Nine Views

In 1971 the artist Ivan Kozaric created a sculptural work called, The Grounded Sun, a bronze sphere two meters in diameter. Situated in the heart of Zagreb, Croatia, the work would mark the center of a solar system model, unbeknownst to most locals.

The large, polished sphere became a well known landmark in the city and in 2004, artist Davor Preis created metal models of the planets in scale with the established sun and placed them at relative distances around the city. Once completed, the system was in scale 1:680,000,000 to the actual solar system. For example the sculpture of Earth is roughly 1.9 centimeter in size and at 225 meters from the sun model, while Pluto’s model is nearly nine kilometers away.

Preis failed to provide any statement or press about his permanent installation, and the placement of the solar system was done with little fanfare. While people began to notice the planetary plaques, the entire system was not mapped out until a number of students from the Croation Physics Society discovered the model and hunted down each of the planets. 

Today, the models are rather easy to find, and visitors can follow Nine Views across the solar system.