Hilda Wilms Observatory
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The Hilda Wilms Observatory. also known as the Hilda & Twan or Hilda & Maaike Observatory and, in formal settings, the Imperial Observatory of Standard Time is an observatory located on the Prime Meridian in the Vernon Isles, South Hills, located next to the small village of Liefdenport. The Observatory historically played a large role in the navigation of the Vistari Colonial Company, as well as an instrumental role in Vistari Astronomy. In addition, it played a key role in both Vernon and VIstari timekeeping - following the full adoption of Imperial Standard Time which gave the Observatory its formal name. While built earlier, the Observatory was recognized as a "Site of Imperial Importance" by Emperor Alfred I the Vigilant in 1567, following the expansion of the Observatory paid for by the See of Supremacy - an independent sovereignty representing the throne of Vistaraland.
Continuing the run to this day, the Hilda Wilms Observatory acts as both a protected historical site as well as an Open Observatory, used by both Vistari and Concordian Institutions, notably the Grand Haasbaai University, who has a building under their Department of Science and Engineering named the Twan Maarse Building, after the Observatory's architect, as well as having raised money for the Observatory on multiple occasions. In 1932, the joint Vistari-Concordian Museum of Astronomy and Chronology was built adjacent to the Observatory, reportedly receiving over 2.5 million visitors between the years of 2017 and 2018.
History
Construction and Treaty
Construction of the Observatory began in the early 1550s during the relatively short period of administration by the Vistari Colonial Company over the Vernon Isles, with the Observatory and neighbouring Maarse Lighthouse being the life's work of Zijrivierlander Architect and Merchant Twan W. Maarse. According to Maarse, the Observatory was built to honour the wishes of his visually impaired wife, Sanne-Hilda Wilms to whom the Observatory is named after, who suffered from what Maarse referred to as "Dancing Eyes", which many Historians now believe to be a form of Nystagmus. In his memoir, Maarse wrote:
Following the conquest of the islands by the Codex Empire, the Treaty of Kusthuis included an exemption for the small village, including the Lighthouse and partially constructed Observatory, which allowed it to continue under the governance of the Maarse family on the condition that it met two requirements, as well as with the acceptance of Codexian rule by the Maarse family:
- The Lighthouse and Observatory shall be utilised for the good of all sapientkind, and no charge shall be forced upon those who desire to make use of its equipment.
- Taxes collected from the settlement are to be split between the Maarse family and the Codex Empire as to pay the lease on the lands that comprise it.
Under the Codex Empire
Following the treaty, the small village became a matter of interest for the Vistari Crown as a matter of prestige amongst what some felt to be Codexian Occupied Territory, with funds from the Vistari Treasury being put into ensuring Maarse could complete the Observatory in 1562, with the Emperor himself sending a formal letter of congratulation for the Architect's "Work of Passion, Generosity and Patriotism." Following the completion of the Observatory, Maarse spent the rest of his life as the Village's Head, living with his wife and son in the lighthouse up until her death the next year due to complications which many attribute to Orbital cellulitis.
The Observatory continued to receive funding and expand throughout the 1560s, with Maarse taking a passive role in overseeing the work, with a ceremony awarding him the title of Baron of Liefdenport as well as retroactively granting his wife the title of Baroness taking place on May 9th, 1567.
Independence of South Hills
Following the independence of South Hills, the treaty was reaffirmed to acknowledge the tiny Barony of Liefdenport to be owned by the Maarse family at the acquiesce of the Government of South Hills, with a commission made to ensure that the conditions of Monetary Compensation and Open Access were followed.
Following years of use by Astronomers and Navigators, the Observatory became the official timekeeping source for the Vistari Empire, with the mean solar time from the Observatory acting as the basis of Imperial Standard Time, the Vistari precursor to Universal Time at Christie (UTC). While the Observatory was decided against for the source of the Universal Time, efforts by Vistari diplomat Wilfred ten Voorde allowed the Observatory at Christie to sit upon the same line of Longitude as the Hilda & Twan Observatory, placing it upon the Prime Meridian.
In Modern Day
The Observatory remains in operation to this day - running mostly using funding from Vistaraland and donations, under the administration of Baroness Vera Geijs, the oldest living descendant of Maarse, with the position of Village Head having become more of a ceremonial position, with an elected Council running most of the village. It is notable for acting as a bastion for bilingualism, with all signs, by edict from Baron William Maarse, being in both Vistarian and Codexian as well as most of the population of the surrounding Village able to speak both languages, with both being mandatorily taught in both the Academy of Liefdenport and the Sanne-Hilda School for the Blind.
Cultural Significance
According to the Utopian Socialist Poet Lotte Farrier, the Poem "Grenzen Voorbij", (Codexian: Beyond Boundaries) written in 1894, was partially inspired by the unique status of Liefdenport and the cooperation seen between Concordians and Vistari at the Observatory. The piece is one that describes a place in which the concept of nations and wars is seen as antiquated, and the goals of each man is to advance and produce for the betterment of all. As such, the title of the poem - Grenzen Voorbij - became a slogan often associated with Vistari Socialism and Popularism, remaining today as the slogan for the Popularist political party today.
The Observatory and the village of Liefdenport were also the inspiration for the 1892 Andrew Laurens novel "Agonies of a Ticking Clock", where aspects of existential horror are utilized in order to reflect the sheer incomprehensive scope of time and space from the view of sapientkind. Several films based on the book have been released, most recently in the 2020 psychological horror "Ticking Clocks", which was praised for its direction, cinematography and unique take on the book's themes, it divided opinion due to its incredibly dark tone and disturbing portrayal of mental illness based upon the experiences of Corneel Lohuis, one of the writers for the film who was previously diagnosed with DPDR. Despite this, the film recorded a grossing just shy of $1 billion SHD in the box office and is critically acclaimed by most.
Since 2017, the Imperial Mint has produced Alfmerk notes bearing the faces of Twan W, Maarse and Hilda, with the observatory in the background, in order to commemorate 450 Years of the Observatory as a Site of Imperial Importance, as well as acknowledging the structure's service to Navigation and Astronomy.