Thermal wellness center builds first private astronomical observatory in Romania

Therme Bucuresti, the biggest thermal wellness center in Romania, will also host the country's first private astronomical observatory. The observatory, which will require an investment of some EUR 1 million, will be named after the first Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Prunariu. Therme made the announcement on Sunday, when Prunariu celebrated 35 years since his flight in space, which was the first and only space flight of a Romanian astronaut. Therme's observatory will be equipped with the latest technology, destined for both astronomy experts and enthusiasts, according to a press release. The observatory’s main building will include a planetarium with dome that will have a 5-meter diameter and a capacity to take in 20-30 spectators at a time, and a dome with a 4-meter diameter that will host a 500 mm Ritchey-Chretien telescope (similar to the famous Hubble telescope). The telescope will be mainly used by specialists. The facility will also host an exhibition area and an astroboutique. Therme Bucuresti, located some 20 km north of Bucharest, opened in January this year. The project belongs to Austrian group A-Heat. The project spans over 250,000 sqm. The construction area is 30,000 sqm, and it can simultaneously accommodate 4,000 visitors. The complex includes over 800,000 plants, but also the largest wave pool in Romania, with a surface of 560 sqm. It also has water slides with a total length of 1,500 m. Therme Bucuresti had over 55,000 visitors in the first two weeks after its opening. Spa center near Bucharest invests EUR 6 mln in expansion Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com