Paris Observatory

The Paris Observatory stands as the oldest active astronomical research center in the world. King Louis the Fourteenth commissioned the building in sixteen sixty-seven to serve as a scientific powerhouse, predating its famous counterpart in Greenwich by several years. Its architect, Claude Perrault, intentionally designed the structure without the use of metal, fearing that magnetic interference would compromise the delicate experiments conducted within its walls. The building itself is perfectly aligned to the cardinal points, with its central axis functioning as the original Paris Meridian.