Triangulation Pillar Ruhebänke (Gerstenberg)

As a result of Saxony's participation in the "Central European Graduation", it was necessary for the surveying of the state of Saxony to place trigonometric points in the terrain that formed the corners of triangles, because trigonometric formulas could be used to measure length if a base line and two angles were known . The so-called Grossenhainer base line with an extremely precisely measured length of 8.9 km, which stretched from Quersa via Grossenhain to Raschütz, formed the basis for this, to which all points of the later state surveying network were connected by directional measurements (triangulation).Christian August Nagel
Christian August Nagel
One of the three professors commissioned with this extensive work was Christian August Nagel (1821 - 1903) from the Technische Bildungsanstalt Dresden, today the Technical University. From 1862 to 1890 he worked on a trigonometric network that included 158 measuring points. In addition, 36 points 1st class and 122 points 2nd class were built and marked with stone pillars. A theodolite was fastened to the pillars, with which the directional measurements were taken, most of which Nagel carried out himself. In several years of work under Nagel's direction, the network was calculated, balanced and determined with millimeter precision, so that for decades it was considered the most accurate in Germany. It is still used today, for example, to study the movements of the earth's crust. Later, these networks were refined further, leading to more and more accurate measurement results.Robert Helmert
Robert Helmert
The pillars were provided with the name of the station, the year it was erected and, for pillars of the 1st class, the inscription "Station of the Central European Central European Graduation" and those of the 2nd class with "Station of the Royal Saxon Triangulation". A pillar of the 1st class network is located in our area on the Valtenberg lookout tower. The station Ruhebänke near Rugiswalde, also known as the "salt column", is a 2nd class column and bears the inscription "Station Ruhebänke der Kön. saxon Triangulation 1865”. It is 4.9 m high and made of local granite in eight stone layers of different shapes and sizes. It was built in 1865 under the direction of Nagel's assistant Robert Helmert and cost 458 marks.
Source: bergbau-im-hohwaldgebiet.de

The triangulation column from 1865 on the Gerstenberg near Rugiswalde As a result of Saxony's participation in the "Central European Graduation", it was necessary for the surveying of the state of Saxony to place trigonometric points in the terrain that formed the corners of triangles, because trigonometric formulas could be used to measure length if a base line and two angles were known . The so-called Grossenhainer base line with an extremely precisely measured length of 8.9 km, which stretched from Quersa via Grossenhain to Raschütz, formed the basis for this, to which all points of the later state surveying network were connected by directional measurements (triangulation).Christian August Nagel
Christian August Nagel
One of the three professors commissioned with this extensive work was Christian August Nagel (1821 - 1903) from the Technische Bildungsanstalt Dresden, today the Technical University. From 1862 to 1890 he worked on a trigonometric network that included 158 measuring points. In addition, 36 points 1st class and 122 points 2nd class were built and marked with stone pillars. A theodolite was fastened to the pillars, with which the directional measurements were taken, most of which Nagel carried out himself. In several years of work under Nagel's direction, the network was calculated, balanced and determined with millimeter precision, so that for decades it was considered the most accurate in Germany. It is still used today, for example, to study the movements of the earth's crust. Later, these networks were refined further, leading to more and more accurate measurement results.Robert Helmert
Robert Helmert
The pillars were provided with the name of the station, the year it was erected and, for pillars of the 1st class, the inscription "Station of the Central European Central European Graduation" and those of the 2nd class with "Station of the Royal Saxon Triangulation". A pillar of the 1st class network is located in our area on the Valtenberg lookout tower. The station Ruhebänke near Rugiswalde, also known as the "salt column", is a 2nd class column and bears the inscription "Station Ruhebänke der Kön. saxon Triangulation 1865”. It is 4.9 m high and made of local granite in eight stone layers of different shapes and sizes. It was built in 1865 under the direction of Nagel's assistant Robert Helmert and cost 458 marks. The next 2nd order stations are on the Raumberg near Hinterhermsdorf and on the Grosses Berg near Langenwolmsdorf. With the "salt column" the district of Rugiswalde has a remarkable cultural and historical testimony to the history of surveying in Saxony. At this point we would like to thank the Rugiswalde youth fire brigade under Dieter Gawor, the Sachsenforst and all other helpers for the maintenance work they have done on the salt column and in its vicinity. During the maintenance work, the original cover plate was also put back on the column. Source: bergbau-im-hohwaldgebiet.de

Nice rest area in the form of benches.