Montpellier Observatory

In December 1783, Louis-Sebastien Lenormand jumped from the tower of the Montpellier Obeservatory to demonstrate his parachute design. He jumped with a 14 ft parachute designed to be a portable fire escape device and landed without harm.

Source:
Britannica, T. E. (2019, January 01). Louis-Sebastien Lenormand. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Sebastien-Lenormand

Parent Map

da Vinci and the Renaissance Map

Coordinates

Latitude: 43.610769000000
Longitude: 3.876716000000

Timeline of Events Associated with Montpellier Observatory

Date Event Manage
Dec 1783

Lenormand's Parachute

Sebastien Lenormand is considered to be the first person to make a fully functioning parachute (or at least the first one that was well documented). He jumped from the top of the tower within the Montpellier Observatory in France and safely landed. This parachute was 14 feet. This mechanism was intended to be a portable fire escape, allowing people to escape buring buildings. The jump is recorded to have occured in December of 1783.

Source: Britannica, T. E. (2019, January 01). Louis-Sebastien Lenormand. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Sebastien-Lenormand

Image Scorce: Louis-Sébastien Lenormand. (2019, February 05). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis-Sébastien_Lenormand

 Parachute Descent