Struve Geodetic Arc – the Decade in the World Heritage List

A groundbreaking geodetic project spanning the 19th century, the Struve Geodetic Arc, stands as one of the most precise meridian arc measurements of its time. Stretching 2820 km from the Danube mouth to the Arctic Ocean, this network of triangulation points was established between 1816 and 1852 by scientists from modern-day Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, and Russia. The data collected during this period were remarkably accurate for the era, contributing significantly to the computation and refinement of Earth's ellipsoid parameters throughout the century. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, three points in Lithuania—Meškonys, Paliepiukai, and Gireišiai—were commemorated. This publication highlights the preservation challenges and best practices for maintaining such heritage sites, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration, public awareness, and knowledge exchange among stakeholders.

Urbanas, S., Parseliunas, E. K., Viskontas, P., Puzienė, R., Būga, A., Anikenienė, A., Gečytė, S., & Jakubauskienė, E. (2017). Struve Geodetic Arc – the Decade in the World Heritage List. 10th International Conference “Environmental Engineering” (ICEE-2017), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3846/enviro.2017.248