Analemmatic dials

Provincial Domain Hélécine, Opheylissem (Belgium)

The gnomes in the park certainly use the hour posts as seats for their legislative meetings. In any case, they give this dial 'sculptural presence', which one doesn't see often. And the whole seems not too vandal-prone.
Anyway, I like the cobblestone paving; the arcs contrast nicely with the straight lines of the three plates. And it is comforting that I'm not the only one who happens to see dials in the rain...

The major axis is 6m (20 ft). The hour posts carry Central European Time on top in Roman numerals (from V to VIII=20 hr) and DST at the front in gilded Arabic numerals. The XII hr post, in addition, has hiver (winter) engraved on top and été (summer) at the front. The tile in between points local noon with a gilded arrow.

The date line has been engraved into the large granite slab in the center. It carries EoT values per half month along the edges. The value for mid November is given as -15 minutes. The slab has been signed: J. Bosard, Liège and dated: 23 juin 1979. This is the first analemmatic sundial constructed in Belgium.

The stone at left has the instructions for use in French, the one at right in Dutch. The coordinates are being given as: 50°40'43" N, 4°54' E. This suggests a high degree of accuracy. Not justified, though; I think it should be: 50°45' N, 4°59' E. Just a tiny 10 km (6 mile) difference!

Admission to the park is free. In summer, people like to go fishing, picknicking or strolling the sculpture trail here. The castle is available for parties and other events.

Location: 50.7° N, 5.0° E
Design: J. Bosard
Inauguration: June 1979

Websites:
More digital pictures by Jacques Janssens
Provincial Domain of Walloon-Brabant at Hélécine (Dutch/French)