 1, the observatory, as part of the Dengfeng "Center of Heaven and Earth," was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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