Already in November 1954, first drafts were written for a cross-organizational convention; the European governments planned to build a collectively used observatory with a Very Large Telescope (VLT) for astronomical research. In 1994 finally, the construction of the observatory was started, after a long search for the optimal location in the Southern hemisphere. The Chilean government supported the organisation enthusiastically and helped to find the appropriate building site. It was decided to build the observatory on an area of 627 km2 on the mountain La Silla.
 
The observatory is located in extreme height in the desert; therefore it is crucial that the installations can endure extreme temperatures. The complete telescope cupola has to be cooled down to night temperature before being opened to avoid condensation on the telescope lens and the mirrors. For this challenging application, Güntner drycoolers of the series GFV were installed that reliably ensure clear sight at extreme temperature conditions and in great height.