The Struve
Geodetic
Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...
Arc is a chain of survey
triangulations stretching from
Hammerfest
Hammerfest (; sme, Hámmerfeasta ) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world with more than 10,000 inhabitants. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hammerf ...
in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
to the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
, through ten countries and over , which yielded the first accurate measurement of a
meridian arc.
[
The chain was established and used by the German-born Russian scientist ]Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve
Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve (russian: link=no, Василий Яковлевич Струве, trans. ''Vasily Yakovlevich Struve''; 15 April 1793 – ) was a Baltic German astronomer and geodesist from the famous Struve family. He is be ...
in the years 1816 to 1855 to establish the exact size and shape of the earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
. At that time, the chain passed merely through three countries: Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
, Sweden and the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. The Arc's first point is located in Tartu Observatory
The Tartu Observatory ( et, Tartu Observatoorium) is the largest astronomical observatory in Estonia. On 1 January 2018, Tartu Observatory was joined again to the University of Tartu, and the observatory is now an institute of the university. I ...
in Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
, where Struve conducted much of his research.[ Measurement of the triangulation chain comprises 258 main triangles and 265 geodetic vertices. The northernmost point is located near Hammerfest in Norway and the southernmost point near the Black Sea in Ukraine.
In 2005, the chain was inscribed on the ]World Heritage List
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
, because of its importance in geodesy and its testimony to international scientific cooperation. The World Heritage site includes 34 commemorative plaques or built obelisks out of the original 265 main station points which are marked by drilled holes in rock, iron crosses, cairns, others.[ This inscription is located in ten countries, the second most of any UNESCO World Heritage after the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe.][
The measurements of the 30° Meridian Arc in 1816- 1852 as well the description of the geodesic, topographical, and map making works in the Balkans from the nineteenth century until the beginning of the twentieth century by Russian Czarist Army was described in ''Astronomy, geodesy and map- drawing in Moldova since the middle ages till the World War I''.][A. Găină, Astronomy, geodesy and map- drawing in Moldova since the middle ages till the World WarI, Serbian Astron. J., N.162 ( 2000), pp. 121–125]
Chain
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
*Fuglenes
Fuglenes is a district in the municipality of Hammerfest in Norway. It is the location of the northernmost point of the Struve Geodetic Arc. It is a geodetic point, o ...
in Hammerfest
Hammerfest (; sme, Hámmerfeasta ) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world with more than 10,000 inhabitants. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hammerf ...
()[
*Raipas in Alta ()][
*Luvdiidcohkka in ]Kautokeino
Kautokeino ( no, Kautokeino; se, Guovdageaidnu ; fkv, Koutokeino; fi, Koutokeino) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino. Other village ...
()[
*Baelljasvarri in Kautokeino ()][
]
Sweden
*"Pajtas-vaara" (Tynnyrilaki
Tynnyrilaki is a 445-meter-high (1,460 ft) mountain 120 km E. of Kiruna, Sweden.
It's the highest point of an area called ''Pingisvaara''.
This mountain marks one of the locations for the Struve Geodetic Arc.
Mountains of Norrbotte ...
) in Kiruna ()
*"Kerrojupukka" (Jupukka
Jupukka is a Swedish mountain north of Pajala
Pajala () is a locality and the seat of Pajala Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden, with 1,958 inhabitants in 2010. It is located in Swedish Lapland.
Pajala is in the Torne Valley and was ...
) in Pajala
Pajala () is a locality and the seat of Pajala Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden, with 1,958 inhabitants in 2010. It is located in Swedish Lapland.
Pajala is in the Torne Valley and was dominated by people speaking a Finnish dialect u ...
()
*Pullinki Pullinki is a 335-meter-high mountain in northern Sweden, near the town of Övertorneå. This mountain marks one of the locations for the Struve Geodetic Arc, a world heritage site.
Features
There is also an alpine ski
''Alpine Ski'' (アル� ...
in Övertorneå
Övertorneå ( fit, Matarengi; fi, Matarenki) is a locality and the seat of Övertorneå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 1,917 inhabitants in 2010.
