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Christopher Hansteen, professor of applied mathematics 1816-65 at the University of Oslo, and director of the Geographical Survey of Norway 1817-1872, renewed the national instrument collection and trained young officers in surveying fieldwork to establish a geodetic reference network for Norway. After 3 decades of national focus the opportunity to contribute internationally was initiated by F. G. W. Struve of Pulkova Observatory. The Russian-Scandinavian Meridian Arc project in Finnmark 1845-1850 was the first government sponsored international science project in Norway. We review Hansteen's role and leadership from new archival source material. These sources have also lead to rediscovery of the universal instrument used by the Norwegian surveyors. We review and discuss the efforts of the key field observers. The precision of the measurements holds contemporary quality as judged by comparison with later observations. Although North Cape was initially planned as the northern terminal of the meridian arc, arguments were forwarded already in the reconnaissance report to replace it by Hammerfest.
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