05.02.2016: The science of geodesy on ‘Telegrafenberg’ looks back on 125 years of history and is closely linked with the scientific buildings on the hill. To rescue the old buildings from physical decay, GFZ, DVW Berlin-Brandenburg, and the Leibniz-Sozietät der Wissenschaften zu Berlin organize a fundraising gala and a scientific colloquium.
Some of the buildings on ‘Telegrafenberg’ were losing their function while scientific methodology was developing and are now facing physical decay. One of these buildings is the tower ‘Helmert-Turm’. It is the most distinctive of several buildings that together once formed the Geodetic Astronomical Observatory for the determination of latitudes and time and for angular measurements. The tower is not only an architectonical highlight but also of global technical and scientific historical importance.
To preserve the old buildings and therewith the fascination for the scientific work that was once performed there, GFZ, DVW Berlin-Brandenburg (DVW e.V. - Gesellschaft für Geodäsie, Geoinformation und Landmanagement, formerly Deutscher Verein für Vermessungswesen), and Leibniz-Sozietät der Wissenschaften zu Berlin organize a fundraising gala on 16 February for the restoration of the ‘Helmert-Turm’. The fundraising is organized by Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz. The plan is to make the tower publicly accessible in the future. On 17 February, the role of the tower for geodesy, an outline of works connected with the history of the tower, and the history of the Geodetic Institute altogether will be given on a scientific colloquium "Wissenschaftliches Kolloquium Helmert-Turm".
Contact: Melany Bohm
