UNESCO WHS Struve Geodetic Arc AVASAKSA Aavasaksa Postcard

UNESCO WHS Serie - World Heritage Sites in Finland - Struve Geodetic Arc - AVASAKSA Aavasaksa - The Struve Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2‘820 km. These are points of a survey, carried out between 1816 and 1855 by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, which represented the first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian. This helped to establish the exact size and shape of the planet and marked an important step in the development of earth sciences and topographic mapping. The point of the Struve Arc Aavasaksa was established at 1845 and marked with 3 marker of crosses engraved into the bedrock. Markers were hidden under a ovservation tower built in the year 1969 on the highest site of the hill. Aavasaksa was also used as arc point during the Maupertuis measurements in the period 1736–1737. Name: Struve Geodetic Arc Site: AVASAKSA Aavasaksa Country: Finland Location: Ylitornio, Tornio Valley, Region of Lapland Inscription: 2005 Category: Cultural (ii)(iv)(vi) Unesco Ref: 1187-010 Special Feature: The card has a QR-Code on the backside to navigate for more Informationas about the site.