STRUVE GEODETIC ARC

The Struve Geodetic Arc is a chain of triangulation geodetic landmarks that crosses Europe for more than 2,820 km. It extends from north to south, from Hammerfest in Norway to Necrasovca Veche (Stara Nekrasivka in Ukrainian) near Izmail, Ukraine. Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve (1793-1864) designed and developed this chain to measure the exact size and shape of the earth between 1816 and 1855. From 1838 onwards, Struve directed the astronomical observatory at Poulkovo near St. Petersburg. For 200 years, the arc has connected more than ten countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Moldova) and the triangulation chain extends more or less along the 26th meridian. The arc consists of 258 base triangles, 265 base points and 60 auxiliary points. 27 points are present on Moldovan territory.

This chain of monuments for scientific purposes has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2005. On 17 June 2006 an obelisk surmounted by a globe was erected on the spot. Explanatory panels provide information about the site and this scientific achievement. The arch is erected in the middle of an apple orchard, and this small detour is a little offbeat and atypical. A stamp of 1.20 lei representing the column of the geodesic point of Rudi was issued by the Moldavian posts in 2008. A commemorative silver coin of 50 lei was minted in 500 copies by the Moldovan National Bank in 2009.