Walter de Maria drilled a 1 kilometre hole into the earth, and connected 1 metre brass rods with a diameter of 5 cm to make 1 kilometre and inserted them into the hole. This is how the Vertical Earth Kilometre was created. In the placement of the Earth Kilometre, reference was made to the classical style rules, to which the architecture of the Fridericianum and the design of Friedrichsplatz is subject. In terms of content too, Walter de Maria wanted to refer to an issue that has occupied people from all cultural eras: geography and astronomy.