Eise Eisinga Planetarium UNESCO World Heritage
Eise Eisinga Planetarium, the oldest still working planetarium in the world. © Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium
On 19 September 2023, the Eise Eisinga Planetarium has officially been granted the status of UNESCO World Heritage. The Planetarium, which is located in Franeker, The Netherlands, is the oldest still fully functional planetarium in the world. It was designed and manufactured by Eise Eisinga, a wool maker by profession. In 1781, when it opened, it had taking him a total 7 years to complete. He built it in his own living room, with the intent to show the general public the structure of our solar system and the orbits of the planets. That way he could also explain that there was no reason to be worried about most phenomena of the night sky. The conjunction of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and the moon in the morning of May 8, 1774 for example, had given quite some concerns at the time.
The planetarium is open to the general public and regular tours show the details of the construction and the meaning of the many clocks, dials, and counters that accompany the main solar system. The planetarium is part of a museum showcasing the life of Eise Eisinga, a collection of old astronomical instruments and changing exhibitions on (modern) astronomical subjects. Due to the size of the building there is a maximum number of visitors allowed per day, so booking tickets in advance is advised. Franeker is located in the north of the Netherlands, in the Provence of Friesland, just over 1.5 hours driving from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.