One of the ancient fortifications of Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad), known more in science than in hostilities is a bastion of "Astronomy" (aka Shternvarte), built in the years 1855-1860 on a hill Butterberg unidentified military engineers.

The name comes from the bastion of the adjacent previously astronomical observatory Albertina founded brilliant German mathematician and astronomer Friedrich Bessel in 1813. It is here that Bessel determined the exact position of the stars, establish and improve the equipment of the observatory and collected a large library with unique materials on astronomy, mathematics and geography. Friedrich Bessel was the first astronomer to determine the scale of the universe and measure the parallax of stars. The observatory in Konigsberg through Bessel was one of the leaders in the field of astronomy among the European countries.

During the construction of the railway, in 1910, the bastion was demolished, leaving only the fortification of Reduit (interior) semi-circular shape with two floors and Reduit flank shooting moat. During the Second World War in a powerful bastion brick vault housed the Gestapo. In 1944, during the heavy bombing of the Air Force of Great Britain observatory was destroyed, but the bastion was not touched. In the postwar years the Astronomical Bastion changed hands, it was sold to the present day preserved without major repairs.

Today Astronomical Bastion is a two-storey building with brick arch and a powerful fortified basement. Since 2007, the historical building has the status of cultural heritage (regional level), and protected by the state. On the wall of the bastion in December 1996, it was attached to a memorial plaque in honor of the 70th anniversary of the formation of the first Moscow-Minsk Guards Division, and near a monument to the heroes of the 1200 Guards who died during the storming of the fortress. In the immediate vicinity are a bastion Ausfalskie gates.