Neueste Geotope

The Devil’s Wall at Königstein

In the northern Harz foreland between Ballenstedt in the east and Blankenburg in the west, steep, sometimes meter-high sandstone cliffs form an imposing natural phenomenon over a length of approx. 20 km, which is known as the Teufelsmauer. The rugged, erosion-resistant cliffs are formed by layers of silicified sandstone, the formation of which is associated with the uplift of the Harz Mountains and their overthrust to the northern foreland during the Upper Cretaceous. The Königstein, Mittelstein and Papenstein sections south and south-west of Weddersleben have been under nature protection since 1935. In 2006, the Teufelsmauer was awarded national geotope status and is now an important geopoint in the UNESCO Geopark Harz – Braunschweiger Land – Ostfalen. … Continue readingThe Devil’s Wall at Königstein

The “Lange Wand” (long wall)

The “Lange Wand” is like a window into Earth’s history: from the Ilfeld porphyry (280 million years) to the copper shale and the Zechstein limestone (250 million years). In the mine of the same name, copper shale has been mined since the 16th century. Here, in addition to cobalt ore and barite, you can also admire fish fossils, the so-called “copper shale herring”. … Continue readingThe “Lange Wand” (long wall)

The Heeseberg

About 25 km southwest of Braunschweig, the 200 m high Heeseberg rises above the northern Harz foreland. It lies in the southeastern extension of the Asse and belongs geologically to the Asse-Heeseberg structure, a narrow, elongated fold anticline that contains a salt dome in its center (Fig. 1). In the former Asse salt mine, the salts of the Zechstein were mined for many years. Today it is known nationwide for the storage of low-level radioactive waste that has taken place since the 1970s. … Continue readingThe Heeseberg

The Korbach fissure

Along with the UNESCO World Heritage site “Grube Messel” near Darmstadt, the fossil site “Korbacher Spalte” (Korbach fissure) is the most important paleontological site in Hesse and our newest geosite of the 30 Geotope³-series. The findings of Europe’s oldest fossil-bearing fissure filling mark the initial evolutionary phase of mammalian development in the Permian geological era. The fissure in the limestone was created around 255 million years ago in Late Permian (Zechstein) by an earthquake and was uncovered in 1964. … Continue readingThe Korbach fissure

The Nördlinger Ries impact crater

About 15 million years ago, an asteroid more than a kilometer in size collided with the Earth and struck what is now southern Germany. A crater, 25 kilometer in diameter, was created, which is still preserved today: the Nördlinger Ries. We invite you to discover the crater with two 3D models: first, a model of the entire crater and second, a centimeter-scale model of the Aumühle quarry, one of the most exciting geotopes of the Ries crater. … Continue readingThe Nördlinger Ries impact crater

The “Schneckenstein”

The Schneckenstein is a well-known topaz rich outcrop located in the identically named district of the town of Muldenhammer in Saxony. The outcrop rises 23 metres above the ground in a mostly flat surrounding. With a height of 883 metres above mean sea level, the Schneckenstein is one of the highest points in the Upper Vogtland area. For protection purposes, the rock itself and its surroundings are fenced and can be visited during opening hours. On the 5th November 1938, the Schneckenstein was named a natural monument and added to the Saxon geosite list as number 259. The Schneckenstein is part of a joint geological research project of Topaswelt Schneckenstein, TU Bergakademie Freiberg and the Vogtland Geoumweltpark. … Continue readingThe “Schneckenstein”

The “Familienschacht”

Beneath the town of Freiberg in Saxony exists a large underground mining system dating back to the 18th century. During construction work at the Untermarkt in 2018, the so-called family mineshaft (German: “Familienschacht”), which was used to mine silver, was rediscovered. Due to the visit of Alexander von Humboldt, the Familienschacht is also known as the Humboldt Shaft. For safety reasons, the mining system is not accessible to the public. However, a 3D model was created to enable visitors to experience it. … Continue readingThe “Familienschacht”

Dinosaur tracks in the Obernkirchen Sandstone (Lower Saxony)

Some of the layers of the Obernkirchen Sandstone show countless footprints of different dinosaurs. Some 140 Ma ago, carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs lived in this area. Parts of the track-bearing layers are openly accessible and offer a brief view into the era of these ancient beasts.
Dinosaurs are an extremely successful group of terrestrial vertebrates and almost everyone has heard about the countless spectacular dinosaur fossils from Asia and South America. Furthermore, there are lots of fossils of these creatures known from several locations across Europe. One of these locations is the Bückeberg near Obernkirchen in Lower Saxony, Germany. Here, the dinosaurs literally left their traces… … Continue readingDinosaur tracks in the Obernkirchen Sandstone (Lower Saxony)