The Hammerfest Meridian Pillar is part of a historic chain of triangulations stretching from Norway to the Black Sea. This structure was established by Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve between 1816 and 1855 and consists of 258 main triangles and 265 geodetic points. It represents the first accurate measurement of a meridian arc, which has had great significance for geodesy and cartography.
The Meridian Pillar encompasses ten countries, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. It has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, highlighting its cultural and scientific significance. The first point in this chain is located at the Tartu Observatory in Estonia, and the entire system has been crucial for the development of modern geodetic methods.