The village of Hvardiyske named UNESCO heritage site

The village of Hvardiyske, located about 20 kilometers from Khmelnytsky, has suddenly come into the spotlight of the world media. This village, which was called Feldshtyn, until 1947, is a point on the Struve Geodetic Arc and has thus been entered in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, village council chairwoman Tetiana Netreba told The Day.

The Struve Arc is a chain of 265 survey stations set up in 1816-1855 in the shape of two-by-two-meter stone cubes buried in the ground. These grand scientific monuments were designed to establish the earth’s parameters, shapes, and dimensions. One of these points, standing to the right of the road that goes from Hvardiyske to Horodok, opposite a quiet village cemetery, was placed and recorded in 1835-1840 by C. Tenner. Unfortunately, the winds of centuries have blown this stone cube to oblivion. However, the winds left behind something of the original boulder, to quote Netreba, “in the shape of a hand-built hillock. This is why old people used to call this place a grave and give it a wide berth, while making the sign of the cross,” explained the village council chairwoman.

“Finally, geodesists visited this point and warned that this is an outstanding monument under governmental protection.” A commemorative sign was unveiled at this place in a ceremony last Saturday. Since then this supposedly God-forsaken place has been visited by foreign diplomats and representatives of the academic elite, the government, and the public.

The Struve Geodetic Arc stretches across 10 European countries and comprises 34 geodetic points, including four in Ukraine. The historical stone cubes have also survived in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and other countries.