This invention provides a stereoscopic rigid endoscope that allows high-image-quality, high-resolution observation and makes it possible to rapidly switch the direction of view (front, oblique, or side) without replacing a lens tube. Said stereoscopic rigid endoscope (1) with a variable direction of view has the following: a manipulation section (3) that has an illuminating light source (7) and an imaging element (4) that takes left-eye images and right-eye images a lens tube (2) that guides said left-eye images and right-eye images from a tip section to the manipulation section and removable reflectors (10a, 10b) provided on the tip section of the lens tube. Two independent imaging light paths that guide the left-eye images and the right-eye images from the tip section to the manipulation section and an illumination light path that guides light from the light source in the manipulation section to the tip section are provided in the lens tube. By attaching or removing the reflectors, the direction of view can be switched to front, oblique, or side. The reflectors are oriented such that the direction of view is parallel to the plane defined by the optical-axis direction of the imaging light paths and the upwards direction of the observed images produced by the imaging element.
