Where is geographical center of europe

There's a rumour that if you include Iceland plus the Russian islands of Franz Josef Land - up in the Arctic and reserved solely for the military - then the center alights upon Saaremaa island in western Estonia; sadly, nobody seems to have saved the calculations for verification. Then there's Belarus. In , scientists Alexey Solomonov and Valery Anoshko - yes, they're Belarusian, but stop being so suspicious - fired up their computer and calculated that the center of Europe happened to be near Lake Sho in the northern region of Vitebsk Voblast.

Eight years later, scientists from the Russian Central Research Institute of Geodesy, Aerial Survey and Cartography reran the Belarusian numbers and tweaked the findings 35 miles north-east to the nearby city of Polotsk.

And yes, there's a monument there. It's tempting to draw a disputed line between the claims from various areas and the concept of a dissolving Europe. However, nobody takes these things too seriously: they might sell a souvenir or a coffee, or a nearby golf club can call itself the Center of Europe. What's perhaps most interesting is that there is no wide long-lasting agreement on the very concept of Europe, not as a political construct but as a place.

To some extent, it depends on whether you include islands which are more politically than geographically aligned to the kingdoms of the ancient continent. Speaking of which, there will always be a vague dotted line between the connected landmasses of Europe and Asia - and the alternative, a harsh straight line drawn arbitrarily on a map by an unseen hand, has all too often had bitter consequences at ground level.

Besides, the nature of geopolitics will continue to change. Almost as soon as the UK's exit was confirmed, the Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon wondered aloud if a future independent Scotland might rejoin the European Union - which would require more redrawing of maps. Before they grow too accustomed to their accidental crown as Europe's middlemen and women , the Bavarian burghers of Gadheim might heed the words of poet WB Yeats: "The center cannot hold.

Remember to sign up to Global Business Daily here to get our top headlines direct to your inbox every weekday. Home China World World Europe. World Europe. Europe , Feb Gadheim: Center of Europe.

Sort of. Lithuania is among just a few countries in the world with such an abundance of hill forts. It is an oblong metre high natural hill. It is likely that a defensive castle stood on top of it in the past.

The mound is surrounded by Lake Girija, a lake-originated stream valley and a protective grove, which is very common for defensive structures.

Remains of an ancient settlement were discovered to the north of the hill fort. Archaeological research teams found samples of ceramic pots and burnt metal elements testifying to human life in these areas in the 1 st —12 th centuries. These findings are kept at the National Museum of Lithuania. Bernotai is also the site of Sacred Hill. It is one of the most commonly found types of sacred places in Lithuania, a place of cult.

Such hilltops were equipped with an altar, where the eternal fire was protected by young virgin priestesses. Such sacred sites have an aura of special respect, and they were usually erected in open places next to other archaeological sites, holly woods or rivers.

Bones of the deceased found nearby testify that these were the places of sacrifice and burial. For example, people would go there and ask for good health and a good harvest, leave sacrifices after a mass, child shepherds would imitate ancient rites around such places, and so on. It has been Toggle navigation. The Geographical Centre of Europe. If you were in a more precise if less poetic frame of mind, you might head for the exact geographic midpoint of the continent—but even that turns out to be a tricky spot to find.

No fewer than eight different nations have claimed to own the center of Europe. But accept no substitutes! View Iframe URL. View Purnuskes, Lithuania in a larger map. But in the case of Europe, even the most straightforward method, a simple geometric centroid, is fraught with ambiguity.