Chianti multifunctional observatory

The Observatory is located in the municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle and deals with scientific outreach and research.

Scientific activities and routine maintenance are managed by the University of Florence through the Department of Physics and Astronomy, in collaboration with the Department of Earth Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Geophysics and LaMMA.

It consists of the following research structures:

Astronomical Observatory
Geo-seismic Observatory
Meteorological Observatory
Chianti Botanical Park
as well as sections open to enthusiasts (Environmental Group, Astrophilic Group, Weather Sentinels, Visual Arts Section).

It also serves as a laboratory for research and scientific education, a cultural meeting place and social gathering, and has also become an important tourist attraction over the years.

The Observatory's mission is to make science an experience for everyone. This is why the facility offers disabled access from the Botanical Park to the astronomical dome. A multi-sensory (tactile and auditory) path, first and only one of its kind in Italy, allows the blind to approach astronomy and experience it thanks to the audio synthesis produced by NASA for the planets and other objects in the sky.