Episode 10: The Optical Level of Brito Limpo
Built by hand, piece by piece, in the mid-19th century, the Brito Limpo optical level was one of the most brilliant tools built in the field of cartography in Portugal. It proved fundamental to solving problems in the field of determining orthometric levels and was crucial for measuring the altitudes of various parts of the country. This revolutionary instrument earned the Portuguese military officer a distinction at the 1867 Paris Universal Exhibition, among other prizes. A copy of the six optical levels built by Brito Limpo is in the Técnico Civil Engineering Museum and its importance can be discovered in the 10th episode of the “110 Stories | 110 Objects” podcast.