It is located at the shore of the Torne River, opposite to their Finnish twin ...
()
*"Perra-vaara" ( Perävaara) in Haparanda ()
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
*Stuor-Oivi (currently Stuorrahanoaivi) in Enontekiö
Enontekiö (; sme, Eanodat ; sv, Enontekis; smn, Iänudâh; sms, Jeänõk) is a municipality in the Finnish part of Lapland with approx. inhabitants. It is situated in the outermost northwest of the country and occupies a large and very spars ...
()
*Avasaksa (currently Aavasaksa
Aavasaksa is a sharp-edged hill in Ylitornio municipality in Finnish Lapland. It has an elevation of . Aavasaksa is famous for its sights both towards Finland and Sweden, and it is included in the list of the National landscapes of Finland. Decora ...
) in Ylitornio
Ylitornio ( sv, Övertorneå; sme, Badje-Duortnus; smn, Pajetuárnus) is a municipality of Finland.
It is located in the province of Lapland along the Tornio River, opposite the Swedish town of Övertorneå about by road to its northwest. T ...
()
*Torneå (currently ) in Tornio
Tornio (; sv, Torneå; sme, Duortnus ; smn, Tuárnus) is a city and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The city forms a cross-border twin city together with Haparanda on the Swedish side. The municipality covers an area of , of which is ...
()
*Puolakka (currently Oravivuori) in Korpilahti
Korpilahti is a former municipality of Finland. Together with Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Korpilahti was consolidated with Jyväskylä on January 1, 2009.
It is located in the former province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland ...
()
*Porlom II (currently Tornikallio) in Lapinjärvi ()
*Svartvira (currently Mustaviiri) in Pyhtää
Pyhtää ( sv, Pyttis) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Kymenlaakso region, west of the city of Kotka.
Overview
The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .
Th ...
()
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
*"Mäki-päälys" ( Mäkipäällys) (Finland 1917/1920-1940) in Gogland
Gogland or Hogland (russian: Гогланд, transliteration from original sv, Hogland; fi, Suursaari) is an island in the Gulf of Finland in the eastern Baltic Sea, about 180 km west from Saint Petersburg and 35 km from the coas ...
(Suursaari)()
*"Hogland, Z" (Gogland, Tochka Z) in Gogland
Gogland or Hogland (russian: Гогланд, transliteration from original sv, Hogland; fi, Suursaari) is an island in the Gulf of Finland in the eastern Baltic Sea, about 180 km west from Saint Petersburg and 35 km from the coas ...
()
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
*"Woibifer" ( Võivere) in Väike-Maarja Parish
Väike-Maarja Parish ( et, Väike-Maarja vald) is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Lääne-Viru County. It has a population of 5,421 (as of 1 January 2009) and an area of 457.39 km².
Settlements
;Small boroughs
Kiltsi, Rakke, Simuna, ...
()
*"Katko" (Simuna
R. Simuna (or Semona,[SIMUNA (SEMONA)](_blank)
Jewish Encyclopedia;Article or Si ...
) in Väike-Maarja Parish ()
*"Dorpat" ( Tartu Old Observatory) in Tartu. ()
Latvia
*"Sestu-Kalns" (Ziestu) in Ērgļu novads ()
*"Jacobstadt" in Jēkabpils
Jēkabpils (; german: Jakobstadt; pl, Jakubów) is a state city in Jēkabpils Municipality in southeastern Latvia roughly halfway between Riga and Daugavpils and spanning the Daugava River. Historic Jēkabpils lies on the left bank, in Selonia ...
()
Lithuania
*"Karischki" (Gireišiai) in Panemunėlis ()
*"Meschkanzi" (Meškonys) in Nemenčinė
Nemenčinė ( is a city in Vilnius district municipality, Lithuania, it is located only about north-east of Vilnius. Close to Nemenčinė forest was planted which forms a sentence ''Žalgiris 600'' (commemorating the Battle of Grunwald) visibl ...
