Solar Clock-Calendar (Nida)

In 1999 the Sundial was broken by hurricane Anatoly therefore the following description might differ from its present state.
A project of the Sundial was made by an architect Ricardas Kristapavicius. A professor Libertas Klimka assisted as a specialist in the fields of old astronomy. A sculptor Klaudijus Pudymas was responsible for creating an artistic part of the project. The Sundial was built in March 11, 1995. From the astronomical point of view the Parnidis dune is an ideal and unique place for this Sundial where opens an absolute mathematical horizon. Only there you will see the sunrise from the lagoon and the sunset to the Baltic Sea.
A shadow as a clockwise makes its daily circle, falls from the obelisk built in the centre of a platform. The obelisk stone weighing 36 tone was brought from the quarry of Karelia. This obelisk is pretty strong architectural element. The Parnidis dune erects it to 53 meters height as to the highest point of the spit. However, looking from the Urbo hill, Nida or the sailboat deck, this obelisk of the Sundial is barely visible as if a hint or a sign of something. The Sundial allure is observed coming close to the foot of the Parnidis dune and only from there one can realize that this is an erection. Climbing up, the obelisk is getting bigger as long as it overtops human’s scale and becomes a cosmic connection between heaven and earth.
Hours and half hours carved in a semi circle on the small stages are covered with granite slab. One for each month and other four for solstice and equinox. In every stage the semi circles are getting higher towards equinox and decreasing towards solstice. The largest semi-circle belongs to June, two small ones to December and January. The granite is engraved with celestial luminaries and graphics of eternal route. Each line of a scale is dictated by the rhythms of nature: nothing unnecessary, no creative notions. The geometry of mini stages reminds us the sand layers winded from olden dunes. The flowing time on the Parnidis dune could be felt physically. We see how the shadow of the obelisk is inexorably moving along the scale, and every sunrise and sunset, moreover, the noon is a great cosmic event on this platform. On special calendar days, namely in solstice and equinox, like the ancient priests and priestesses we can set the astronomic beginning of a season.
Furthermore, this Sundial shows local time. Every time the shadow recalls to a holidaymaker, that a man is nature’s child, dependent on its rhythms. Only nature is free to give strength and recovery.

Source: www.baltai.lt