On the summit of Łysica in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, an initiative was launched to reconstruct a unique object, the Arminian pyramid. It was believed to be the first Polish geodetic marker. on 10 July 2025, activities aimed at restoring the historic measuring point, which in the 19th century symbolised the birth of modern geodesy on Polish soil, were officially inaugurated. The site was destroyed in 1830 by the Russian invaders as part of the repressions following the November Uprising. The planned reconstruction therefore has not only a historical dimension, but also a symbolic one.
Historical significance of the point on Łysica
The original pyramid was created in 1828 on the initiative of Stanisław Staszic and under the direction of astronomy professor Franciszek Armiński. The point was the central element of a triangulation network created at the time to measure the Old Polish Industrial District. The entire grid comprised about 3,000 triangles and extended over the area of today’s Kielce County and part of today’s Mazowieckie Voivodeship. Remains of the pyramid’s foundation can still be found on top of Łysica. The stones from which it was built were scattered by the Russians in the immediate vicinity.
The Armiński Pyramid – a jointinitiative of local institutions
The reconstruction project is led by the Coordinating Team for the Commemoration of the Arminsky Pyramid. It comprises representatives of the Swietokrzyska Polytechnic, the Swietokrzyska National Park, the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments, the Association of Polish Surveyors and private individuals. Mariusz Meus, a surveying technician from Kraków, was particularly actively involved. The team is tasked with developing a concept for commemorating the site. The proposals will then be presented to the Scientific Council of the Świętokrzyski National Park for evaluation. As the District Starost Office in Kielce points out, the possible form of reconstruction must not interfere with the current religious and cultural functions of the site or violate its natural values.
Commemoration of technical heritage
The initiative is actively supported by the surveying administration of the Kielce district. Mariusz Ściana of the district administration points out that the site is located in an area where the district governor carries out tasks related to geodesy and the protection of geodetic signs, so the action to commemorate it is important from the point of view of the local administration. According to Paweł Kowalczyk, district surveyor and director of the Department of Geodesy and Real Estate Management, the reconstruction is a form of paying tribute to those who fought for Poland’s economic development and independence through knowledge and science. The destruction of the point by the Russian authorities was intended to undermine the achievements of Polish technical and economic thought.
The Armiński Pyramid – symbolicdimension of the investment
The reconstruction of the pyramid is to coincide with two anniversaries: the 60th anniversary of the Świętokrzyska University of Technology and the 200th anniversary of the original building, which falls in 2028. The project is intended to remind people of the historical importance of geodesy and the role it played in the economic development of the region and the country. The initiators want the building to become a symbol of remembrance of figures such as Staszic and Armiński and a testimony to the continuity of the Polish technical tradition.
Source: Mariusz Meus, Poviat Starosty in Kielce
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