Sun Labyrinth

This environmental art work is located in Pukinmäki, Helsinki, Finland. It is positioned based on cardinal points, and it consists of two parts one within the other: a labyrint, and a sun-dial & -calendar in the center of the labyrint.

Labyrint: The walls are built of mixed types of granite stones, and while the upper edge of the walls is leveled even, the sand floor of the labyrint deepens towards the center. In the “gates” of the labyrint, in the end of the cardinal point paths leading to the labyrint, there are couple of steps helping to enter on the broad outer wall, which can be used as a passing by path. All the visible stone surfaces are cleavage planes.

Sun-dial & -calendar: The inner surface of the rising center part consists of gray and red granite stones taking turns in 15 degrees intervals and forming a half sphere. In the face of the half sphere is carved, besides the solstice and equinox curves, also the meridian mean time hour curves. There is also a table, where one can calculate the local official time by reading the hour lines. In the middle of this half sphere is a sharp ended black granite hand, which is throwing a shadow of itself on the face of the half sphere, and from which one can read the hourly and the calendar time.