Struve Geodetic Arc
The Struve Geodetic Arc is a triangulation chain that has been measured during the years 1816-1855. The aim of this surveying work was the exact determination of the figure of the earth, its size and shape. The chain includes 265 main station points and 258 main triangles, stretches over 2820 km from Hammerfest (Norway) to Staro-Nekrassowka (Ukraine) and passes through ten countries. This work has been an important step in the man's knowledge of the dimensions of the earth and allowed improvements in navigation and more accurate mapping.
UNESCO World Heritage List
In 2005, 34 of the station points have been included on the UNESCO List of World Heritage. As a scientific instrument, it is the first one on the World Heritage List and also as an object spanning through ten countries; these are:
The inclusion allows the preservation and raise of monuments of the remaining points and the cooperation within the project on an international level.
To reach the place on the World Heritage List, a lot of work needed to be done. The coordinates of the station points are 150 years old and based on the Bessel ellipsoid. Every involved country had to transform them into their national coordinate system, start research campaigns to check if the points can still be found and eventually build a monument on recovered stations.
Struve Geodetic Arc Coordinating Committee activities
Struve Arc - Wiki
Goals of this Wiki are:
- Gathering relevant information about the Struve Geodetic Arc
- Allow the participating countries to share and edit their knowledge about the Struve Geodetic Arc and the investigation process of their country
- Set up a webpage about Struve Geodetic Arc to spread information to interested people all over the world
- Enable a little swiss student to pass her diploma thesis and finish her studies ;) - successful!