This map shows the locations of claimants to the title of
Centre of Europe
An ongoing debate concerns where the geographical centre of Europe is to be found. Different opinions are based on differing measurements, on the definition of the borders and extreme points of Europe, and on different ways of calculating the final result.
Locations currently vying for the distinction of being the centre of Europe include:
Historical measurements
Early measurements
In 1775 the Polish Astronomer Royal Szymon Antoni Sobiekrajski published a report in which he stated that the geographic centre of Europe was located at the town of Suchowola (now in the county (Polish: powiat) of Sokółka). The methodology he used was to calculate the four furthest points (the corners) of the continent and to ascertain where the lines crossed. The town of Suchowola, situated at 53°35′N 23°06′E, has a monument erected declaring this spot to be the geometrical centre of Europe.
No one knows when or by whom St. John's Church in the village of Krahule, on the road to Kremnicke Bane, was declared to be the centre of Europe, but that tradition goes back to the late 18th century. The local legend says there was an angel's intervention which persuaded the local astronomers to make up their decision. Krahule is located in central Slovakia (in the 18th century belonging to Hungary, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), near the mining town of Kremnica, now a famous centre for winter sports. There is now a stone commemorating the point at 48°45′N 18°55′E and Hotel Centre of Europe.
The village of Dilove located on the Tisza river, close to the Romanian border, in the county of Rakhiv in the Transcarpathian region of Galicia, contains a historical marker and a large stone believed to mark the geographic centre of Europe as measured in 1887 by geographers from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The township today is a part of Ukraine. The interpretation of the worn Latin inscription on the monument is debated, with some claiming that the marker is merely one of a number of fixed triangulation points for surveying purposes established around the territory of the former empire. According to the description, the methodology used for the calculation is that of the geometrical middle point of the extreme latitudes and longitudes of Europe, so the stone is located at 48°30′N 23°23′E. However, the external borders of Europe taken into account during the calculations are not known.
German measurements
The Germans, not to be outdone, did their own geographic analysis at the beginning of the 1900s and concluded that the Austrian measurements were incorrect. The German scientists stated that the "true" geographic centre of Europe was in the Saxon capital city of Dresden, near the "Frauenkirche" church. The Nazis capitalized on this claim by proclaiming that Germany was the "heart of Europe". They claimed that as the centre of Europe they were also the centre of European culture, and thus had a predestined right to rule.
Measurements done after World War II by Soviet scientists contradicted the German claim, however, and again proclaimed Rakhiv (in Russian: Rakhov) to be the geographic centre of Europe. The old marker in the small town was renewed, and a major campaign to convince everyone of its validity was undertaken.
Belorusian measurements
IN VITEBSK.
Current measurements
Poland
It is frequently quoted on the Internet that current analysis, using a combination of latitude and longitude measurements from the "geographic extremes" of Europe, places the centre in the northern part of central Poland. This is supported by calculations based on the Centre of mass method, which uses a combination of population and area analysis, placing the geographic centre of Europe near the city of Toruń, about 350 km east of the border with Germany, 150 km south of Gdańsk and 200 km north-west of the Polish capital, Warsaw. Unfortunately the author of this claim, as well as the date it was made is unknown. What more, nobody in Toruń itself has ever heard about that claim.
Lithuania
Geographical Center of Europe monument in Lithuania.
After a re-estimation of the boundaries of the continent of Europe in 1989, Jean-George Affholder, a scientist at the Institut Géographique National (French National Geographic Institute) determined that the Geographic Centre of Europe is located at 54°54′N 25°19′E.
This point is located in Lithuania, specifically 26 kilometres (16 miles) north of its capital city, Vilnius, near the village of Purnuškės. A monument, composed by the sculptor Gediminas Jokūbonis and consisting of a column of white granite surmounted by a crown of stars, was erected at the location in 2004.
An area of woods and fields surrounding the geographic centre point and including Lake Girija, Bernotai Hill, and an old burial ground, was set aside as a reserve in 1992. The State Tourism Department at the Ministry of Economy of Lithuania has classified the Geographic Centre monument and its reserve as a tourist attraction.
17km away lies Europos Parkas, Open Air Museum of the Centre of Europe, a sculpture park containing the world's largest sculpture made of TV sets, now partially collapsed. [2]
Geographic centre of the European Union
Other locations have claimed the title of geographic centre of Europe on the basis of calculations taking into account only the territory of those states which are members of the European Union.
The 25-member Union, dating from 2004, has a centre calculated by the Institut Géographique National (IGN) to be situated at 50°31′31″N, 7°35′50″E, in the village of Kleinmaischeid, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.
Using the same techniques, the IGN had earlier identified the geographic centre of the 15-member Union (1995-2004) to be in Viroinval, Belgium, at coordinates 50°00′33″N, 4°39′59″E, and a monument there records that finding.
See also
