Campo Imperatore Astronomical Observatory

The Campo Imperatore Astronomical Observatory is at the starting point for hiking the Corno Grande, Gran Sasso, highest Apennin peak komoot.de/tour/3906922

It was born as observational site for the Rome Astronomical Observatory (OAR) and is still one of the very few structures of this kind available on the Italian soil.
THE CONSTRUCTION
Just after the Second World War, Duke Francesco Rivera - together with the Director of the Monte Mario Observatory in Rome, Prof. Armellini - planned to install an observational station, as well as a botanic garden, on the Gran Sasso Mountain.
Between 1946 and 1948, he installed a small telescope on the terrace of the Hotel of Campo Imperatore, so as to test the astronomical qualities of the site. Finally, in March 1948, he got funds (15 ML) for construction of the building and the dome of the Observational station.

At that time, only the Penn Optical and the Perkin Elmer (Glenbrook, Connecticut) could design and build the optics of a Schmidt telescope, as they had already made those for the Mount Palomar Observatory. In 1949, Rivera, after having explained the urgency of a recovery of the scientific culture in Abruzzo, asked to use part of the Marshallfunds to buy the mirror and the special lens for a Schmidt telescope in Campo Imperatore.
In 1953, after receiving the optics, Rivera started to build the mechanics of the telescope with help (2 ML for the design and 15 ML for the realization) from the CNDR (now CNR), at the Marchiori factory in Milan.
Finally, on July 25th 1958 the telescope saw its first light.

ELECTRONIC SENSORS ERA
In the middle of the 1980's, the Station was enlarged with the construction of the East wing and dome.
At the end of '80s, CCD sensors were applied to astronomy and the Schmidt telescope was among the first telescopes of its type.
In 1996, following an agreement with the Russian observatory of Pulkovo in St. Petersburg, it mounted the second telescope in the East dome that was still empty. The AZT-24 telescope started scientific operations with the SWIRCAM camera in 1999.
The earthquake of April 6th 2009 in L'Aquila slightly damaged the Campo Imperatore Observatory also creating alignment problems to dome and telescopes. After the forced closure, all verification were successfully passed, it restarted its scientific activity and reopen to visitors.
oa-roma.inaf.it/cimperatore/en/history.php
To visit:
oa-roma.inaf.it/cimperatore/en/visitors.php

Great starting point for Gransasso trails