()
*"Beresnäki" (Paliepiukai) in Nemėžis ()
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
*"Tupischki" (Tupishki) in Ashmyany
Ashmyany ( be, Ашмя́ны; Łacinka: ''Ašmiany''; russian: Ошмя́ны; lt, Ašmena; pl, Oszmiana; yi, אָשמענע, ''Oshmene'') is a town in Grodno Region, Belarus, located at 50 km from Vilnius. The town is Ashmyany District' ...
district ()
*"Lopati" (Lopaty) in Zelva
, image_skyline = Зэльва. Касцёл Святой Тройцы (01).jpg
, image_caption =
, imagesize = 250px
, image_flag = Zelva flag.svg
, image_seal = Zelva coat.svg
, subdivision_type = Country Su ...
district ()
*"Ossownitza" (Ossovnitsa) in Ivanovo district ()
*"Tchekutsk" (Chekutsk) in Ivanovo district ()
*"Leskowitschi" (Leskovichi) in Ivanovo district ()
Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...
*"Rudi
Rudi, born Albert Rudolph (January 24, 1928 – February 21, 1973), also known as Swami Rudrananda, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Rudi was a spiritual teacher and an antiquities entrepreneur in New York City.Swami Rudrananda udi ''Spirit ...
" near Rudi
Rudi, born Albert Rudolph (January 24, 1928 – February 21, 1973), also known as Swami Rudrananda, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Rudi was a spiritual teacher and an antiquities entrepreneur in New York City.Swami Rudrananda udi ''Spirit ...
village, Soroca district ()
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
*Katerynivka in Antonivka, Khmelnytsky Oblast
Khmelnytskyi Oblast ( uk, Хмельни́цька о́бласть, translit=Khmelnytska oblast; also referred to as Khmelnychchyna — uk, Хмельни́ччина) is an oblast (province) of western Ukraine covering portions of the histo ...
( )
*Felshtyn in Hvardiiske, Khmelnytsky Oblast ( )
*Baranivka in Baranivka, Khmelnytsky Oblast ( )
*Staro-Nekrasivka (Stara Nekrasivka) in Nekrasivka, Odesa Oblast
Odesa Oblast ( uk, Оде́ська о́бласть, translit=Odeska oblast), also referred to as Odeshchyna ( uk, Оде́щина) is an oblast (province) of southwestern Ukraine, located along the northern coast of the Black Sea. Its administ ...
( )
Results
Historical
At publication in 1858, the flattening of the earth was estimated at one part in 294.26. The earth's equatorial radius was estimated at .[ Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage,Dronningensg 13, P.O.Box 8196, Dep. 0034, ]Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
, Norway (2005), ''Norwegian Points on The Struve Geodetic Arc'' (pamphlet)
In 2005, the work was repeated using satellite navigation. The new flattening estimate was one part in 298.257 222 101 and the equatorial radius was .[
An earlier survey, in 1740, had given flattening at one part in 178 and an equatorial radius of .][
]
Modern
Northernmost point: Hammerfest (Fuglenes): 70° 40' 11.23″ N[
Southernmost point: Ismail (Staro-Nekrassowka): 45° 20' 02.94″ N][
Difference in Geodetic Latitude: 25° 20' 08.29″][
Distance in kilometres: 2,821.853 ± 0.012][
]
See also
* Paris meridian
References
External links
Listing on UNESCO website
A UNESCO article about the chain
* ttp://www.fig.net/hsm/struve/struve_arc_smith_2005.pdf J.R. Smith. The Struve Geodetic Arcbr>Latvia Struve arc webpage
Estonian souvenir sheet and first day cover dedicated to Struve and Struve Geodetic Arc (2011)
{{Authority control
Geodetic surveys
Tartu
Väike-Maarja Parish
World Heritage Sites in Belarus
World Heritage Sites in Estonia
World Heritage Sites in Finland
World Heritage Sites in Latvia
World Heritage Sites in Lithuania
World Heritage Sites in Moldova
World Heritage Sites in Norway
World Heritage Sites in Sweden
World Heritage Sites in Russia
World Heritage Sites in Ukraine
Struve family