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Opus Astrologicum

Culpeper’s 17th-Century Rules for Choosing Auspicious Building Times

A historical set of astrological guidelines from Nicholas Culpeper, originally published in the mid-17th century, advising on the best planetary and zodiacal conditions for laying foundations and starting construction, with warnings about unfortunate placements that could lead to collapse or misfortune.

By Kai Lewis2 min read

Elections for the Foundations and Beginnings of Buildings

Collected by Nich. Culpeper Gent., Student in Astrologie, 1647.

London: Printed for Rich. Moone & Steph. Chatfield, 1654.

  1. In every building, one should take care that it may stand and endure for a long time.
  2. When founding cities, first consider the fixed stars, then join benevolent planets with them.
  3. For the foundation of houses, first regard the planets and their natures; secondly, the nature of the signs.
  4. If the Moon is in Scorpio or Pisces with south descending latitude, do not begin any building; if you do, it will quickly fall down.
  5. The most fortunate time of all to begin buildings is when the Moon is in Aquarius; or else let Aquarius ascend, and the Moon behold it, and the Fortunes also by good aspect, that is, the ascending degree.
  6. Leo and Taurus are also good, but not as good as Aquarius.
  7. Let not the lord of the ascendant be combust, nor retrograde, nor in his fall, nor detriment, nor in ill aspect to any planet.
  8. If possible, let both luminaries behold the ascendant.
  9. At such a time, Saturn will do the most good, or at least the least harm, in the twelfth house, and Mars in the sixth.
  10. Beware that the sign ascending at the revolution of the year be not in the seventh house when you lay the foundation; for then enemies enough will infest and molest the house.
  11. The lord of the ascendant is strongest when in his auge; for when opposite to his auge, he is unfortunate because he is retrograde.
  12. If an ill planet be peregrine in the tenth house, the building will stand as long as a cat is tied to a pudding; yet you had better have Saturn there than Mars.
  13. That city will be most unfortunate whose foundation is laid when Mars is in the midheaven, for many of its citizens and princes or rulers will die by the sword.
  14. When the foundation is laid, let not the Moon be in conjunction with Saturn, nor with the dragon's tail, nor let Saturn be in the ascendant, nor in the fourth if he be unfortunate; for then the building will proceed slowly and be finished at doomsday in the afternoon; or if it ever be finished and made habitable, the inhabitants will be possessed with incessant fears, vain illusions, fooleries, thieves, and tribulations; and a thousand to one if the building at last does not fall down suddenly.
  15. If Mars be so seated or so aspected as we spoke of Saturn in the former aphorism, the house will be burnt down.
  16. If there be any phantastical apparitions in a house, and you would gladly remove them, let not the Moon be in the ascendant in any of these signs, nor any of them ascending: Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius; and let her separate from evil planets and apply to good ones.

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