Vasily Yakovlevich Struve, born Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, was an outstanding astronomer and one of the founders of modern astronomy. Although he received a philological education at the University of Tartu, his further career was associated with the natural sciences. One of his significant achievements was the creation of a geodetic arc named in his honor.

In 1818 and 1839, Struve led the Tartu Observatory, where a meridian circle was installed, allowing scientists to create geodetic maps. In 1839, he headed the Pulkovo Observatory, continuing his research on celestial bodies.

In the park on Toomemäe Hill, not far from the Tartu Observatory, there is a monument to Struve. This monument, unveiled in 1969, is an abstract composition created by sculptor Olav Mianni and architect Udo Ivaske. The monument symbolizes humanity's eternal aspiration towards the stars and the cosmos. Its lower part is designed as cylindrical sundials, while the columns resemble modified hourglasses. The dedication to Struve is indicated only by an inscription on one side of the monument.