Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Vila Real > Chaves > Chaves > Madalena e Samaiões
The representation of the Sun, the starting point of the Solar System on a Chaves scale, is located in the city, precisely at the beginning of the pedestrian bridge over the Tâmega River. This central position offers easy access and invites a break by the river bank, in a tranquil environment. The plaque symbolizing it is integrated into the pavement, marking the starting point of a route that extends through the Flavian urban fabric.
The element marking the Sun is a circle 62 centimeters in diameter, skillfully incorporated into the ground. This physical representation, though modest in size within the urban space, carries within it the vastness of our stellar system. It was designed to offer a tangible understanding of celestial proportions, acting as the nucleus from which the complexity of the cosmos unfolds on a comprehensible and visible scale within the city.
Upon observing this symbolic representation of the Sun on the pavement, visitors are invited to reflect on the immensity of the universe. This unique installation transforms a common stroll through Chaves into an educational experience, allowing for a concrete visualization of the scale and distances of celestial bodies. It is an original and engaging way to learn or recall the grandeur of the Solar System, using the city as an authentic open-air planetarium.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.7363167,-7.4690397
Coordinates DMS: 41°44'10.7"N 07°28'8.5"W