One of the fortifications of old königsberg (now Kaliningrad), known more in science than in hostilities, is a Bastion of "Astronomical" (aka Sternwarte), built in 1855-1860, on the hill of Lutterberg unknown military engineers.

The name of Bastion comes from the adjacent previously astronomical Observatory Albertina, founded brilliant German mathematician and astronomer Friedrich Bessel in 1813. It is here that the Bessel determined the exact position of the stars, were created and improved the equipment of the Observatory and collected a large library of unique materials on astronomy, mathematics and geography. Friedrich Bessel was the first astronomer who determined the scale of the Universe and who have measured the parallaxes of stars. Observatory in königsberg by Bessel was considered one of the leading in the field of astronomy among the European countries.

During the construction of the railway in 1910, the Bastion was demolished, remained of the fortifications only redyuite (interior) semicircular shape with two floors and redyuite flanking fire of the ditch. During the Second world war in the brick vault of the powerful Bastion was a Gestapo. In 1944, during the saturation bombing of air force of great Britain was destroyed the Observatory, but the Bastion was not touched. In the postwar years, an Astronomical Bastion changed hands, was sold to the present day remained without major repairs.

Today Astronomical Bastion is a two-storey building with high brick arch and fortified basement. Since 2007, the historical object has the status of cultural heritage (regional significance) and protected by the state. On the wall of the Bastion in December 1996 was affixed a memorial plaque in honor of the 70th anniversary of the formation of the first guards of the Moscow-Minsk division, and the next set of 1200 monument to the heroes of the guards who fell at the storming of the fortress. In the immediate vicinity of the Bastion are Appelscha gate.