The Struve Geodetic Arc is a chain of 265 triangulation survey stations. The Struve Geodetic Arc is stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to a station point close to the Black sea in Ukraine, it passes through ten countries and over 2,820 km. The chain was established and used by the astronomer Friedrich von Struve to determine the exact shape and the size of the earth. Struve carried out his triangulation measurements between 1816 and 1855. The Struve Geodetic Arc is an extraordinary example of scientific teamwork between scientists from different countries. The Tähetorn Observatory is a station point of the Struve Geodetic Arc at Tartu in Estonia. The astronomer Friedrich von Struve was director of the Tartu Tähetorn Observatory from 1820 to 1839. A station point of the Struve Geodetic Arc in Lithuania is located near Meskonys, a small village not far from Vilnius. The UNESCO World Heritage includes 34 of the station points, with different markings, such as drilled holes in a rock, iron crosses, obelisks and buildings. The Tartu Tähetorn in Estonia and Alatornio Church in Finland are the only buildings that were used for the measurements. The 34 station points of the Struve Geodetic Arc gained the status as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2005. Work of Art: Friedrich von Struve.
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Geodetic Arc of Struve: A monument in Tartu to commemorate the station point and the Arc of Struve. The Geodetic Arc was established and used by the astronomer and geodesist Friedrich von Struve to determine the exact shape and size of the earth. The northernmost point of the Geodetic Arc is situated near Hammerfest in Norway, the southernmost point is situated close to the Black Sea in Ukraine. Friedrich Georg Wilhem von Struve conducted most of his research in the Tähetorn Observatory of the University of Tartu in Estonia.
